Fourth Skandha · Chapter 11
Sourceव्यास उवाच तथा गतेषु देवेषु काव्यस्तान्प्रत्युवाच ह । ब्रह्मणा पूर्वमुक्तं यच्छ्रुणुध्वं दानवोत्तमाः ॥ १ ॥ विष्णुर्दैत्यवधे युक्तो हनिष्यति जनार्दनः । वाराहरूपं संस्थाय हिरण्याक्षो यथा हतः ॥ २ ॥ यथा नृसिंहरूपेण हिरण्यकशिपुर्हतः । तथा सर्वान्कृतोत्साहो हनिष्यति न चान्यथा ॥ ३ ॥ न मे मन्त्रबलं सम्यक्प्रतिभाति यथा हरिम् । जेतुं यूयं समर्थाः स्थ मया त्राताः सुरानथ ॥ ४ ॥ तस्मात्कालं प्रतीक्षध्वं कियन्तं दानवोत्तमाः । अहमद्य महादेवं मन्त्रार्थं प्रव्रजामि वै ॥ ५ ॥ प्राप्य मन्त्रान्महादेवादागमिष्यामि साम्प्रतम् । युष्मभ्यं तान्प्रदास्यामि यथार्थं दानवोत्तमाः ॥ ६ ॥ दैत्या ऊचुः पराजिताः कथं स्थातुं पृथिव्यां मुनिसत्तम । शक्ता भवामोऽप्यबलास्तावत्कालं प्रतीक्षितुम् ॥ ७ ॥ निहता बलिनः सर्वे केचिच्छिष्टाश्च दानवाः । नाद्य युक्ताश्च संग्रामे स्थातुमेवं सुखावहाः ॥ ८ ॥ शुक्र उवाच यावदहं मन्त्रविद्यामानयिष्यामि शङ्करात् । तावद्भवद्भिः स्थातव्यं तपोयुक्तैः शमान्वितैः ॥ ९ ॥ सामदानादयः प्रोक्ता विद्वद्भिः समयोचिताः । देशं कालं बलं वीरैर्ज्ञात्वा शक्तिं बलं बुधैः ॥ १० ॥ सेवाथ समये कार्या शत्रूणां शुभकाम्यया । स्वशक्त्युपचये काले हन्तव्यास्ते मनीषिभिः ॥ ११ ॥ तदद्य विनयं कृत्वा सामपूर्वं छलेन वै । तिष्ठध्वं स्वनिकेतेषु मदागमनकाङ्क्षया ॥ १२ ॥ प्राप्य मन्त्रान्महादेवादागमिष्यामि दानवाः । युध्यामहे पुनर्देवान्मान्त्रमास्थाय वै बलम् ॥ १३ ॥ इत्युक्त्वाथ भृगुस्तेभ्यो जगाम कृतनिश्चयः । महादेवं महाराज मन्त्रार्थं मुनिसत्तमः ॥ १४ ॥ दानवाः प्रेषयामासुः प्रह्लादं सुरसन्निधौ । सत्यवादिनमव्यग्रं सुराणां प्रत्ययप्रदम् ॥ १५ ॥ प्रह्लादस्तु सुरान्प्राह प्रश्रयावनतो नृपः । असुरैः सहितस्तत्र वचनं नम्रतायुतम् ॥ १६ ॥ न्यस्तशस्त्रा वयं सर्वे निःसन्नाहास्तथैव च । देवास्तपश्चरिष्यामः संवृता वल्कलैर्युताः ॥ १७ ॥ प्रह्लादस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सत्याभिव्याहृतं तु तत् । ततो देवा न्यवर्तन्त विज्वरा मुदिताश्च ते ॥ १८ ॥ न्यस्तशस्त्रेषु दैत्येषु विनिवृत्तास्तदा सुराः । विश्रब्धाः स्वगृहान्गत्वा क्रीडासक्ताः सुसंस्थिताः ॥ १९ ॥ दैत्या दम्भं समालम्ब्य तापसास्तपिसंयुताः । कश्यपस्याश्रमे वासं चक्रुः काव्यागमेच्छया ॥ २० ॥ काव्यो गत्वाथ कैलासं महादेवं प्रणम्य च । उवाच विभुना पृष्टः किं ते कार्यमिति प्रभुः ॥ २१ ॥ मन्त्रानिच्छाम्यहं देव ये न सन्ति बृहस्पतौ । पराजयाय देवानामसुराणां जयाय च ॥ २२ ॥ व्यास उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य सर्वज्ञः शङ्करः शिवः । चिन्तयामास मनसा किं कर्तव्यमतः परम् ॥ २३ ॥ सुरेषु द्रोहबुद्ध्यासौ मन्त्रार्थमिह साम्प्रतम् । प्राप्तः काव्यो गुरुस्तेषां दैत्यानां विजयाय च ॥ २४ ॥ रक्षणीया मया देवा इति सञ्चिन्त्य शङ्करः । दुष्करं व्रतमत्युग्रं तमुवाच महेश्वरः ॥ २५ ॥ पूर्णं वर्षसहस्रं तु कणधूममवाक्छिराः । यदि पास्यसि भद्रं ते ततो मन्त्रानवाप्स्यसि ॥ २६ ॥ इत्युक्तोऽसौ प्रणम्येशं बाढमित्यब्रवीद्वचः । व्रतं चराम्यहं देव त्वयाज्ञप्तः सुरेश्वर ॥ २७ ॥ व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वा शङ्करं काव्यश्चकार व्रतमुत्तमम् । धूमपानरतः शान्तो मन्त्रार्थं कृतनिश्चयः ॥ २८ ॥ ततो देवाः परिज्ञाय काव्यं व्रतरतं तदा । दैत्यान्दम्भरतांश्चैव बभूवुर्मन्त्रतत्पराः ॥ २९ ॥ विचार्य मनसा सर्वे संग्रामायोद्यता नृप । ययुर्धृतायुधास्तत्र यत्र ते दानवोत्तमाः ॥ ३० ॥ तानागतान्समीक्ष्याथ सायुधान्दंशितांस्तथा । आसंस्ते भयसंविग्ना दैत्या देवान्समन्ततः ॥ ३१ ॥ उत्पेतुः सहसा ते वै सन्नद्धान्भयकर्शिताः । अब्रुवन्वचनं तथ्यं ते देवान्वलदर्पितान् ॥ ३२ ॥ न्यस्तशस्त्रे भयवति आचार्ये व्रतमास्थिते । दत्त्वाभयं पुरा देवाः सम्प्राप्ता नो जिघांसया ॥ ३३ ॥ सत्यं वः क्व गतं देवा धर्मश्च श्रुतिनोदितः । न्यस्तशस्त्रा न हन्तव्या भीताश्च शरणं गताः ॥ ३४ ॥ देवा ऊचुः भवद्भिः प्रेषितः काव्यो मन्त्रार्थं कुहकेन च । तपो ज्ञातं हि युष्माकं तेन युध्याम एव हि ॥ ३५ ॥ सज्जा भवन्तु युद्धाय संरब्धाः शस्त्रपाणयः । शत्रुश्छिद्रेण हन्तव्य एष धर्मः सनातनः ॥ ३६ ॥ व्यास उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं दैत्या विचार्य च परस्परम् । पलायनपराः सर्वे निर्गता भयविह्वलाः ॥ ३७ ॥ शरणं दानवा जग्मुर्भीतास्ते काव्यमातरम् । दृष्ट्वा तानतिसन्तप्तानभयं च ददावथ ॥ ३८ ॥ काव्यमातोवाच न भेतव्यं न भेतव्यं भयं त्यजत दानवाः । मत्सन्निधौ वर्तमानान्न भीर्भवितुमर्हति ॥ ३९ ॥ तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं दैत्याः स्थितास्तत्र गतव्यथाः । निरायुधा ह्यसंभ्रान्तास्तत्राश्रमवरेऽसुराः ॥ ४० ॥ देवास्तान्विद्रुतान्वीक्ष्य दानवास्ते पदानुगाः । अभिजग्मुः प्रसह्यैतानविचार्य बलाबलम् ॥ ४१ ॥ तत्रागताः सुराः सर्वे हन्तुं दैत्यान्समुद्यताः । वारिताः काव्यमात्रापि जघ्नुस्तानाश्रमस्थितान् ॥ ४२ ॥ हन्यमानान्सुरैर्दृष्ट्वा काव्यमातातिवेपिता । उवाच सर्वान्सनिद्रांस्तपसा वै करोम्यहम् ॥ ४३ ॥ इत्युक्त्वा प्रेरिता निद्रा तानागत्य पपात च । सेन्द्रा निद्रावशं याता देवा मूकवदास्थिताः ॥ ४४ ॥ इन्द्रं निद्राजितं दृष्ट्वा दीनं विष्णुरभाषत । मां त्वं प्रविश भद्रं ते नये त्वां च सुरोत्तम ॥ ४५ ॥ एवमुक्तस्ततो विष्णुं प्रविवेश पुरन्दरः । निर्भयो गतनिद्रश्च बभूव हरिरक्षितः ॥ ४६ ॥ रक्षितं हरिणा दृष्ट्वा शक्रं तत्र गतव्यथम् । काव्यमाता ततः क्रुद्धा वचनं चेदमब्रवीत् ॥ ४७ ॥ मघवंस्त्वां भक्षयामि सविष्णुं वै तपोबलात् । पश्यतां सर्वदेवानामीदृशं मे तपोबलम् ॥ ४८ ॥ व्यास उवाच इत्युक्तौ तु तया देवौ विष्ण्विन्द्रौ योगविद्यया । अभिभूतौ महात्मानौ स्तब्धौ तौ सम्बभूवतुः ॥ ४९ ॥ विस्मितास्तु तदा देवा दृष्ट्वा तावतिबाधितौ । चक्रुः किलकिलाशब्दं ततस्ते दीनमानसाः ॥ ५० ॥ क्रोशमानान्सुरान्दृष्ट्वा विष्णुं प्राह शचीपतिः । विशेषेणाभिभूतोऽस्मि त्वत्तोऽहं मधुसूदन ॥ ५१ ॥ जह्येनां तरसा विष्णो यावन्नौ न दहेत्प्रभो । तपसा दर्पितां दुष्टां मा विचारय माधव ॥ ५२ ॥ इत्युक्तो भगवान्विष्णुः शक्रेण प्रथितेन च । चक्रं सस्मार तरसा घृणां त्यक्त्वाथ माधवः ॥ ५३ ॥ स्मृतमात्रं तु सम्प्राप्तं चक्रं विष्णुवशानुगम् । दधार च करे क्रुद्धो वधार्थं शक्रनोदितः ॥ ५४ ॥ गृहीत्वा तत्करे चक्रं शिरश्चिच्छेद रंहसा । हतां दृष्ट्वा तु तां शक्रो मुदितश्चाभवत्तदा ॥ ५५ ॥ देवाश्चातीव सन्तुष्टा हरिं जय जयेति च । तुष्टुवुर्मुदिताः सर्वे सञ्जाता विगतज्वराः ॥ ५६ ॥ इन्द्रविष्णू तु सञ्जातौ तत्क्षणाद्धृदयव्यथौ । स्त्रीवधाच्छंकमानौ तु भृगोः शापं दुरत्ययम् ॥ ५७ ॥
vyāsa uvāca tathā gateṣu deveṣu kāvyastānpratyuvāca ha | brahmaṇā pūrvamuktaṃ yacchruṇudhvaṃ dānavottamāḥ || 1 || viṣṇurdaityavadhe yukto haniṣyati janārdanaḥ | vārāharūpaṃ saṃsthāya hiraṇyākṣo yathā hataḥ || 2 || yathā nṛsiṃharūpeṇa hiraṇyakaśipurhataḥ | tathā sarvānkṛtotsāho haniṣyati na cānyathā || 3 || na me mantrabalaṃ samyakpratibhāti yathā harim | jetuṃ yūyaṃ samarthāḥ stha mayā trātāḥ surānatha || 4 || tasmātkālaṃ pratīkṣadhvaṃ kiyantaṃ dānavottamāḥ | ahamadya mahādevaṃ mantrārthaṃ pravrajāmi vai || 5 || prāpya mantrānmahādevādāgamiṣyāmi sāmpratam | yuṣmabhyaṃ tānpradāsyāmi yathārthaṃ dānavottamāḥ || 6 || daityā ūcuḥ parājitāḥ kathaṃ sthātuṃ pṛthivyāṃ munisattama | śaktā bhavāmo'pyabalāstāvatkālaṃ pratīkṣitum || 7 || nihatā balinaḥ sarve kecicchiṣṭāśca dānavāḥ | nādya yuktāśca saṃgrāme sthātumevaṃ sukhāvahāḥ || 8 || śukra uvāca yāvadahaṃ mantravidyāmānayiṣyāmi śaṅkarāt | tāvadbhavadbhiḥ sthātavyaṃ tapoyuktaiḥ śamānvitaiḥ || 9 || sāmadānādayaḥ proktā vidvadbhiḥ samayocitāḥ | deśaṃ kālaṃ balaṃ vīrairjñātvā śaktiṃ balaṃ budhaiḥ || 10 || sevātha samaye kāryā śatrūṇāṃ śubhakāmyayā | svaśaktyupacaye kāle hantavyāste manīṣibhiḥ || 11 || tadadya vinayaṃ kṛtvā sāmapūrvaṃ chalena vai | tiṣṭhadhvaṃ svaniketeṣu madāgamanakāṅkṣayā || 12 || prāpya mantrānmahādevādāgamiṣyāmi dānavāḥ | yudhyāmahe punardevānmāntramāsthāya vai balam || 13 || ityuktvātha bhṛgustebhyo jagāma kṛtaniścayaḥ | mahādevaṃ mahārāja mantrārthaṃ munisattamaḥ || 14 || dānavāḥ preṣayāmāsuḥ prahlādaṃ surasannidhau | satyavādinamavyagraṃ surāṇāṃ pratyayapradam || 15 || prahlādastu surānprāha praśrayāvanato nṛpaḥ | asuraiḥ sahitastatra vacanaṃ namratāyutam || 16 || nyastaśastrā vayaṃ sarve niḥsannāhāstathaiva ca | devāstapaścariṣyāmaḥ saṃvṛtā valkalairyutāḥ || 17 || prahlādasya vacaḥ śrutvā satyābhivyāhṛtaṃ tu tat | tato devā nyavartanta vijvarā muditāśca te || 18 || nyastaśastreṣu daityeṣu vinivṛttāstadā surāḥ | viśrabdhāḥ svagṛhāngatvā krīḍāsaktāḥ susaṃsthitāḥ || 19 || daityā dambhaṃ samālambya tāpasāstapisaṃyutāḥ | kaśyapasyāśrame vāsaṃ cakruḥ kāvyāgamecchayā || 20 || kāvyo gatvātha kailāsaṃ mahādevaṃ praṇamya ca | uvāca vibhunā pṛṣṭaḥ kiṃ te kāryamiti prabhuḥ || 21 || mantrānicchāmyahaṃ deva ye na santi bṛhaspatau | parājayāya devānāmasurāṇāṃ jayāya ca || 22 || vyāsa uvāca tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasya sarvajñaḥ śaṅkaraḥ śivaḥ | cintayāmāsa manasā kiṃ kartavyamataḥ param || 23 || sureṣu drohabuddhyāsau mantrārthamiha sāmpratam | prāptaḥ kāvyo gurusteṣāṃ daityānāṃ vijayāya ca || 24 || rakṣaṇīyā mayā devā iti sañcintya śaṅkaraḥ | duṣkaraṃ vratamatyugraṃ tamuvāca maheśvaraḥ || 25 || pūrṇaṃ varṣasahasraṃ tu kaṇadhūmamavākchirāḥ | yadi pāsyasi bhadraṃ te tato mantrānavāpsyasi || 26 || ityukto'sau praṇamyeśaṃ bāḍhamityabravīdvacaḥ | vrataṃ carāmyahaṃ deva tvayājñaptaḥ sureśvara || 27 || vyāsa uvāca ityuktvā śaṅkaraṃ kāvyaścakāra vratamuttamam | dhūmapānarataḥ śānto mantrārthaṃ kṛtaniścayaḥ || 28 || tato devāḥ parijñāya kāvyaṃ vratarataṃ tadā | daityāndambharatāṃścaiva babhūvurmantratatparāḥ || 29 || vicārya manasā sarve saṃgrāmāyodyatā nṛpa | yayurdhṛtāyudhāstatra yatra te dānavottamāḥ || 30 || tānāgatānsamīkṣyātha sāyudhāndaṃśitāṃstathā | āsaṃste bhayasaṃvignā daityā devānsamantataḥ || 31 || utpetuḥ sahasā te vai sannaddhānbhayakarśitāḥ | abruvanvacanaṃ tathyaṃ te devānvaladarpitān || 32 || nyastaśastre bhayavati ācārye vratamāsthite | dattvābhayaṃ purā devāḥ samprāptā no jighāṃsayā || 33 || satyaṃ vaḥ kva gataṃ devā dharmaśca śrutinoditaḥ | nyastaśastrā na hantavyā bhītāśca śaraṇaṃ gatāḥ || 34 || devā ūcuḥ bhavadbhiḥ preṣitaḥ kāvyo mantrārthaṃ kuhakena ca | tapo jñātaṃ hi yuṣmākaṃ tena yudhyāma eva hi || 35 || sajjā bhavantu yuddhāya saṃrabdhāḥ śastrapāṇayaḥ | śatruśchidreṇa hantavya eṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ || 36 || vyāsa uvāca tacchrutvā vacanaṃ daityā vicārya ca parasparam | palāyanaparāḥ sarve nirgatā bhayavihvalāḥ || 37 || śaraṇaṃ dānavā jagmurbhītāste kāvyamātaram | dṛṣṭvā tānatisantaptānabhayaṃ ca dadāvatha || 38 || kāvyamātovāca na bhetavyaṃ na bhetavyaṃ bhayaṃ tyajata dānavāḥ | matsannidhau vartamānānna bhīrbhavitumarhati || 39 || tacchrutvā vacanaṃ daityāḥ sthitāstatra gatavyathāḥ | nirāyudhā hyasaṃbhrāntāstatrāśramavare'surāḥ || 40 || devāstānvidrutānvīkṣya dānavāste padānugāḥ | abhijagmuḥ prasahyaitānavicārya balābalam || 41 || tatrāgatāḥ surāḥ sarve hantuṃ daityānsamudyatāḥ | vāritāḥ kāvyamātrāpi jaghnustānāśramasthitān || 42 || hanyamānānsurairdṛṣṭvā kāvyamātātivepitā | uvāca sarvānsanidrāṃstapasā vai karomyaham || 43 || ityuktvā preritā nidrā tānāgatya papāta ca | sendrā nidrāvaśaṃ yātā devā mūkavadāsthitāḥ || 44 || indraṃ nidrājitaṃ dṛṣṭvā dīnaṃ viṣṇurabhāṣata | māṃ tvaṃ praviśa bhadraṃ te naye tvāṃ ca surottama || 45 || evamuktastato viṣṇuṃ praviveśa purandaraḥ | nirbhayo gatanidraśca babhūva harirakṣitaḥ || 46 || rakṣitaṃ hariṇā dṛṣṭvā śakraṃ tatra gatavyatham | kāvyamātā tataḥ kruddhā vacanaṃ cedamabravīt || 47 || maghavaṃstvāṃ bhakṣayāmi saviṣṇuṃ vai tapobalāt | paśyatāṃ sarvadevānāmīdṛśaṃ me tapobalam || 48 || vyāsa uvāca ityuktau tu tayā devau viṣṇvindrau yogavidyayā | abhibhūtau mahātmānau stabdhau tau sambabhūvatuḥ || 49 || vismitāstu tadā devā dṛṣṭvā tāvatibādhitau | cakruḥ kilakilāśabdaṃ tataste dīnamānasāḥ || 50 || krośamānānsurāndṛṣṭvā viṣṇuṃ prāha śacīpatiḥ | viśeṣeṇābhibhūto'smi tvatto'haṃ madhusūdana || 51 || jahyenāṃ tarasā viṣṇo yāvannau na dahetprabho | tapasā darpitāṃ duṣṭāṃ mā vicāraya mādhava || 52 || ityukto bhagavānviṣṇuḥ śakreṇa prathitena ca | cakraṃ sasmāra tarasā ghṛṇāṃ tyaktvātha mādhavaḥ || 53 || smṛtamātraṃ tu samprāptaṃ cakraṃ viṣṇuvaśānugam | dadhāra ca kare kruddho vadhārthaṃ śakranoditaḥ || 54 || gṛhītvā tatkare cakraṃ śiraściccheda raṃhasā | hatāṃ dṛṣṭvā tu tāṃ śakro muditaścābhavattadā || 55 || devāścātīva santuṣṭā hariṃ jaya jayeti ca | tuṣṭuvurmuditāḥ sarve sañjātā vigatajvarāḥ || 56 || indraviṣṇū tu sañjātau tatkṣaṇāddhṛdayavyathau | strīvadhācchaṃkamānau tu bhṛgoḥ śāpaṃ duratyayam || 57 ||
English translation
1. Vyasa said When the Devas retired from the battlefield, S’ukracharya addressed the Demons thus O best of the Demons! Please hear, what had been told to me by Brahma in days of yore.
2-3. Janardan Visnu is coming here to slay all the Demons, He killed before Hiranyaksa, the king of the Asuras, in His Boar incarnation.
He killed Hiranyakasipu by assuming His Man-Lion appearance; now too, he will kill all the Daityas, no doubt, with great enthusiasm.
4-5. Now my mantra force will not be of any avail before S’ri Hari. And without my help you will not be able to conquer the Devas. Therefore, O Demons, wait for some time for me; I will start today to the presence of S'iva Mahadeva to obtain from him the Mantra S’akti.
6. I will return, as early as possible, getting the Mantra from S’ri Mahadeva; and with the help of the power of those great Mantras I will be able to protect you thoroughly.
7. The Daityas said O best of the Munis! We are now defeated and our forces are well nigh exhausted; how will we be able to stay on this earth and expect your return for so long a time?
8. Those who were of great strength amongst us, they all are slain; now we are left very few in number. In this crisis it is not advisable
and auspicious for us to remain here in this battlefield.
9. S’ukracharya said Better you all stay here until I return, getting the requisite Mantra; remain peaceful and engaged in asceticism.
10. The heroes apply one or other of the following four measures conciliation, alliance, gifts and bribery, partitions and sowing dissensions and punishment or open attack according to the conditions of time, place strength and circumstances.
11. Intelligent and well wishing persons do serve their enemies even in time of distress; but no sooner they find that their strength and army have increased, than they try at once to kill all their enemies.
12. Now, therefore, pretend your meekness and allegiance and adopt peace and remain in your own place until my arrival.
13. O Demons! I will come back with the Mantra from Mahadeva. I will fight again with the Devas, by that veritable mantra power.
14. O king! Thus firmly making up his mind to have the Mantra, S’ukracharya went to Mahadeva.
15. The Danavas sent Prahlada to the Devas for conciliation. The Devas regarded Prahlada truthful and they all trusted on him.
16. Prahlada with Asuras addressed thus the Devas with gentleness and humility.
17. O Immortals! We all have abandoned our weapons and armour. Now we desire to wear barks of trees and practise asceticism.
18. The Devas took Prahlada's words to be true and deserted from further fight; were freed of anxiety and felt all delighted.
19. On the Daitya’s leaving their weapons, the Gods desisted from battle, went to their respective places and freely gave themselves up to pleasure and amusements.
20. The Daityas controlled themselves and practised asceticism in the Kas’yapa’s hermitage, expecting the return of S’ukracharya.
21. S’ukracharya went to Kailasa and made respectful obeisance to the God Mahadeva. Mahadeva enquired of the cause of his coming.
22. S’ukracharya said 1 ask for Mantras, O Deva! from you that are not possessed by Brihaspati, for the defeat of the Devas, and the victory of the Asuras.
23. Vyasa said On hearing his words, the all-knowing S’ankara S’iva began to think what He would do in this matter.
24. Certainly, this is with the revengeful object of attacking the Devas, for their defeat and for the victory of the Asuras that this Muni has come.
25. The Devas ought to be protected by me; thus thinking, S’ankara MahesVara advised him an entirely difficult tapasya to practise.
26. Full one thousand years he would practise tapasya with feet upwards and head downwards, he will have to inhale the smoke of burnt husk. Then he will get the Mantra and his desires will be fulfilled.
27. That would be done; thus saying to S’ankara, S’ukracharya practised that excellent vow, peaceful and inhaling the smoke of husk to get that Mantra.
28-29. The Devas came to know that S’ukracharya is practising his vow and the Daityas have become arrogant. They then counselled.
30. And came to the conclusion, took up weapons and arms and went to the Daityas, ready to fight.
31. The Daityas, seeing the Devas dressed in armour and holding weapons and coming from all sides, became very much afraid and anxious.
32. The Daityas, seeing this all on a sudden, were attacked with fear and began to address the Devas, proud with their army, in words, full
of good meanings and morals.
33. O Devas! We have abandoned our arms; we are now armless; our spiritual guide is in his tapasya, you gave us words of fearlessness; why then you have come now dressed in full armour and with armies to kill us.
34. O Devas! Where is your truth. And where is your religion acccording to S’ruti? It is stated in S’ruti never to kill the weaponless, the fear stricken, and the refugees.
35. The Devas said You sent your good S’ukracharya, out of pretence to acquire the Mantras; your asceticism is veiled under a deceitful object. Therefore we will fight with you certainly.
36. Be ready now and dress yourself with your arms and ammunitions, “Lo! Whenever you get any loop hole in your enemies, catch hold of it and kill your enemy.” This is the eternal religion.
37. Vyasa said On thus hearing the reply from the Devas, the Daityas after consideration quitted that place and fled away with terror.
38. And they took refuge under the S’ukracharya’s mother. She saw the Daityas very much fearstricken and at once guaranteed to them protection from fear.
39. The mother of Kavya S’ukracharya said Don’t fear; don’t fear; cast away fear. O Danavas! In my presence, no fear can overtake you.
40. The Asuras on hearing her words were free from anxiety and pain and remained in that hermitage, in no way now bewildered or agitated, though they had no arms.
41-42. Here the Devas, seeing the Daityas flying away, pursued them and entering the hermitage were ready to kill the Daityas, not taking into account what strength they gained there. The mother of S’ukra warned the Devas not to kill; but, inspite of her hindrance, they began to slay the Daityas.
43. Seeing the Daityas thus attacked, the mother was furiously irritated and told them she would make all of them overpowered by sleep by her tapas strength, clarified intellectual force.
Note:-ls it by the asphyxiating gas? Or, by poisonous vapours or liquids?
44. So saying she sent the Goddess of sleep who at once overpowered the Gods and made them all lie down on the grounds senseless. Indra with the other Devas lay there dumb, and miserable.
45. On seeing Indra thus stupefied by sleep, the Bhagavan Visnu told Indra to enter into His body. He would then carry him to another place and he will be better.
46-47. Indra entered into the Visnu’s body; and, under His protection, he became free from sleep and fear. On seeing Indra thus sheltered by Visnu and fearless, the mother of Kavya spoke.
48. O Indra! I will devour you with Visnu today by my Tapas force. All the Devas will presently see all this and my extraordinary power.
N.B.: Is it by making the earth go down, causing a fissure, thus engulfing the whole army? Or by blowing them up? Or by showering jets of poisonous gas or hot water or vapour from all sides.
49. Vyasa said O king! No sooner the mother spoke thus, than both Indra and Visnu were both stupefied under her magical spell, superior thought power, and a thorough learning of the art of warfare.
50. The Devas, seeing them very much overpowered and bewildered, were greatly struck with wonder; they became desperate and began to cry aloud.
51. Indra, on hearing the Devas cry aloud, told Visnu, O Madhusudana! I am more bewildered in particular than yourself.
52. O Madhava! No need of any further consideration. Before this wretch, inflated with pride by her tapasya, burns us, better cause her death as early as possible.
53. When thus requested by Indra who was very much perplexed, Bhagavan Visnu quickly remembered his Sudars’ana disc, casting aside the thought that it is hateful to kill a woman.
54-55. The disc, the ever obedient weapon of Visnu appeared instantly at his remembrance; and Visnu, becoming angry as prompted by Indra held the disc in His hand, and, hurling it off on the S’ukra’s mother, severed off her head quickly. The god Indra became very glad at this.
56. The Devas became free from sorrow, got very much pleased and heartily exclaimed victory to Hari and worshipped Him and began to chant His praises.
57. Indra and Visnu then became free from all troubles; but they began to fear that Bhrigu (S’ukra’s father) would curse them terribly and without fail.
Here ends the Eleventh Chapter in the Fourth Book of S’ri mad Devi Bhagavatam, the Maha Puranam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa, on S’ukra’s going to Mahadeva to get the Mantra.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 25179, revision 76336 (2016-08-19T16:28:50Z). 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/bk04ch11.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.