Adhyaya 74

Verse 1

व्यास उवाच । चतुर्भिस्तुरगैर्जुष्टं रथं सूर्यसमप्रभं । त्रैपुरिः संरुरोहाथाब्रवीद्वाक्यं गणाधिपं

Vyāsa said: Mounted upon a chariot yoked with four horses, radiant like the sun, Traipuri then ascended it and spoke words to Gaṇādhipa.

Verse 2

पिता मे निहतः पित्रा तव यस्माद्गणाधिप । तस्मात्त्वामद्य विशिखैर्नयामि यमसादनं

Because my father was slain by your father, O lord of the Gaṇas, therefore today I shall, with my arrows, send you to Yama’s abode.

Verse 3

ततस्तमब्रवीद्देवो गणेशस्त्रिपुरात्मजं । तव तातेन दुष्टेन सुराणामहितं पुरा

Then the god Gaṇeśa said to Tripura’s son: “Formerly, your wicked father acted against the welfare of the gods.”

Verse 4

कृतं कर्ममहत्पापं श्रुतं नो जनकेन हि । पापकर्मरतं दुष्टं ज्ञात्वा ज्ञानबलेन च

We have indeed heard from our father that a great sinful deed has been done; and, knowing by the strength of discernment that he is wicked and devoted to sinful acts...

Verse 5

अवधीत्तं शरैकेन पितरं ते बलेन च । पंकात्प्रतारितो मोहात्प्रेषितो यममंदिरं

With a single arrow he killed your father, and by sheer force as well; then, deluded, he was dragged from the mire and sent to Yama’s abode.

Verse 6

त्वां चाहं तत्पथं दैत्य प्रेषयामि क्षणादिह । उक्तवंतं महाप्राज्ञं सुराणां च गणाधिपं

And you too, O Daitya, I shall send upon that very path this very moment—(I), who have spoken thus: the great wise one, and the leader of the hosts of the gods.

Verse 7

विव्याध दशभिस्तीक्ष्णैः कालानलसमप्रभैः । ततः शरसहस्रैस्तु दैत्यं विव्याध साहसात्

He pierced him with ten sharp arrows, blazing like the fire of Time and dissolution; then, with bold force, he struck the demon again with a thousand arrows.

Verse 8

यमदंडसमैर्बाणैः क्षुरप्रैश्च शिलीमुखैः । कंकपत्रैर्महातीक्ष्णैर्वज्रानलसमप्रभैः

With arrows as dreadful as Yama’s staff—razor-edged shafts and śilīmukha arrows—together with exceedingly sharp kaṅkapatra missiles, blazing with a radiance like thunderbolt and fire.

Verse 9

विचकर्त शरांश्चास्य लंबोदरः सुरार्चितः । पुनर्विव्याध विशिखैः सहसाभि दुरोपमैः

And Laṃbodara, worshipped by the gods, cut down his arrows; then again, swiftly, he pierced him with thousands of incomparable, irresistible shafts.

Verse 10

शरैरर्दितसर्वांगो मूर्च्छितस्त्वपतद्भुवि । ततो भद्रश्च सौभद्रो भीषणो निर्जरांतकः

His entire body, pierced and battered by arrows, he fainted and fell to the ground. Then advanced Bhadra, Saubhadra, Bhīṣaṇa, and Nirjarāntaka.

Verse 11

स्वां स्वां गदां समादाय दुद्रुवुस्तं विनायकम् । युगपत्ते गदापातैर्निजघ्नुर्गणनायकम्

Each seized his own mace and rushed at that Vināyaka; and all at once, with blows of their maces, they struck down the leader of the Gaṇas.

Verse 12

लाघवात्तु वृथा कृत्वा गदास्तेषां महाबलः । भद्रकस्य तु शीर्षे चाहनत्परशुना तदा

But, by his swiftness, the mighty one rendered their maces useless; and then he struck Bhadraka upon the head with an axe.

Verse 13

सौभद्रस्योत्तमांगं च असिनाग्रे निपातितम् । भीषणस्य कुठारेण खड्गेन निर्जरांतकम्

And Saubhadra’s head was struck down by the sword’s edge; and the fearsome one—the slayer of the Devas—was hewn apart with axe and blade.

Verse 14

पातयित्वा च हेरम्बो महागिरिसमांस्तदा । चतुरो गणमुख्यांश्च अन्यांश्चापातयद्द्विषः

Then Heramba struck down those who were like mighty mountains; and the foe likewise felled four of the foremost Gaṇas, along with others.

Verse 15

ततः संज्ञां समालभ्य त्रैपुरिश्चासुरोत्तमः । समारुह्य रथं स्वं च जघान सुरसत्तमम्

Then, regaining consciousness, the excellent demon Traipuri mounted his own chariot and struck down the foremost among the Devas.

Verse 16

विशिखैरर्धचंद्रैश्च क्षुरप्रैर्भल्लकैस्तथा । तांस्तु चिच्छेद धर्मात्मा पुनर्विव्याध तं शरैः

With barbless arrows, crescent-headed shafts, razor-edged missiles, and bhallaka arrows, the righteous one cut them down; then again he pierced that foe with his arrows.

Verse 17

चतुर्भिः सैंधवांश्चैव शरैकेन च सारथिम् । शरैः संपातयामास धरण्यां गणनायकान्

With four arrows he struck down the Sindhava warriors, and with a single arrow the charioteer; then, with his arrows, he felled the leaders of the troops onto the ground.

Verse 18

लाघवात्तु रथं चान्यं गत्वा त्रिपुरनंदनः । विशिखैर्वज्रसंकाशैः संबिभेद गणाधिपम्

But, with swift agility, Tripuranandana moved to another chariot and, with arrows gleaming like thunderbolts, struck down the lord of the gaṇas.

Verse 19

रुधिरेणावसिक्तांगो रुषा घोर यमप्रभः । ललाटे च त्रिभिर्बाणैस्सप्तभिश्च स्तनांतरे

Yamaprabha, his body drenched in blood and terrifying with rage, had been struck by three arrows on the forehead and by seven more between the breasts.

Verse 20

चतुर्भिर्नाभिदेशे च पंचभिर्मुष्टिमस्तके । संबिभेद महाक्रोधो बलिनं शंभुनंदनः

Shambhu’s son, inflamed with great wrath, struck the mighty one—four blows at the navel-region and five with his fists upon the head.

Verse 21

शरैरर्दितसर्वांगः स दैत्यो रणमूर्धनि । कश्मलं परमं गत्वा संपपात रथोपरि

His entire body pierced and tormented by arrows, that demon—at the very height of the battle—fell into extreme bewilderment and collapsed upon his chariot.

Verse 22

ततः सूतेन धीरेण अपनीतो रणाजिरात् । विमुखं नाहनच्छूरो विनायकः सुरार्चितः

Then, by his steady charioteer, Vināyaka—worshipped by the gods—was led away from the battlefield; yet that valiant hero did not turn his face away in defeat.

Verse 23

चिरात्संज्ञां समालभ्य यंतारं चाब्रवीद्वचः । गच्छ सूत रणे भीरुं विनायकं हरात्मजम्

After a long while, regaining consciousness, he spoke to the charioteer: “Go, O Sūta—bring Vināyaka, the son of Hara (Śiva), who trembles in battle.”

Verse 24

ततो यंताब्रवीद्वाक्यं सत्यं पथ्यं च कोमलम् । हरात्मजशरान्सोढुं कस्समर्थो रणाजिरे

Then the charioteer spoke words that were truthful, wholesome, and gentle: “Who on the battlefield can endure the arrows of Hara’s son?”

Verse 25

तस्मान्मोहगतस्त्वं च मयानीतः प्रभासुत । एतज्ज्ञात्वा त्विदानीं भो यद्युक्तं तद्विधीयताम्

Therefore, since you had fallen into delusion, I brought you here, O son of Prabhā. Now, knowing this, O dear one—let what is proper be done.

Verse 26

एतस्मिन्नंतरे राज्ञा प्रेरितः कविसत्तमः । औषधादिप्रयोगेण गजः संज्ञामबोधयत्

Meanwhile, urged on by the king, the best of poets revived the elephant’s consciousness by administering medicines and other remedies.

Verse 27

अकारयच्छतगुण प्राणं च जयमादिशत् । प्राग्जलं मंत्रितं दत्वा रुरोधास्याङ्गकव्रणान्

He intensified the vital breath a hundredfold and commanded victory; then, having first given consecrated water charged with mantras, he closed the wounds upon his body and limbs.

Verse 28

स गजो दशनैरेव स्फोटयामास वै गिरिम् । एवं शतसहस्राणि सैन्यानि सैन्यपालकान्

That elephant, with its tusks alone, smashed the mountain; in the same way it shattered hundreds of thousands of armies and their commanders.

Verse 29

पातयामास समितौ गजः परमदुर्जयः । स दैत्यस्तस्य पृष्ठस्थः शरैः कालानलप्रभैः

In the battle, the elephant—most difficult to overcome—struck him down; yet that Daitya, stationed upon its back, assailed the foe with arrows blazing like the fire of Time and cosmic dissolution.

Verse 30

हत्वा त्वपातयच्चोर्व्यां मुख्यमुख्यान्सुराधिपान् । शरैस्तस्य तदा देवा यमदंडसमप्रभैः

Having slain them, he cast the foremost and most eminent lords of the gods down upon the earth; then the gods struck at him with arrows blazing like Yama’s staff.

Verse 31

निपतंति महावीर्या रुधिरौघपरिप्लुताः । यस्मिन्यस्मिंश्च मार्गे तु स दैत्यः सगजो गतः

Those mighty warriors fell, drenched in torrents of blood; and on whatever road that demon went—together with his elephant—there the slain lay scattered.

Verse 32

तत्र तत्र चकाराशु भीषणं संचितं शरैः । गजेन पातिताः केचिद्गजारोहेण चापरे

Here and there he swiftly wrought a dreadful onslaught, showering volleys of arrows; some were struck down by the elephant, and others by the elephant-rider.

Verse 33

वेगेन भ्रमणेनैव सुराः केचित्प्रतापिताः । एवं सुरगणाध्यक्षाः शस्त्रास्त्रैर्विविधैश्च तम्

By his swift, whirling motion alone, some of the devas were scorched and tormented. Thus the leaders of the celestial hosts assailed him with many kinds of weapons and missiles.

Verse 34

सगजं युद्धनिर्भीता निजघ्नुर्बहुभिः शरैः । तथापि तद्गजं योद्धुं न शक्तास्ते महाबलाः

Though fearless in battle, they struck the elephant and its rider with many arrows; yet, despite their great strength, they were not able to fight and overcome that elephant.

Verse 35

क्षिप्रं तांस्तु गजो दंतैस्त्रैपुरोऽपातयच्छरैः । न गता ये धरण्यां च देवा जर्जरविग्रहाः

Swiftly, the elephant Traipura struck them down with his tusks and with missiles. Those gods whose bodies were shattered had not yet fallen to the ground.

Verse 36

शरण्यं गणपं जग्मुर्भीतास्ते वेदनातुराः । देवानां कदनं दृष्ट्वा गणाधीशः प्रतापवान्

Terrified and afflicted with pain, they went to Gaṇapa, the giver of refuge. Seeing the devas being slaughtered, the mighty and valorous lord of the gaṇas, Gaṇeśa, responded.

Verse 37

स गजं ताडयामास वज्रानलसमैः शरैः । स गजो वेगसंरुद्धः शरेण च समुत्थितः

He struck the elephant with arrows like thunderbolts and fire. The elephant, its charge checked by that force, was pierced by the arrow and driven upward, rearing.

Verse 38

अथोतौ द्वौ शरैरेव बिभिदाते परस्परम् । उभौ तौ नर्दमानौ च अन्योन्यं जयमैच्छताम्

Then those two pierced one another with their arrows; roaring aloud, both sought victory over the other.

Verse 39

शोणितैर्लिप्तसर्वांगौ वीरमुख्यौ सुरासुरौ । अथाखुं स गजो मत्तो बिभेद दशनैः स्वकैः

Their whole bodies were smeared with blood—the foremost heroes among gods and demons. Then that frenzied, intoxicated elephant tore the mouse apart with its own tusks.

Verse 40

आखुनाभिद्रुतो नागो घोरयुद्धं तयोः परम् । अधोर्ध्वं संविभागे च चतुर्भिर्युद्धमद्भुतम्

Chased by the mongoose, the serpent entered into a most dreadful combat with it. As upper and lower positions shifted, the fight became wondrous, as though waged on all four sides.

Verse 41

सशब्दं तुमुलं युद्धं सर्वलोकभयंकरम् । दशनैर्दशनैरेव शरैरेव शरोत्तमैः

A thunderous, tumultuous battle arose—terrifying to all the worlds—teeth against teeth, and finest arrows against arrows.

Verse 42

तद्घोरमभवद्युद्धं देवदानवसंगरे । आखुको भेदयांचक्रे महानांगं महाबलम्

Then, in the clash between the gods and the Dānavas, a dreadful battle arose. Ākhuka, with great strength, struck and split the mighty Mahānāṅga.

Verse 43

पर्शुना पृष्ठवंशाग्रे स्थित्वा तेनाहनत्पुनः । दैत्यस्य दशनद्वारे हृदिस्कंधेथ लाघवात्

Standing at the fore of the demon’s spine, he struck again with the axe—swiftly—through the gate of the teeth, upon the heart and the shoulder.

Verse 44

सगजः स पपातोर्व्यां गतासुर्लोहितं वमन् । शशंसुर्मुनयो देवास्साधुसाध्विति चाब्रुवत्

With his elephant he fell to the earth; his life departed and he vomited blood. The sages praised the deed, and the gods too cried, “Well done! Well done!”

Verse 45

अत्रान्येस्त्रैरमोघैश्च दैत्यानाजघ्नुराहवे । यावत्तु सेनयोर्नैव जययुद्धं समापयेत्

Thereupon, with other unfailing weapons, they struck down the Dāityas in the battle, so long as the two armies had not yet brought the contest for victory to its end.

Verse 74

इति श्रीपाद्मपुराणे प्रथमे सृष्टिखंडे त्रैपुरिविमर्दोनाम चतुस्सप्ततितमोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the seventy-fourth chapter, called “Traipurī-vimardana (the Crushing of the Traipuras),” in the first book, the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa, of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.