Chapter 6 - Death of Demon Bala

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Nārada said:

1-18a. When the duels in this way had commenced in many ways, the angry Viṣṇu struck Kālanemi with his mace. He, giving up his swoon (i.e. regaining consciousness) thought, and struck Viṣṇu with arrows. Then the angry Viṣṇu dropped him dead on the ground. O king, having reflected, Candramā (i.e. the Moon) struck Rāhu with a sword. Rāhu at that time leaving him ran to the Sun. Having vanquished the Sun in the battle, Rāhu ran to the Moon. The lord of the night (i.e. the Moon) struck him with a sword in the battle. Due to the hardness of the body of Rāhu the sword at that time was powdered. Rāhu struck him deeply with his hard fist. Having lifted up Candra (i.e. the Moon) he swallowed him speedily in the great war and again spat him out. He, putting his mark, the dear on his chest, dismissed him. That Rāhu, seizing (the horse) Uccaiḥ-śravas, took him to Jālandhara and offered him to him (i.e. to Jālandhara) with devotion. The angry Durvāraṇa struck Yama with a mace in the war. Saṃhrāda, pierced with sharp arrows by (Jayanta) the son of Indra seized Jayanta who fainted due to the stroke of the iron club, mounted upon Airāvata, and went to Jālandhara. Kubera also struck Nirhāda with his mace in the battle. The Rudras vigourously hit Niśumbha with the strokes of their spears. Niśumbha too very much harassed them with volleys of arrows. The demon Śumbha filled (i.e. covered) the hosts of gods with arrows. Maya, full of deceit, tied Yama with nooses, and took him (to Jālandhara). He gave him to Jālandhara, and Jayanta also to the Ocean. The Ocean too threw him into his mouth (so that) the world should be free from fear. Then Indra also, having tied Namuci with nooses, took him, the destroyer of the universe; then Jālandhara went. O king, a very fierce battle took place between Indra and Bala. The splendour from the body of Bala shone, like that of the Sun, in the ten directions. All the missiles of Indra were shattered on (striking) the body of Bala. The mighty Bala struck Indra with a mallet on his chest. Then Indra roared fiercely. Hearing that Bala laughed. From the mouth of him who was laughing, pearls dropped down. With a desire for (securing) his body, Indra did not fight.

18b-24. Then he very much praised Bala, the ocean of might. “O best among gods, ask for a boon.” When told like this, Indra said to Bala: “O lord of the demons, if you are pleased, then (please) give your body to me.” Hearing these words of Indra, that Bala also said: “Cutting me (i.e. my body) with weapons take me (i.e. my body).” Then he also (said): “What is that which cannot be (i.e. is not) given by the noble?” “Like speech to one who cannot hear, like a woman of fickle eyes to a blind man, like a garland of flowers to a dead man, wealth is fruitless to a miser. The noble ones do not seize their enemies though they harm. The Rivers also take their co-wives (i.e. other Rivers) to the Ocean. A good man, engaged in the welfare of the others, does not get perturbed even at the time of their destruction. The sandal tree, though cut, makes fragrant the mouth (i.e. the edge) of the axe. Even a divine body perishes, but not the wealth given to the good. That digit of the Moon alone, which is on the head of Śiva remains (intact). Those who show goodness to those who harm them, are the good that are at the top of the earth. Even a wicked man loves them who for their own cause get their bodies cut off for those who have harmed them before.” Saying, ‘All right’, Indra struck Bala with a mallet. Yet his body did not split up. Indra became worried. Being reminded by Mātalin, he hit the body (of Bala) with his thunderbolt. Due to that stroke of the thunderbolt the body of Bala was shattered. A portion of Bala’s body fell on the golden mountain. Another (fell) upon the Himālaya. The third one fell upon the Go mountain. The fourth one (fell) into the divine river. The fifth one (fell) upon the Mandara (mountain). The sixth produced from the body of Vijaya fell into the mine of diamonds.

25-31. All the limbs of his body born pure, became the sources of gems due to the pure act. Particles of the bones fell from the thunderbolt. The hexagons became gems. From his eyes (dropped) sapphires. Rubies were produced from his ears, (so also) rubies were produced from his blood. Emeralds were produced from his marrow. From his tongue corals were produced. In the same way his teeth became pearls. Emeralds were produced from his marrow. So also emeralds were (also) produced from his nose. His excrement became bell-metal. His semen turned into silver. Copper was produced from his urine. From the unguent of his body brass came out, so also lustrous wealth. From his lsound [? sound?] lapis lazuli came out; so also more charming gems. Gold was produced from his nails. Mercury came out from his blood. Crystal was produced from his marrow. Corals were produced from his flesh. The gems were (thus) produced on the earth from the body of Bala. They are enjoyed by pure persons due to the wealth of the collection of their religious merit.

32-37. Meantime, having heard that Bala was killed in the battle by Indra, his queen named Prabhāvatī, went near (i.e. to) his (i.e. Indra’s) feet. Seeing her husband with his limbs shattered in the battle, Prabhāvatī, full of tears, with her hair loose, of stout breasts, lamented: “O lord, O Bala, O you brave one, O you of a handsome body, O you dear to the world, why have you, abandoning me, gone to aloofness? Men do not cast their bodies, even on realising that they are full of old age, and leprosy; but O dear one, you have in vain cast your body; O dear one, by means of your divine body the string of pearls is adorned. O dear one, untie the braid of me afflicted with the grief of widowhood, which you yourself, eager to fight, had tied.” The Ocean’s son, seeing the queen lamenting like this, and being afflicted, said to Śukra: “O Bhārgava, bring him back to life.”

Śukra said:

38. He died willingly. How can I bring him back to life? Yet due to the power of the hymn he will utter words.

Jālandhara said:

39-42. O Bhārgava, I wish (to see Bala’s) form (and) hear his words.

Being thus addressed by Jālandhara, he became engrossed in meditation. Then from his mouth sound pleasing the ears came out, addressing Prabhāvatī. It as it were came out from a musical instrument “O Prabhāvatī, unite your body with the parts of my body.” Hearing these words of (i.e. uttered by) him, Prabhāvatī turned herself into a river. She got united with the parts of Bala’s body, and flowed towards the east. Due to her water, excellent brilliance was produced in gems.