Chapter 10 - With Vajra forged, Indra fights

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

[Note: Kramasandarbha has no commentary on this chapter]

Śrī Śuka said:

1. The glorious Hari, the protector of the universe, thus instructed Indra and disappeared at that very spot, while the gods, with unwinking eyes, were simply gazing.

2. Oh Bhārata (Parīkṣit)! Solicited by gods thus (as per instructions of the Lord), the great-hearted sage of Atharvan Clan was delighted and addressed them jokingly (with a smile), as follows;

3. “Oh gods! (Presiding deities of the senses as you are) can you not imagine the excruciating and unbearable pain caused to embodied beings at the time of death—a pain that deprives them of consciousness.

4. In this world, (one’s own) body is the dearest thing coveted by living beings who have a desire to live. Who can dare to donate it even to Viṣṇu, should he beg for it?”

Gods said:

5. Oh Brahman! Is there anything which is difficult to part with in the case of great persons like your honour, who are compassionate to all beings, and whose noble deeds are worthy of being praised by people with hallowing reputation.

6. There is no doubt that persons who are solely devoted to achieve their own objects, do not (care to) understand the danger faced by others (the donors). If they could realize it, they would not beg for it. (In the same way, the donor also does not appreciate the difficulty of the seeker of his help). If the donor were (aware of the seeker’s danger and) capable of granting it, he would never say “No”. (Hence understand our danger and grant our request).

The sage said:

7. It is with a desire to hear from you the (exposition of) Dharma (righteousness) that you were replied that way (by me). Here I cast off my body which is dear to you (due to its utility) as (some day) it is sure to leave me.

8. Oh Lords! A person who does not desire to earn religious merits out of compassion to living beings or aspire after glory by means of this ephemeral body, deserves to be pitied even by immobile creatures.

9. That one should sympathetically feel sorrow or delight at the grief or joy of other beings, is the eternal law of righteousness (Dharma) practised by persons with holy renown.

10. Alas! What a pity! that a mortal does not show benevolence (by helping others) with his wealth, sons and relatives and his body—all of which are transient, of no use to him and (actually) belong to others.

Śrī Śuka said:

11. In this way, Dadhyaṅ, the scion of the Atharvan Clan, made up his mind and uniting his individual Soul with the glorious transcendental Brahman, gave up his ghost.

12. He controlled his senses, vital airs, mind and intellect and fixed his gaze on the Reality. He severed all bonds and established himself in union with the Brahman, and (in the process) was not aware of the falling away of his body.

13. Then Indra was equipped with Vajra (the thunderbolt) forged out of the bones of the sage, by Viśvakarman (the chief artisan of gods). He (Indra) was endowed with the Lord’s power and felt himself mighty.

14. Surrounded by all the hosts of gods and eulogised by assemblies of sages, he shone riding his excellent elephant (Airāvata), to the delight of the three worlds.

15. Inorder to cut him down, Oh King! he attacked vehemently Vṛtra who was surrounded by the leaders of Asura forces, just as wrathful Rudra does in the case of the god of Death (at the end of the world).

16. Then ensued the most ferocious fight between the gods and the demons, on the bank of the Narmadā, at the beginning of the Tretā Age (in the first round of four yugas in this manvantara).

17-18. The demons, headed by Vṛtra, did not tolerate the sight of Indra armed with Vajra and resplendent in his original glory and surrounded by Rudras, Vasus, Ādityas, Aśvinikumāras [Aśvinīkumāras?], manes, Fire-gods, Wind-gods, Ṛbhus, Sādhyas, and Viśvedevas. on the battle-field.

19-21. Namuci, Śambara, Anarvā, Dvimūrdhā (a two- headed demon), Ṛṣabha, Ambara Hayagrīva (a demon with horse’s head), Śaṅkuśiras, Vipracitti, Ayomukha, Puloman, Vṛṣaparvan, Praheti, Heti, Utkala, and the sons of Diti and Danu and Yakṣas, Ogres in their thousands, of whom Sumāli and Māli were prominent—all armoured and decorated with gold ornaments—resisted the vanguard of Indra’s army which was unapproachable even to the god of Death.

22-23. The haughty and furious demons were fearless and unbewildered. With a lion-like roar, they attacked gods with maces, iron bars, arrows, barbed shafts and javelins. They covered the leaders of gods with volleys of weapons and missiles like pikes, axes, swords, Śataghnīs (cylindrical pieces of wood, 4 cubits long and studded with iron spikes) and Bhuśuṇḍis (a Śataghnī-like weapon with iron spikes, one exceeding the other in length), on all sides.

24. The gods, covered with net-like volleys of arrows showered on all sides with one arrow closely following the other, were rendered invisible like luminaries behind the screen of clouds in the sky.

25. The streams of the volleys of missiles and weapons did not reach or touch the soldiers in the army of gods, for they were cut down to pieces in thousands on their way in the sky, by gods with quick hands.

26. When their stock of missiles and weapons was exhausted, they showered the army of gods with mountain peaks, trees and stones, and the gods cut them to pieces as before.

27. Finding that the gods were unhurt and safe despite the volleys of weapons and missiles, and unaffected by trees, shower of stones and different mountain peaks, the demons led by Vṛtra were filled with consternation.

28. Just as abusive language employed by the vulgar against the exalted persons does not disturb them, all the efforts repeatedly made against the army of gods by the demons became ineffectual, as Lord Viṣṇu was favourable to them.

29. The demons who were not devoted to Hari, had their arrogance and pride of fighting crushed, when they found that all their efforts had become infructuous. With their morale deeply affected, they thought of fleeing from the battlefield deserting their leader at the initial stage of fighting.

30. The self-possessed warrior Vṛtra saw that his followers are running away. Finding his army broken through terror and fleeing, he laughed loudly and spoke.

31. The heroic person spoke the following words appropriate to the occasion and agreeable to the high-minded souls:

“Oh Vipracitti, Namuci, Puloman, Maya, Anarvan, Śambara, listen to me.

32. This death is inevitable to whoever is born. No escape from any side from this, has been devised (by āny one). If the attainment of heaven and glory could follow death, who would not court such a desirable and welcome end?

33. Two modes of death are approved of (by the great), but they do not easily come to one’s lot, namely, (1) he who, engaged in the Yogic process, controls his vital airs, concentrates himself on Brahman and casts off his body and (2) one who, in the fore-front of battle, gives up his body on the battlefield (the bed of warriors), without turning his back.”