Chapter 110 - Nahuṣa Gets Divine Weapons from Gods

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Kuñjala said:

1-3. Having taken leave of all the sages and of Vasiṣṭha, the best of the ascetics, Nahuṣa being eager desired to go to the demon. Then all the sages like Vasiṣṭha, with penance as their treasure, congratulated the very mighty son of Āyu with blessing. All the deities in the sky joyfully beat drums and showered flowers on Nahuṣa’s head.

4-5. Then the thousand-eyed god (i.e. Indra) came there with gods and gave him weapons and missiles resembling the sun’s lustre. O best twice-born, the best king took those divine missiles from the god, and due to that he became one of a divine form.

6. Then all the deities said to Indra: “O lord of gods, give a chariot to this Nahuṣa.”

7-9a. Knowing the view of the gods, Indra, having called his charioteer, Mātali, ordered him, O twice-born: “O you very wise one, go to him, and carry him—the son of Āyu, ready to fight, in the chariot with the flag;” and he said to Indra: “I shall carry out your order”.

9b-11. Speaking thus, he quickly went to Āyu’s son, ready to fight. He told the king the words of the king of gods: “O you who know Dharma, ‘be victorious in the battle by means of this chariot.’ O lord of kings, thus, Indra has told you. Kill in the battle the demon Huṇḍa of a wicked heart.”

12-13. Hearing (these words) the lord of kings, with horripilation due to joy (said:) “By the grace of the lord of gods, of the magnanimous Vasiṣṭha I shall kill in the battle the demon of a wicked heart, who deceived gods and especially me.”

14-20. When Nahuṣa uttered these great words, the god holding a conch, a disc and a mace himself came there. Drawing out from (his own) disc a great disc resembling the sun’s orb, blazing with burning lustre, with round spokes and bringing auspiciousness, the god gave it to Nahuṣa with great joy. Śiva gave him a very sharp lance endowed with lustre. With that excellent lance, he, ready to fight, shone like another lord Śiva, the killer of Tripura. Brahmā gave him (the missile called) Brahmāstra. Varuṇa (gave him) an excellent noose, resembling the moon’s lustre and a conch with an auspicious sound. Indra (gave him) the thunderbolt and (a kind of missile called) Śakti. Vāyu (gave him) a bow with arrows. Vahni (i.e. Fire) gave the magnanimous one, the fire-missile. (Thus) the divine weapons and missiles of various kinds were given by gods to that great-souled king of great glory.

Kuñjala said:

21-25. Then Āyu’s son, the hero honoured by gods and greeted by sages knowing the true nature of Brahman with blessings, got into the chariot that was divine, lustrous, decked with gems, making a big sound due to the bells, and full of small bells. With that divine chariot the prince shone like the sun by means of his lustre on the divine path. Blazing like him with his lustre, he rushed quickly and speedily, with that magnanimous charioteer Mātali, towards the heads of the demons, like Vāyu that moves constantly, to the place where that sinful demon stood with his army.