राम

Harivaṃśa-parva

Harivaṃśa · Adhyāya 37

59 versesKālanemi Swells

Synopsis

The dānava Kālanemi, for the benefit of his clan, swells with energy like a rain-cloud at the end of the hot season. Seeing him advance through the triple-world, the other dānava-lords rise unwearied, as if they had tasted amṛta. The battle joins: chariots, horses, flying cars, all meeting in maddened clash. At the end of the chapter Kālanemi stands as if rooted in the Parameṣṭhin's own station, at the world's rise and dissolution; the daityas praise him as the devas praise the Pitāmaha.

First-pass synopsis; pending review by a Sanskritist.

Verse 1

दानवानां तु पिप्रीषुः कालनेमिः स दानवः व्यवर्धत महातेजास् तपान्ते जलदो यथा

dānavānāṃ tu piprīṣuḥ kālanemiḥ sa dānavaḥ vyavardhata mahātejās tapānte jalado yathā

Wishing to please the dānavas, Kālanemi the dānava swelled in his great energy like a rain-cloud at the end of the hot season.

Verse 2

तं त्रैलोयान्तरगतं दृष्ट्वा ते दानवेश्वराः उत्तस्थुर् अपरिश्रान्ताः प्राप्येवामृतम् उत्तमम्

taṃ trailoyāntaragataṃ dṛṣṭvā te dānaveśvarāḥ uttasthur apariśrāntāḥ prāpyevāmṛtam uttamam

Verse 3

ते वीतभयसंत्रासा मयतारपुरोगमाः तारकामयसंग्रामे सततं जितकाशिनः रेजुर् आयोधनगता दानवा युद्धकङ्क्षिणः

te vītabhayasaṃtrāsā mayatārapurogamāḥ tārakāmayasaṃgrāme satataṃ jitakāśinaḥ rejur āyodhanagatā dānavā yuddhakaṅkṣiṇaḥ

Verse 4

मन्त्रम् अभ्यस्यतं तेषां व्यूहं च परिधावताम् प्रेक्षतां चाभवत् प्रीतिर् दानवं कालनेमिनम्

mantram abhyasyataṃ teṣāṃ vyūhaṃ ca paridhāvatām prekṣatāṃ cābhavat prītir dānavaṃ kālaneminam

Verse 5

ये तु तत्र मयस्यासन् मुख्या युद्धपुरःसराः तेऽपि सर्वे भयं त्यक्त्वा हृष्टा योद्धुम् उपस्थिताः

ye tu tatra mayasyāsan mukhyā yuddhapuraḥsarāḥ te'pi sarve bhayaṃ tyaktvā hṛṣṭā yoddhum upasthitāḥ

Verse 6

मयस् तारो वराहश् च हयग्रीवश् च वीर्यवान् विप्रचित्तिसुतः श्वेतः खरलम्बाव् उभाव् अपि

mayas tāro varāhaś ca hayagrīvaś ca vīryavān vipracittisutaḥ śvetaḥ kharalambāv ubhāv api

Verse 7

अरिष्टो बलिपुत्रश् च किशोराष्ट्रौ तथैव च स्वर्भानुश् चामरप्रख्यो वक्त्रयोधी महासुरः

ariṣṭo baliputraś ca kiśorāṣṭrau tathaiva ca svarbhānuś cāmaraprakhyo vaktrayodhī mahāsuraḥ

Verse 8

एते ऽस्त्रविदुषः सर्वे सर्वे तपसि संस्थिताः दानवाः कृतिनो जग्मुः कालनेमिनम् उत्तमम्

ete 'straviduṣaḥ sarve sarve tapasi saṃsthitāḥ dānavāḥ kṛtino jagmuḥ kālaneminam uttamam

Verse 9

ते गदाभिश् च गुर्वीभिश् चक्रैश् च सपरश्वघैः कालकल्पैश् च मुसलैः क्षेपणीयैश् च मुद्गरैः

te gadābhiś ca gurvībhiś cakraiś ca saparaśvaghaiḥ kālakalpaiś ca musalaiḥ kṣepaṇīyaiś ca mudgaraiḥ

Verse 10

अश्मभिश् चाट्टसदृशैर् गण्डशैलैश् च दंशितैः पट्टिसैर् भिण्डिपालैश् च परिघैश् चोत्तमायसैः

aśmabhiś cāṭṭasadṛśair gaṇḍaśailaiś ca daṃśitaiḥ paṭṭisair bhiṇḍipālaiś ca parighaiś cottamāyasaiḥ

Verse 11

घातनीभिश् च गुर्वीभिः शतघ्नीभिस् तथैव च युगैर् यन्त्रैश् च निर्मुक्तैर् अर्गलैश् चाग्रताडितैः

ghātanībhiś ca gurvībhiḥ śataghnībhis tathaiva ca yugair yantraiś ca nirmuktair argalaiś cāgratāḍitaiḥ

Verse 12

दानवा युद्धदुर्धर्षाः संग्राममुखतः स्थिताः दोर्भिश् चायतपीनाभिः प्रासैः पाशैश् च मुद्गरैः सर्पैर् लेलिह्यमानैश् च विसर्पद्भिश् च सायकैः

dānavā yuddhadurdharṣāḥ saṃgrāmamukhataḥ sthitāḥ dorbhiś cāyatapīnābhiḥ prāsaiḥ pāśaiś ca mudgaraiḥ sarpair lelihyamānaiś ca visarpadbhiś ca sāyakaiḥ

Verse 13

वज्रैः प्रहरणीयैश् च दीप्यद्भिश् चापि तोमरैः विकोशैश् चासिभिस् तीक्ष्णैः शूलैश् च शितनिर्मलैः

vajraiḥ praharaṇīyaiś ca dīpyadbhiś cāpi tomaraiḥ vikośaiś cāsibhis tīkṣṇaiḥ śūlaiś ca śitanirmalaiḥ

Verse 14

ते वै संदीप्तमनसः प्रगृहीतोत्तमायुधाः कालनेमिं पुरस्कृत्य तस्थुः संग्राममूर्धनि

te vai saṃdīptamanasaḥ pragṛhītottamāyudhāḥ kālanemiṃ puraskṛtya tasthuḥ saṃgrāmamūrdhani

Verse 15

सा दीप्तशस्त्रप्रवरा दैत्यानां शुशुभे चमूः द्यौर् निमीलितनक्षत्रा घननीलाम्बुदागमे

sā dīptaśastrapravarā daityānāṃ śuśubhe camūḥ dyaur nimīlitanakṣatrā ghananīlāmbudāgame

Verse 16

देवतानाम् अपि चमूर् मुमुदे शक्रपालिता दीप्ता शीतोष्णतेजोभ्यां चन्द्रभास्करतेजसा

devatānām api camūr mumude śakrapālitā dīptā śītoṣṇatejobhyāṃ candrabhāskaratejasā

Verse 17

वायुवेगवती सौम्या तारागणपताकिनी तोयदाविद्धवसना ग्रहनक्षत्रहासिनी

vāyuvegavatī saumyā tārāgaṇapatākinī toyadāviddhavasanā grahanakṣatrahāsinī

Verse 18

यमेन्द्रवरुणैर् गुप्ता धनदेन च धीमता संप्रदीप्ताग्निपवना नारायणपरायणा

yamendravaruṇair guptā dhanadena ca dhīmatā saṃpradīptāgnipavanā nārāyaṇaparāyaṇā

Verse 19

सा समुद्रौघसदृशी दिव्या देवमहाचमूः रराजास्त्रवती भीमा यक्षगन्धर्वशालिनी

sā samudraughasadṛśī divyā devamahācamūḥ rarājāstravatī bhīmā yakṣagandharvaśālinī

Verse 20

तयोश् चम्वोस् तदानीं तु बभूव स समागमः द्वावापृथिव्योः संयोगो यथा स्याद् युगपर्यये

tayoś camvos tadānīṃ tu babhūva sa samāgamaḥ dvāvāpṛthivyoḥ saṃyogo yathā syād yugaparyaye

Verse 21

तद्युद्धम् अभवद् घोरं देवदानवसंकुलम् क्षमापराक्रममयं दर्पस्य विनयस्य च

tadyuddham abhavad ghoraṃ devadānavasaṃkulam kṣamāparākramamayaṃ darpasya vinayasya ca

Verse 22

निश्चक्रमुर् बलाभ्यां तु ताभ्यां भीमाः सुरासुराः पूर्वापराभ्यां संरब्धाः सागराभ्याम् इवाम्बुदाः

niścakramur balābhyāṃ tu tābhyāṃ bhīmāḥ surāsurāḥ pūrvāparābhyāṃ saṃrabdhāḥ sāgarābhyām ivāmbudāḥ

Verse 23

ताभ्यां बलाभ्यां संहृष्टाश् चेरुस् ते देवदानवाः वनाभ्यां पार्वतीयाभ्यां पुष्पिताभ्यां यथा गजाः

tābhyāṃ balābhyāṃ saṃhṛṣṭāś cerus te devadānavāḥ vanābhyāṃ pārvatīyābhyāṃ puṣpitābhyāṃ yathā gajāḥ

Verse 24

समाजघ्नुस् ततो भेरीः शङ्खान् दध्मुश् च नैकशः स द्यां दिवं भुवं चैव दिशश् च समपूरयत्

samājaghnus tato bherīḥ śaṅkhān dadhmuś ca naikaśaḥ sa dyāṃ divaṃ bhuvaṃ caiva diśaś ca samapūrayat

Verse 25

ज्याघाततलनिर्घोषो धनुषां कूजितानि च दुंदुभीनां च निनदा दैत्यम् अन्तर्दधुः स्वनम्

jyāghātatalanirghoṣo dhanuṣāṃ kūjitāni ca duṃdubhīnāṃ ca ninadā daityam antardadhuḥ svanam

Verse 26

ते ऽन्योन्यम् अभिसंपेतुः पातयन्तः परस्परम् बभञ्जुर् बाहुभिर् बाहून् द्वंद्वम् अन्ये युयुत्सवः

te 'nyonyam abhisaṃpetuḥ pātayantaḥ parasparam babhañjur bāhubhir bāhūn dvaṃdvam anye yuyutsavaḥ

Verse 27

देवतास् त्व् अशनीर् घोराः परिघांश् चोत्तमायसान् ससर्जुर् आजौ निस्त्रिंशान् गदा गुर्वीश् च दानवाः

devatās tv aśanīr ghorāḥ parighāṃś cottamāyasān sasarjur ājau nistriṃśān gadā gurvīś ca dānavāḥ

Verse 28

गदानिपातैर् भग्नाङ्गा बाणैश् च शकलीकृताः परिपेतुर् भृशं केचिन् न्युब्जाः केचिच् च जज्ञिरे

gadānipātair bhagnāṅgā bāṇaiś ca śakalīkṛtāḥ paripetur bhṛśaṃ kecin nyubjāḥ kecic ca jajñire

Verse 29

ततो रथैः सतुरगैर् विमानैश् चाशुगामिभिः समीयुस् ते सुसंरब्धा रोषाद् अन्योन्यम् आहवे

tato rathaiḥ saturagair vimānaiś cāśugāmibhiḥ samīyus te susaṃrabdhā roṣād anyonyam āhave

Verse 30

संवर्तमानाः समरे विवर्तन्तस् तथापरे रथा रथैर् निरुध्यन्ते पदाताश् च पदातिभिः

saṃvartamānāḥ samare vivartantas tathāpare rathā rathair nirudhyante padātāś ca padātibhiḥ

Verse 31

तेषां रथानां तुमुलः स शब्दः शब्दवाहिनाम् नभः स्वस्वान हि यथा नभस्ये जलदस्वनैः

teṣāṃ rathānāṃ tumulaḥ sa śabdaḥ śabdavāhinām nabhaḥ svasvāna hi yathā nabhasye jaladasvanaiḥ

Verse 32

बभूवाथ प्रसक्तानां नभसीव पयोमुचाम् बभञ्जिरे रथान् केचित् केचित् संमृदिता रथैः संबाधम् एके संप्राप्य न शेकुश् चलितुं रथाः

babhūvātha prasaktānāṃ nabhasīva payomucām babhañjire rathān kecit kecit saṃmṛditā rathaiḥ saṃbādham eke saṃprāpya na śekuś calituṃ rathāḥ

Verse 33

अन्योन्यम् अन्ये समरे दोर्भ्याम् उत्क्षिप्य दर्पिताः संह्रादमानाभरणा जघ्नुस् तत्रासिचर्मिणः

anyonyam anye samare dorbhyām utkṣipya darpitāḥ saṃhrādamānābharaṇā jaghnus tatrāsicarmiṇaḥ

Verse 34

अस्त्रैर् अन्ये विनिर्भिन्ना रक्तं वेमुर् हता युधि क्षरज्जलानां सदृशा जलदानां समागमे

astrair anye vinirbhinnā raktaṃ vemur hatā yudhi kṣarajjalānāṃ sadṛśā jaladānāṃ samāgame

Verse 35

तदस्त्रशस्त्रग्रथितं क्षिप्तोत्क्षिप्तगदाविलम् देवदानवसंक्षुब्धं संकुलं युद्धम् आबभौ

tadastraśastragrathitaṃ kṣiptotkṣiptagadāvilam devadānavasaṃkṣubdhaṃ saṃkulaṃ yuddham ābabhau

Verse 36

तद्दानवमहामेघं देवायुधविराजितम् अन्योन्यबाणवर्षं तद् युद्धदुर्दिनम् आबभौ

taddānavamahāmeghaṃ devāyudhavirājitam anyonyabāṇavarṣaṃ tad yuddhadurdinam ābabhau

Verse 37

एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे क्रुद्धः कालनेमिः स दानवः व्यवर्धत समुद्रौघैः पूर्यमाण इवाम्बुदः

etasminn antare kruddhaḥ kālanemiḥ sa dānavaḥ vyavardhata samudraughaiḥ pūryamāṇa ivāmbudaḥ

Verse 38

तस्य विद्युच्चलापीडाः प्रदीप्ताशनिवर्षिणः गात्रान् नागशिरःप्रख्या विनिष्पेतुर् बलाहकाः

tasya vidyuccalāpīḍāḥ pradīptāśanivarṣiṇaḥ gātrān nāgaśiraḥprakhyā viniṣpetur balāhakāḥ

Verse 39

क्रोधान् निःश्वसतस् तस्य भ्रूभेदस्वेदवर्षिणः साग्निनिष्पेषपवना मुखान् निश्चेरुर् अर्चिषः

krodhān niḥśvasatas tasya bhrūbhedasvedavarṣiṇaḥ sāgniniṣpeṣapavanā mukhān niścerur arciṣaḥ

Verse 40

तिर्यग् ऊर्ध्वं च गगने ववृधुस् तस्य बाहवः पञ्चास्याः कृष्णवपुषो लेलिहन्त इवोरगाः

tiryag ūrdhvaṃ ca gagane vavṛdhus tasya bāhavaḥ pañcāsyāḥ kṛṣṇavapuṣo lelihanta ivoragāḥ

Verse 41

सो ऽस्त्रजालैर् बहुविधैर् धनुर्भिः परिघैर् अपि दिव्यम् आकाशम् आवव्रे पर्वतैर् उच्छ्रितैर् इव

so 'strajālair bahuvidhair dhanurbhiḥ parighair api divyam ākāśam āvavre parvatair ucchritair iva

Verse 42

सो ऽनिलोद्धूतवसनस् तस्थौ संग्राममूर्धनि संध्यातपग्रस्तशिखः साक्षान् मेरुर् इवाचलः

so 'niloddhūtavasanas tasthau saṃgrāmamūrdhani saṃdhyātapagrastaśikhaḥ sākṣān merur ivācalaḥ

Verse 43

ऊरुवेगप्रतिक्षिप्तैः शैलशृङ्गाग्रपादपैः अपातयद् देवगणान् वज्रेणेव महागिरीन्

ūruvegapratikṣiptaiḥ śailaśṛṅgāgrapādapaiḥ apātayad devagaṇān vajreṇeva mahāgirīn

Verse 44

बहुभिः शस्त्रनिस्त्रिंशैश् च्छिन्नभिन्नशिरोरसः न शेकुश् चलितुं देवाः कालनेमिहता युधि

bahubhiḥ śastranistriṃśaiś cchinnabhinnaśirorasaḥ na śekuś calituṃ devāḥ kālanemihatā yudhi

Verse 45

मुष्टिभिर् निहताः केचित् केचिद् धि विदलीकृताः यक्षगन्धर्वपतगाः पेतुः सह महोरगैः

muṣṭibhir nihatāḥ kecit kecid dhi vidalīkṛtāḥ yakṣagandharvapatagāḥ petuḥ saha mahoragaiḥ

Verse 46

तेन वित्रासिता देवाः समरे कालनेमिना न शेकुर् यत्नवन्तो ऽपि यत्नं कर्तुं विचेतसः

tena vitrāsitā devāḥ samare kālaneminā na śekur yatnavanto 'pi yatnaṃ kartuṃ vicetasaḥ

Verse 47

जित्वेत्थं देवतानीकं गदाम् आविध्य दानवः ऐरावतगतं शक्रम् उवाचासुरसत्तमः आगच्छागच्छ देवेन्द्र निर्जितो ऽसि मया रणे अद्यप्रभृति देवेन्द्रो न त्वं भवसि वृत्रहन् एष ते गदया शक्र शिरो भेत्स्यामि पश्यतः अद्यप्रभृति देवेन्द्रो दानवेन्द्रो ऽहम् अच्युत भविष्यामि न संदेहो हत्वा त्वाम् उग्रपौरुषम् इति ब्रुवाणं समरे वृत्रहा वज्रम् आददे जघान तरसा शक्रो वज्रेण हि स दानवम् वज्रं तद्वक्षसि प्राप्य बहुधा समपद्यत अशक्तं वज्रम् आसीत् तु दानवं हन्तुम् ओजसा पुनः पपात सहसा शक्रस्यैव तदा करम् कालनेमिस् तु सहसा गदाम् आदाय यत्नतः ऐरावतस्य रभसा जघानैकं स मस्तकम् स विनिर्भिन्नकुम्भस् तु पपात धरणीतले सस्राव रुधिरं तीक्ष्णं गजराजस् तदा बली पुनश् च गदया राजंस् तदा समरमूर्धनि जघान दानवेन्द्रस् तु वृत्रहन्तारम् ओजसा उत्सृज्य सहसा शक्रो गजराजं पुरंदरः भिन्नवर्मास्थिनिचयो मुखाच् छोणितम् उद्वमन् पपातोर्व्यां महाराज किंचिद् विश्रम्य भूतले उत्सृज्य सहसा शक्रः स्वर्गलोकं महीपते मनुष्यलोकं संप्राप्य मानुषीं तनुम् आव्रजत् तेन शक्रः सहस्राक्षः संदितः शरबन्धनैः ऐरावतगतः संख्ये चलितुं न शशाक ह

jitvetthaṃ devatānīkaṃ gadām āvidhya dānavaḥ airāvatagataṃ śakram uvācāsurasattamaḥ āgacchāgaccha devendra nirjito 'si mayā raṇe adyaprabhṛti devendro na tvaṃ bhavasi vṛtrahan eṣa te gadayā śakra śiro bhetsyāmi paśyataḥ adyaprabhṛti devendro dānavendro 'ham acyuta bhaviṣyāmi na saṃdeho hatvā tvām ugrapauruṣam iti bruvāṇaṃ samare vṛtrahā vajram ādade jaghāna tarasā śakro vajreṇa hi sa dānavam vajraṃ tadvakṣasi prāpya bahudhā samapadyata aśaktaṃ vajram āsīt tu dānavaṃ hantum ojasā punaḥ papāta sahasā śakrasyaiva tadā karam kālanemis tu sahasā gadām ādāya yatnataḥ airāvatasya rabhasā jaghānaikaṃ sa mastakam sa vinirbhinnakumbhas tu papāta dharaṇītale sasrāva rudhiraṃ tīkṣṇaṃ gajarājas tadā balī punaś ca gadayā rājaṃs tadā samaramūrdhani jaghāna dānavendras tu vṛtrahantāram ojasā utsṛjya sahasā śakro gajarājaṃ puraṃdaraḥ bhinnavarmāsthinicayo mukhāc choṇitam udvaman papātorvyāṃ mahārāja kiṃcid viśramya bhūtale utsṛjya sahasā śakraḥ svargalokaṃ mahīpate manuṣyalokaṃ saṃprāpya mānuṣīṃ tanum āvrajat tena śakraḥ sahasrākṣaḥ saṃditaḥ śarabandhanaiḥ airāvatagataḥ saṃkhye calituṃ na śaśāka ha

Verse 48

निर्जलाम्भोदसदृशो निर्जलार्णवसप्रभः निर्व्यापारः कृतस् तेन विपाशो वरुणो मृधे

nirjalāmbhodasadṛśo nirjalārṇavasaprabhaḥ nirvyāpāraḥ kṛtas tena vipāśo varuṇo mṛdhe

Verse 49

अग्निमारुतयोर् नाशं कृत्वा स दितिजेश्वरः जघान देवराजम् च सोमं वरुणम् अश्विनौ आदित्यवसुरुद्रादीन् अशेषांश् च दिवौकसः ततो ऽतीव प्रकुर्वीत आपो वसुर् अमित्रहा कालनेमिं जघानाजौ शक्त्या गुह इवापरः शक्त्या निर्भिन्नहृदयो धातुमान् इव पर्वतः सुस्राव रुधिरं भूमौ कालनेमिर् महासुरः ततो ऽतिक्रोधताम्राक्षः शक्तिम् उद्यम्य वेगवान् स्वशक्त्या ताडयाम् आस वसुम् उर्व्यां पपात सः धनदश् च कृतान्तश् च वरुणश् च शचीपतिः एकदैव निजघ्नुस् ते सायुधैर् अनिबर्हणैः निवार्य तानि शस्त्राणि ताञ् जघान पृथक् पृथक् यमेन प्रेषितं दण्डं जगृहे स महासुरः तं दृष्ट्वा विस्मिताः सर्वे लोकपाला महौजसः जघान वज्रेण रुवा देवराजः शतक्रतुः वज्रेण निहतो दैत्यो न चकम्पे गिरिर् यथा पुनर् वज्रेण तं दैत्यम् इन्द्रो मारुतवर्त्मनि स्थितस् तदा जृम्भणेन जिगीर्णे सायुधं हरिः प्रविवेश सुसूक्ष्मेण कुक्षिं रूपेण वृत्रहा तत्क्षणाद् एव देवेन्द्रः पार्श्वं निर्भिद्य निर्ययौ कवचेनाभिगुप्तः स नारायणमयेन च ततः शूलम् अमोघं तु शंकरो हन्तुम् आददे प्रजापतिर् उवाचेदं मया दत्तवरो बली न शूलेन न चान्येन हन्तुं शक्यो महासुरः शूलं एतद् अमोघं च मा प्रयुञ्क्ष्व महासुरे इत्य् उक्तः शूलपाणिः स संजहारायुधं स्वकम् एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे देवाः कालनेमिभयातुराः ऊचुः कृष्णं महात्मानो गीर्भिः स्तुत्वा जनार्दनम् मुमुचुः स्वानि शस्त्राणि शतशो ऽथ सहस्रशः रणे वैश्रवणस् तेन परिघैः कामरूपिभिः विलपंल् लोकपालेशस् त्याजितो धनदक्रियाम्

agnimārutayor nāśaṃ kṛtvā sa ditijeśvaraḥ jaghāna devarājam ca somaṃ varuṇam aśvinau ādityavasurudrādīn aśeṣāṃś ca divaukasaḥ tato 'tīva prakurvīta āpo vasur amitrahā kālanemiṃ jaghānājau śaktyā guha ivāparaḥ śaktyā nirbhinnahṛdayo dhātumān iva parvataḥ susrāva rudhiraṃ bhūmau kālanemir mahāsuraḥ tato 'tikrodhatāmrākṣaḥ śaktim udyamya vegavān svaśaktyā tāḍayām āsa vasum urvyāṃ papāta saḥ dhanadaś ca kṛtāntaś ca varuṇaś ca śacīpatiḥ ekadaiva nijaghnus te sāyudhair anibarhaṇaiḥ nivārya tāni śastrāṇi tāñ jaghāna pṛthak pṛthak yamena preṣitaṃ daṇḍaṃ jagṛhe sa mahāsuraḥ taṃ dṛṣṭvā vismitāḥ sarve lokapālā mahaujasaḥ jaghāna vajreṇa ruvā devarājaḥ śatakratuḥ vajreṇa nihato daityo na cakampe girir yathā punar vajreṇa taṃ daityam indro mārutavartmani sthitas tadā jṛmbhaṇena jigīrṇe sāyudhaṃ hariḥ praviveśa susūkṣmeṇa kukṣiṃ rūpeṇa vṛtrahā tatkṣaṇād eva devendraḥ pārśvaṃ nirbhidya niryayau kavacenābhiguptaḥ sa nārāyaṇamayena ca tataḥ śūlam amoghaṃ tu śaṃkaro hantum ādade prajāpatir uvācedaṃ mayā dattavaro balī na śūlena na cānyena hantuṃ śakyo mahāsuraḥ śūlaṃ etad amoghaṃ ca mā prayuñkṣva mahāsure ity uktaḥ śūlapāṇiḥ sa saṃjahārāyudhaṃ svakam etasminn antare devāḥ kālanemibhayāturāḥ ūcuḥ kṛṣṇaṃ mahātmāno gīrbhiḥ stutvā janārdanam mumucuḥ svāni śastrāṇi śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ raṇe vaiśravaṇas tena parighaiḥ kāmarūpibhiḥ vilapaṃl lokapāleśas tyājito dhanadakriyām

Verse 50

तदैव लोकपालाश् च निहतास् तेन संयुगम् यमः सर्वहरस् तेन मृत्युप्रहरणो रणे याम्याम् अवस्थाम् अमरो नीतः स्वां दिशम् आविशत्

tadaiva lokapālāś ca nihatās tena saṃyugam yamaḥ sarvaharas tena mṛtyupraharaṇo raṇe yāmyām avasthām amaro nītaḥ svāṃ diśam āviśat

Verse 51

लोकपालास् तु ते सर्वे मानुषीं तनुम् आस्थिताः विहाय स्वपदं राजन् विवदन्ति स्म मानुषे स लोकपालान् उत्साद्य हृत्वा तेषां च कर्म तत् दिक्षु सर्वासु देहं स्वं चतुर्धा विदधे तदा

lokapālās tu te sarve mānuṣīṃ tanum āsthitāḥ vihāya svapadaṃ rājan vivadanti sma mānuṣe sa lokapālān utsādya hṛtvā teṣāṃ ca karma tat dikṣu sarvāsu dehaṃ svaṃ caturdhā vidadhe tadā

Verse 52

स नक्षत्रपथं गत्वा दिव्यं स्वर्भानुदर्शितम् जहार लक्ष्मीं सोमस्य तं चास्य विषयं महत्

sa nakṣatrapathaṃ gatvā divyaṃ svarbhānudarśitam jahāra lakṣmīṃ somasya taṃ cāsya viṣayaṃ mahat

Verse 53

चालयामास दीप्तांशुं स्वर्गद्वारात् स भास्करम् सायनं चास्य विषयं जहार दिनकर्म च

cālayāmāsa dīptāṃśuṃ svargadvārāt sa bhāskaram sāyanaṃ cāsya viṣayaṃ jahāra dinakarma ca

Verse 54

सो ऽग्निं देवमुखे दृष्ट्वा चकारात्ममुखेशयम् वायुं च तरसा जित्वा चकारात्मवशानुगम्

so 'gniṃ devamukhe dṛṣṭvā cakārātmamukheśayam vāyuṃ ca tarasā jitvā cakārātmavaśānugam

Verse 55

स समुद्रान् समानीय सर्वाश् च सरितो बलात् चकारात्मवशे वीर्याद् देहभूताश् च सिन्धवः

sa samudrān samānīya sarvāś ca sarito balāt cakārātmavaśe vīryād dehabhūtāś ca sindhavaḥ

Verse 56

आपः स वशगाः कृत्वा दिविजाताश् च भूमिजाः स्थापयाम् आस जगतीं सुगुप्तां धरणीधरैः

āpaḥ sa vaśagāḥ kṛtvā divijātāś ca bhūmijāḥ sthāpayām āsa jagatīṃ suguptāṃ dharaṇīdharaiḥ

Verse 57

स स्वयंभूर् इवाभाति महाभूतपतिर् महान् सर्वलोकमयो दैत्यः सर्वलोकभयावहः

sa svayaṃbhūr ivābhāti mahābhūtapatir mahān sarvalokamayo daityaḥ sarvalokabhayāvahaḥ

Verse 58

स लोकपालैकवपुश् चन्द्रसूर्यग्रहात्मवान् पावकानिलसंघातो रराज युधि दानवः

sa lokapālaikavapuś candrasūryagrahātmavān pāvakānilasaṃghāto rarāja yudhi dānavaḥ

Verse 59

पारमेष्ठ्ये स्थितः स्थाने लोकानां प्रभवाप्यये तं तुष्टुवुर् दैत्यगणा देवा इव पितामहम्

pārameṣṭhye sthitaḥ sthāne lokānāṃ prabhavāpyaye taṃ tuṣṭuvur daityagaṇā devā iva pitāmaham

Stationed in the Parameṣṭhin's own station, at the world's rise and dissolution — him the daitya-hosts praised, as the gods praise the Grandfather.

Verse commentary

Kālanemi Ascends the Paramount Seat

कालनेमेः पारमेष्ठ्य-आसनाधिरोहणम्

Verses 1, 18, 20, 40, 50, 55, 59: Kālanemi swelling like a summer-end rain-cloud to please the dānavas, the deva-host described as *nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa*, the two armies meeting like heaven-and-earth at yuga-end, Kālanemi's arms growing in all directions with a *kṛṣṇa-vapus* and five cobra-tongued mouths, his defeat of the four *lokapālas* one by one including Yama retiring to his own quarter, his seizure of the oceans and rivers as embodied forms, and his final enthronement on the *pārameṣṭhya* seat, praised by the daityas as if he were Brahmā. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

HV 37 is the chapter of cosmic inversion. Kālanemi — the demon whose appearance at the end of HV 36 made Indra tremble — rises in this chapter to the very top. He swells *like a summer-end rain-cloud* (37.1), he defeats the four *loka-pālas* in sequence (37.50), he seizes the oceans and rivers as *deha-bhūtāḥ sindhavaḥ* — embodied-waters — under his own *ātma-vaśa* (37.55), and finally he sits on the *pārameṣṭhya* seat — the paramount throne of Brahmā — praised by the daityas as if he were the Grandfather (37.59). The chapter is calibrated to show the ultimate asuric triumph: not merely winning the battle but *occupying the Creator's chair*. The Warkari reading attends most to HV 37.40, where Kālanemi's body is described with the very phrase HV 32.20 used for Viṣṇu: *kṛṣṇa-vapuṣaḥ*, 'of a dark body like Kṛṣṇa's'. The demon has mimicked even the Lord's chromatic sign. The cosmic war has reached the point where outward-form no longer distinguishes Lord from anti-Lord; only *inward-truth* can. The theological ground for HV 38's intervention is thus laid: the answer must come not as a bigger body but as the body's inhabitant.

HV 37.1

दानवानां तु पिप्रीषुः कालनेमिः स दानवः । व्यवर्धत महातेजास् तपान्ते जलदो यथा ॥

dānavānāṃ tu piprīṣuḥ kāla-nemiḥ sa dānavaḥ | vyavardhata mahā-tejās tap-ānte jalado yathā

That dānava Kālanemi — wishing to please the dānavas — swelled with great splendor, like a rain-cloud at the end of the heat-season.

The Living Words

*Dānavānāṃ piprīṣuḥ*, 'wishing to please the dānavas'. *Kāla-nemiḥ sa dānavaḥ*, 'that dānava Kālanemi'. *Vyavardhata mahā-tejāḥ*, 'swelled with great splendor'. *Tap-ānte jalado yathā*, 'like a rain-cloud at the end of the heat'.

The Heart of It

The simile is deliberate and doubled: Kālanemi *grows like a summer-end monsoon cloud*. A cloud at summer's end brings cooling rain — the very thing the burning devas went to the moon-lake for (HV 35.20). The demon is offering himself as *relief* to his own side. The Warkari reading notices the mirrored structure: both camps have their 'rain-cloud' figure. In the demonic economy it is Kālanemi — relief for *pride*; in the divine economy it will be Kṛṣṇa Himself as *Meghaśyāma*, the dark-cloud-colored Lord — relief for *humility*. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh Abhaṅga 22 *megha-śyāmā-varana* — 'dark-cloud-colored one' — is HV 37.1's intended opposition. Same cloud, opposite beneficiaries.

HV 37.18

यमेन्द्रवरुणैर् गुप्ता धनदेन च धीमता । संप्रदीप्ताग्निपवना नारायणपरायणा ॥

yama-indra-varuṇair guptā dhana-dena ca dhīmatā | saṃ-pradīptāgni-pavanā nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇā

Guarded by Yama, Indra, Varuṇa and the wise Wealth-giver; with kindled fire and wind; devoted to Nārāyaṇa.

The Living Words

*Yama-indra-varuṇair guptā*, 'guarded by Yama, Indra, Varuṇa'. *Dhana-dena ca dhīmatā*, 'and by the wise Wealth-giver [Kubera]'. *Saṃ-pradīptāgni-pavanā*, 'with kindled fire and wind'. *Nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇā*, 'devoted to Nārāyaṇa, intent upon Nārāyaṇa'.

The Heart of It

The deva-host's single most important descriptor is the closing word: *nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇā* — 'devoted to Nārāyaṇa'. The four directional guardians (Yama, Indra, Varuṇa, Kubera) and the cosmic elements (fire, wind) all belong to the same category named in the final epithet: *parāyaṇa* — 'having [one] as refuge, as highest resort'. The Warkari reading recognises itself: *parāyaṇa* is exactly what the Haripāṭh calls its own posture. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh Abhaṅga 7 *hari-nāma-parāyaṇa* — 'intent on the Hari-name' — uses the same word. The difference between the two armies of HV 37 is finally not weapons but *parāyaṇa*: one side is *ātmavaśa-parāyaṇa* (intent on self-power, as Kālanemi's oceans-seized in 37.55 will show), the other is *nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa*. Everything that happens next in the chapter flows from this difference.

HV 37.20

तयोश् चम्वोस् तदानीं तु बभूव स समागमः । द्वावापृथिव्योः संयोगो यथा स्याद् युगपर्यये ॥

tayoś camvos tadānīṃ tu babhūva sa samāgamaḥ | dvāvāpṛthivyoḥ saṃyogo yathā syād yuga-paryaye

Between those two armies, then, happened that clash — as might be the meeting of heaven-and-earth at the turn-of-the-yuga.

The Living Words

*Tayoś camvoḥ samāgamaḥ*, 'the meeting of those two armies'. *Dvāvāpṛthivyoḥ saṃyogaḥ*, 'the joining of heaven-and-earth'. *Yathā syād yuga-paryaye*, 'as would be at the yuga-end turn'.

The Heart of It

The simile is apocalyptic: the battle appears as *dvāvāpṛthivyoḥ saṃyogaḥ yuga-paryaye* — 'the meeting of heaven and earth at the turn of the yuga'. Cosmos-ending scale. The Warkari reading honors this: when the highest pride and the highest humility meet, *it is always* a yuga-turn. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh Abhaṅga 2 *yuga-pāvana hari* — 'Hari, purifier of the yuga' — rests on this scale-setting. Every such *samāgama* is a *yuga-paryaya* waiting to happen. The chapter is about to show the paryaya-point: when heaven's *parāyaṇa* meets earth's *ātma-vaśa*.

HV 37.40

तिर्यग् ऊर्ध्वं च गगने ववृधुस् तस्य बाहवः । पञ्चास्याः कृष्णवपुषो लेलिहन्त इवोरगाः ॥

tiryag ūrdhvaṃ ca gagane vavṛdhus tasya bāhavaḥ | pañcāsyāḥ kṛṣṇa-vapuṣo lelihanta ivoragāḥ

Sideways and upwards in the sky his arms grew — five-mouthed, dark-bodied, flickering-tongued like cobras.

The Living Words

*Tiryag ūrdhvaṃ ca gagane*, 'sideways and upwards in the sky'. *Vavṛdhus tasya bāhavaḥ*, 'his arms grew'. *Pañcāsyāḥ kṛṣṇa-vapuṣaḥ*, 'five-mouthed, of dark body'. *Lelihanta ivoragāḥ*, 'flickering-tongued like cobras'.

The Heart of It

The Harivaṃśa's most unsettling theological moment: Kālanemi's body is *kṛṣṇa-vapuṣaḥ* — 'dark-bodied like Kṛṣṇa's'. The exact same compound appeared at HV 32.20 for Viṣṇu revealing himself. The demon has impersonated even the Lord's chromatic signature. The Warkari reading is clear-eyed: *appearance* is not proof of identity. The *sāvaḷā śyām* can be impersonated; the *kṛṣṇa-vapus* can be worn by an asura. What cannot be impersonated is *sahiṣṇutva* (HV 36.30), *nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa* (HV 37.18), and the five-mouth of the demon is the telltale: while the Lord's dark body is *one-pointed* (the cowherd child, the warrior on Arjuna's chariot), Kālanemi has five mouths, flickering like cobras — the diffusion and double-tongue of asuric self-display. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh warning against *dvi-jihva* (two-tongued) speech has HV 37.40 as its scriptural diagnostic. Check the tongue-count, not the skin-color.

HV 37.50

तदैव लोकपालाश् च निहतास् तेन संयुगम् । यमः सर्वहरस् तेन मृत्युप्रहरणो रणे । याम्याम् अवस्थाम् अमरो नीतः स्वां दिशम् आविशत् ॥

tadaiva loka-pālāś ca nihatās tena saṃyugam | yamaḥ sarva-haras tena mṛtyu-praharaṇo raṇe | yāmyām avasthām amaro nītaḥ svāṃ diśam āviśat

Then the world-guardians were struck down by him in the conflict. Yama — the all-remover — struck by him in battle with Death's own weapon, the immortal, led to his own state, entered his own direction.

The Living Words

*Loka-pālāḥ nihatāḥ*, 'the world-guardians struck down'. *Yamaḥ sarva-haraḥ*, 'Yama the all-remover'. *Mṛtyu-praharaṇo raṇe*, 'with death-as-weapon in battle'. *Yāmyām avasthām amaro nītaḥ*, 'the immortal led to his own Yama-state'. *Svāṃ diśam āviśat*, 'entered his own direction'.

The Heart of It

A devastating line: Kālanemi defeats even *Yama, the taker-of-all* — striking him with *mṛtyu-praharaṇa*, 'death as weapon'. The god of death is struck with the god of death's own instrument. *Yāmyām avasthām amaro nītaḥ* — 'the immortal is led to the state of Yama'. The Warkari reading: asuric triumph, at its peak, *takes even death's work*. There is no outer power left to call on. Only the *nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa* inward posture of HV 37.18 remains. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh Abhaṅga 23 *māritā mṛtyu mṛtyuñjaya* — 'the death-of-death, the conqueror-of-death' — names exactly the Lord whose coming in HV 38 will reverse this verse. When Yama himself is displaced, only the *Mṛtyuñjaya* can set things right.

HV 37.55

स समुद्रान् समानीय सर्वाश् च सरितो बलात् । चकारात्मवशे वीर्याद् देहभूताश् च सिन्धवः ॥

sa samudrān samānīya sarvāś ca sarito balāt | cakārātma-vaśe vīryād deha-bhūtāś ca sindhavaḥ

Having brought the oceans together by force — and all the rivers — he placed them, by his might, under his own power; and the waters became his body-forms.

The Living Words

*Samudrān samānīya*, 'having brought the oceans together'. *Sarvāś ca sarito balāt*, 'and all the rivers by force'. *Cakārātma-vaśe vīryād*, 'placed under his own power by might'. *Deha-bhūtāś ca sindhavaḥ*, 'the waters became his body-forms'.

The Heart of It

The line cuts to the heart of asuric possession: *cakārātma-vaśe* — 'made them subservient to himself'. The oceans and rivers — which in HV 34.12 belonged to Varuṇa and carried his *śaṅkha* (Viṣṇu's conch) — are now *ātma-vaśa*, 'under Kālanemi's own sway'. The Warkari reading: the demonic mind does not *use* the world; it possesses the world as *deha-bhūta*, 'body-form'. Everything becomes its extension. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh Abhaṅga 20 *mamatā-gharasthānī* — 'at home in the word mine' — names exactly this disease. The cure is to speak *tvad-īya, tvad-artham* — 'yours, for your sake' — the Haripāṭh's own grammar. HV 37.55 is the disease; the Haripāṭh is the remedy. *Ātma-vaśa* (self-power) vs. *nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa* (Nārāyaṇa as highest) is the chapter's central opposition in one verse.

HV 37.59

पारमेष्ठ्ये स्थितः स्थाने लोकानां प्रभवाप्यये । तं तुष्टुवुर् दैत्यगणा देवा इव पितामहम् ॥

pārameṣṭhye sthitaḥ sthāne lokānāṃ prabhavāpyaye | taṃ tuṣṭuvur daitya-gaṇā devā iva pitāmaham

Installed on the paramount seat — the place of the origin-and-dissolution of the worlds — the daitya-hosts praised him as the devas praise the Grandfather.

The Living Words

*Pārameṣṭhye sthitaḥ sthāne*, 'installed on the paramount seat'. *Lokānāṃ prabhava-apyaye*, 'of the worlds' origin and dissolution'. *Taṃ tuṣṭuvur daitya-gaṇāḥ*, 'the daitya-hosts praised him'. *Devā iva pitāmaham*, 'as the devas [praise] the Grandfather'.

The Heart of It

The chapter's final inversion: Kālanemi is seated on the *pārameṣṭhya-sthāna* — Brahmā's own throne, the place of *lokānāṃ prabhava-apyaye* — worlds' origin and dissolution. The daityas praise him *devā iva pitāmaham* — 'as the devas praise the Grandfather'. The imitation is complete: body (*kṛṣṇa-vapuṣaḥ*), elements-under-body (*deha-bhūtāḥ sindhavaḥ*), seat (*pārameṣṭhya*), and now praise. The Warkari reading: when the *form* of the divine is fully imitated, only the *heart* of the divine remains to tell the difference. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh Abhaṅga 26 *dharma-dhvaja-dambha* — the 'dharma-flag of hypocrisy' — names this condition. A man seated on Brahmā's throne is not Brahmā; a man wearing a rudrākṣa is not Śiva. The chapter ends on the asuric *mahā-dambha* of seat-occupation, so that HV 38 can open with the Lord's *correction-of-the-seat* — not by unseating the demon but by being *beyond any seat at all*.

Thread

HV 37 is the chapter of cosmic inversion. Kālanemi moves through four stages of usurpation: body (his *kṛṣṇa-vapus* mimics Viṣṇu's at 37.40), element (*deha-bhūtāḥ sindhavaḥ* at 37.55), throne (*pārameṣṭhya-sthāna* at 37.59), praise (*devā iva pitāmaham* at 37.59). At every stage the Warkari reading gives the diagnostic: the outward form is being impersonated; only the inward *nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa* (37.18) and *sahiṣṇutva* (36.30) distinguish. The chapter is structured like a full asuric ascent; it ends on the peak of the illusion. HV 38 can now bring the Lord — not to take back the throne, but to reveal that the throne was never the point.

Echo in the saints

Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh Abhaṅga 7 *hari-nāma-parāyaṇa* is HV 37.18's single-word diagnosis of the god-army: *parāyaṇa* is the only quality that matters. Tukārām's *dambha-pākha-bhajanīṃ na ramē viṭṭhal* — 'in worship filled with hypocrisy-and-show Viṭṭhal does not delight' — walks out of HV 37.59: occupation-of-seat is not the same as fitness-for-seat. And the Warkari's great inner-discipline, to check the five mouths of the mind — HV 37.40's *pañcāsyāḥ lelihanta ivoragāḥ* — by the single Name on the tongue, is the chapter's practical moral. A five-mouthed assertion, even if dark-bodied, is Kālanemi; a one-mouthed *Rāma-Kṛṣṇa-Hari*, however humble, is the Lord.

Scripture references

EchoesBhagavad Gītā 16.14

The Gītā names the asuric self-installation on the seat of worlds the Lord alone should occupy.

असौ मया हतः शत्रुर् हनिष्ये चापरान् अपि । ईश्वरो ऽहम् अहं भोगी सिद्धो ऽहं बलवान् सुखी ॥

asau mayā hataḥ śatrur haniṣye cāparān api | īśvaro 'ham ahaṃ bhogī siddho 'haṃ balavān sukhī

'This enemy is slain by me; I shall slay others also. I am the Lord, I am the enjoyer, I am perfect, strong, happy.'

HV 37.59's Kālanemi on the *pārameṣṭhya-sthāna* is Gītā 16.14's *īśvaro 'ham* spoken in cosmic scenery. The Warkari tradition reads the two together: the asuric disposition always culminates in a throne-claim.

EchoesBhagavad Gītā 9.22

The only true *parāyaṇa* is the Lord; Kālanemi's attempt to be one's own parāyaṇa is the Gītā's diagnosed self-worship.

अनन्याश् चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते । तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्य् अहम् ॥

ananyāś cintayanto māṃ ye janāḥ paryupāsate | teṣāṃ nityābhiyuktānāṃ yoga-kṣemaṃ vahāmy aham

Those who, with no other thought, meditate on Me and worship Me — to them, ever-united, I bring yoga and kṣema.

HV 37.18's *nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa* is Gītā 9.22's *ananyāḥ cintayantaḥ* in battle-scenery. The Warkari tradition reads them as one: what makes the god-army the god-army is not its weapons but its *ananya-parāyaṇa*.

BORI critical edition, ed. P. L. Vaidya (1969). Digital text from the GRETIL Zurich constituted text. Distributed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.