Ninth Skandha · Chapter 20
Sourceश्रीनारायण उवाच ब्रह्मा शिवं संनियोज्य संहारे दानवस्य च । जगाम स्वालयं तूर्णं यथास्थानं सुरोत्तमाः ॥ १ ॥ चन्द्रभागानदीतीरे वटमूले मनोहरे । तत्र तस्थौ महादेवो देवविस्तारहेतवे ॥ २ ॥ दूतं कृत्वा चित्ररथं गन्धर्वेश्वरमीप्सितम् । शीघ्रं प्रस्थापयामास शङ्खचूडान्तिकं मुदा ॥ ३ ॥ सर्वेश्वराज्ञया शीघ्रं ययौ तन्नगरं परम् । महेन्द्रनगरोत्कृष्टं कुबेरभवनाधिकम् ॥ ४ ॥ पञ्चयोजनविस्तीर्णं दैर्घ्ये तद् द्विगुणं भवेत् । स्फटिकाकारमणिभिर्निर्मितं यानवेष्टितम् ॥ ५ ॥ सप्तभिः परिखाभिश्च दुर्गमाभिः समन्वितम् । ज्वलदग्निनिभैः शश्वत्कल्पितं रत्नकोटिभिः ॥ ६ ॥ युक्तं च वीथीशतकैर्मणिवेदिविचित्रितैः । परितो वणिजां सौधैर्नानावस्तुविराजितैः ॥ ७ ॥ सिन्दूराकारमणिभिर्निर्मितैश्च विचित्रितैः । भूषितं भूषितैर्दिव्यैराश्रमैः शतकोटिभिः ॥ ८ ॥ गत्वा ददर्श तन्मध्ये शङ्खचूडालयं परम् । अतीव वलयाकारं यथा पूर्णेन्दुमण्डलम् ॥ ९ ॥ ज्वलदग्निशिखाक्ताभिः परिखाभिश्चतसृभिः । तद्दुर्गमं च शत्रूणामन्येषां सुगमं सुखम् ॥ १० ॥ अत्युच्चैर्गगनस्पर्शिमणिशृङ्गविराजितम् । राजितं द्वादशद्वारैर्द्वारपालसमन्वितम् ॥ ११ ॥ मणीन्द्रसारनिर्माणैः शोभितं लक्षमन्दिरैः । शोभितं रत्नसोपानै रत्नस्तम्भविराजितम् ॥ १२ ॥ तद् दृष्ट्वा पुष्पदन्तोऽपि वरं द्वारं ददर्श सः । द्वारे नियुक्तं पुरुषं शूलहस्तं च सस्मितम् ॥ १३ ॥ तिष्ठन्तं पिङ्गलाक्षं च ताम्रवर्णं भयङ्करम् । कथयामास वृत्तान्तं जगाम तदनुज्ञया ॥ १४ ॥ अतिक्रम्य च तद्द्वारं जगामाभ्यन्तरं पुनः । न कोऽपि रक्षति श्रुत्वा दूतरूपं रणस्य च ॥ १५ ॥ गत्वा सोऽभ्यन्तरद्वारं द्वारपालमुवाच ह । रणस्य सर्ववृत्तान्तं विज्ञापयत माचिरम् ॥ १६ ॥ स च तं कथयित्वा च दूतो गन्तुमुवाच ह । स गत्वा शङ्खचूडं तं ददर्श सुमनोहरम् ॥ १७ ॥ राजमण्डलमध्यस्थं स्वर्णसिंहासने स्थितम् । मणीन्द्ररचितं दिव्यं रत्नदण्डसमन्वितम् ॥ १८ ॥ रत्नकृत्रिमपुष्पैश्च प्रशस्तैः शोभितं सदा । भृत्येन मस्तकन्यस्तं स्वर्णच्छत्रं मनोहरम् ॥ १९ ॥ सेवितं पार्षदगणै रुचिरैः श्वेतचामरैः । सुवेषं सुन्दरं रम्यं रत्नभूषणभूषितम् ॥ २० ॥ माल्येन लेपनं सूक्ष्मं सुवस्त्रं दधतं मुने । दानवेन्द्रैः परिवृतं सुवेषैश्च त्रिकोटिभिः ॥ २१ ॥ शतकोटिभिरन्यैश्च भ्रमद्भिरस्त्रपाणिभिः । एवंभूतञ्च तं दृष्ट्वा पुष्पदन्तः सविस्मयः ॥ २२ ॥ उवाच स च वृत्तान्तं यदुक्तं शङ्करेण च । पुष्पदन्त उवाच राजेन्द्र शिवभृत्योऽहं पुष्पदन्ताभिधः प्रभो ॥ २३ ॥ यदुक्तं शङ्करेणैव तद् ब्रवीमि निशामय । राज्यं देहि च देवानामधिकारं च साम्प्रतम् ॥ २४ ॥ देवाश्च शरणापन्ना देवेशं श्रीहरिं परम् । हरिर्दत्त्वास्य शूलं च तेन प्रस्थापितः शिवः ॥ २५ ॥ पुष्पभद्रानदीतीरे वटमूले त्रिलोचनः । विषयं देहि तेषां च युद्धं वा कुरु निश्चितम् ॥ २६ ॥ गत्वा वक्ष्यामि किं शम्भुमथ तद्वद मामपि । दूतस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा शङ्खचूडः प्रहस्य च ॥ २७ ॥ प्रभातेऽहं गमिष्यामि त्वं च गच्छेत्युवाच ह । स गत्वोवाच तं तूर्णं वटमूलस्थमीश्वरम् ॥ २८ ॥ शङ्खचूडस्य वचनं तदीयं तन्मुखोदितम् । एतस्मिन्नन्तरे स्कन्द आजगाम शिवान्तिकम् ॥ २९ ॥ वीरभद्रश्च नन्दी च महाकालः सुभद्रकः । विशालाक्षश्च बाणश्च पिङ्गलाक्षो विकम्पनः ॥ ३० ॥ विरूपो विकृतिश्चैव मणिभद्रश्च बाष्कलः । कपिलाख्यो दीर्घदंष्ट्रो विकटस्ताम्रलोचनः ॥ ३१ ॥ कालकण्ठो बलीभद्रः कालजिह्नः कुटीचरः । बलोन्मत्तो रणश्लाघी दुर्जयो दुर्गमस्तथा ॥ ३२ ॥ अष्टौ च भैरवा रौद्रा रुद्राश्चैकादश स्मृताः । वसवोऽष्टौ वासवश्च आदित्या द्वादश स्मृताः ॥ ३३ ॥ हुताशनश्च चन्द्रश्च विश्वकर्माश्विनौ च तौ । कुबेरश्च यमश्चैव जयन्तो नलकूबरः ॥ ३४ ॥ वायुश्च वरुणश्चैव बुधश्च मङ्गलस्तथा । धर्मश्च शनिरीशानः कामदेवश्च वीर्यवान् ॥ ३५ ॥ उग्रदंष्ट्रा चोग्रदण्डा कोटरा कैटभी तथा । स्वयं चाष्टभुजा देवी भद्रकाली भयङ्करी ॥ ३६ ॥ रत्नेन्द्रसारनिर्माणविमानोपरि संस्थिता । रक्तवस्त्रपरीधाना रक्तमाल्यानुलेपना ॥ ३७ ॥ नृत्यन्ती च हसन्ती च गायन्ती सुस्वरं मुदा । अभयं ददाति भक्तेभ्योऽभया सा च भयं रिपुम् ॥ ३८ ॥ बिभ्रती विकटां जिह्वां सुलोलां योजनायताम् । शङ्खचक्रगदापद्मखड्गचर्मधनुःशरान् ॥ ३९ ॥ खर्परं वर्तुलाकारं गम्भीरं योजनायतम् । त्रिशूलं गगनस्पर्शि शक्तिं च योजनायताम् ॥ ४० ॥ मुद्गरं मुसलं वज्रं खेटं फलकमुज्ज्वलम् । वैष्णवास्त्रं वारुणास्त्रं वाह्नेयं नागपाशकम् ॥ ४१ ॥ नारायणास्त्रं गान्धर्वं ब्रह्मास्त्रं गारुडं तथा । पर्जन्यास्त्रं पाशुपतं जृम्भणास्त्रं च पार्वतम् ॥ ४२ ॥ माहेश्वरास्त्रं वायव्यं दण्डं सम्मोहनं तथा । अव्यर्थमस्त्रकं दिव्यं दिव्यास्त्रशतकं परम् ॥ ४३ ॥ आगत्य तत्र तस्थौ च योगिनीनां त्रिकोटिभिः । सार्धं च डाकिनीनां च विकटानां त्रिकोटिभिः ॥ ४४ ॥ भूतप्रेतपिशाचाश्च कूष्माण्डा ब्रह्मराक्षसाः । वेताला राक्षसाश्चैव यक्षाश्चैव तु किन्नराः ॥ ४५ ॥ ताभिश्चैव सह स्कन्दः प्रणम्य चन्द्रशेखरम् । पितुः पार्श्वे सहायार्थं समुवास तदाज्ञया ॥ ४६ ॥ अथ दूते गते तत्र शङ्खचूडः प्रतापवान् । उवाच तुलसीं वार्तां गत्वाभ्यन्तरमेव च ॥ ४७ ॥ रणवार्तां च सा श्रुत्वा शुष्ककण्ठोष्ठतालुका । उवाच मधुरं साध्वी हृदयेन विदूयता ॥ ४८ ॥ तुलस्युवाच हे प्राणबन्धो हे नाथ तिष्ठ मे वक्षसि क्षणम् । हे प्राणाधिष्ठातृदेव रक्ष मे जीवितं क्षणम् ॥ ४९ ॥ भुंक्ष्व जन्म समासाद्य यन्मे मनसि वाञ्छितम् । पश्यामि त्वां क्षणं किञ्चिल्लोचनाभ्यां च सादरम् ॥ ५० ॥ आन्दोलयन्ते प्राणा मे मनो दग्धं च सन्ततम् । दुःस्वप्नश्च मया दृष्टश्चाद्यैव चरमे निशि ॥ ५१ ॥ तुलसीवचनं श्रुत्वा भुक्त्वा पीत्वा नृपेश्वर । उवाच वचनं प्राज्ञो हितं सत्यं यथोचितम् ॥ ५२ ॥ शंखचूड उवाच कालेन योजितं सर्वं कर्मभोगनिबन्धनम् । शुभं हर्षः सुखं दुःखं भयं शोकश्च मङ्गलम् ॥ ५३ ॥ काले भवन्ति वृक्षाश्च स्कन्धवन्तश्च कालतः । क्रमेण पुष्पवन्तश्च फलवन्तश्च कालतः ॥ ५४ ॥ तेषां फलानि पक्वानि प्रभवन्त्येव कालतः । ते सर्वे फलिताः काले पातं यान्ति च कालतः ॥ ५५ ॥ काले भवन्ति विश्वानि काले नश्यन्ति सुन्दरि । कालात्स्रष्टा च सृजति पाता पाति च कालतः ॥ ५६ ॥ संहर्ता संहरेत्काले क्रमेण सञ्चरन्ति ते । ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादीनामीश्वरः प्रकृतिः परा ॥ ५७ ॥ स्रष्टा पाता च संहर्ता स चात्मा कालनर्तकः । काले स एव प्रकृतिं स्वाभिन्नां स्वेच्छया प्रभुः ॥ ५८ ॥ निर्माय कृतवान्सर्वान्विश्वस्थांश्च चराचरान् । सर्वेशः सर्वरूपश्च सर्वात्मा परमेश्वरः ॥ ५९ ॥ जनं जनेन जनिता जनं पाति जनेन यः । जनं जनेन हरते तं देवं भज साम्प्रतम् ॥ ६० ॥ यस्याज्ञया वाति वातः शीघ्रगामी च साम्प्रतम् । यस्याज्ञया च तपनस्तपत्येव यथाक्षणम् ॥ ६१ ॥ यथाक्षणं वर्षतीन्द्रो मृत्युश्चरति जन्तुषु । यथाक्षणं दहत्यग्निश्चन्द्रो भ्रमति शीतवान् ॥ ६२ ॥ मृत्योर्मृत्युं कालकालं यमस्य च यमं परम् । विभुं स्रष्टुश्च स्रष्टारं मातुश्च मातृकं भवे ॥ ६३ ॥ संहर्तारं च संहर्तुस्तं देवं शरणं व्रज । को वा बन्धुश्च केषां वा सर्वबन्धुं भज प्रिये ॥ ६४ ॥ अहं को वा च त्वं का वा विधिना योजितः पुरा । त्वया सार्धं कर्मणा च पुनस्तेन वियोजितः ॥ ६५ ॥ अज्ञानी कातरः शोके विपत्तौ न च पण्डितः । सुखे दुःखे भ्रमत्येव कालनेमिक्रमेण च ॥ ६६ ॥ नारायणं तं सर्वेशं कान्तं यास्यसि निश्चितम् । तपः कृतं यदर्थं च पुरा बदरिकाश्रमे ॥ ६७ ॥ मया त्वं तपसा लब्धा ब्रह्मणस्तु वरेण च । हर्यर्थे यत्तव तपो हरिं प्राप्स्यसि कामिनि ॥ ६८ ॥ वृन्दावने च गोविन्दं गोलोके त्वं लभिष्यसि । अहं यास्यामि तल्लोकं तनुं त्यक्त्वा च दानवीम् ॥ ६९ ॥ तत्र द्रक्ष्यसि मां त्वं च द्रक्ष्यामि त्वां च साम्प्रतम् । अगमं राधिकाशापाद्भारतं च सुदुर्लभम् ॥ ७० ॥ पुनर्यास्यामि तत्रैव कः शोको मे शृणु प्रिये । त्वं च देहं परित्यज्य दिव्यरूपं विधाय च ॥ ७१ ॥ तत्कालं प्राप्स्यसि हरिं मा कान्ते कातरा भव । इत्युक्त्वा च दिनान्ते च तया सार्धं मनोहरम् ॥ ७२ ॥ सुष्वाप शोभने तल्पे पुष्पचन्दनचर्चिते । नानाप्रकारविभवं चकार रत्नमन्दिरे ॥ ७३ ॥ रत्नप्रदीपसंयुक्ते स्त्रीरत्नं प्राप्य सुन्दरीम् । निनाय रजनीं राजा क्रीडाकौतुकमङ्गलैः ॥ ७४ ॥ कृत्वा वक्षसि तां कान्तां रुदतीमतिदुःखिताम् । कृशोदरीं निराहारां निमग्नां शोकसागरे ॥ ७५ ॥ पुनस्तां बोधयामास दिव्यज्ञानेन ज्ञानवित् । पुरा कृष्णेन यद्दत्तं भाण्डीरे तत्त्वमुत्तमम् ॥ ७६ ॥ स च तस्यै ददौ सर्वं सर्वशोकहरं परम् । ज्ञानं सम्प्राप्य सा देवी प्रसन्नवदनेक्षणा ॥ ७७ ॥ क्रीडां चकार हर्षेण सर्वं मत्वेति नश्वरम् । तौ दम्पती च क्रीडन्तौ निमग्नौ सुखसागरे ॥ ७८ ॥ पुलकाञ्चितसर्वाङ्गौ मूर्च्छितौ निर्जने मुने । अङ्गप्रत्यङ्गसंयुक्तौ सुप्रीतौ सुरतोत्सुको ॥ ७९ ॥ एकाङ्गौ च तथा तौ द्वौ चार्धनारीश्वरो यथा । प्राणेश्वरं च तुलसी मेने प्राणाधिकं परम् ॥ ८० ॥ प्राणाधिकां च तां मेने राजा प्राणेश्वरीं सतीम् । तौ स्थितौ सुखसुप्तौ च तन्द्रितौ सुन्दरौ समौ ॥ ८१ ॥ सुवेषौ सुखसम्भोगादचेष्टौ सुमनोहरौ । क्षणं सुचेतनौ तौ च कथयन्तौ रसाश्रयात् ॥ ८२ ॥ कथां मनोरमां दिव्यां हसन्तौ च क्षणं पुनः । क्षणं च केलिसंयुक्तौ रसभावसमन्वितौ ॥ ८३ ॥ सुरते विरतिर्नास्ति तौ तद्विषयपण्डितौ । सततं जययुक्तौ द्वौ क्षणं नैव पराजितौ ॥ ८४ ॥
śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca brahmā śivaṃ saṃniyojya saṃhāre dānavasya ca | jagāma svālayaṃ tūrṇaṃ yathāsthānaṃ surottamāḥ || 1 || candrabhāgānadītīre vaṭamūle manohare | tatra tasthau mahādevo devavistārahetave || 2 || dūtaṃ kṛtvā citrarathaṃ gandharveśvaramīpsitam | śīghraṃ prasthāpayāmāsa śaṅkhacūḍāntikaṃ mudā || 3 || sarveśvarājñayā śīghraṃ yayau tannagaraṃ param | mahendranagarotkṛṣṭaṃ kuberabhavanādhikam || 4 || pañcayojanavistīrṇaṃ dairghye tad dviguṇaṃ bhavet | sphaṭikākāramaṇibhirnirmitaṃ yānaveṣṭitam || 5 || saptabhiḥ parikhābhiśca durgamābhiḥ samanvitam | jvaladagninibhaiḥ śaśvatkalpitaṃ ratnakoṭibhiḥ || 6 || yuktaṃ ca vīthīśatakairmaṇivedivicitritaiḥ | parito vaṇijāṃ saudhairnānāvastuvirājitaiḥ || 7 || sindūrākāramaṇibhirnirmitaiśca vicitritaiḥ | bhūṣitaṃ bhūṣitairdivyairāśramaiḥ śatakoṭibhiḥ || 8 || gatvā dadarśa tanmadhye śaṅkhacūḍālayaṃ param | atīva valayākāraṃ yathā pūrṇendumaṇḍalam || 9 || jvaladagniśikhāktābhiḥ parikhābhiścatasṛbhiḥ | taddurgamaṃ ca śatrūṇāmanyeṣāṃ sugamaṃ sukham || 10 || atyuccairgaganasparśimaṇiśṛṅgavirājitam | rājitaṃ dvādaśadvārairdvārapālasamanvitam || 11 || maṇīndrasāranirmāṇaiḥ śobhitaṃ lakṣamandiraiḥ | śobhitaṃ ratnasopānai ratnastambhavirājitam || 12 || tad dṛṣṭvā puṣpadanto'pi varaṃ dvāraṃ dadarśa saḥ | dvāre niyuktaṃ puruṣaṃ śūlahastaṃ ca sasmitam || 13 || tiṣṭhantaṃ piṅgalākṣaṃ ca tāmravarṇaṃ bhayaṅkaram | kathayāmāsa vṛttāntaṃ jagāma tadanujñayā || 14 || atikramya ca taddvāraṃ jagāmābhyantaraṃ punaḥ | na ko'pi rakṣati śrutvā dūtarūpaṃ raṇasya ca || 15 || gatvā so'bhyantaradvāraṃ dvārapālamuvāca ha | raṇasya sarvavṛttāntaṃ vijñāpayata māciram || 16 || sa ca taṃ kathayitvā ca dūto gantumuvāca ha | sa gatvā śaṅkhacūḍaṃ taṃ dadarśa sumanoharam || 17 || rājamaṇḍalamadhyasthaṃ svarṇasiṃhāsane sthitam | maṇīndraracitaṃ divyaṃ ratnadaṇḍasamanvitam || 18 || ratnakṛtrimapuṣpaiśca praśastaiḥ śobhitaṃ sadā | bhṛtyena mastakanyastaṃ svarṇacchatraṃ manoharam || 19 || sevitaṃ pārṣadagaṇai ruciraiḥ śvetacāmaraiḥ | suveṣaṃ sundaraṃ ramyaṃ ratnabhūṣaṇabhūṣitam || 20 || mālyena lepanaṃ sūkṣmaṃ suvastraṃ dadhataṃ mune | dānavendraiḥ parivṛtaṃ suveṣaiśca trikoṭibhiḥ || 21 || śatakoṭibhiranyaiśca bhramadbhirastrapāṇibhiḥ | evaṃbhūtañca taṃ dṛṣṭvā puṣpadantaḥ savismayaḥ || 22 || uvāca sa ca vṛttāntaṃ yaduktaṃ śaṅkareṇa ca | puṣpadanta uvāca rājendra śivabhṛtyo'haṃ puṣpadantābhidhaḥ prabho || 23 || yaduktaṃ śaṅkareṇaiva tad bravīmi niśāmaya | rājyaṃ dehi ca devānāmadhikāraṃ ca sāmpratam || 24 || devāśca śaraṇāpannā deveśaṃ śrīhariṃ param | harirdattvāsya śūlaṃ ca tena prasthāpitaḥ śivaḥ || 25 || puṣpabhadrānadītīre vaṭamūle trilocanaḥ | viṣayaṃ dehi teṣāṃ ca yuddhaṃ vā kuru niścitam || 26 || gatvā vakṣyāmi kiṃ śambhumatha tadvada māmapi | dūtasya vacanaṃ śrutvā śaṅkhacūḍaḥ prahasya ca || 27 || prabhāte'haṃ gamiṣyāmi tvaṃ ca gacchetyuvāca ha | sa gatvovāca taṃ tūrṇaṃ vaṭamūlasthamīśvaram || 28 || śaṅkhacūḍasya vacanaṃ tadīyaṃ tanmukhoditam | etasminnantare skanda ājagāma śivāntikam || 29 || vīrabhadraśca nandī ca mahākālaḥ subhadrakaḥ | viśālākṣaśca bāṇaśca piṅgalākṣo vikampanaḥ || 30 || virūpo vikṛtiścaiva maṇibhadraśca bāṣkalaḥ | kapilākhyo dīrghadaṃṣṭro vikaṭastāmralocanaḥ || 31 || kālakaṇṭho balībhadraḥ kālajihnaḥ kuṭīcaraḥ | balonmatto raṇaślāghī durjayo durgamastathā || 32 || aṣṭau ca bhairavā raudrā rudrāścaikādaśa smṛtāḥ | vasavo'ṣṭau vāsavaśca ādityā dvādaśa smṛtāḥ || 33 || hutāśanaśca candraśca viśvakarmāśvinau ca tau | kuberaśca yamaścaiva jayanto nalakūbaraḥ || 34 || vāyuśca varuṇaścaiva budhaśca maṅgalastathā | dharmaśca śanirīśānaḥ kāmadevaśca vīryavān || 35 || ugradaṃṣṭrā cogradaṇḍā koṭarā kaiṭabhī tathā | svayaṃ cāṣṭabhujā devī bhadrakālī bhayaṅkarī || 36 || ratnendrasāranirmāṇavimānopari saṃsthitā | raktavastraparīdhānā raktamālyānulepanā || 37 || nṛtyantī ca hasantī ca gāyantī susvaraṃ mudā | abhayaṃ dadāti bhaktebhyo'bhayā sā ca bhayaṃ ripum || 38 || bibhratī vikaṭāṃ jihvāṃ sulolāṃ yojanāyatām | śaṅkhacakragadāpadmakhaḍgacarmadhanuḥśarān || 39 || kharparaṃ vartulākāraṃ gambhīraṃ yojanāyatam | triśūlaṃ gaganasparśi śaktiṃ ca yojanāyatām || 40 || mudgaraṃ musalaṃ vajraṃ kheṭaṃ phalakamujjvalam | vaiṣṇavāstraṃ vāruṇāstraṃ vāhneyaṃ nāgapāśakam || 41 || nārāyaṇāstraṃ gāndharvaṃ brahmāstraṃ gāruḍaṃ tathā | parjanyāstraṃ pāśupataṃ jṛmbhaṇāstraṃ ca pārvatam || 42 || māheśvarāstraṃ vāyavyaṃ daṇḍaṃ sammohanaṃ tathā | avyarthamastrakaṃ divyaṃ divyāstraśatakaṃ param || 43 || āgatya tatra tasthau ca yoginīnāṃ trikoṭibhiḥ | sārdhaṃ ca ḍākinīnāṃ ca vikaṭānāṃ trikoṭibhiḥ || 44 || bhūtapretapiśācāśca kūṣmāṇḍā brahmarākṣasāḥ | vetālā rākṣasāścaiva yakṣāścaiva tu kinnarāḥ || 45 || tābhiścaiva saha skandaḥ praṇamya candraśekharam | pituḥ pārśve sahāyārthaṃ samuvāsa tadājñayā || 46 || atha dūte gate tatra śaṅkhacūḍaḥ pratāpavān | uvāca tulasīṃ vārtāṃ gatvābhyantarameva ca || 47 || raṇavārtāṃ ca sā śrutvā śuṣkakaṇṭhoṣṭhatālukā | uvāca madhuraṃ sādhvī hṛdayena vidūyatā || 48 || tulasyuvāca he prāṇabandho he nātha tiṣṭha me vakṣasi kṣaṇam | he prāṇādhiṣṭhātṛdeva rakṣa me jīvitaṃ kṣaṇam || 49 || bhuṃkṣva janma samāsādya yanme manasi vāñchitam | paśyāmi tvāṃ kṣaṇaṃ kiñcillocanābhyāṃ ca sādaram || 50 || āndolayante prāṇā me mano dagdhaṃ ca santatam | duḥsvapnaśca mayā dṛṣṭaścādyaiva carame niśi || 51 || tulasīvacanaṃ śrutvā bhuktvā pītvā nṛpeśvara | uvāca vacanaṃ prājño hitaṃ satyaṃ yathocitam || 52 || śaṃkhacūḍa uvāca kālena yojitaṃ sarvaṃ karmabhoganibandhanam | śubhaṃ harṣaḥ sukhaṃ duḥkhaṃ bhayaṃ śokaśca maṅgalam || 53 || kāle bhavanti vṛkṣāśca skandhavantaśca kālataḥ | krameṇa puṣpavantaśca phalavantaśca kālataḥ || 54 || teṣāṃ phalāni pakvāni prabhavantyeva kālataḥ | te sarve phalitāḥ kāle pātaṃ yānti ca kālataḥ || 55 || kāle bhavanti viśvāni kāle naśyanti sundari | kālātsraṣṭā ca sṛjati pātā pāti ca kālataḥ || 56 || saṃhartā saṃharetkāle krameṇa sañcaranti te | brahmaviṣṇuśivādīnāmīśvaraḥ prakṛtiḥ parā || 57 || sraṣṭā pātā ca saṃhartā sa cātmā kālanartakaḥ | kāle sa eva prakṛtiṃ svābhinnāṃ svecchayā prabhuḥ || 58 || nirmāya kṛtavānsarvānviśvasthāṃśca carācarān | sarveśaḥ sarvarūpaśca sarvātmā parameśvaraḥ || 59 || janaṃ janena janitā janaṃ pāti janena yaḥ | janaṃ janena harate taṃ devaṃ bhaja sāmpratam || 60 || yasyājñayā vāti vātaḥ śīghragāmī ca sāmpratam | yasyājñayā ca tapanastapatyeva yathākṣaṇam || 61 || yathākṣaṇaṃ varṣatīndro mṛtyuścarati jantuṣu | yathākṣaṇaṃ dahatyagniścandro bhramati śītavān || 62 || mṛtyormṛtyuṃ kālakālaṃ yamasya ca yamaṃ param | vibhuṃ sraṣṭuśca sraṣṭāraṃ mātuśca mātṛkaṃ bhave || 63 || saṃhartāraṃ ca saṃhartustaṃ devaṃ śaraṇaṃ vraja | ko vā bandhuśca keṣāṃ vā sarvabandhuṃ bhaja priye || 64 || ahaṃ ko vā ca tvaṃ kā vā vidhinā yojitaḥ purā | tvayā sārdhaṃ karmaṇā ca punastena viyojitaḥ || 65 || ajñānī kātaraḥ śoke vipattau na ca paṇḍitaḥ | sukhe duḥkhe bhramatyeva kālanemikrameṇa ca || 66 || nārāyaṇaṃ taṃ sarveśaṃ kāntaṃ yāsyasi niścitam | tapaḥ kṛtaṃ yadarthaṃ ca purā badarikāśrame || 67 || mayā tvaṃ tapasā labdhā brahmaṇastu vareṇa ca | haryarthe yattava tapo hariṃ prāpsyasi kāmini || 68 || vṛndāvane ca govindaṃ goloke tvaṃ labhiṣyasi | ahaṃ yāsyāmi tallokaṃ tanuṃ tyaktvā ca dānavīm || 69 || tatra drakṣyasi māṃ tvaṃ ca drakṣyāmi tvāṃ ca sāmpratam | agamaṃ rādhikāśāpādbhārataṃ ca sudurlabham || 70 || punaryāsyāmi tatraiva kaḥ śoko me śṛṇu priye | tvaṃ ca dehaṃ parityajya divyarūpaṃ vidhāya ca || 71 || tatkālaṃ prāpsyasi hariṃ mā kānte kātarā bhava | ityuktvā ca dinānte ca tayā sārdhaṃ manoharam || 72 || suṣvāpa śobhane talpe puṣpacandanacarcite | nānāprakāravibhavaṃ cakāra ratnamandire || 73 || ratnapradīpasaṃyukte strīratnaṃ prāpya sundarīm | nināya rajanīṃ rājā krīḍākautukamaṅgalaiḥ || 74 || kṛtvā vakṣasi tāṃ kāntāṃ rudatīmatiduḥkhitām | kṛśodarīṃ nirāhārāṃ nimagnāṃ śokasāgare || 75 || punastāṃ bodhayāmāsa divyajñānena jñānavit | purā kṛṣṇena yaddattaṃ bhāṇḍīre tattvamuttamam || 76 || sa ca tasyai dadau sarvaṃ sarvaśokaharaṃ param | jñānaṃ samprāpya sā devī prasannavadanekṣaṇā || 77 || krīḍāṃ cakāra harṣeṇa sarvaṃ matveti naśvaram | tau dampatī ca krīḍantau nimagnau sukhasāgare || 78 || pulakāñcitasarvāṅgau mūrcchitau nirjane mune | aṅgapratyaṅgasaṃyuktau suprītau suratotsuko || 79 || ekāṅgau ca tathā tau dvau cārdhanārīśvaro yathā | prāṇeśvaraṃ ca tulasī mene prāṇādhikaṃ param || 80 || prāṇādhikāṃ ca tāṃ mene rājā prāṇeśvarīṃ satīm | tau sthitau sukhasuptau ca tandritau sundarau samau || 81 || suveṣau sukhasambhogādaceṣṭau sumanoharau | kṣaṇaṃ sucetanau tau ca kathayantau rasāśrayāt || 82 || kathāṃ manoramāṃ divyāṃ hasantau ca kṣaṇaṃ punaḥ | kṣaṇaṃ ca kelisaṃyuktau rasabhāvasamanvitau || 83 || surate viratirnāsti tau tadviṣayapaṇḍitau | satataṃ jayayuktau dvau kṣaṇaṃ naiva parājitau || 84 ||
English translation
1-21. Narayana said Brahma, then putting S’iva to the task of killing S’ankhachuda went to His own abode. The other Devas returned to their homes. Here under the beautiful Bata tree, on the banks of the river Chandrabhaga, Mahadeva pitched His big tent and encamped Himself to get the victory of the Devas. He then sent Chitraratha, the Lord of the Gandharbhas, as a messenger to S’ankhachuda, the Lord of the Danavas. By the command of Mahadeva, Chitraratha went to the city of the king of Daityas, more beautiful than Indra’s place and more wealthy than the mansion of Kuvera. The city was five yojanas wide and twice as much in length.
It was built of crystals of pearls and jewels. There were roadways on all sides. There were seven trenches, hard to be crossed, one after another, encircling the city. The city was built of countless rubies and gems, brilliant like flames. There were hundreds of roadways and markets and stalls, in the wonderful Vedis (raised platforms) built of jewels. All around were splendid palatial buildings of traders and merchantmen, filled with various articles. There were hundreds and kotis of beautiful buildings, adorned with various ornaments and built of variegated red stones looking like Sinduras. Thus he went on and saw, in the middle, the building of S’ankhachuda, circular like the lunar sphere. Four ditches all filled with fiery flames, encircled one after another, his house. So the enemies could not in any way cross them; but the friend could easily go there. On the top were seen turrets built of jewels, rising high to the heavens. The gate-keepers were watching the twelve gates. In the centre were situated lakhs and lakhs of excellent jewel built houses. In every room there were jewelled steps and staircases and the pillars were all built of gems and jewels, and pearls. Puspadanta (Chitraratha) saw all this and then went to the first gate and saw one terrible person, copper coloured, with tawny eyes, sitting with a trident in his hand and with a smiling countenance. He told he had come as a messenger and got
his entrance. Thus Chitraratha went one afer another to all the entries, not being prohibited at all though he told that he had come as a messenger on war service. The Gandharbha reached one after another, the last door and said “O Door keeper! Go quickly and inform the Lord of the Danavas all about the impending war.” When the messenger had spoken thus, the gate-keeper allowed him to go inside. Going inside, the Gandarbha saw S’ankhachuda, of excellent form, seated in the middle of the royal assembly, on a golden throne. One servant was holding on the king’s head an umbrella, decked with divine excellent gems, the inner rod of the umbrella being made up of jewels, and decorated with expanded artificial flowers made of gems. The attendants were fanning him with beautiful white chamaras; he was nicely dressed, beautiful and lovely and adorned with jewel ornaments. He was nicely garlanded, and wore fine celestial garments. Three Koti Danavas were surrounding him; and seven Koti Danavas, all armed, were walking to and fro.
22-53. Puspadanta was thunderstruck when he saw thus the Danava and he addressed him thus O King! I am a servant of S’iva; My name is Puspadanta; hear what S’iva has commanded me to tell you. You better now give back, to the Devas, the rights that they had before. The Devas went to S’ri Hari and had taken His refuge. S’ri Hari gave over to S’iva one S’ula weapon and asked the Devas to depart. At present, the three eyed Deva is residing under the shade of a Bata tree on the banks of the Puspabhadra river. He told me to speak this to you, “Either give over to the Devas their rights, or fight with me. Please reply and I will speak to Him accordingly.” S’ankhachuda, hearing the messenger’s words laughed and said, “Tomorrow morning I will start, ready for war. Better go away today.” The messenger went back to S’iva and replied to Him accordingly. In the meantime the following personages joined S’iva and remained seated on excellent aerial cars, built of jewels and gems. The following were the persons:-- Skanda, Virabhadra, Nandi,
Mahakala, Subhadraka, Vis’alaksa, Bana, Pingalaksa, Vikampana,
Virupa, Vikriti, Manibhadra, Vaskala, Kapilaksa, Dirgha Dangstra, Vikata, Tamralochana, Kalakantha, Balibhadra, Kalajihba, Kutichara, Balonmatta, Ranas’laghi, Durjaya, Durgama, (these eight Bhairavas), eleven Rudras, eight Vasus, Indra, the twelve Adityas, fire, moon, VisVakarma, the two AsVins, Kuvera, Yama, Jayanta, Nala Kubara, Vayu, Varuna, Budha, Mangala, Dharma, S’ani, Is’ana, the powerful Kamadeva. Ugradamstra, Ugrachanda, Kotara,
Kaitabhi, and the eight armed terrible Devi Bhadrakali. Kali wore the bloody red clothings and She smeared red sandal paste all over Her body.
Dancing, laughing; singing songs in tune, very jolly. She bids Her devotees discard all fear, and terrifies the enemies. Her lip is terrible, lolling, and extends to one Yojana. On Her eight arms She holds conch, disc, mace, lotus, axe, skin, bow and arrows. She was holding in Her hands, the bowl shaped human skull; that was very deep and one Yojana wide. Her trident reached up to the Heavens; Her weapon called S’akti (dart) extended to one Yojana. Besides there were Mudgara (mace), Musala (club), Vajra (thunderbolt), Kheta (club), brilliant Phalaka (shield), the Vaisnava weapon, the Varuna weapon, the Agneyastra (the fire weapon), Nagapas’a (the noose of serpents), the Narayanastra, the Gandharva’s weapons, the Brahma’s weapons, the Gadudastram, the Parjanayastram, the Pas’upatastram, the Jrimbhahastram, the Parvatastram, the Mahes’varastram, the Vayavyastram, and the Sanmohanam rod and various other infallible divine weapons. Besides hundreds of other divine weapons were with Her. Three Kotis of Yoginis and three Kotis and a half of terrible Dakinis were attending Bhadrakali. Bhutas, (demons) Pretas, Pis’achas, Kusmandas, Brahma Raksasas, Rakhsasas, Vetalas, Yaksas and Kinnaras also were there in countless numbers. At this time Kartikeya came there and bowed down to his father Mahadeva. He asked him to take his seat on His left side an asked him to help. Then the army remained there in military array. On the other hand, when S’iva’s messenger
departed, S’ankhachuda went to the zenana and informed TulasT of the news of an impending war. No sooner She heard than her throat and lips and palate became dried. She then with a sorrowful heart spoke in sweet words “O my Lord! O my Friend! O the Ruler of My life! Wait for a moment and take your seat on My heart. Instil life in Me for a moment. Satisfy My desire of human birth. Let me behold you fully so that my eyes be satisfied. My breath is now very agitated. I saw by the end of the night one bad dream. Therefore I feel an internal burning.” Thus at the words of TulasT, the king S’ankhachuda finished his meals and began to address her, in good and true words, beneficent to her“O My Lady! It is Kala (the time that brings out these various combinations by which the Karmic fruit is enjoyed; it is Kala that awards auspicious and inauspicious things; the Kala is the Sole Master to impart pain, fear, and good and bad things.
54-84. Trees grow up in time; their branches, etc., come out in time; flowers appear in time and fruits come out in time. Fruits are ripen in time and after giving the fruits, they die out also in time. O Fair One! The universe comes into existence in time and dies away in time.
The Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer of the universe, are creating, preserving and destroying the worlds with the help of time. Time guides them in every way. But the Highest Prakriti is the God of Brahma, Visnu, and Mahes’a (i.e., the Creatrix of Time). This Highest Prakriti, the Highest God is creating, preserving and destroying this universe. She makes the Time dance. By Her mere Will, She has converted Her inseparable Prakriti into Maya and is thus creating all things, moving and unmoving. She is the Ruler of all; the Form of all, and She is the Highest God. By Her is being done this creation of persons by persons, this preservation of persons by persons, and this destruction of persons by persons. So you better now take refuge of the Highest Lord. Know it is by Her command the wind is blowing, by Her command the Sun is giving heat in due time, by Her command Indra is showering rains; by Her command. Death is
striding over the beings; by Her connnnand fire is burning all things and by Her connnnand the cooling Moon is revolving. She is the Death of death, the Tinne of time, Yama of yama (the God of death), the Fire of fire and the Destroyer of the destroyer. So take Her refuge. You cannot find and fix who is whose friend in the world; so pray to Her, the Highest God, Who is the Friend of All. Oh! Who am I? And who are you either? The Creator is the combiner of us two and so He will dissociate us two by our Karma. When difficulty arises, the ignorant fools become overwhelmed with sorrow; but the intelligent Pundits do not get at all deluded or become distressed. By the Wheel of Time, the beings are led sometimes into happiness; sometimes into pain. You will certainly get Narayana for your husband; for which you practised Tapas before, in the hermitage of Vadari (the source of the Ganges, the feet of Visnu). I pleased Brahma by my Tapasya and have, by his boon, got you as my wife. But the object for which you did your Tapasya, that you may get Hari as your husband; will certainly be fulfilled. You will get Gobinda in Vrindabana and in the region of Goloka. I will also go there when I forsake this, my Demon body. Now I am talking with you here; afterwards we will meet again in the region of Goloka. By the curse of Radhika, I have come to this Bharata, hard to be attained. You, too, will quit this body and, assuming the divine form will go to S’ri Hari. So, O Beloved! You need not be sorry.” O Muni! Thus these conversations took them the whole day and led them to the evening time. The king of the demons, S’ankhachuda then slept with Tulasi on a nicely decorated bed, strewn with flowers, and smeared with sandal paste, in the Ratna Mandir (temple built of jewels.) This jewel temple was adorned with various wealth and riches. The jewel lamps were lighted. S’ankhachuda passed the night with his wife in various sports. The thin bellied Tulasi was weeping with a very sorrowful heart, without having taken any food. The king, who knew the reality of existence, took her to his breast and appeased her in various ways. What religious instructions he had received in Bhandira forest from S’ri Krisna, those Tattvas, capable to destroy all sorrows and delusions, he now spoke carefully to Tulasi. Then Tulasi’s joy knew no bounds. She then began to consider, everything as transient and
began to play with a gladdened heart. Both became drowned in the ocean of bliss; and the bodies of both of them were filled with joy and the hairs stood on their ends. Both of them, then, desirous to have amorous sports, joined themselves and became like ArdhanarisVara and so one body. As Tulasi considered S’ankhachuda, to be her lord, so the Danava King considered Tulasi the darling of his life. They became senseless with pleasureable feelings arising out of their amorous intercourses. Next moment they regained their tenaciousness and both began to converse on amorous matters. Thus both spent their time sometimes in sweet conversations, sometimes laughing and joking, sometimes maddened with amorous sentiments. As S’ankhachuda was clever in amorous affairs, so Tulasi was very expert. So none felt satiated with love affairs and no one was defeated by the other.
Here ends the Twentieth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the war preparations of S’ankhachuda with the Devas in the Mahapuranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24508, revision 75092 (2016-07-25T03:19:11Z). 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/bk09ch20.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.