Chapter 36 - Mutual fight

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sanatkumāra said:—

1. The emissary returned and mentioned the words of Śiva, in detail and truthfully. He conveyed his decision as it was.

2. On hearing that, the valorous Dānava Śaṅkhacūḍa accepted lovingly the alternative of a fight.

3. Hurriedly he got into his vehicle along with his ministers. He commanded his army against Śiva.

4. Śiva too hastened to urge his army and the gods. The lord of all was ready himself with his sport.

5. The musical instruments formally announced the beginning of war. There was a great tumult along with the shouts of the heroes.

6. O sage, the mutual fight between the gods and the Dānavas ensued. Both the hosts of the gods and the Dānavas fought righteously.

7. Mahendra fought with Vṛṣaparvan. Bhāskara fought with Vipracitti.

8. Viṣṇu fought a great battle with Dambha, Kala with the Asura Kāla and the firegod fought with Gokarṇa.

9. Kubera fought with Kālakeya and Viśvakarman with Maya. Mṛtyu fought with Bhayaṃkara and Yama with Saṃhāra.

10. Varuṇa fought with Kālambika, the wind god with Cañcala. Mercury with Ghaṭapṛṣṭha and Śanaiścara with Raktākṣa.

11. Jayanta fought with Ratnasāra; the Vasus with the groups of Varcas’s; the Aśvins with the two Dīptimants and Nalakūbara with Dhūmbra.

12. Dharma fought with Dhurandhara; Maṅgala with Gaṇakākṣa; Vaiśvana with Śobhākara and Manmatha with Pipiṭa.

13-14. The twelve sun gods fought with the Asuras—Gokāmukha, Cūrṇa, Khaḍga, Dhūmra, Samhala, the valorous Viśva and Palāśa. The other gods assisting Śiva fought righteously with the other Asuras.

15. The eleven Mahārudras^[1] fought with the eleven terrible Asuras of great power and valour.

16. Mahāmaṇi fought with Ugracaṇḍa and others. The god Moon fought with Rāhu and Jīva fought with Śukra.

17. Nandīśvara and the rest fought with leading Dānavas in the great battle. This is not being explained separately.

18. O sage, then Śiva stayed at the foot of the Banyan tree along with Kālī and his son. The hosts of the two armies fought continuously against each other.

19. Decorated with gemset ornaments, Śaṅkhcūḍa sat on his gemset throne of great beauty attended upon by a crore Dānavas.

20. Then ensued a great war in which both gods and Asuras were crushed. In that great war many divine and miraculous weapons were hurled.

21-22. Maces, long and short swords, Paṭṭiśas, Bhuśuṇḍis, Mudgaras (different kinds of iron clubs), javelins, spears, Parighas, Śaktis, axes, arrows, Tomaras, Śataghnīs, and other weapons shone in the hands of the heroes.

23. Using these weapons, the heroes severed the heads of each other. It was a jubilant occasion for the roaring heroes of the armies.

24. Elephants, horses, chariots and foot soldiers along with their drivers and riders were hit and split up.

25. The arms, thighs, hands, hips, ears and feet were cut off. The banners, arrows, swords, coats of mail and excellent ornaments were slit and split.

26. The earth shone with heads divested of coronets but with earrings retained, strewn about and with thighs resembling trunks of elephants broken off during the tussle.

27. Severed arms with the ornaments and weapons still retained and other limbs too were lying scattered about like honeycombs.

28. The soldiers running in the battle field saw several headless bodies that jumped with many weapons lifted in their hands.

29. With different kinds of miraculous and ordinary weapons and missiles, the heroes of great strength and valour fought one another shouting and leaping.

30. Some heroes killed the soldiers with their arrows fitted with goden tips and roared like water-laden rumbling clouds.

31. One hero fully encompassed another hero as well as his chariot and charioteer, by discharging heaps of arrows like the rainy season covering up the sun under the clouds.

32. Fighters of duel rushed against one another, challenging, thrusting and diving in at the vulnerable points.

33. Everywhere groups of heroes were seen in that

terrible war roaring like lions with various weapons displayed in their hands.

34. The heroes in their joy shouted and leapt blowing on their conches of loud sound severally.

35. Thus for a long time the great combat between the gods and Dānavas continued, terrible and tumultuous but delightful to the heroes.

36. Such was the divine sport of the great lord Śiva, the great soul. Everyone including the gods, Asuras and human beings was deluded by it.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

For eleven Rudras, see Note 127. P 138; 256 P 948.