Chapter 97 - Death of Jalandhara

The sages said:

1-5. O Romaharṣaṇa of good holy rites, it behoves you to tell us how lord Hara the destroyer of the eyes of Bhaga, having matted hairs, killed Jalandhara whose exploit was like that of Indra.

Sūta said:

There was once an Asura born of the vast sheet of water (ocean). He was known by the name Jalandhara. He resembled the god of death. It was by penance that he acquired his exploits. All Devas including Gandharvas, Yakṣas, Nāgas and Rākṣasas, and even the unborn lord Brahmā were defeated by him in battle. After conquering Devas and Brahmā, Jalandhara went to the lord of the chiefs of Devas, Viṣṇu, the destroyer of the universe (?), and the preceptor. A battle ensued between them without respite for a whole night and day.

6-10. Lord Viṣṇu was defeated by him. After defeating Viṣṇu the lord of Devas, Jalandhara said to the sons of Diti, “To conquer Śiva is only a justifiable thought. All the rest have been conquered by me in the battle. Only Siva has not been conquered by me. O leading Dānavas, after conquering him within a short while along with Nandin and the leaders of the Gaṇas, I shall distribute among you the position of Śiva, Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Indra.”

On hearing the words of Jalandhara all those base Dānavas roared aloud. Those sinners were eager to face death. Accompanied by these Daityas the powerful Asura set out against Śiva, fully equipped with chariots, elephants and horses.

11-13. Śiva saw the leader of the Daityas stationed on the peak of the Meru. He had already heard about his indestructibility through others. The destroyer of the eyes of Bhaga, the lord and protector of the worlds wanted to keep his promise to Brahmā. He was accompanied by Ambā and Nandin and his Gaṇas. He said laughingly:—“O lord of Asuras, what purpose shall be served now with a fight?

14-16. You have joyously attempted to die with your limbs pierced and split by my arrows.”

On. hearing these words that rent his ears, Jalandhara the lord of the army of Asuras spoke thus to the lord of Devas.

“O bull-bannered lord of Devas, having mighty arms, enough of words. O Śiva, I have come here to fight with you with weapons as bright and piercing as the rays of the moon.”

On hearing his words the trident-bearing lord evolved a discus, the terrible weapon, by drawing sportingly on the surface of the vast sheet of water with the toe of his leg.

17. After making the sharp features of the discus on the water-surface of the ocean the lord thought that the three worlds and Devas had been killed by him. The destroyer of Dakṣa, Andhaka, An taka, Tripuras, the sacrifice and the annihilator of the three worlds said laughingly.

18-19. “O Jalandhara, O Asura, if you are strong enough to lift up the weapon evolved by me by my leg, stand face to face for fighting, and not otherwise”

On hearing his words the Asura became angry with blazing eyes. He looked, over the three worlds as though he would burn them with the pair of his eyes.

Jalandhara said:

20-21. O Śaṅkara, I will lift up my iron club and kill Nandin as well as you. Even as Garuḍa kills the water snakes I will destroy the worlds along with Devas. I am competent to annihilate all mobile and immobile beings, including Indra. O Maheśvara, who is there in the three worlds who cannot be pierced by my arrows?

22. Even during my childhood, the lord was defeated by my penance. The powerful Brahmā, and the sages along with the leading Devas were defeated during my youth.

23. Within a short while, the three worlds consisting of the mobile and immobile beings were burnt by me. O Rudra, was any lord defeated by you by means of penance?

24. Just as the serpents cannot bear even the odour of Garuḍa, the lord of the birds, so also Indra, Agni, Yama, Kubera, Vāyu, Varuṇa and others cannot bear me.

25. O Śaṅkara, neither in the heaven nor on the earth could my arms get rival. O lord of the Gaṇas, I have gone to all the mountains and attacked them.

26. Mandara^[1] the lord of the mountains, the glorious Nila^[2] and the splendid Meru^[3] have been attacked by me with my staff-like arms. The mountain Meru fell when I scratched it with arms for removing their itching sensation.

27. Just for a sport, the Gaṅgā was restrained with my arms on the mountain Himavān. A group of celestial women was caught and imprisoned by my servants.

28. The mouth of the submarine fire was held by me and choked with the hand. Instantaneously all this was turned into a vast sheet of water.

29. Airāvata and other elephants were cast off by me into the water of the ocean. Lord Indra was hurled a hundred yojanas along with his chariot.

30. Garuḍa too was bound by me along with Viṣṇu by means of Nāgapāśa. Urvaśī and other women were imprisoned by me.

31. With very great difficulty Indra got back Śacī alone after bowing down to me. O lord of Umā, you do not know me, Jalandhara the leader of the Daityas.

Sūta said:

32. Mahādeva who was addressed thus, burned his chariot then with the fire of his eye.^[4]

33. Since the lord of the Daityas was surrounded by the invincible army of the Daityas, consisting of the horses, elephants and Nāgas, he did not undergo destruction by the fiery glance of the Tripuras. The silly and weak-minded Asura spoke to the lord of Devas thus.

34-35. What purpose of mine can be served in the battle by the mutual clash of Devas and Asuras? I alone am competent to destroy all these in an instant. I have no fear of fighting. O Īśa, this is my earnest desire. Hence, O enemy of Kāma, Dakṣa, Yajña and Tripuras, if you have strength to fight with my heroes with the help of your leading Bhūtas and the monkey-faced Nandin, then you stand here to fight with me.

36. After saying thus to Mahādeva, the great demon did not move nor did he think of his kins killed in battle.

37. Urged by evil haughtiness that demon, of impolite nature clapped his hands together and then seized the discus called Sudarśana. He attempted to kill Śiva with that discus.

38. O excellent brahmins, he placed the heavy discus on his shoulders with an effort. With that he was pierced into pieces.

39. O brahmins, just as the excellent mountain fell down when it was pierced by the thunderbolt of Indra so also the powerful Daitya fell down dead like a mountain of collyrium.

40-43. Instantaneously, the place was covered with his terrible blood. At the behest of Rudra his blood and flesh reached Mahāraurava hell and lo, it became a deep pit of blood. On seeing Jalandhara killed, Devas, Gandharvas and Pārṣadas made leonine shouts and cried: “O lord well done.” He who reads or listens to this story of the suppression of Jalandhara or he who narrates it duly will attain the leadership of the Gaṇas.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Mandara—a mythical mountain.

[2]:

Nīla—a mountain sacred to the manes. Cf Matsya. 22.70; 121.

[3]:

Meru, p. 98 note 127.

[4]:

netrāgni—by the one-fourth (ardhārdha) of the digit of his ocular fire Śivatoṣiṇī.