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Fourth Skandha · Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Unit 72 of 318Fourth Skandha · Chapter 10Fourth Skandha · Chapter 101 source entries

Fourth Skandha · Chapter 10

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जनमेजय उवाच सन्देहोऽयं महानत्र पाराशर्य कथानके । नरनारायणौ शान्तौ वैष्णवांशौ तपोधनौ ॥ १ ॥ तीर्थाश्रयौ सत्त्वयुक्तौ वन्याशनपरौ सदा । धर्मपुत्रौ महात्मानौ तापसौ सत्यसंस्थितौ ॥ २ ॥ कथं रागसमायुक्तौ जातौ युद्धे परस्परम् । संग्रामं चक्रतुः कस्मात्त्यक्त्वा तपिमनुत्तमाम् ॥ ३ ॥ प्रह्लादेन समं पूर्णं दिव्यवर्षशतं किल । हित्वा शान्तिसुखं युद्धं कृतवन्तौ कथं मुनी ॥ ४ ॥ कथं तौ चक्रतुर्युद्धं प्रह्लादेन समं मुनी । कथयस्व महाभाग कारणं विग्रहस्य वै ॥ ५ ॥ (कामिनी कनकं कार्यं कारणं विग्रहस्य वै) ॥ युद्धबुद्धिः कथं जाता तयोश्च तद्विरक्तयोः । तथाविधं तपस्तप्तं ताभ्याञ्च केन हेतुना ॥ ६ ॥ मोहार्थं सुखभोगार्थं स्वर्गार्थं वा परन्तप । कृतमत्युत्कटं ताभ्यां तपः सर्वफलप्रदम् ॥ ७ ॥ मुनिभ्यां शान्तचित्ताभ्यां प्राप्तं किं फलमद्‌भुतम् । तपसा पीडितो देहः संग्रामेण पुनः पुनः ॥ ८ ॥ दिव्यवर्षशतं पूर्णं श्रमेण परिपीडितौ । न राज्यार्थे धने वापि न दारेषु गृहेषु च ॥ ९ ॥ किमर्थं तु कृतं युद्धं ताभ्यां तेन महात्मना । निरीहः पुरुषः कस्मात्प्रकुर्याद्युद्धमीदृशम् ॥ १० ॥ दुःखदं सर्वथा देहे जानन्धर्मं सनातनम् । सुबुद्धिः सुखदानीह कर्माणि कुरुते सदा ॥ ११ ॥ न दुःखदानि धर्मज्ञ स्थितिरेषा सनातनी । धर्मपुत्रौ हरेरंशौ सर्वज्ञौ सर्वभूषितौ ॥ १२ ॥ कृतवन्तौ कथं युद्धं दुःखं धर्मविनाशकम् । त्यक्त्वा तपः समाधीतं सुखारामं महत्फलम् ॥ १३ ॥ संयुगं दारुणं कृष्ण नैव मूर्खोऽपि वाञ्छति । श्रुतो मया ययातिस्तु च्युतः स्वर्गान्महीपतिः ॥ १४ ॥ अहङ्कारभवात्पापात्पातितः पृथिवीतले । यज्ञकृद्दानकर्ता च धार्मिकः पृथिवीपतिः ॥ १५ ॥ शब्दोच्चारणमात्रेण पातितो वज्रपाणिना । अहङ्कारमृते युद्धं न भवत्येव निश्चयः ॥ १६ ॥ किं फलं तस्य युद्धस्य मुनेः पुण्यविनाशनम् । व्यास उवाच राजन् संसारमूलं हि त्रिविधः परिकीर्तितः ॥ १७ ॥ अहङ्कारस्तु सर्वज्ञैर्मुनिभिर्धर्मनिश्चये । स कथं मुनिना त्यक्तुं योग्यो देहभृता किल ॥ १८ ॥ कारणेन विना कार्यं न भवत्येव निश्चयः । तपो दानं तथा यज्ञाः सात्त्विकात्प्रभवन्ति ते ॥ १९ ॥ राजसाद्वा महाभाग तामसात्कलहस्तथा । क्रिया स्वल्पापि राजेन्द्र नाहङ्कारं विना क्वचित् ॥ २० ॥ शुभा वाप्यशुभा वापि प्रभवत्यपि निश्चयः । अहङ्काराद्‌ बन्धकारी नान्योऽस्ति जगतीतले ॥ २१ ॥ येनेदं रचितं विश्वं कथं तद्रहितं भवेत् । ब्रह्मा रुद्रस्तथा विष्णुरहङ्कारयुतास्त्वमी ॥ २२ ॥ अन्येषां चैव का वार्ता मुनीनां वसुधाधिप । अहङ्कारावृतं विश्वं भ्रमतीदं चराचरम् ॥ २३ ॥ पुनर्जन्म पुनर्मृत्युः सर्वं कर्मवशानुगम् । देवतिर्यङ्‌मनुष्याणां संसारेऽस्मिन्महीपते ॥ २४ ॥ रथाङ्गवदसर्वार्थं भ्रमणं सर्वदा स्मृतम् । विष्णोरप्यवताराणां संख्यां जानाति कः पुमान् ॥ २५ ॥ विततेऽस्मिंस्तु संसारे उत्तमाधमयोनिषु । नारायणो हरिः साक्षान्मात्स्यं वपुरुपाश्रितः ॥ २६ ॥ कामठं सौकरं चैव नारसिंहञ्च वामनम् । युगे युगे जगन्नाथो वासुदेवो जनार्दनः ॥ २७ ॥ अवतारानसंख्यातान्करोति विधियन्त्रितः । वैवस्वते महाराज सप्तमे भगवान्हरिः ॥ २८ ॥ मन्वन्तरेऽवतारान्वै चक्रे ताञ्छ्रुणु तत्त्वतः । भृगुशापान्महाराज विष्णुर्देववरः प्रभुः ॥ २९ ॥ अवताराननेकांस्तु कृतवानखिलेश्वरः । राजोवाच सन्देहोऽयं महाभाग हृदये मम जायते ॥ ३० ॥ भृगुणा भगवान्विष्णुः कथं शप्तः पितामह । हरिणा च मुनेस्तस्य विप्रियं किं कृतं मुने ॥ ३१ ॥ यद्रोषाद्‌ भृगुणा शप्तो विष्णुर्देवनमस्कृतः । व्यास उवाच शृणु राजन्प्रवक्ष्यामि भृगोः शापस्य कारणम् ॥ ३२ ॥ पुरा कश्यपदायादो हिरण्यकशिपुर्नृपः । यदा तदा सुरैः सार्धं कृतं संख्यं परस्परम् ॥ ३३ ॥ कृते संख्ये जगत्सर्वं व्याकुलं समजायत । हते तस्मिन्नृपे राजा प्रह्लादः समजायत ॥ ३४ ॥ देवान्स पीडयामास प्रह्लादः शत्रुकर्षणः । संग्रामो ह्यभवद्‌ घोरः शक्रप्रह्लादयोस्तदा ॥ ३५ ॥ पूर्णं वर्षशतं राजँल्लोकविस्मयकारकम् । देवैर्युद्धं कृतं चोग्रं प्रह्रादस्तु पराजितः ॥ ३६ ॥ निर्वेदं परमं प्राप्तो ज्ञात्वा धर्मं सनातनम् । विरोचनसुतं राज्ये प्रतिष्ठाप्य बलिं नृप ॥ ३७ ॥ जगाम स तपस्तप्तुं पर्वते गन्धमादने । प्राप्य राज्यं बलिः श्रीमान्सुरैर्वैरं चकार ह ॥ ३८ ॥ यतः परस्परं युद्धं जातं परमदारुणम् । ततः सुरैर्जिता दैत्या इन्द्रेणामिततेजसा ॥ ३९ ॥ विष्णुना च सहायेन राज्यभ्रष्टाः कृता नृप । ततः पराजिता दैत्याः काव्यस्य शरणं गताः ॥ ४० ॥ किं त्वं न कुरुषे ब्रह्मन् साहाय्यं नः प्रतापवान् । स्थातुं न शक्नुमो ह्यत्र प्रविशामो रसातलम् ॥ ४१ ॥ यदि त्वं न सहायोऽसि त्रातुं मन्त्रविदुत्तम । व्यास उवाच इत्युक्तः सोऽब्रवीद्दैत्यान्काव्यः कारुणिको मुनिः ॥ ४२ ॥ मा भैष्ट धारयिष्यामि तेजसा स्वेन भोऽसुराः । मन्त्रैस्तथौषधीभिश्च साहाय्यं वः सदैव हि ॥ ४३ ॥ करिष्यामि कृतोत्साहा भवन्तु विगतज्वराः । व्यास उवाच ततस्ते निर्भया जाता दैत्याः काव्यस्य संश्रयात् ॥ ४४ ॥ देवैः श्रुतस्तु वृत्तान्तः सर्वैश्चारमुखात्किल । तत्र संमन्त्र्य ते देवाः शक्रेण च परस्परम् ॥ ४५ ॥ मन्त्रं चक्रुः सुसंविग्नाः काव्यमन्त्रप्रभावतः । योद्धुं गच्छामहे तूर्णं यावन्न च्यावयन्ति वै ॥ ४६ ॥ प्रसह्य हत्वा शिष्टांस्तु पातालं प्रापयामहे । दैत्याञ्जग्मुस्ततो देवाः संरुष्टाः शस्त्रपाणयः ॥ ४७ ॥ जग्मुस्तान्विष्णुसहिता दानवान् हरिणोदिताः । वध्यमानास्तु ते दैत्याः सन्त्रस्ता भयपीडिताः ॥ ४८ ॥ काव्यस्य शरणं जग्मू रक्ष रक्षेति चाब्रुवन् । ताञ्छुक्रः पीडितान्दृष्ट्वा देवैर्दैत्यान्महाबलान् ॥ ४९ ॥ मा भैष्टेति वचः प्राह मन्त्रौषधिबलाद्विभुः । दृष्ट्वा काव्यं सुराः सर्वे त्यक्त्वा तान्प्रययुः किल ॥ ५० ॥

janamejaya uvāca sandeho'yaṃ mahānatra pārāśarya kathānake | naranārāyaṇau śāntau vaiṣṇavāṃśau tapodhanau || 1 || tīrthāśrayau sattvayuktau vanyāśanaparau sadā | dharmaputrau mahātmānau tāpasau satyasaṃsthitau || 2 || kathaṃ rāgasamāyuktau jātau yuddhe parasparam | saṃgrāmaṃ cakratuḥ kasmāttyaktvā tapimanuttamām || 3 || prahlādena samaṃ pūrṇaṃ divyavarṣaśataṃ kila | hitvā śāntisukhaṃ yuddhaṃ kṛtavantau kathaṃ munī || 4 || kathaṃ tau cakraturyuddhaṃ prahlādena samaṃ munī | kathayasva mahābhāga kāraṇaṃ vigrahasya vai || 5 || (kāminī kanakaṃ kāryaṃ kāraṇaṃ vigrahasya vai) || yuddhabuddhiḥ kathaṃ jātā tayośca tadviraktayoḥ | tathāvidhaṃ tapastaptaṃ tābhyāñca kena hetunā || 6 || mohārthaṃ sukhabhogārthaṃ svargārthaṃ vā parantapa | kṛtamatyutkaṭaṃ tābhyāṃ tapaḥ sarvaphalapradam || 7 || munibhyāṃ śāntacittābhyāṃ prāptaṃ kiṃ phalamad‌bhutam | tapasā pīḍito dehaḥ saṃgrāmeṇa punaḥ punaḥ || 8 || divyavarṣaśataṃ pūrṇaṃ śrameṇa paripīḍitau | na rājyārthe dhane vāpi na dāreṣu gṛheṣu ca || 9 || kimarthaṃ tu kṛtaṃ yuddhaṃ tābhyāṃ tena mahātmanā | nirīhaḥ puruṣaḥ kasmātprakuryādyuddhamīdṛśam || 10 || duḥkhadaṃ sarvathā dehe jānandharmaṃ sanātanam | subuddhiḥ sukhadānīha karmāṇi kurute sadā || 11 || na duḥkhadāni dharmajña sthitireṣā sanātanī | dharmaputrau hareraṃśau sarvajñau sarvabhūṣitau || 12 || kṛtavantau kathaṃ yuddhaṃ duḥkhaṃ dharmavināśakam | tyaktvā tapaḥ samādhītaṃ sukhārāmaṃ mahatphalam || 13 || saṃyugaṃ dāruṇaṃ kṛṣṇa naiva mūrkho'pi vāñchati | śruto mayā yayātistu cyutaḥ svargānmahīpatiḥ || 14 || ahaṅkārabhavātpāpātpātitaḥ pṛthivītale | yajñakṛddānakartā ca dhārmikaḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ || 15 || śabdoccāraṇamātreṇa pātito vajrapāṇinā | ahaṅkāramṛte yuddhaṃ na bhavatyeva niścayaḥ || 16 || kiṃ phalaṃ tasya yuddhasya muneḥ puṇyavināśanam | vyāsa uvāca rājan saṃsāramūlaṃ hi trividhaḥ parikīrtitaḥ || 17 || ahaṅkārastu sarvajñairmunibhirdharmaniścaye | sa kathaṃ muninā tyaktuṃ yogyo dehabhṛtā kila || 18 || kāraṇena vinā kāryaṃ na bhavatyeva niścayaḥ | tapo dānaṃ tathā yajñāḥ sāttvikātprabhavanti te || 19 || rājasādvā mahābhāga tāmasātkalahastathā | kriyā svalpāpi rājendra nāhaṅkāraṃ vinā kvacit || 20 || śubhā vāpyaśubhā vāpi prabhavatyapi niścayaḥ | ahaṅkārād‌ bandhakārī nānyo'sti jagatītale || 21 || yenedaṃ racitaṃ viśvaṃ kathaṃ tadrahitaṃ bhavet | brahmā rudrastathā viṣṇurahaṅkārayutāstvamī || 22 || anyeṣāṃ caiva kā vārtā munīnāṃ vasudhādhipa | ahaṅkārāvṛtaṃ viśvaṃ bhramatīdaṃ carācaram || 23 || punarjanma punarmṛtyuḥ sarvaṃ karmavaśānugam | devatiryaṅ‌manuṣyāṇāṃ saṃsāre'sminmahīpate || 24 || rathāṅgavadasarvārthaṃ bhramaṇaṃ sarvadā smṛtam | viṣṇorapyavatārāṇāṃ saṃkhyāṃ jānāti kaḥ pumān || 25 || vitate'smiṃstu saṃsāre uttamādhamayoniṣu | nārāyaṇo hariḥ sākṣānmātsyaṃ vapurupāśritaḥ || 26 || kāmaṭhaṃ saukaraṃ caiva nārasiṃhañca vāmanam | yuge yuge jagannātho vāsudevo janārdanaḥ || 27 || avatārānasaṃkhyātānkaroti vidhiyantritaḥ | vaivasvate mahārāja saptame bhagavānhariḥ || 28 || manvantare'vatārānvai cakre tāñchruṇu tattvataḥ | bhṛguśāpānmahārāja viṣṇurdevavaraḥ prabhuḥ || 29 || avatārānanekāṃstu kṛtavānakhileśvaraḥ | rājovāca sandeho'yaṃ mahābhāga hṛdaye mama jāyate || 30 || bhṛguṇā bhagavānviṣṇuḥ kathaṃ śaptaḥ pitāmaha | hariṇā ca munestasya vipriyaṃ kiṃ kṛtaṃ mune || 31 || yadroṣād‌ bhṛguṇā śapto viṣṇurdevanamaskṛtaḥ | vyāsa uvāca śṛṇu rājanpravakṣyāmi bhṛgoḥ śāpasya kāraṇam || 32 || purā kaśyapadāyādo hiraṇyakaśipurnṛpaḥ | yadā tadā suraiḥ sārdhaṃ kṛtaṃ saṃkhyaṃ parasparam || 33 || kṛte saṃkhye jagatsarvaṃ vyākulaṃ samajāyata | hate tasminnṛpe rājā prahlādaḥ samajāyata || 34 || devānsa pīḍayāmāsa prahlādaḥ śatrukarṣaṇaḥ | saṃgrāmo hyabhavad‌ ghoraḥ śakraprahlādayostadā || 35 || pūrṇaṃ varṣaśataṃ rāja~llokavismayakārakam | devairyuddhaṃ kṛtaṃ cograṃ prahrādastu parājitaḥ || 36 || nirvedaṃ paramaṃ prāpto jñātvā dharmaṃ sanātanam | virocanasutaṃ rājye pratiṣṭhāpya baliṃ nṛpa || 37 || jagāma sa tapastaptuṃ parvate gandhamādane | prāpya rājyaṃ baliḥ śrīmānsurairvairaṃ cakāra ha || 38 || yataḥ parasparaṃ yuddhaṃ jātaṃ paramadāruṇam | tataḥ surairjitā daityā indreṇāmitatejasā || 39 || viṣṇunā ca sahāyena rājyabhraṣṭāḥ kṛtā nṛpa | tataḥ parājitā daityāḥ kāvyasya śaraṇaṃ gatāḥ || 40 || kiṃ tvaṃ na kuruṣe brahman sāhāyyaṃ naḥ pratāpavān | sthātuṃ na śaknumo hyatra praviśāmo rasātalam || 41 || yadi tvaṃ na sahāyo'si trātuṃ mantraviduttama | vyāsa uvāca ityuktaḥ so'bravīddaityānkāvyaḥ kāruṇiko muniḥ || 42 || mā bhaiṣṭa dhārayiṣyāmi tejasā svena bho'surāḥ | mantraistathauṣadhībhiśca sāhāyyaṃ vaḥ sadaiva hi || 43 || kariṣyāmi kṛtotsāhā bhavantu vigatajvarāḥ | vyāsa uvāca tataste nirbhayā jātā daityāḥ kāvyasya saṃśrayāt || 44 || devaiḥ śrutastu vṛttāntaḥ sarvaiścāramukhātkila | tatra saṃmantrya te devāḥ śakreṇa ca parasparam || 45 || mantraṃ cakruḥ susaṃvignāḥ kāvyamantraprabhāvataḥ | yoddhuṃ gacchāmahe tūrṇaṃ yāvanna cyāvayanti vai || 46 || prasahya hatvā śiṣṭāṃstu pātālaṃ prāpayāmahe | daityāñjagmustato devāḥ saṃruṣṭāḥ śastrapāṇayaḥ || 47 || jagmustānviṣṇusahitā dānavān hariṇoditāḥ | vadhyamānāstu te daityāḥ santrastā bhayapīḍitāḥ || 48 || kāvyasya śaraṇaṃ jagmū rakṣa rakṣeti cābruvan | tāñchukraḥ pīḍitāndṛṣṭvā devairdaityānmahābalān || 49 || mā bhaiṣṭeti vacaḥ prāha mantrauṣadhibalādvibhuḥ | dṛṣṭvā kāvyaṃ surāḥ sarve tyaktvā tānprayayuḥ kila || 50 ||

English translation

1-4. Janamejaya said O Son of Paras'ara! There has arisen a great doubt in my mind on hearing just now your words. These Nara Narayana are the two sons of Dharma; they are ascetics, calm and quiet, the Ams'as of Visnu; they reside in a holy place of pilgrimage! They are filled with the Sattvic qualities, subsisting always on roots and fruits of the forest, the highsouled hermits and truthful. How were they addicted to such warfare? Why had they left their invaluable asceticism? And with what object were they fighting for full one thousand Deva years with Prahlada.

5. What was the end, O Muni, of their fight with Prahlada? Kindly explain to me in detail the cause of this warfare.

6. Women, wealth or any other worldly object can be the cause of any quarrel or fight amongst any persons; but, in this case, the two ascetics had none of these; how then this idea of fight sprung within their minds.

7-8. And why did they practise such severe austerities? Was it that they had to overpower others, or enjoy pleasures themselves or to reach Heaven that they practised tapasya? What fruits did they eventually obtain from such penances?

9. They became very lean and thin through their asceticism; still how could they fight full one thousand Deva years without getting fatigued.

10. They were not entangled in this fight for kingdom, or wealth or for women or for any other worldly object; then why did they fight with the high souled Prahlada?

11. Having no attachment for any worldly object nor any desire to gain any thing therefrom, why did they engage themselves so thoroughly, in such pains giving battle?

12. Intelligent persons always do works leading to bliss; they never do painful works; this is the long standing rule of the world.

13. The two sons of Dharma were the Ams'as of Hah, all knowing and adorned with all qualities; why did they fight, subversive of religion?

14. O Maharsi! Even the dull and stupid persons in the world won't go to these deadly battles leaving asceticism and samadhi, leading to the purification of all desires.

15. I have heard that Yayati, the Lord of the earth was dropped from Heaven to this world, owing to his Ahamkara, though he was a virtuous king devoted to charities and sacrifices.

16-17. No sooner Yayati, said the king did As'vamedha sacrifice, etc., with Ahamkara, egoism, he was dropped by Indra with thunderbolt in his hands. So one can see that, without Ahamkara no fight can occur. The ascetics had no bodily strength; therefore if they had to fight, it is through the waste of their Tapasya that they could do so.

18. Vyasa said O king! The all knowing sages that have realised the truth or Dharnna declare the threefold Ahamkara arising out the Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic qualities respectively to be the causes of this world.

19. How, then, can these two Munis being embodied forego their Ahamkaras? Without any cause, no actions follow; this is quite certain.

20. Tapas, charities, sacrifices all originate from the Sattvic qualities. And quarrels arise from the Rajasic or Tamasic qualities.

21. All arise from Ahamkara, whether good or bad; this is quite certain.

22. There is no other thing that enchains a soul than this Ahamkara.

It is out of Ahamkara that this Universe is created: how can it be then free from it?

23. O King! Brahma, Visnu, Mahes'ha, even these are with Ahamkaras. Then how can you expect other ordinary Munis to be free from it?

24. Encased with Ahamkara, this Universe is rolling. Births and death occur repectively through this Karma.

25. O Lord of the earth. The Devas, birds and men are revolving in this world like the wheel of a chariot.

26. In this wide world who can count how many Avataras Visnu had to take in all sorts of wombs, good or low.

27. Ordained by the Lord of the Universe, Narayana Himself had to take the Fish, Tortoise, Boar, Man Lion and the Dwarf incarnations.

28. Vasudeva Janardana the Lord, had to undertake countless Avataras births in this world.

29. In the Vaivasvata manvantara, the Avataras of Bhagavan Hari are being mentioned to you. Hear!

30. The all pervading Lord of the world, the God of the Gods, had to take several incarnations in this world, owing to the curses inflicted by Bhrigu.

31. The king said There has now again arisen another fresh doubt, why was Visnu cursed by Bhrigu Muni?

32. O Muni! What injury did Hari commit to that Muni, and whereof the Muni Bhrigu cursed him.

33-34. Vyasa said Hear, O king! the cause of the curse; I will narrate to you. In days of yore, the king Hiranyakasipu, the son of Kasyapa often quarrelled with the Devas; owing to this incessant warfare, the whole universe was much alarmed and perplexed.

35. And when Hiranyakasipu was slain by the Man-Lion incarnation, Prahlada, the tormentor of the foes, continued his enmity towards the Devas and began to annoy them.

36. Thus one hundred years dreadful battle occurred between the Devas and Prahlada, to the astonishment of all.

37-38. O king! The Devas fought very hard and were victorious. Prahlada was defeated and was sorely grieved. Hearing that the Eternal Religion is the best, he handed his kingdom over to his son Bali and went to the Gandhamadan hill to practise tapasya.

39-40. The prosperous Bali, too, on gaining his kingdom, began to quarrel with the Devas and the war thus went on. Ultimately the powerful Indra and the Devas defeated the Asuras.

41-42. O king! Indra, of unequalled prowess, with the aid of Visnu, deprived the Daityas of their kingdom. The defeated Daityas took refuge of their family spiritual guide S'ukracharya and addressed him thus, O Brahmana! You are endowed with your fiery strength of Tapasya and you are now powerful; why are you not lending your helping hands to your Daitya followers. O foremost of the councillors. If you do not help us and save us, we will not be able to stay in this earth and will soon have to go down to Patala.

43-44. Vyasa said Thus addressed by the Daityas, the very kind hearted S'ukracharya said, O Daityas! Do not be afraid; I will protect you by my fire of strength and vigour; and help you with sound counsels and medicines. Be brave and energetic and cast aside your mental agony and sorrow.

45-47. Vyasa said O king! The Daityas became fearless under the patronage of S'ukracharya. The Devas had their spies and knew all about these. They held councils with Indra and settled that before the Daityas had time to dislodge us from our Heaven with the mantra of S'ukracharya, we will speedily go and attack them. Thus attacked all on a sudden, they will all be slain by us and we will drive them down to the Patala.

48. Thus forming their resolves, with fully equipped arms and weapons, they went out of rage to fight with the Daityas and orderd by Indra and aided by Visnu, they began to kill the Demons.

49. When the Devas were thus slaying the Demons, they got very much terrified and exclaimed “O Lord! Protect us! Protect us!” and took the refuge of Sukra.

50. S'ukracharya, seeing the Daityas very much perplexed and distracted, at once cried aloud out of the influence of his Mantra “No fear, no fear,” Then the Devas on seeing S'ukracharya left the Daityas and fled away to their own places.

Here ends the Tenth Chapter of the Fourth Book of the Maha Puranann, S'ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam, of 18000 verses by MaharsT Veda Vyasa on the curse on Visnu by Bhrigu.

Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24765, revision 75631 (2016-08-04T00:05:48Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk04ch10.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.