Adhyaya 73

Verse 1

व्यास उवाच । ततो वृत्रो महातेजा दैत्यानां प्रवरो युधि । दिग्गजाढ्यं गजारूढः प्राद्रवद्बलसूदनम्

Vyāsa said: Then Vṛtra, of great splendor—the foremost of the Dānavas in battle—mounted on an elephant mighty as the world-supporting elephants, charged toward the slayer of Bala.

Verse 2

आगच्छंतं ततो वृत्रं शरैः कालानलप्रभैः । विव्याध सर्वगात्रेषु द्विरदस्थो महाहवे

Then, as Vṛtra advanced, the warrior—seated upon an elephant in that great battle—pierced him all over his body with arrows blazing like the fire of Time and the cosmic conflagration.

Verse 3

ततो वृत्रस्तु शीर्षं च जिष्णोरेव पतत्रिणा । विव्याध सहसा तेन स चचाल महाबलः

Then Vṛtra’s head was suddenly pierced by Jişṇu’s winged weapon; even so, that mighty being staggered and reeled, yet did not fall at once.

Verse 4

आत्मानं च समाश्वास्य धनुरुद्यम्य वीर्यवान् । ववर्ष शरवर्षेण तस्य दैत्यस्य विग्रहे

Steadying his own resolve, the valiant one raised his bow and showered that Daitya’s body with a rain of arrows.

Verse 5

शरांश्छित्वा बिभेदाशु शरैराशीविषोपमैः । शतक्रतुं महावीर्यः सर्वदेवाधिपं युधि

Cutting down his arrows, the mighty hero swiftly pierced Śatakratu—Indra, lord of all the Devas—in battle with arrows like venomous serpents.

Verse 6

ततः शरसहस्रैस्तु दैत्यं विव्याध देवराट् । परस्परं शरा यांति यथा सप्ताश्व रश्मयः

Then the king of the gods pierced the Daitya with thousands of arrows. The arrows flew crossing one another, like the rays streaming forth from the seven-horsed Sun.

Verse 7

एवं शरसहस्रैस्तु बिभिदाते परस्परम् । मनोजवसमाः शीघ्रा गाढाः शिखरिणो यथा

Thus, with thousands of arrows they pierced one another. The shafts were swift—equal to the speed of the mind—and struck deep, like mountain-peaks.

Verse 8

बडवानलसंस्पर्शाः खगा वज्रारभेदकाः । तयोर्धनुष्मतोर्युद्धे शरास्तुल्यगुणान्विताः

In the battle between those two mighty archers, the arrows were like birds—scorching to the touch like the submarine fire, and able to split even diamond; on both sides they were endowed with equal qualities.

Verse 9

एवं क्रमेण युद्धे च अहोरात्रमवर्तत । महेंद्रो द्विरदं तस्य शूलेनैव जघान ह

Thus, in due course, the battle went on day and night; and Mahendra struck down his elephant with a spear.

Verse 10

स निपत्य महीपृष्ठे लाघवात्स्वरथं ययौ । रथस्थस्तस्य देवस्य शक्त्या चैरावणं दृढम्

Having fallen upon the earth’s surface, he swiftly regained his own chariot. Then, standing on the chariot, by the power of that divine one, he firmly struck (or held fast) Airāvaṇa with a spear.

Verse 11

बिभेद लाघवेनाशु वज्रेणेव महागिरिं । शुशुभे कंपमानस्तु सेंद्रः स च महागजः

With swift ease he split the great mountain, as though with Indra’s thunderbolt; and that mighty elephant, trembling, shone brilliantly—along with Indra.

Verse 12

ततः शक्तिं समादाय आविध्य मघवाऽसुरम् । बिभेदोरसि दैत्यस्य स पपात रथोपरि

Then Maghavā (Indra), taking up his spear and hurling it at the asura, pierced the demon in the chest; and he fell upon the chariot.

Verse 13

क्षणात्संज्ञां समालंब्य स विनद्य पतत्त्रिणा । बिभेद समरे शक्रं स ततः कश्मलं गतः

In an instant, regaining consciousness, he cried out and, with his winged weapon, struck Indra in battle; but thereafter he fell into bewilderment.

Verse 14

इंद्रः संज्ञां पुनः प्राप्य जघान विशिखैः शितैः । शतकोटिसमैर्बाणैरर्दितो व्यथयान्वितः

Indra, regaining consciousness, struck back with sharp, barbless arrows; yet, tormented by arrows as countless as hundreds of millions, he was overwhelmed with pain.

Verse 15

ततो वृत्रो महाशूलं प्राक्षिपन्निर्जरेश्वरे । शांभवास्त्रेण देवेशो वैष्णवास्त्रं मुमोच ह

Then Vṛtra hurled a mighty spear at the lord of the gods. The Lord of the Devas countered with the Śāmbhava weapon and then released the Vaiṣṇava missile.

Verse 16

उभयोरंबरे चास्त्रे वह्निकूटसमप्रभे । अन्योन्यं जघ्नतुस्तत्र स्फुलिगानि विमुंचती

In the sky, the two missiles—shining like a mass of fire—struck one another there, scattering sparks.

Verse 17

स्पर्शने च स्फुलिंगानामुभयोः सेनयोर्भटाः । न शक्ताः संमुखे स्थातुं शलभा ज्वलने यथा

And when the sparks met, the warriors of both armies were unable to stand facing one another—like moths before a blazing fire.

Verse 18

दग्धाः पेतुः पृथिव्यां च दिशस्सर्वाः प्रदुद्रुवुः । देवदानवयोर्वीराः शून्यस्तत्राभवद्रणः

Scorched, they fell upon the earth, and all the directions fled in panic. The battlefield there became empty of the heroes of both the gods and the demons.

Verse 19

अस्त्रं निरस्तकं दृष्ट्वा स दैत्यः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः । मायया शैलसंदोहमस्त्रं शक्रे मुमोच ह

Seeing his weapon rendered futile, that Daitya, swooning in wrath, by his māyā loosed against Śakra a missile that became a mass of mountains.

Verse 20

बाणौघैः शैलसंघातं प्रचिच्छेद रणे हरिः । अघोरं प्रासृजद्दैत्यः पुरुहूते महाबले

In the battle, Hari shattered the mass of mountains with torrents of arrows. Then the Daitya hurled a dreadful weapon at Puruhūta, the mighty one.

Verse 21

कोटिकोटिसहस्राणि जंतूनां प्रवराणि च । सिंहशार्दूलभल्लूक वृक व्याघ्र महागजाः

There are crores upon crores and thousands upon thousands of living beings, among the foremost of them—lions, tigers, bears, wolves, leopards, and mighty elephants.

Verse 22

दंदशूकादयः सत्वाः प्रधावंति सुरेश्वरं । क्षुरप्रैरर्धचंद्रैश्च भल्लैः शिलीमुखैस्तथा

Serpents and other creatures rushed at the Lord of the gods, assailing him with razor-edged arrows, crescent-shaped shafts, barbed missiles, and reed-like darts as well.

Verse 23

असंप्राप्तान्प्रचिच्छेद मघवा परवीरहा । ततो वृत्रो महाबाहुर्धनुरुद्यम्य वीर्यवान्

Maghavā (Indra), slayer of enemy-heroes, cut down those who had not yet reached him. Then Vṛtra, mighty-armed and powerful, lifted up his bow.

Verse 24

बिभेद शरसाहस्रैर्वज्रकल्पैः शतक्रतुं । छित्वा क्षुरप्रैश्शक्रश्च धनुस्तस्य चकर्त च

With thousands of thunderbolt-like arrows he pierced Śatakratu (Indra); and Śakra, cutting with razor-sharp shafts, shattered his bow as well.

Verse 25

सूतं चाश्वान्पृथिव्यां च पातयामास तत्क्षणात् । सकंटकांगदां भीमां संपूज्यासुरसत्तमः

At that very moment, the foremost of the asuras struck the charioteer and the horses down to the earth; and, having honored the dreadful weapon furnished with a barbed rim and an arm-guard, he proceeded.

Verse 26

जघान पद्मिनः शीर्षे मोहाद्दंती क्षितिं ययौ । सगदः सर्वदेवेशो धरणीं समुपस्थितः

In delusion, the tusked one struck the lotus-bearer upon the head and fell down to the earth. Then the Lord of all the gods, bearing his mace, came into the presence of the Earth-goddess.

Verse 27

ततस्तयोर्गदायुद्धमवर्तत मुहुर्मुहुः । तयोः प्रहरतोः शब्दो गदापातोद्भवो ध्रुवं

Then, again and again, a mace-fight broke out between those two; and as they struck one another, surely a sound arose from the crashing blows of the maces.

Verse 28

आवर्तं परिवर्तं च चक्रतुस्तौ पुनः पुनः । अध ऊर्ध्वं प्रहारं च पार्श्वयोरतिभीषणं

Again and again the two performed whirling and counter-whirling maneuvers, striking fiercely from below and from above, and dealing terrifying blows to each other’s sides.

Verse 29

बभूवैवं तयोर्युद्धं लोकालोकभयंकरं । दृष्ट्वा देवगणाः सिद्धा दानवा विस्मयं गताः

Thus arose the battle between the two, terrifying to the worlds and even to the regions beyond. Beholding it, the hosts of the Devas and the Siddhas—and the Dānavas as well—were struck with astonishment.

Verse 30

युद्ध्यमानौ तु तौ वीरौ मृत्युसंशयमागतौ । देवदानववीराश्च द्रष्टुं नैव तदीशिरे

As those two heroes fought on, they were brought to the very brink of death; and the valiant warriors among both the Devas and the Asuras were unable even to look on.

Verse 31

ईशब्रह्मादयः खे तु स्थिता द्रष्टुं तदद्भुतं । तयोर्हुंकारशब्देन गदापातस्वनेन च

Īśa, Brahmā, and the other gods remained stationed in the sky to witness that marvel; and the sound of their battle—the roar of their huṃkāra and the crash of the falling mace—rang out.

Verse 32

ऊर्ध्वोर्ध्वमगमच्छब्दो ह्यशनेश्चोपजायते । भग्ने गदे द्वयोरेव करः संपुटितस्तयोः

Again and again the sound surged upward, as though thunder itself had been born. When the clubs of both were shattered, the hands of each were clenched tight.

Verse 33

एवं चैवार्धयामेन तयोरस्त्रे निपेततुः । एतस्मिंन्नन्तरे वीरौ खड्गचर्मधरौ तदा

And thus, within half a yāma, the missiles of the two fell away. In the meantime, those two heroes then took up sword and shield.

Verse 34

प्रतियोद्धुं महाघोरमाहवे संप्रचेरतुः । निस्त्रिंशौ विद्युदुल्काभौ तयोर्गात्रे च चर्मणी

To fight one another in that most dreadful battle, the two advanced. Their swords were like blazing meteors, striking against each other’s limbs and armor.

Verse 35

दृश्येते सर्वलोकैश्च लाघवं विस्मयं गतैः । चिच्छिदाते तयोरेव चर्मणी बहुवर्णके

All the worlds beheld them, astonished at their lightness, as the two cut apart those many-colored hides (their armor).

Verse 36

भीष्मकं बलयुद्धं च तयोरेवं प्रवर्तते । मंडलं चक्रधन्वं च लाघवं च परिप्लुतं

Thus, between the two, the dreadful contest of strength went on—circling maneuvers, discus-and-bow techniques, swift agility, and flowing evasive motions.

Verse 37

वृत्रवासवयोर्युद्धं वृत्रवासवयोरिव । केशान्वृत्रस्य उत्प्लुत्य संप्रधृत्यासिना द्रुतं

The battle between Vṛtra and Vāsava (Indra) raged—like the very battle of Vṛtra and Vāsava. Leaping up, he seized Vṛtra by the hair and swiftly struck, sword in hand.

Verse 38

शिरश्चिच्छेद सहसा मघवा रणमूर्धनि । जयशब्दस्ततस्त्वासीद्देवानां च समंततः

Then Maghavā (Indra) suddenly severed his head on the very battlefield; and at that moment, cries of “Victory!” arose from the gods on all sides.

Verse 39

प्रोत्फुल्लहृदया देवा मघवंतमपूजयन् । देवदुंदुभयो नेदुर्ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः

With hearts blossoming in joy, the gods honored Maghavan (Indra). The divine drums resounded, and the hosts of Apsarases danced.

Verse 40

गीतं गायंति गंधर्वा मुनयः स्तुतिपाठकाः । भीताः पलायिताः सर्वे दैत्यास्त्यक्तायुधा दिशः

The Gandharvas sang songs, and the sages recited hymns of praise. Terrified, all the Daityas fled in every direction, casting away their weapons.

Verse 73

इति श्रीपाद्मपुराणे प्रथमे सृष्टिखंडे वृत्रासुरवधोनाम त्रिसप्ततितमोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the seventy-third chapter, called “The Slaying of Vṛtrāsura,” in the first book of the Padma Purāṇa, the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa.