Chapter 66 - The Slaying of Kāleya

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Vyāsa said:

1. Seeing his brother killed, the demon Kāleya, holding an arrow with a bow rushed at Citraratha.

2-3a. Jayanta, the. very mighty son of Indra, seeing the demon like death at the end of the world, rushing (at Citraratha), stopped him; and the best and very powerful god (i.e. Jayanta) said to the demons:

3b-5. “The truth supported by Dharma and certainly beneficial in the two (i.e. this and the next) worlds is: He, who strikes (a rival warrior) who is afflicted with the pain due to a wound caused by the stroke of a weapon, who is depressed in spirits, who is fighting with another (warrior), who is broken or thrown away (i.e. defeated), is childish. After having enjoyed (i.e. lived in) the Raurava (hell) he becomes the slave of him (whom he strikes). Therefore, do not fight with him (i.e. Citraratha). Follow the rules of a just war.”

6. Kāleya, mad with anger, said (these) words to Jayanta: “Having killed him who killed my brother, I shall now kill you.”

7. Then Jayanta, the best among gods, struck, with sharp arrows, the greatest demon, resembling fire at the end of the world.

8-9. The demon too cut them off with three arrows, and struck him. Like a river rising from a mountain and receiving a series of showers, the two very mighty ones did not become weak or discouraged. The two, desiring to conquer each other, did not get pleasure.

10-ll. Then he (i.e. Jayanta) cut off the demon’s bow with an arrow. With five arrows he caused the charioteer to fall on the ground. He also struck down the four horses (of the demon’s chariot) with eight sharp arrows. He too, took the (missile called) śakti, and struck Jayanta (with it).

12-13. (After having) hurt him with a mace, and struck him down along with the fender^[1] and the pole of his chariot, he, roared like a lion quickly going down (i.e. jumping on) the ground; he stood there with a mace in his hand. As the sound of the fall of the thunderbolt would be unbearable to the worlds, so the sound of the repeated strokes with their maces (was unbearable).

14-15. In this way their mace-fight lasted for fourteen years. When their maces were broken, both remained in the sky with swords and armours. At that time, gods and great divine serpents were amazed on seeing the wonderful and thrilling fight of the two foot-soldiers.

16-17. After some time their armours were cut off due to the strokes of the swords. The two, very much disposed to fighting, fought with swords. Jayanta, of a fearful valour, seized the hair of his (i.e. the demon’s) head.

18-19. Having cut off his head with the stroke of his sword, he knocked him down on the ground. Then all the gods rejoiced with (i.e. the demon’s) head and uttered the cry of victory. The hosts of demons, that were shattered, fled in all directions.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Varūtha—A fender with which a chariot is provided as a defence against collision with the Kūbara—the pole of a carriage to which the yoke is fixed.