Chapter 12 - Śiva Arrives on the Battlefield

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Nārada said:

1-6a. Seeing the demon-army killed by the attendants led by Nandin, the demons Śumbha and others, getting angry, went to (fight with) the attendants (of Śiva). Then the great demon Śumbha fought with Nandin. Niśumbha (fought with) Mahākāla, and Kāla with Lokeśvara in the battle. Śailaroman fought with Puṣpudanta, and Mahābala with Mālyavat. Due to the power of illusion, O king, there was a din on the battlefield. Bhayānaka ran to Caṇḍa, and Rāhu to Skanda (i.e. Kārtikeya). Sarparoman (ran) to Kūṣmāṇḍa, and Gharghara to Madana. Ketumukha went to kill Śubha, and Jambha (went to kill) Vināyaka. Pātālaketu (rushed to kill) Hāsa, and Romakaṇṭaka (rushed to kill) Bhṛṅgīśa. The attendants of Rudra and the demons in crores fought with one another.

6b-19a When the lords of both of them were watching, the attendants and the demons, striking hard, struck (one another) with arrows. Nandin discharged those arrows as a great shower would (fall) on a mountain. Then he filled the face of Śumbha with arrows as wind fills the cave of Mandara with the masses of leaves. Kumbha left his bow, and ran to him (getting down) from the chariot. He uprooted a mountain and struck with it on the chest of Nandin, and having crushed his chariot in the battle, that mountain fell on the ground as a mountain would fall on coming in contact with the thunderbolt. He fainted for a moment, (then) regaining consciousness, he ran speedily. Mahākāla was struck on the chest by Niśumbha with a mallet. Coming (to him) he struck the demon on his crown with a mace. Ignoring that stroke, that very mighty Niśumbha also seized him by his feet and the very mighty one whirling him from his palm, threw him and roared. Drinking (i.e. inhaling) the air from his mouth (i.e. his breath), he, who had been tawny due to blood, roared. Puṣpadanta was struck on his face with a fist by Śailaroman. He (i.e. Puṣpadanta) struck Śailaroman with a mace, and knocked him on the ground. Seeing him fallen on the ground, the very strong Giriketu struck with a mallet the very fierce Puṣpadanta. Then Puṣpadanta cut off Giriketu’shead with a sword and ran taking with him the shield and the sword of Giriketu. (Giriketu’s) head said to him, “Why do you go away, leaving me who desire to fight (with you)? Do you not feel ashamed of running when this body is deprived of the head?” Thus addressed by his head, the trunk of Giriketu seized Puṣpadanta by his feet, and cut (i.e. pierced) his belly with a sharp sword.

19b-29a. From the side a demon, very strong and having a hundred heads, went out. He had two hundred eyes and two hundred arms. His head, whirling round, came near his trunk, O king. Seeing the head come, Puṣpadanta cut it off with his sword. Then (came) a demon named Bhūkampana, and a fearful demon by name Jvara. Then, O king, Puṣpadanta was crushed there by the two. That unbearable and very speedy Jvara troubled him. The attendant of Śiva (viz. Puṣpadanta) left the battle and trembling went to the mountain (Kailāsa). A great archer Kolāhala struck Mālyavat with three arrows on his shoulders, and Mālyavat (struck) the demon on his forehead. Kolāhala who was struck by Mālyavat with sharp weapons of various kinds, showing his dexterity, struck Mālyavat. That Mālyavat, the chief among the attendants, ignoring the pain caused by the weapon, took a huge rock and struck Kolāhala with it in the battle. From him Feverish Heat, named Jvalana came out. He was very fierce, had three heads, nine hands, nine feet, and was very tawny. That Feverish Heat deluded Mālyavat with his lustre. Mālyavat, being subdued, left the battle and went to the mountain. In the battle Caṇḍi was struck with a strong noose on his chest. His horse went out (of the battlefield); from him he was hurled into the ocean.

29b-38a. In the battle Kārtikeya hit Rāhu with sharp arrows. Having covered him with volleys of arrows, he quickly discharged (the missile called) Śakti. Seeing the Śakti, burning as it were with lustre, coming to him, Rāhu flew into the sky and quickly seized it with both his hands. Seizing that Śakti, and roaring loudly, Rāhu struck him (i.e. Kārtikeya) with that same Śakti. Struck with that Śakti on his chest, a river went out of his body. In that battle, the son of Mahādeva (i.e. Kārtikeya) was washed by it. Somehow the river was checked; but a flood similarly went to the river. The Ocean’s son, having heard from Jvara, the harsh cries of the mass of the (enemy’s) army, did not remember even that melodious skilful note of the male cuckoo. Barbara killed with a sword Dahana (i.e. Agni) who was covering him with arrows. Sarparoman struck Kūṣmāṇḍa on his head with a fist. Pātālaketu struck Hāsa with a mallet. Taking it out from his body, the elephant bent the mallet. Pātālaketu hit him on his trunk with the stroke of his fist. Romakaṇṭaka wounded the lordly Bhṛṅgin with his weapons. The lordly Bhṛṅgin also being frightened, quickly went to the mountain from the battlefield.

38b-45. The white Dhūmravaṣṇa suddenly fell into the mouth of Ketu. The demon, of a large body and a large mouth, swallowed the attendant. When he was swallowed in the battle by Ketu, there was a very loud wailing. With the sharp arrows of Jṛbha, the body of Vināyaka was pierced. He cut off the trunk of that Gajānana. Then the mouse (the vehicle of Gajā-nana) also pierced with arrows entered a cave. In the battle Vināyaka afflicted with the stroke lamented, and was agitated. (He lamented:) “O mother, O father, O brother, O mouse dear to me.” Hearing the cry of Gaṇeśa, the revered Pārvatī, coming (to Śiva) from another peak, said to Śiva at that time: “Gajānana is being killed by the demons. Kārtikeya also is knocked down. O Śiva, why are you sporting on the mountain. Protect your two sons and the attendants also. Today is the moment (i.e. the opportunity to use) the weapons like the trident always held by you.” Then hearing the words of Pārvatī, Śiva said to Vīrabhadra: “Quickly make ready ready my bull (i.e. Nandin).”

46-52. When this was said, he did (like that) at that time. He fastened a diadem to his horns, which was lustrous like the sun. Having fastened a hundred bells round his neck, he put two mirrors on his ears. On his shoulders a mass of bells (was placed), and large anklets (were tied) to his feet. A thousand chowries were tied round his tail, and into his mouth (were placed) eight nooses. Then that auspicious goddess Ambikā, with the eight nooses and holding a sword, sat there (i.e. on the back of the bull) near Śiva. All the weapons were put (there, on his back). The bull was ready. With the string of her own bells, Pārvatī adorned him. The goddess also put a mark (on his face) and spoke to him after honouring him: “O best among the bulls, you should never leave Śiva in the dangerous battle. You should come (back) with Śiva after having vanquished the enemies in the battle.” Hearing these words of the goddess, Śiva, adorned with his own ornaments, holding a thousand weapons, mounted upon his bull. With respect he spoke to that Pārvatī: “I am going to the battlefield.”

The lord said:

53-57. With a desire for your own forms, you can remain even alone; for the demons, having a bad intention about ladies, have come. Therefore, O beautiful lady, you have to protect yourself.

Speaking thus, Śiva, mounted upon his bull, went to the battlefield. Śiva was surrounded by thirty thousand mahābja-pramathas (i.e. the goblin-attendants of Śiva) O king; the brave Vīrabhadra quickly going with (i.e. after mounting) his lion, guarded the left side of the great lord. The archer Maṇibhadra, the killer of the enemies, with (i.e. seated in) a chariot, protected the right side of Śiva. Climbing down from the high lordly mountain, Śiva reached the battlefield with his attendants.

58-62a. Seeing the great lord seated on his bull, the demons roared. Then there was a great din of (i.e. produced by) the armies of the demons and the pramathas. O king, a terrible destruction of the two (armies) took place. Then all those—Nandin, Mahākāla, Kāla, Skanda, the very strong Mālyavat, Puṣpadanta, Vṛṣalin, Svarṇadantika. Caṇḍīṣa, Madana, Caṇḍa, Kūṣmāṇḍa, and Guptalomaka—who had formerly run away from the battle came to the dangerous battle. The very mighty demons fought before Śiva. A very fearful fight between the warriors—the attendants (of Śiva) and the demons—took place.

62b-64. Then having caused the army of the attendants to flee, the very mighty (demons) surrounded Śiva on all sides with showers (i.e. volleys) of arrows, with pikes, lances, maces, mallets, clubs tipped with iron, as the sense-organs surround the soul with the five objects of senses. Then Śiva with arrows that were very fierce, killed the demons in the battle, as Māgha quickly and that moment only destroys the sins by means of a bath (taken in that month).