॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ एकादशोऽध्यायः - ११ ॥
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Discourse XI
Conclusion of the conflict between the gods and the demons (Preamble)
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श्रीशुक उवाच ।
अथो सुराः प्रत्युपलब्धचेतसः
परस्य पुंसः परयानुकम्पया ।
जघ्नुर्भृशं शक्रसमीरणादय-
स्तांस्तान् रणे यैरभिसंहताः पुरा ॥ १॥
वैरोचनाय संरब्धो भगवान् पाकशासनः ।
उदयच्छद्यदा वज्रं प्रजा हा हेति चुक्रुशुः ॥ २॥
वज्रपाणिस्तमाहेदं तिरस्कृत्य पुरःस्थितम् ।
मनस्विनं सुसम्पन्नं विचरन्तं महामृधे ॥ ३॥
नटवन्मूढ मायाभिर्मायेशान् नो जिगीषसि ।
जित्वा बालान् निबद्धाक्षान् नटो हरति तद्धनम् ॥ ४॥
आरुरुक्षन्ति मायाभिरुत्सिसृप्सन्ति ये दिवम् ।
तान् दस्यून् विधुनोम्यज्ञान् पूर्वस्माच्च पदादधः ॥ ५॥
सोऽहं दुर्मायिनस्तेऽद्य वज्रेण शतपर्वणा ।
शिरो हरिष्ये मन्दात्मन्घटस्व ज्ञातिभिः सह ॥ ६॥
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Śrī Śuka resumed: Having regained (their) presence of mind by the supreme grace of Lord Viṣṇu (the supreme Person), the gods headed by Indra ( the ruler of the gods) and Samīraṇa (the wind-god), now struck hard each one of those (Asuras) by whom they had been jointly assailed before. (1)
When the glorious Indra (the chastiser of the demon Pāka), full of anger, took up his thunderbolt in order to strike Bali (the son of Virocana), his subjects cried "Alas !" "Alas !" (2)
Reproaching the heroic Bali, who was well-equipped (with arms) and was ranging fearlessly before Indra in that great conflict, Indra (who wielded a thunderbolt in his hand), addressed him as follows:—(3)
Conquering fools whose eyes have been enchanted, a conjurer takes away their money. (Even so,) though no better than a conjurer, O fool, you seek to overpower us, lords of Māyā, by means of incantations ! (4)
Those foolish robbers who seek to ascend to heaven, nay, rise (even) beyond heaven (to still higher regions) by means of spells, I cast still lower down than their former abode. (5)
As such I shall lop off your head today with (my) thunderbolt having a hundred joints, even though (I know) you are an adept in the use of melevolent spells. Exert yourself with (all) Your kinsfolk, O dull-witted one ! (6) (1-6)
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बलिरुवाच ।
सङ्ग्रामे वर्तमानानां कालचोदितकर्मणाम् ।
कीर्तिर्जयोऽजयो मृत्युः सर्वेषां स्युरनुक्रमात् ॥ ७॥
तदिदं कालरशनं जनाः पश्यन्ति सूरयः ।
न हृष्यन्ति न शोचन्ति तत्र यूयमपण्डिताः ॥ ८॥
न वयं मन्यमानानामात्मानं तत्र साधनम् ।
गिरो वः साधुशोच्यानां गृह्णीमो मर्मताडनाः ॥ ९॥
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Bali replied: Fame, triumph, discomfiture and death fall in succession to the lot of all who are engaged in hostilities and whose actions are impelled by (a propitious or unpropitious) Time (Destiny). (7)
Therefore, wise men view (all) this (fame etc.), at determined by Time; they neither exult nor grieve over it. You are (however) ignorant of this truth. (8)
We (for our part) do not take to the heart your words that sting one to the quick, since you deserve to be pitied by pious souls in that you account your own self instrumental in bringing fame and so on. (9) (7-9)
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श्रीशुक उवाच ।
इत्याक्षिप्य विभुं वीरो नाराचैर्वीरमर्दनः ।
आकर्णपूर्णैरहनदाक्षेपैराहतं पुनः ॥ १०॥
एवं निराकृतो देवो वैरिणा तथ्यवादिना ।
नामृष्यत्तदधिक्षेपं तोत्राहत इव द्विपः ॥ ११॥
प्राहरत्कुलिशं तस्मा अमोघं परमर्दनः ।
सयानो न्यपतद्भूमौ छिन्नपक्ष इवाचलः ॥ १२॥
सखायं पतितं दृष्ट्वा जम्भो बलिसखः सुहृत् ।
अभ्ययात्सौहृदं सख्युर्हतस्यापि समाचरन् ॥ १३॥
स सिंहवाह आसाद्य गदामुद्यम्य रंहसा ।
जत्रावताडयच्छक्रं गजं च सुमहाबलः ॥ १४॥
गदाप्रहारव्यथितो भृशं विह्वलितो गजः ।
जानुभ्यां धरणीं स्पृष्ट्वा कश्मलं परमं ययौ ॥ १५॥
ततो रथो मातलिना हरिभिर्दशशतैर्वृतः ।
आनीतो द्विपमुत्सृज्य रथमारुरुहे विभुः ॥ १६॥
तस्य तत्पूजयन् कर्म यन्तुर्दानवसत्तमः ।
शूलेन ज्वलता तं तु स्मयमानोऽहनन्मृधे ॥ १७॥
सेहे रुजं सुदुर्मर्षां सत्त्वमालम्ब्य मातलिः ।
इन्द्रो जम्भस्य सङ्क्रुद्धो वज्रेणापाहरच्छिरः ॥ १८॥
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Śrī Śuka went on: Having thus twitted the powerful god (Indra) the valiant Bali, the vanquisher of heroes (in battle), struck him again with arrows pulled (right) up to the ear—him who had (already) been stung with taunts. (10)
Thus reproached by the enemy, who spoke the truth (all the same), the god (Indra) could not bear his insulting speech any more than an elephant pricked with a goad. (11)
Indra (the vanquisher of foes) hurled (his) unfailing thunderbolt against him so that, like a mountain that had its wings * clipped, Bali fell to the ground, car and all. (12)
Finding his friend (Bali) fallen (in battle), the demon Jambha, a (great) friend and well-wisher of Bali, assailed Indra, (thus) rendering good offices even to his fallen friend. (13)
Riding on a lion, Jambha, who was possessed of great might, approached Indra and, lifting his mace, struck him with (great) impetuousity on the collar-bone, as well as his elephant (Airāvata). (14)
Tormented by the stroke of the mace and utterly confounded, the elephant touched the ground with its knees and fell into a deep swoon. (15)
Thereupon was brought by Mātali (Indra's charioteer) a chariot drawn by a thousand horses; and, leaving the elephant, the mighty god mounted the chariot. (16)
Admiring that (prompt) action of the charioteer and smiling too, Jambha (the foremost of the Dānavas) struck the latter with a burning dart in battle. (17)
Taking recourse to fortitude, Mātali bore the pain (caused by the dart), which was most difficult to endure; and (greatly) enraged, Indra severed Jambha's head by means of his thunderbolt. (18)
- We read in the Purāṇas that mountains had wings in the earliest times and could fly and settle down wherever they would. Finding them a great menace to organic life, Indra clipped their wings and thus rendered them incapable of motion for all times.
(10-18)
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जम्भं श्रुत्वा हतं तस्य ज्ञातयो नारदादृषेः ।
नमुचिश्च बलः पाकस्तत्रापेतुस्त्वरान्विताः ॥ १९॥
वचोभिः परुषैरिन्द्रमर्दयन्तोऽस्य मर्मसु ।
शरैरवाकिरन् मेघा धाराभिरिव पर्वतम् ॥ २०॥
हरीन् दशशतान्याजौ हर्यश्वस्य बलः शरैः ।
तावद्भिरर्दयामास युगपल्लघुहस्तवान् ॥ २१॥
शताभ्यां मातलिं पाको रथं सावयवं पृथक् ।
सकृत्सन्धानमोक्षेण तदद्भुतमभूद्रणे ॥ २२॥
नमुचिः पञ्चदशभिः स्वर्णपुङ्खैर्महेषुभिः ।
आहत्य व्यनदत्सङ्ख्ये सतोय इव तोयदः ॥ २३॥
सर्वतः शरकूटेन शक्रं सरथसारथिम् ।
छादयामासुरसुराः प्रावृट्सूर्यमिवाम्बुदाः ॥ २४॥
अलक्षयन्तस्तमतीव विह्वला
विचुक्रुशुर्देवगणाः सहानुगाः ।
अनायकाः शत्रुबलेन निर्जिता
वणिक्पथा भिन्ननवो यथार्णवे ॥ २५॥
ततस्तुराषाडिषुबद्धपञ्जरा-
द्विनिर्गतः साश्वरथध्वजाग्रणीः ।
बभौ दिशः खं पृथिवीं च रोचयन्
स्वतेजसा सूर्य इव क्षपात्यये ॥ २६॥
निरीक्ष्य पृतनां देवः परैरभ्यर्दितां रणे ।
उदयच्छद्रिपुं हन्तुं वज्रं वज्रधरो रुषा ॥ २७॥
स तेनैवाष्टधारेण शिरसी बलपाकयोः ।
ज्ञातीनां पश्यतां राजन् जहार जनयन् भयम् ॥ २८॥
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Hearing from (the lips of) the sage Nārada about Jambha having been slain (by Indra), his kinsmen, Namuci, Bala and Pāka, arrived there in (great) haste. (19)
Stinging Indra to the quick with their pungent words, they struck him repeatedly with arrows even as clouds would assail a mountain with torrents. (20)
The swift-handed Bala simultaneously struck in battle (all) the thousand horses of Haryāśwa (Indra) with as many arrows. (21)
With a hundred arrows each (the demon) Pāka struck separately Mātali (the charioteer) and the chariot with (all) its parts by fitting to the bow and discharging (all) the arrows at one and the same time. That was (indeed) a (great) marvel in that battle. (22)
Piercing Indra with fifteen large arrows furnished with hilts of gold, (the demon) Namuci roared on the field of battle like a cloud charged with water. (23)
The demons covered Śakra (Indra) including his chariot and charioteer on all sides with a network of arrows (even) as clouds would obscure the sun in the rains. (24)
Not perceiving him (on the battle-field) and extremely perturbed, the celestial troops with their retinue, who were (now) left without a leader and were utterly vanquished by the enemy, uttered a plaintive cry like merchants whose ship had been wrecked in mid-ocean. (25)
Presently Indra (who was capable of overpowering the mighty) issued out of the cage of arrows along with the horses, chariot, flag and charioteer. Illuminating the quarters, sky and earth with his splendour, he shone like the sun at the close of night. (26)
Observing his army overpowered by the enemies (the demons) in battle, the god (Indra), the wielder of the thunderbolt, lifted his thunderbolt in anger with intent to slay his enemy. (27)
With the same eight-edged weapon he severed the heads of (both) Bala and Pāka, inspiring terror in (the heart of) their kinsfolk, who stood looking on, O Parikṣit ! (28) (19-28)
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नमुचिस्तद्वधं दृष्ट्वा शोकामर्षरुषान्वितः ।
जिघांसुरिन्द्रं नृपते चकार परमोद्यमम् ॥ २९॥
अश्मसारमयं शूलं घण्टावद्धेमभूषणम् ।
प्रगृह्याभ्यद्रवत्क्रुद्धो हतोऽसीति वितर्जयन् ।
प्राहिणोद्देवराजाय निनदन् मृगराडिव ॥ ३०॥
तदापतद्गगनतले महाजवं
विचिच्छिदे हरिरिषुभिः सहस्रधा ।
तमाहनन्नृप कुलिशेन कन्धरे
रुषान्वितस्त्रिदशपतिः शिरो हरन् ॥ ३१॥
न तस्य हि त्वचमपि वज्र ऊर्जितो
बिभेद यः सुरपतिनौजसेरितः ।
तदद्भुतं परमतिवीर्यवृत्रभि-
त्तिरस्कृतो नमुचिशिरोधरत्वचा ॥ ३२॥
तस्मादिन्द्रोऽबिभेच्छत्रोर्वज्रः प्रतिहतो यतः ।
किमिदं दैवयोगेन भूतं लोकविमोहनम् ॥ ३३॥
येन मे पूर्वमद्रीणां पक्षच्छेदः प्रजात्यये ।
कृतो निविशतां भारैः पतत्त्रैः पततां भुवि ॥ ३४॥
तपःसारमयं त्वाष्ट्रं वृत्रो येन विपाटितः ।
अन्ये चापि बलोपेताः सर्वास्त्रैरक्षतत्वचः ॥ ३५॥
सोऽयं प्रतिहतो वज्रो मया मुक्तोऽसुरेऽल्पके ।
नाहं तदाददे दण्डं ब्रह्मतेजोऽप्यकारणम् ॥ ३६॥
इति शक्रं विषीदन्तमाह वागशरीरिणी ।
नायं शुष्कैरथो नार्द्रैर्वधमर्हति दानवः ॥ ३७॥
मयास्मै यद्वरो दत्तो मृत्युर्नैवार्द्रशुष्कयोः ।
अतोऽन्यश्चिन्तनीयस्ते उपायो मघवन् रिपोः ॥ ३८॥
तां दैवीं गिरमाकर्ण्य मघवान् सुसमाहितः ।
ध्यायन् फेनमथापश्यदुपायमुभयात्मकम् ॥ ३९॥
न शुष्केण न चार्द्रेण जहार नमुचेः शिरः ।
तं तुष्टुवुर्मुनिगणा माल्यैश्चावाकिरन् विभुम् ॥ ४०॥
गन्धर्वमुख्यौ जगतुर्विश्वावसुपरावसू ।
देवदुन्दुभयो नेदुर्नर्तक्यो ननृतुर्मुदा ॥ ४१॥
अन्येऽप्येवं प्रतिद्वन्द्वान् वाय्वग्निवरुणादयः ।
सूदयामासुरस्त्रौघैर्मृगान् केसरिणो यथा ॥ ४२॥
ब्रह्मणा प्रेषितो देवान् देवर्षिर्नारदो नृप ।
वारयामास विबुधान् दृष्ट्वा दानवसङ्क्षयम् ॥ ४३॥
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Perceiving their death, Namuci was filled with grief, indignation and rage; and in his eagerness to kill Indra, O ruler of men, he put forth his best energy. (29)
Taking up a lance of steel, furnished with bells and adorned with gold ornaments he darted, full of rage, threatening in the word "You are slain!" and flung it at Indra (the ruler of the gods), roaring like a lion (the king of beasts).(30)
Harī (Indra) cut it with (his) arrows into a thousand pieces (even) as it flew towards him through the air with great speed. Full of anger, the ruler of the gods (then) struck him (Namuci) with his thunderbolt in the neck, aiming to chop off the latter's head.(31)
The powerful thunderbolt which was hurled with (great) force by Indra (the king of the gods) did not as a matter of fact pierce even the skin of Namuci. This was most wonderful that the weapon which smashed the mighty Vṛtra was baffled by the skin on Namuci's neck.(32)
Indra (now) got afraid of that enemy (Namuci) from whom the thunderbolt had been repelled. (He said to himself,) "through a conspiracy of Fate what has this happened, that has bewildered the world?" (33)
By means of this (very) thunderbolt, in old days, I clipped the wings of mountains, that flew with (those) wings and settled down on earth on account of their (huge) weight, thus conducing to the destruction of created beings.(34)
(Nay,) by this was rent asunder (the demon) Vṛtra, the vigorous austerity (personified) of Twaṣṭā (a lord of created beings), and others too, who were endowed with (extraordinary) strength and whose skin could not (even) be scratched with all the missiles.(35)
(When) hurled by me at this puny Asura, the same thunderbolt has been rendered ineffectual! A (mere) staff, I shall no more handle it; though embodying the (spiritual) energy of a Brāhmaṇa (the sage Dadhīci), it is unavailing (now)."(36)
To Śakra, who was thus sorrowing, an incorporeal voice said, "This demon can be killed neither with dry nor with wet things, since a boon has been conferred on him by Me to the effect that death will surely not come to him through any wet or dry substance. Hence any other contrivance should be thought of by you for (the death of) this enemy, O Maghavā (Indra)!"(37-38)
Hearing that ethereal voice, Indra fully composed his mind and contemplated; and presently he discovered a means in the shape of foam (of the sea), which combined both (the aforesaid) attributes and could not therefore be called exclusively dry or wet). (39)
With that foam, which was neither dry nor wet, he severed the head of Namuci; (and) hosts of sages glorified him and showered flowers on the mighty Indra. (40)
Viśwāvasu and Parāvasu, the chief among the Gandharvas (heavenly musicians), sang songs, the celestial drums sounded and (heavenly) dancing girls danced with joy. (41)
Similarly other gods too, headed by Vāyu (the wind-god), Agni (the god of fire) and Varuṇa (the god of water), destroyed their rivals with volleys of missiles just as lions would kill deer.(42)
Perceiving the extermination of the Dānavas, the celestial sage Nārada was sent by Brahmā (the creator) to the gods, O protector of men, and he remonstrated with the gods (in the following words).(43) (29-43)
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नारद उवाच ।
भवद्भिरमृतं प्राप्तं नारायणभुजाश्रयैः ।
श्रिया समेधिताः सर्व उपारमत विग्रहात् ॥ ४४॥
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Nārada said: Nectar has been secured by you by resorting to the arms of Lord Nārāyaṇa and (besides) all (of You) have been blessed by Goddess Śrī (His divine Spouse). (Therefore,) cease you (now) from hostilities.(44) (44)
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श्रीशुक उवाच ।
संयम्य मन्युसंरम्भं मानयन्तो मुनेर्वचः ।
उपगीयमानानुचरैर्ययुः सर्वे त्रिविष्टपम् ॥ ४५॥
येऽवशिष्टा रणे तस्मिन् नारदानुमतेन ते ।
बलिं विपन्नमादाय अस्तं गिरिमुपागमन् ॥ ४६॥
तत्राविनष्टावयवान् विद्यमानशिरोधरान् ।
उशना जीवयामास सञ्जीविन्या स्वविद्यया ॥ ४७॥
बलिश्चोशनसा स्पृष्टः प्रत्यापन्नेन्द्रियस्मृतिः ।
पराजितोऽपि नाखिद्यल्लोकतत्त्वविचक्षणः ॥ ४८॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहिताया-
मष्टमस्कन्धे देवासुरसङ्ग्रामे एकादशोऽध्यायः ॥ ११॥
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Śrī Śuka continued: Accepting the advice of the sage (Nārada), the gods gave up anger as well as the zeal for fighting; and being glorified by their attendants, all returned to heaven.(45)
Those who survived in that conflict took with the concurrence of Nārada the lifeless (body of their leader) Bali and made for the western hill (the mountain where the sun is believed to set). (46)
There Uśanā (Śukrācārya, the preceptor of the demons) restored to life, by his (secret) science of reviving the dead, those whose limbs were intact and whose neck was (still) whole. (47)
Bali too had his senses of perception and consciousness restored the moment he was touched by the sage Uśanā. Though vanquished (in battle), he did not feel sorry, fully conversant as he was with the truth relating to the world (viz., that victory and defeat etc., depended on one's good or evil destiny). (48)
Thus ends the eleventh discourse, forming part of the story relating to the war between the gods and the demons, in Book Eight of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahārṣa-Sarhītā. (45-48)
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