Adhyaya 72

Verse 1

व्यास उवाच । दिव्यं रथं समास्थाय धनुर्हस्तो बलैर्युतः । गत्वा च माधवं संख्ये देवासुरगणाग्रतः

Vyāsa said: Mounting a celestial chariot, bow in hand and supported by his forces, he went to Mādhava in the battle, at the forefront of the hosts of gods and asuras.

Verse 2

क्रोधेन महताविष्टो मधुर्निर्जरमर्दनः । अब्रवीत्परुषं वाक्यमव्ययं हरिमीश्वरम्

Overcome by fierce wrath, Madhu—the slayer of the gods—uttered harsh words to Hari, the imperishable Lord.

Verse 3

नारायण न जानासि युद्धधर्ममितः कथम् । अन्यायाद्दुर्वधोपायं कृत्वा नष्टो न शोचसि

O Nārāyaṇa, how do you not know the dharma of war? By injustice you resorted to a wicked means of killing; you are ruined—do you not grieve?

Verse 4

अनेन पंकयोगेन व्यवहारा कृतस्य च । सुरत्वं चोपनष्टं स्यादन्यसृष्टिं करोम्यहम्

By this association with impurity—this ‘mud-mixture’—and by the dealings that have been carried out, the state of being a deva would indeed be lost; therefore I shall undertake another creation.

Verse 5

त्वामेव निहनिष्यामि सह देवगणैरिह । इत्युक्त्वा धनुरादाय जघान विशिखैर्विभुम्

“Here and now, together with the hosts of devas, I will surely slay you.” Having spoken thus, he took up his bow and struck the mighty one with arrows.

Verse 6

माधवस्तान्बिभेदाथ शरैर्वज्रसमप्रभैः । बहुभिस्सर्वगात्रेषु जघान च मधुं ततः

Then Mādhava pierced them with arrows radiant like thunderbolts, and thereafter struck Madhu with many shafts over all his limbs.

Verse 7

मायया छादितः सोभूद्दैत्यस्तं सुरसत्तमाः । ये वै शूराश्च रुद्राद्यास्त्रिदशास्सत्त्वधारिणः

That Daitya became shrouded by māyā. Then the foremost of the gods—the heroic Tridaśas beginning with Rudra, bearers of sattva—turned their regard upon him and confronted him.

Verse 8

देव्यो नानाविधाश्चापि सायुधा वाहनान्विताः । सेनान्यो गणपा देवा लोकेश हरविष्णवः

Many kinds of goddesses too were present, armed and borne upon their vehicles; likewise commanders, troop-leaders, and hosts of gods—the guardians of the worlds, Hara (Śiva), and Viṣṇu.

Verse 9

अन्ये ग्रहादयो देवाः सर्वे युध्यन्ति संगताः । विनष्टाश्च तदा देवा मधोर्वै मायया ध्रुवम्

Then the other deities—beginning with the planetary powers—gathered together and fought; yet at that time the gods were indeed destroyed, certainly, by Madhu’s illusion.

Verse 10

संमुखे विमुखे चैव शरशक्त्यृष्टिवृष्टिभिः । पतंति सहसा देवा भूमौ शस्त्राभिपीडिताः

Facing the foe and even while turning away, the gods—assailed by a rain of arrows, spears, and lances—suddenly fell upon the earth, crushed beneath weapons.

Verse 11

एतस्मिन्नंतरे विष्णुर्गृहीत्वा च सुदर्शनम् । असुरान्मायया देवान्जघान रणमूर्धनि

Meanwhile, Viṣṇu, taking up the Sudarśana discus, struck down upon the very forefront of the battlefield those asuras who, by māyā, had assumed the guise of the devas.

Verse 12

अथ तेषां शिरांस्येष छित्वा चैव सहस्रशः । पातयामास देवेशो दैत्यानां च सुरात्मनाम्

Then the Lord of the gods cut off their heads by the thousand and caused them to fall—those belonging to the Daityas and to the noble-souled ones among the gods.

Verse 13

एवमन्यान्विभुर्दैत्यान्द्रावयामास संगरात् । तं दृष्ट्वा मुनयो देवाः सर्वे विस्मयमाययुः

Thus the mighty Lord routed the other Dāityas from the battlefield. Seeing him, the sages and the gods all became filled with astonishment.

Verse 14

कर्णे कर्णे प्रजल्पंते देवा मुनिगणास्तथा । सदा देवैकगोप्ता च हरिरव्यय ईश्वरः

Again and again, the gods and the hosts of sages whisper into one another’s ears: “Hari—the imperishable Lord—is ever the sole protector of the gods.”

Verse 15

सर्वसाक्षी त्वयं देवो दैत्यजिष्णुर्युगे युगे । कथं हंति सुरान्सर्वान्कल्पांत इह जायते

O God, you are the witness of all, and in every age you are the conqueror of the demons. How, then, does it come about that at the end of a kalpa he is born here and destroys all the gods?

Verse 16

एतस्मिन्नंतरे दूरे मधुर्मायां प्रयोजिता । हररूपधरो भूत्वा अब्रवीद्धरिमव्ययम्

Meanwhile, at a distant place, Madhu employed his illusion; assuming the form of Hara (Śiva), he spoke to Hari, the imperishable one.

Verse 17

दैत्यानामग्रतः पाप रणे देवान्समंततः । हत्वा किं ते शिवं चाद्य धर्मकीर्ति यशो गुणाः

O sinful one, after slaying the gods on every side in battle, even before the Daityas—what good can come to you from this now? Where are your dharma, your fame, your renown, and your virtues?

Verse 18

महतोन्मत्तभावेन न जानासि परान्स्वकान् । अतस्त्वां निशितैर्बाणैर्नयामि यमसादनम्

In your great, frenzied delusion you do not discern others as distinct from your own. Therefore, with keen arrows I shall send you to the abode of Yama, lord of death.

Verse 19

एवमुक्त्वा शरैरुग्रैर्जघान केशवं रणे । निचकर्त शरांस्तांस्तु माधवो वाक्यमब्रवीत्

Having spoken thus, he struck Keśava in battle with fierce arrows. But Mādhava cut those arrows down and then spoke these words.

Verse 20

जानामि त्वां रणे दैत्यं हररूपधरं प्रियम् । शूरं शूरविकर्माणं मधुं मायानियोजितम्

I recognize you in battle, O Daitya—beloved one who has assumed the form of Hara (Śiva): you are the hero of heroic deeds, Madhu, set in motion by māyā, illusion.

Verse 21

मिथ्यालोकं प्रदास्यामि पातयित्वा रणाजिरे । एतस्मिन्नंतरे तीक्ष्णैः शरैर्विव्याध संयुगे

“I will send you to the realm of falsehood, after felling you upon the battlefield.” Meanwhile, in that very interval, he pierced him in the combat with sharp arrows.

Verse 22

जटिलं वृषकेतुं च वृषभस्थं महेश्वरम् । तयोर्युद्धमतीवासीद्देवदानवयोस्तदा

Then a most intense battle flared between the gods and the Dānavas; and Mahēśvara was there—matted-haired, bearing the bull as his emblem, and seated upon the bull.

Verse 23

परस्परं भिंदतोश्च प्राप्तान्प्राप्तान्शरान्शरैः । क्षुरप्रेण धनुस्तस्य चिच्छेद हरिरव्ययः

As they struck each other’s missiles, meeting each incoming arrow with his own, Hari—the imperishable—severed his opponent’s bow with a razor-edged shaft.

Verse 24

ततश्च पातयामास घोटकं वृषरूपिणम् । स दैत्यश्शूलहस्तोथ प्रदुद्राव जगत्पतिम्

Then he struck down the horse that had taken the form of a bull. Thereupon the demon, spear in hand, rushed at the Lord of the world.

Verse 25

भ्रामयित्वा ततः शूलं जघान परमेश्वरम् । त्रिभिश्चिच्छेद बाणैश्च शूलं कालानलप्रभम्

Then, whirling his trident, he struck the Supreme Lord; but with three arrows He cut that trident—blazing like the fire of Time—into pieces.

Verse 26

ततः क्रूरो महाबाहुर्मधुर्मायातिमायिकः । देवीरूपं समास्थाय सिंहस्थः प्रययौ हरिः

Then the fierce, mighty-armed Madhu—supremely skilled in māyā—assumed the form of a goddess; and Hari set forth, mounted upon a lion.

Verse 27

शरैर्बहुविधैर्विष्णुं जघानैवाब्रवीद्वचः । स्वामी तु मे सुरश्रेष्ठ त्वयैव पातितो युधि

Having struck Viṣṇu with many kinds of arrows, he then spoke these words: “O best among the devas, my lord has been felled in battle by you alone.”

Verse 28

अहं त्वां च हनिष्यामि सुतौ स्कंदविनायकौ । उक्तवंतं च दैतेयं जघान बहुमार्गणैः

“I shall kill you as well—you, the sons of Skanda and Vināyaka.” Having said this, he struck down that Daitya with many arrows.

Verse 29

स पपात महीपृष्ठे गतासुर्लोहितोद्गिरः । पितरौ निहतौ दृष्ट्वा मायाबद्धो महाबलः

He fell upon the surface of the earth, his life departed, vomiting blood. Seeing his parents slain, that mighty one became bound and bewildered by māyā.

Verse 30

स्कंदः शक्तिं समादाय प्रायाद्योधयितुं हरिम् । ततो धाताऽब्रवीद्वाक्यं स्कंदं मोहप्रपीडितम्

Skanda, taking up his spear, set out to fight Hari (Viṣṇu). Then Dhātā (Brahmā) spoke words to Skanda, who was afflicted by delusion.

Verse 31

पश्य ते पितरौ दूरे पश्यंतौ युद्धमीदृशम् । अंतरिक्षे भ्रमंतौ च संस्थितौ लोकसाक्षिणौ

Behold—your two forefathers are there in the distance, watching such a battle. They are moving about in mid-air and remain present as witnesses before the worlds.

Verse 32

एतच्छ्रुत्वा ततो दृष्ट्वा तत्रैवांतरधीयत । ततो धुंधुश्च सुंधुश्च भ्रातरावतिदर्पितौ

Hearing this and then seeing it, he vanished on that very spot. Thereupon the brothers Dhuṃdhu and Suṃdhu, exceedingly arrogant, came forward.

Verse 33

वधं प्रति हरेर्युद्धे पेततुर्गरुडोपरि । खड्गहस्तं च धुंधुं च सगदं सुंधुमेव च

In the battle with Hari, rushing toward their destruction, they fell upon Garuḍa—Dhuṃdhu with a sword in hand, and Suṃdhu bearing a mace.

Verse 34

चिच्छेद नंदकेनैकं गदया सादयत्परम् । पेततुस्तौ धरापृष्ठे प्रवीरौ क्षतविक्षतौ

He cut down one with the sword Nandaka, and crushed the other with his mace. Both those mighty heroes, wounded and torn, fell upon the surface of the earth.

Verse 35

मधुस्तदागतस्तूर्णमंतर्धानं तमोवृतः । पातयामास विष्णौ च मायया शतपर्वतान्

Then Madhu arrived swiftly; shrouded in darkness, he vanished from sight and, by his māyā, caused a hundred mountains to fall upon Viṣṇu.

Verse 36

ततस्तान्पर्वतांश्छित्वा तमसोऽन्तर्गतो युधि । क्रोधात्सुदर्शनेनैव शिरश्छित्वा निपातितः

Then, having cut down those mountains, in battle he entered into darkness; and in wrath, with the Sudarśana itself, he severed the enemy’s head and felled him to the ground.

Verse 37

ततो ब्रह्मादिभिर्देवैश्शंभुना त्रिदशैरपि । मधुसूदन इतिख्यातिर्विष्णोर्लोकेषु कारिता

Thereafter, by Brahmā and the other gods—by Śambhu as well, and by the Thirty celestial deities—the fame of Viṣṇu as “Madhusūdana” was established throughout the worlds.

Verse 72

इति श्रीपाद्मपुराणे प्रथमे सृष्टिखंडे मधुवधोनामद्विसप्ततितमोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the seventy-second chapter, called “The Slaying of Madhu,” in the First Book (Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa) of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.