Matsyapurana 134

English (machine translation) 134

Language: English

134.1

*Sūta said:*
While that chariot was being worshiped by the worlds, and the god stood upon the chariot, / while the Pramathas roared fiercely and cried out, "Excellent!"

134.2

while the great bull bellowed with the resonant tone of the Lord, / while the Brahmins shouted victory and the horses neighed,

134.3

the lordly divine seer Nārada, springing up from the battlefield, / his splendor resembling the moon, swiftly came to the city of Tripura.

134.4

Portentous signs certainly occurred among the Daityas in Tripura; / and the venerable Nārada, rich in ascetic power, appeared there.

134.5

Seeing Nārada who had arrived, lustrous as a cloud, all the Dānavas assembled together / and rose up, uttering words of greeting.

134.6

Those rulers honored Nārada with the water offering for hospitality, foot-water, and the honey-mixture, / just as Vāsava honors Brahmā.

134.7

Having accepted their worship, that ascetic worthy of worship, / Nārada sat comfortably on an excellent golden seat.

134.8

And when Nārada, born of Brahmā, sat at ease, Maya, the lord of the Dānavas, / sat down suitably together with the Dānavas.

134.9

Beholding Nārada seated, the great Asura Maya, / pleased, his bodily hair bristling and his eyes wide, spoke [these] words:

134.10

"Portentous signs occur in our city such as have occurred nowhere else; / speak, O knower of the present, O Nārada!

134.11

Frightening dreams are seen, banners are broken off at the top, / and even without wind, the standard falls to the ground.

134.12

Watchtowers dance along with their flags and gateways, / and terrifying voices are heard in the city, crying: 'Kill! Kill!'

134.13

I do not fear the gods, even with Indra, O Nārada, / except for the one boon-granting Sthāṇu, Hara, who grants fearlessness to his devotees.

134.14

O venerable one, nothing concerning portents is unknown to you, O sinless one; / you know the future and the past according to reality.

134.15

Therefore, O best of sages, tell this cause of fear indicated by the portents / to me who have taken refuge [in you], O Nārada."

134.16

Thus addressed by Maya, Nārada, free from affliction, [replied]:

*Nārada said:*
"Hear, O Dānava, in truth how portents come to be: / The root *dhṛ* is recited in the sense of sustaining and greatness; / and because of sustaining and greatness, this is called *dharma*.

134.18

That *dharma* which leads to what is desired is taught by teachers; / the other, which bears undesired fruit, is not taught by teachers.

134.19

One who would go from the wrong path to the right path, or indeed from the right path to the wrong path— / his destruction is to be declared; so know the knowers of the Veda.

134.20

Mounted on the chariot of unrighteousness together with these intoxicated Dānavas, / you offer assistance to those who wrong the gods.

134.21

Therefore, these portents and the like are indicated / and are seen as destructive for the Dānavas.

134.22

This Rudra, having mounted his chariot made of the great worlds, / is coming to destroy Tripura, you, O Maya, and the Asuras.

134.23

Therefore, constantly take refuge in the exceedingly mighty Maheśvara; / [and thus] you will survive along with your son and the Dānavas, O giver of honor."

134.24

Having thus proclaimed the great danger approaching the Dānavas, / the divine [sage] went back to the presence of the lord of the gods.

134.25

When the sage Nārada had departed, Maya, the leader of the Dānavas, / spoke to the Dānavas these words approved by the brave:

134.26

"You are heroes, you have begotten sons, you have fulfilled your duties, O Dānavas! / Fight together with the deities, and no fear should be felt by us.

134.27

Having conquered, we shall all become members of the assembly of the immortals; / and having slain the gods led by Indra, we Asuras shall enjoy the worlds!

134.28

Stand upon the watchtowers, weapon in hand! / Armored and prepared for battle, stand with your weapons raised!

134.29

And in these three cities, O Dānavas, stand at your posts; / for the cities will have to be defended against assault.

134.30

Moreover, the valiant deities moving in the sky are known to you; / with effort they must be repulsed and torn apart with arrows!"

134.31

Having thus spoken words to the sons of Danu that checked the hosts of gods, / King Maya quickly entered that city of Tripura, where the minds of the young women were despondent.

134.32

Then, his disposition purified like silver, having praised Bhava, the sky-clad one, with auspicious hymns, / he took refuge in the god of gods, the slayer of the enemy of Kama, of Andhaka, and of the sacrifice's body.

134.33

The god with the third blazing eye did not disregard Maya who had sought refuge seeking the state of fearlessness; / then the moon-crested god granted him his wish, and that Dānava indeed became fearless.

Translations (1)

The Matsya Puranam — A Taluqdar of Oudh 1916, English

Linked texts (1)

Matsyapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit