Chapter 126 - The Fight between Krishna and Shankara

1-5. Vaishampayana said:—Thereupon riding quickly Vinata’s son, those three (heroes), stationed in the battle-field like three fire-gods, began to fight there. Seated on Garuda’s back those highly powerful three heroes assailed and dispersed the Danava army with a downpour of arrows. Assailed with the strokes of discus, plough-share and arrows the irrepressible and huge Danava army were worked up with anger. As fire increases in a room with dry fuels so the fire, engendered by Krishna’s arrows, increased that fire burning like that of dissolution, and consumed thousands of Danavas in the battle-field.

6-11. Beholding his soldiers assailed and burnt with various arrows of Krishna, and take to their heels Vana came there and prevented them saying "Born in the race of the Daityas why do you, overwhelmed with fear and displaying your weakness, fly away from the battle-field? Why do you take to your heels leaving off your respective coats of mail, swords, daggers, darts, leathern protectors and axes? Think of your birth and living with Hara and then decide whether you should fly away. I now stand before you." Although they heard the words given vent to by Vana, the Danavas, beside themselves with fear, paid no heed to them and fled away. Of the soldiers remaining there only the Pramathas stood firm and desired to fight again.

12-17. Beholding his soldiers routed, Kumbhanda, Vana’s powerful minister and friend, said:—"O you leading Danavas, behold Shankara, Kartikeya and Vana in the battle-field. Still, possessed by fear, why are you flying away leaving your own armies? Give up hope of your lives and fight." Before they heard those words of Kumbhanda, the Danavas stricken with the fear of the fire of Krishna’s discus, fled away on all sides. Thereupon beholding all the soldiers routed by Krishna, Siva, of incomparable prowess, had his eyes reddened with anger. And in order to protect Vana, he stood on his lustrous car and prepared himself for fighting. Kumara too ascended a car burning like car. Powerful Rudra, ascending a car drawn by lions and biting his hips, drove where Hari was.

18-37. At that time his car, as if devouring the sky, making a great sound and drawn by lions, looked like the full-moon freed from clouds. Filled with various ghosts making diverse sounds that car of the god of gods proceeded towards the battle-field. Of those ghosts some had the faces of lions, some those of tigers, some those of serpents, some those of horses and some those of camels; they too, filled with fear, were trembling. Amongst those highly powerful ghosts, some had the faces of asses, some those of camels, some those of peacocks, Some those of horses, some those of rams, and some those of cats. Some had the faces of sheep, some put on bark, some had tufts of hairs on their heads, some wore matted locks, some had hairs bound up, and some were naked. They all blew conch-shells and bugles when they proceeded to the battle-field. Of them some had beautified faces and were adorned with celestial weapons and flowers. Some were dwarfish and some were grim-visaged. Some put on lion and tiger skins. Some had faces covered with blood, huge-teeth and were fond of flesh. They all stood encircling Shankara the destroyer of great enemies in the battle-field and were waiting there at ease. Beholding that car of the indefatigable Rudra. Krishna, riding Garuda, proceeded to the battle-field. Then beholding Hari proceed on Garuda discharging arrows, Hara, ever standing at the head in a battle, struck him in anger with hundreds, of winged arrows. Assailed with shafts by Hara, the grinder of enemies, Hari too, irate, took up most excellent weapons given by Indra. Thereupon assailed by Krishna and Rudra the earth shook and the elephants trembled raising their heads. The mountains were covered with the water of streams; some had their summits scattered on all sides. In that encounter between Hara and Hari the quarters, sky and earth were as if all ablaze. Fire-brands fell on earth from all sides and dreadful-looking jackals began to emit inauspicious cries. With a great noise Indra began to send down showers of blood and fire-brands covered the rear of Vana’s army. The wind blew high, and the luminous bodies and herbs, shorn of lustre, flew about in the sky. At that time the Grandfather, knowing that Rudra, the destroyer of Asuras, had entered upon a battle, came there encircled by the celestials The Apsaras, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Vidyadharas, Siddhas, and Caranas, stationed in the sky, began to witness that encounter. Then Vishnu discharged Indra’s weapon at Rudra.

36-41. Burning it went up to the car where Rudra was. The very next moment hundreds and thousands of arrows dropped before Hara’s car. Seeing it and filled with anger Hara discharged the highly dreadful fiery weapon. It appeared indeed highly wonderful. At that time Krishna and the three other heroes were entirely covered with arrows; and scorched with the fire of the weapon they were so much emaciated that they were not visible. Thereat thinking that Krishna had been slain by the fiery weapon the Asuras sent up a leonine shout.

42-50. Thereupon patiently bearing those fiery weapons in the battle-field the powerful Vasudava, who was a master of every sort of weapon, took up Varuna weapon. When that Varuna weapon was discharged by the high-souled Vasudeva the fire of the fiery weapon was extinguished. When that weapon was baffled by Vasudeva Bhava discharged four other weapons resembling the fire of dissolution, namely Paishaca, Rakshasa, Raudra and Angirasa. In order to baffle those weapons Vasudeva shot four arrows namely Vayavya, Savitrya, Vasava and Mohana. Having thus counteracted those four weapons with his four arrows Madhava discharged his Vaishnava weapon like unto Antaka (the destroyer) with his mouth wide open. When the Vaishnava weapon was discharged all the Bhutas, Yakshas and Asuras of Vana’s host, unconscious and stricken with fear, fled on all sides. Then beholding his army abounding in Pramathas thus routed the great Asura Vana speedily ran towards the battle-field. As the king of gods, the wielder of thunderbolt, proceeds encircled by the celestials, so Vana went surrounded by the highly powerful and mighty car-warriors, the Daityas holding dreadful arms.

51-56. Vaishampayana said:—At that time with the recitation of names and mantras the Brahmanas performed benedictory ceremonies on Vana’s behalf. Bali’s son Vana too, conferring on the Brahmanas, auspicious cows, raiments, fruits, flowers and gold coins, shone like the lord of riches. The huge car of Vana, painted with gold and adorned with a hundred moons and a million of stars and numerous bells, shone there like fire or a thousand suns. Assuming a dreadful form Vana, holding a bow, got upon the car brought by the Danavas for fighting with those foremost of Yadus. Afterwards as at the time of the universal dissolution the ocean, abounding in waves increased by the wind, is agitated so that ocean, of great force abounding in cars of the heroes, went on. O king, at that time the Danavas, holding bows, great car-warriors as they were, shone there like mountains covered with forests; their very sight created terror in all.