Chapter 72 - The Slaying of Madhu

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Vyāsa said:

1-2. In the war, Madhu, the destroyer of the gods, mounted on a divine chariot, having a bow in his hand and with troops and full of great anger, went to Viṣṇu in front of the hosts of gods, and said (these) harsh words to him, the immutable lord:

3-5a. “O Nārāyaṇa, how do you not know here the laws of war? Using a foul means to kill (the demons) unjustly, you will not shine. Due to this sin, and due to not doing (proper) activity, gods would perish. I shall have another creation. Here I shall just kill you with the hosts of gods.”

5b-9. Speaking thus, and taking a bow he struck the lord with arrows. Viṣṇu cut them off with arrows, powerful like the thunderbolt; and then struck Madhu with many arrows (sent) into all his limbs. The demon got himself screened with illusion. The best gods, and those Rudras and others who were brave, and other gods possessing strength, and goddesses of various kinds endowed with weapons and vehicles, generals, chiefs of Gaṇas, gods like the chief of the worlds, Śiva and Viṣṇu, others like the planets—all together fought with him. Due to Madhu’s trickery all gods fled aw ay at that time.

10. (Struck) with showers of swords and śaktis in front of and behind them, the gods being hurt by weapons suddenly fell on the ground.

11. In the meanwhile, Viṣṇu, taking his (disc known as) Sudarśana^[1], killed in the battle, the demons (who had) through illusion (turned themselves into) gods.

12. He cut off their heads in thousands; the lord of gods struck down the demons (who had taken up) the forms of gods.

13-14a. In the same way, the lord caused the demons to flee away from the battle (-field). Seeing him all sages and gods were amazed. Gods and hosts of sages spoke (i.e. whispered) into one another’s ear:

14b-15a. “This Viṣṇu, the immutable lord, is always the only protector of gods. This god, witnessing everything, is the co nqueror of the demons in every yuga.”

15b-16. How does he (i.e. Madhu) kill all the gods? Here the end of the world^[2] is taking place. In the meanwhile, at a distance Madhu employed his illusion. Taking the form of Hara (Śiva), he said to the immutable Viṣṇu:

17-18. “O sinner, today what merit, fame, glory and (other) excellence (will) you (get) by killing the gods all round in the presence of the demons? Due to your great madness you do not know your own (individuals) and others. Therefore, (hitting you) with sharp arrows I shall take you to Yama’s abode.”

19. Saying so he struck Viṣṇu with fierce arrows in the battle. But Viṣṇu cut them off, (and) said (these) words:

20-21a. “O heroic demon, I know you to be brave Madhu in the lovely form of Hara, and doing an impious act and employing trickery. Having struck you down in the battle, I shall give (i.e. send) you to a fruitless world.”

21 b-22. In the meanwhile he hit, with sharp arrows, the bull-bannered Śiva, having matted hair and seated upon a bull in the battle. At that time the fight between the god and the demon was great.

23-26. They pierced each other (with arrows) and there met one another. The immutable Viṣṇu cut off his bow with sharp horse-shoe-shaped arrows. Then he struck down the horse in the form of the bull. The demon, with a lance in his hand, rushed at the lord of the world. Then whirling the lance he struck the highest lord. With three arrows he (i.e. the lord) cut off the lance resembling the fire at the end of the world. Then the cruel, large-armed Madhu, who was greatly deceitful, took up the form of the goddess and having mounted upon a lion, went to Viṣṇu.

27-28a. He struck Viṣṇu with various kinds of arrows and said (these) words to him: “O best of gods, you have killed my lord in the battle. I shall kill you and the two sons Kārtikeya and Gaṇeśa.”

28b-29a. With many arrows he (i.e. the lord) struck the demon, who was speaking thus. Bleeding, he fell down dead on the ground.

29b-30. Seeing his parents struck, the very powerful Kārtikeya bound by illusion, took up a śakti and went to fight with Viṣṇu. Then the creator (i.e. Brahmā) said these words to Kārtikeya who was harassed by delusion:

31. “See, your parents, observing the worlds, are moving in the intermediate region between the heaven and the earth, and are witnessing the war from a distance.”

32-33a. Seeing that he has heard this, he vanished there only. Then the very proud brothers Dhundhu and Sundhu fell upon Garuḍa to kill Viṣṇu in the battle.

33b-34. Viṣṇu with his Nandaka sword cut off Dhundhu with a sword in his hand and Sundhu with a mace; and with his mace killed another (demon). The two, being wounded, dropped on the ground.

35-3 7. Then Madhu, screened with darkness, quickly disappeared. Through his illusion he dropped a hundred mountains on (the body of) Viṣṇu. Then in the battle, getting into the darkness, he cut off the mountains, and angrily cut off his head with his (disc called) Sudarśana. Then gods like Brahmā and Śiva made him known as ‘Madhusūdana’ in the worlds.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Sudarśana—A circular weapon of Viṣṇu-Kṛṣṇa.

[2]:

Kalpānta—Destruction of the world. Kalpa—a day of Brahmā or one thousand yugas, a period of four thousand three hundred and twenty millions of years of mortals, measuring the duration of the world.