Skandapurana 4.16

The two gaṇas said: / 'O Śivaśarman of great intellect, this is the marvelous realm of Śukra. / Here dwells Kavi, the guru of the dānavas and daityas, / who, having inhaled the smoke of chaff, exceedingly unbearable, for a thousand years, / obtained from Hara the great vidyā that revives the dead. / Even the preceptor of the gods does not know this exceedingly difficult vidyā, / except for the Conqueror of Death, Skanda, Pārvatī, and the elephant-faced god.' / Śivaśarman said: / 'Who is this one known as Śukra, whose unexcelled realm this is? / And how was the vidyā that revives the dead obtained by him from Hara?

Tell this, O two lordly gods, if you have affection for me.'

Then those two gods related the supreme story of Śukra,

hearing which with faith, people are freed from untimely deaths,

and no fear arises from bhūtas, pretas, or piśācas.

When a battle was taking place between Andhaka and the enemy of Andhaka,

the leaders of the impenetrable mountain battle-array and diamond battle-array,

then Andhaka, withdrawing from the battle, came into the presence of Śukra

and, having stepped down from his chariot, spoke as follows:

'O venerable one, having taken refuge in you, we consider the gods and their followers,

even those beginning with Rudra and Upendra, as equal to blades of grass.

As elephants fear lions, as snakes fear Garuḍas,

the gods fear us, O guru, through your grace.

The daityas and dānavas entered the impenetrable diamond battle-array,

scattering the army of the pramathas, like those tormented by heat enter a lake.

Having taken refuge in you, standing firm like mountains,

we roam fearlessly in the great battle, O foremost of brahmins.

And with devotion as your own people, we, together with our wives and sons,

serve your bliss-bestowing feet day and night.

Protect completely those who have sought refuge, O gracious brahmin! / Behold Huṇḍa and Tuhuṇḍa, Kujambha and Jambha,

Behold Huṇḍa, and Tuhuṇḍa, Kujambha, and Jambha!

Pāka and Kārtasvana, Vipāka, Pākahārin,

and that Candradamana, the hero who tears apart heroic immortals,

overcome by the pramathas of terrible prowess who crush death itself,

slain and fallen like sandalwood trees by Southerners.

The excellent vidyā that was acquired by you formerly after inhaling the smoke of chaff for a thousand autumns—

the time for it has now arrived.

Now let that fruit of your vidyā revive the daityas;

let all the pramathas see these [warriors] revived by you.'

Having heard these words of Andhaka, the sage Bhārgava of firm intellect,

smiling slightly then, said to the lord of the dānavas:

'O lord of dānavas, everything spoken by you is true.

Indeed, this acquisition of the vidyā was accomplished by me for the sake of the dānavas.

Having inhaled the smoke of chaff, exceedingly unbearable, for a thousand years,

this vidyā bringing happiness to kinsmen was obtained from Īśvara.

With this vidyā, I shall raise those crushed in battle by the pramathas,

as a raincloud raises withered grains.

Without wounds, free from sickness, healthy, as if having merely slept, risen again—

in this very moment you will see the dānavas risen, O king!'

Having spoken thus to the lord of the dānavas, Kavi recited the vidyā.

Designating each daitya one by one, they arose bearing their weapons,

like the Vedas constantly recited, or like rainclouds in the proper season,

or like wealth given with faith to brahmins in great calamity.

Seeing those great asuras, Tuhuṇḍa and the others, revived,

those elder gods roared like clouds filled with water.

Seeing those dānavas revived by Śukra, the lords of the gaṇas,

saying, 'This must indeed be reported to the Lord of Gods,' spoke thus to one another.

While that wondrous sacrifice of battle of the lords of pramathas was thus proceeding,

the son of Śilāda, indignant upon seeing the deed of Bhārgava, approached Maheśvara.

And saying 'Victory!', Nandī, radiant like gold, spoke to the fierce Source of Victory:

'O God, that exploit in battle of the gaṇa leaders, which is difficult even for the gods led by Indra,

has today been rendered futile for us by Bhārgava, by reviving those enemies dead in battle!'

Reciting the spell that gives life to the dead, one by one, with ease, O Lord! 4.1.16.30

The great lords of asuras—Tuhuṇḍa, Huṇḍa and the others, Jambha, Jambhavipāka, Pāka and the rest—

having returned today from the abode of Yama, now wander about scattering the pramathas! 31

If he continues to revive those struck-down foremost daityas again and again here,

how will there be victory for us, O Maheśa? From where can there be peace for the lords of the gaṇas? 32

Addressed thus by Nandin, lord of the pramathas, the Lord of the pramatha-lords,

the God, smiling, then said to Nandin, king of all the lords of the gaṇas: 33

“Nandin, go forth with supreme haste, snatch the best of twice-born lords from the midst of the sons of Diti,

and bring him here swiftly, just as a hawk carries off a quail chick!” 34

Addressed in this manner by the bull-bannered [Śiva], Nandin, whose roar was like a bull’s and a lion’s, roared;

and swiftly plunging into the army, he went to where the beacon of the Bhṛgu race was. 35

Though he was guarded by all the sons of Diti, holding nooses, swords, trees, stones, and mountains in hand,

that mighty Nandin threw the daityas into turmoil and seized Kāvya, like a śarabha [seizing] an elephant. 36

His clothes falling, his ornaments slipping off, his hair unbound, grasped by the mighty one,

the enemies of the gods followed, shouting lion-like roars, intent on rescuing him. 37

Of thunderbolts, tridents, swords, axes, formidable discus-missiles, stones, and missiles of shaking,

the lords of the dānavas poured a fierce shower upon Nandīśvara, like clouds [raining down]. 38

Having seized that descendant of Bhṛgu, the king of the gaṇas burned hundreds of weapons with the fire from his mouth,

and as the battle between asuras and gods raged on, having afflicted the enemy's army, he arrived at Bhava’s side. 39

“Here is that Śukra, O Lord!”—thus he promptly announced to Bhava;

and the God of gods took Śukra, like an offering presented by a pure person. 4.1.16.40

Saying nothing at all, the guardian of the spirits tossed the foremost of sages into his mouth like a fruit;

and a loud cry of ‘alas, alas!’ was raised exceedingly by all those asuras, ‘Ha! Ha! Ha!’ 41

When Kāvya was swallowed by the Lord of the daughter of the mountain, the daityas were left devoid of hope of victory,

like lordly elephants deprived of their trunks, or bulls deprived of their horns; 42

like crowds of embodied souls deprived of bodies, or brahmins devoid of study; / like virtues of goodness lacking exertion, or efforts devoid of good fortune; 43

[as above]

like women deprived of a husband, or showers of arrows lacking feathers; / like lifespans devoid of merits, or sacred learnings lacking good conduct; 44

[as above]

just as multiple actions are devoid of their results without the single power of royal majesty,

even so, without that single foremost among the twice-born, the daityas turned away from any hope of victory. 45

When Śukra was carried away by Nandin and swallowed by the consumer of poison,

the daityas fell into dejection, their joy for battle failing them. 46

Seeing them drained of enthusiasm, Andhaka addressed them:

“We have been deceived by Nandin, who carried off the poet through sheer prowess! 47

Our life-breaths have been stolen today by him without [taking] our bodies!

Steadfastness, vigor, course of action, fame, courage, splendor, and valor— 48

all has been taken from us at once, when that one descendant of Bhṛgu was seized!

Fie on us, by whom that one best of the lineage, worshipful to the family,

the guru, fully capable in all matters, the protector, was not protected in adversity! 49

Therefore, taking hold of steadfastness here, fight with the enemies!

I shall destroy all the pramathas along with Nandin! 4.1.16.50

Today, slaying these helpless ones together with the gods and Indra,

I shall release the descendant of Bhṛgu, as a yogin releases the soul from karma! 51

And may that master, being a yogin himself through yoga,

come forth from his body, preserved by our fury!” 52

Hearing these words of Andhaka, the dānavas, sounding like thunder-clouds,

tormented the pramathas, having resolved upon death: 53

“As long as lifespan remains, the pramathas could never prevail over us by force;

and when lifespan is exhausted, what is gained by fleeing and abandoning one's master in battle? 54

Those who, treasuring honor, abandon their master in battle,

they assuredly go to the abode of Blind Darkness (Andhatāmisra). 55

Staining their renown greatly with the darkness of infamy,

those routed from the battlefield could not find happiness in this world or the next! 56

What need of gifts? What need of austerities? What need of immersions in sacred fords,

if one has bathed in the sacred ford of the earth, which removes the defilement of rebirth?” 57

Deliberating thus among themselves, those daityas and dānujas

crushed the pramathas in battle, beating their war-drums; 58

there, with torrents of arrows, swords, thunderbolts, and rocky crags,

with bhuśuṇḍīs, bhindipālas, spears, bhalla arrows, and axes. 59

with skull-topped clubs, spears, tridents, bludgeons, and heavy pestles in abundance,

striking one another, they wrought a great slaughter.

There arose the twang of drawn bows and the sound of falling arrows,

of slings and bhuśuṇḍi-missiles, and of war-cries.

With the blare of war-trumpets and the frequent trumpeting of elephants,

and the neighing of horses, a tremendous uproar arose.

The space between heaven and earth was filled with echoes,

and both the fearless and the fearful had their hair stand on end.

Their grasp on weapons loosening amidst the loud cries of elephants and horses,

their banners and flags shattered, their weapons exhausted,

variegated with gouts of blood, their horses, elephants, and chariots destroyed,

the thirsty armies fainted on both sides.

Seeing his army being broken on all sides by the Pramathas,

Andhaka himself mounted his chariot and rushed against the Gaṇas.

Under those strikes of his thunderbolt-like arrows, as mountains struck by lightning-bolts,

the Pramathas could not hold their ground, like waterless clouds before the winds.

Observing each one retreating, advancing, far away, or near at hand,

Andhaka then pierced each of them with as many arrows as the number of his body hairs.

By Vināyaka, Skanda, Nandin, Somanandin,

Naigameya, Śākha, and the mighty Viśākha,

and by other fierce Gaṇas like these, even Andhaka was blinded [by fury],

as they showered down torrents of tridents, javelins, and volleys of arrows.

Then an uproar arose between the armies of the Pramathas and the Asuras.

At that tremendous sound, Śukra, who was inside Śambhu's belly,

wandering about searching for an opening, homeless like the wind,

beheld the seven worlds together with their guardians within Rudra's body.

He saw the manifold realms of Brahmā, Nārāyaṇa, and Indra, and of the suns and the water-gods,

as well as the battle between the Pramathas and the Asuras.

Wandering all around within Bhava's belly for a hundred years,

he found no opening in him, just as a wicked man finds no flaw in an honest one.

Then, through the yoga of Śambhu, the descendant of Bhṛgu in the form of semen

fell forth and bowed low; then the god spoke to him:

“Since you came forth like semen (śukra), O son of Bhṛgu,

by this act you are Śukra, and you are my son; now depart.”

When Śukra emerged from his belly, the god too rejoiced greatly:

“It has turned out well for me while wandering, that the twice-born did not die in my belly.”

Having been spoken to thus by the god, Śukra, radiant like the sun,

entered the Dānava host like the moon entering a bank of clouds.

That great ocean of the Dānavas felt joy at Śukra's rising,

just as the great ocean garlanded with waves rejoices at the rising of the moon.

While the great battle between Andhaka and the slayer of Andhaka was going on,

in this way that descendant of Bhṛgu came to be named Śukra.

How he obtained that supreme secret knowledge that revives the dead (mṛtasaṃjīvanī)

by Śambhu's grace, hear that, O one of good vows.

The two Gaṇas said:

In ancient times, this heir of Bhṛgu, having gone to the city of Vārāṇasī,

which grants the highest destination to egg-born, sweat-born, plant, and womb-born beings,

installed a liṅga of glorious Śambhu, dug a well before it,

and performed austerity for a long time, meditating on Lord Viśveśvara.

With royal campaka, dhattūra, red oleander, and blue water-lilies,

with mālatī and karṇikāra, kadamba, bakula, and night-lotuses,

with mallikā jasmine and hundred-petaled lotuses, sinduvāra and kiṃśuka,

with aśoka, karuṇa flowers, punnāga, and nāgakesara,

with kṣudrā, mādhavī creepers, pāṭalā, bilva, and campaka,

with fresh jasmine, vicikila, kunda, and mucukunda,

with mandāra, bilva leaves, droṇa, marubaka, and baka,

with granthiparṇa, damanaka, and heavenly fragrant mango shoots,

with tulasī, devagandhārī, broad leaves, and sprouts of kuśa grass,

with nadyāvarta, agastya, śāla, and deodar trees,

with kāñcanāra, kurabaka, shoots of dūrvā grass, and kuraṇṭaka—

With each of these flowers, with sprouts, and with other

leaves by the hundreds of thousands, he worshipped Śaṃkara.

With pañcāmṛta measured by droṇas, a hundred thousand times, with great effort,

he bathed the Lord of Gods with many fragrant ceremonial baths.

A thousand times, the Lord of Gods with sandalpastes and yakṣa-kardama [ointments]—

he anointed the Lord of Gods, followed by fragrant rubbings.

With offerings of song and dance, and with many hymns proclaimed in the Vedas,

and with other thousands of names and hymns of praise, he extolled Śaṃkara.

Thus worshipping for five thousand autumns, Śukra,

when he did not see the god inclined in the least toward granting a boon,

then undertook another dreadful, exceedingly unbearable observance.

Having washed away entirely the great impurity of the mind called fickleness

with the waters of meditation repeatedly, together with the senses,

and making that jewel of the mind pure, offering it to the Wielder of Pināka,

the sage drank a stream of grain-husk smoke for a thousand autumns.

Then the god was pleased with the great-souled Bhārgava.

Emerging from that liṅga, surpassing the splendour of a thousand suns,

Virūpākṣa, the husband of Dākṣāyaṇī in bodily form, spoke:

“O treasury of austerity, I am pleased; choose a boon, O Bhārgava!”

Hearing this speech of Śambhu, the lotus-eyed twice-born,

his body bristling with horripilation from a surging abundance of bliss,

delighted, the corners of his eyes wide open, praised the eight-formed god,

placing his folded hands upon his head and crying, “Victory, victory!”

Bhārgava said:

“Overcoming all darkness with these rays of yours, you bring an end to the desires of the night-roamers; / you shine in the sky as a jewel for the welfare of the three worlds, O Lord of the Universe, therefore homage to you!

You shine as a jewel in the sky for the benefit of the three worlds, O Lord of the Universe, therefore homage to you!

With your exceedingly boundless, great splendours, you create boundless joy for the night-lotuses, like an ocean; / having dispelled all darkness, O cool-rayed moon, filled with an abundance of nectar, homage to you!

By whom all darkness is dispelled, who have pure light, cool-rayed, filled with a flood of nectar, therefore homage to you!