Chapter 114 - The Fight between Nahuṣa and Huṇḍa Starts

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Kuñjala said:

1-3. Then all the demons, Huṇḍa’s attendants, told Huṇḍa, the lord of demons, the good words—the conversation—between Nahuṣa and Rambhā as they had heard them. Having heard them, he got angry and said (these) words to his messenger: “O hero, go and know that man who converses with that daughter of Śiva.”

4-8. Hearing the order of his master the demon left quickly. In a solitary place he said these words to Nahuṣa: “You stand round with a chariot along with horses and the charioteer, and with a bow and divine arrows, and you are fearful in an assembly. To whom to you belong? By whom are you sent, and for what purpose? Tell clearly to me all that this Rambhā and the other (one i.e.) Śiva’s daughter told you today. How is it that you are not afraid of Huṇḍa, the destroyer of gods? If you desire to live, tell me all this. Leave quickly, do not remain (here). The lord of the demons is difficult to put up with.”

Nahuṣa said:

9. Know me to be the son of that powerful lord Āyu, who is the king of the earth, (and know me) to be the destroyer of all demons, worshipper of gods and brāhmaṇas, and well known by the name Nahuṣa. O demon, in my childhood I was kidnapped by Huṇḍa, your master.

10-14. This daughter of Śiva also was formerly kidnapped by (that) demon. She practised severe penance for the death of Huṇḍa. (Tell Huṇḍa:) “O wicked one, I, who was taken away (when I was) a child from the lying-in chamber, and was handed over to the female attendant and the cook by you, the wicked-minded one, have today come to kill (you) the wicked demon Huṇḍa of sinful acts. I shall also take to Yama’s abode other fearful demons.” Tell the demon (Huṇḍa) like this: “O most sinful one, know me to be like this.”

15-19a. That wicked-minded (messenger) having heard all those words of (i.e. spoken by) the magnanimous Huṇḍa, narrated them to Huṇḍa, after going to him. Having heard them from his mouth (i.e. as told by the messenger), the lord of the demons (i.e. Huṇḍa) got angry. (He thought:) ‘Why was he not killed by the wicked cook and the female attendant? Now he, a disease, that was ignored by me, has augmented. Now I shall kill in a battle this wicked son of Āyu along with this daughter of Śiva with these arrows sharpened on a grindstone.’ Thinking like this, he said (these) words to his charioteer: “Make ready the chariot (yoked) with excellent and lucky horses.”

19b-2la. Calling the chief of the army he, who was overanxious, said to him: “Make my army ready; make ready the brave snakes, and horses with the riders, and the soldiers with the umbrellas and chowries. Quickly make ready today my army with (all) its four constituents.”

21b-24a. Hearing the words of that Huṇḍa, the swift and very intelligent chief of the army did everything according to the proper procedure. He (i.e. Huṇḍa) surrounded by the complete army went to the battlefield to (fight) with the active hero Nahuṣa, wielding a bow and arrows, (seated) in Indra’s chariot, best among the warriors, ready (to fight) on the battlefield, difficult to be obtained by (i.e. unassailable to) gods and demons. Gods of great prowess seated in their aeroplanes in the sky saw him full of bright flames, and as it were another sun.

Sūta said:

24b-30. Then all the demons showered him with excellent arrows. In the battle they fought with the magnanimous Nahuṣa by means of swords, nooses, large lances, (missile called) śakti and battle-axes. They were excited, and roared like clouds on a mountain. Seeing their heroism, the brave son of Āyu stretched his bow resembling Indra’s weapon, with the twang of its string. O brāhmaṇas, Nahuṣa also made the sound of his great bow like the bursting (sound) of the thunderbolt. Due to that loud sound the demons trembled. They were dejected in mind and had their spirits broken in the great war.