Adhyaya 93: The Battle of Mahiṣa Daitya and the Gods

Verse 1

श्रीवराह उवाच । ततो महिषदैत्यस्तु कामरूपी महाबलः । मत्तहस्तिनमारुह्य यियासुर्मेरुपर्वतम् ॥

Śrī Varāha said: Then the buffalo-demon, able to assume forms at will and possessed of great strength, mounted an intoxicated elephant, intending to go to Mount Meru.

Verse 2

कालः कृतान्तो रक्ताक्षो हरणो मित्रहाऽनिलः । यज्ञहा ब्रह्महा गोग्घ्नः स्त्रीघ्नः संवर्त्तकस्तथा ॥

Kāla, Kṛtānta, Raktākṣa, Haraṇa, Mitrahā, Anila; Yajñahā, Brahmahā, Goghna, Strīghna, and likewise Saṃvarttaka—these were the daitya leaders named.

Verse 3

इत्येते दश चैकाश्च दैत्येन्द्रा युद्धदुर्मदाः । यथासंख्येन रुद्रांस्तु दुद्रुवुर्भीमविक्रमाः ॥

Thus, these ten and one daitya chiefs—made arrogant by battle—charged the Rudras in due order, possessing terrifying valor.

Verse 4

शेषान् देवान् शेषदैत्या यथायोगमुपाद्रवन् । स्वयं महिषदैत्यस्तु इन्द्रं दुद्राव वेगितः ॥

The remaining daityas attacked the remaining devas as suited to their opponents; and the buffalo-demon himself, swift with impetus, charged at Indra.

Verse 5

स चापि बलवान् दैत्यो ब्रह्मणो वरदर्पितः । अवध्यः पुरुषेणाजौ यद्यपि स्यात् पिनाकधृक् ॥

That daitya too was mighty, made proud by Brahmā’s boon; in battle he could not be slain by any man—even if the bearer of the Pināka (Śiva) were present.

Verse 6

आदित्यैर्वसुभिः साध्यै रुद्रैश्च निहता भृशम् । असुरा यातुधानाश्च संख्यापूरणकेवलाः ॥

By the Ādityas, Vasus, Sādhyas, and Rudras, the Asuras and Yātudhānas were slain in vast numbers—as though they served only to fill out the tally of the dead.

Verse 7

देवानामपि सैन्यानि निहतान्यसुरैर्युधि । एवं भूते तदा भग्ने देवेन्द्रे विद्रुताः सुराः ॥

Even the armies of the devas were slain by the asuras in battle. When matters stood thus and Devendra (Indra) was routed, the Suras fled.

Verse 8

अर्दिता विविधैः शस्त्रैः शूलपट्टिशमुद्गरैः । गतवन्तो ब्रह्मलोकमसुरैरर्दिताः सुराः ॥

Afflicted by various weapons—spears, axes, and maces—the Suras, harried by the Asuras, went to Brahmaloka.

Verse 9

तत्रेन्द्रं पुरमासाद्य देवैः सह शतक्रतुम् । अभिदुद्राव दैत्येन्द्रस्ततो देवाः क्रुधान्विताः ॥

There, reaching Indra’s city, the daitya lord charged at Śatakratu (Indra), who was with the devas; then the devas were filled with wrath.

Verse 10

आदाय स्वानि शस्त्राणि वाहनानि विशेषतः । अधिष्ठायासुरानाजौ दुद्रुवुर्मुदिता भृशम् ॥

Taking up their own weapons and, in particular, mounting their vehicles, the Asuras rushed into the battlefield, exceedingly elated.

Verse 11

तेषां प्रववृत्ते युद्धं तुमुलं लोमहर्षणम् । घोरं प्रचण्डयोधानामन्योन्यमभिगर्जताम् ॥

As they engaged, a tumultuous battle arose—hair-raising and terrible—while the fierce warriors roared at one another.

Verse 12

तत्राञ्जनो नीलकुक्षिर्मेघवर्णो बलाहकः । उदराक्षो ललाटाक्षः सुभीमो भीमविक्रमः । स्वर्भानुश्चेति दैत्याष्टौ वसून् दुद्रुवुराहवे ॥

There, Añjana, Nīlakukṣi, Meghavarṇa, Balāhaka, Udarākṣa, Lalāṭākṣa, Subhīma, Bhīmavikrama, and Svarbhānu—these eight Daityas—rushed against the Vasus in battle.

Verse 13

यथासंख्येन तद्वच्च दैत्याः द्वादश चापरे । आदित्यान् दैत्यवर्यास्तु तेषां प्राधान्यतः शृणु ॥

Likewise, in due order, there were twelve other Daityas—chief among the Daityas—who charged against the Ādityas; hear of them according to their prominence.

Verse 14

भीमो ध्वङ्क्षो ध्वस्तकर्णः शङ्कुकर्णस्तथैव च । वज्रकायोऽतिवीर्यश्च विद्युन्माली तथैव च ॥

Bhīma, Dhvaṅkṣa, Dhvastakarṇa, Śaṅkukarṇa, Vajrakāya, Ativīrya, and Vidyunmālī—(these are among them).

Verse 15

रक्ताक्षो भीमदंष्ट्रस्तु विद्युज्जिह्वस्तथैव च । अतिकायो महाकायो दीर्घबाहुः कृतान्तकः ॥

Raktākṣa, Bhīmadaṃṣṭra, Vidyujjihva; likewise Atikāya, Mahākāya, Dīrghabāhu, and Kṛtāntaka—these complete here the remainder of the list.

Verse 16

एते द्वादश दैत्येन्द्रा आदित्यान् युधि दुद्रुवुः । स्वकं सैन्यमुपादाय तद्वदन्येऽपि दानवाः । रुद्रान् दुद्रुवुरव्यग्रा यथासंख्येन कोपिताः ॥

These twelve lords of the Daityas rushed upon the Ādityas in battle. Taking up their own armies, other Dānavas likewise—without hesitation—charged the Rudras, in due order, inflamed with wrath.