Chapter 18 - Jālandhara Is Killed

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Nārada said:

1-8. Then Jālandhara said to Śiva: “O Śiva, protect yourself now. O Śiva, I shall today throw you there where Viṣṇu lives. Then, having dragged Brahmā, I shall throw him into the ocean. When all of you are seized (by me) I am then the lord of all.” Having spoken like this, he entrusted the responsibility of the army on the demons Śumbha etc. The warriors like Niśumbha guarded the endless four-limbed army. Seeing all the excellent demons like Śumbha, Niśumbha, Pheṃkāra, Pheruṇḍa, Dhūmralocana, Ketu, Biḍālajaṅgha, Rāhu, Durvāraṇa and Yama, so also Kālāsura, Lavaṇa, Bhūmiretas and the demon Andhaka, and Raktavīrya and others, Caṇḍin and Cāmuṇḍin, ready to fight in the battle, the attendants of Śiva like Vīrabhadra and others, confronted them in the battle, O king. Then a horrible, fierce and thrilling battle took place, in which even the principal demons, suffering from wounds, fell (down). O king, the attendants (of Śiva) struck with all weapons by Śumbha and others in the great war, fell and others fled.

9-12. The demons, having vanquished the attendants, confronted Śiva. They showered him with volleys of arrows, as the clouds shower the Meru mountain. Then Śiva, seated upon his bull (Nandin), drew his bow and struck with volleys of arrows the demons on the battlefield. The powerful one struck the demons with arrows with sharp horse-shoe-shaped heads. He quickly killed the remaining army on the battlefield with weapons and missiles. The battlefield was covered with elephants, men and horses that had fallen (in the battlefield).

13-18a. It appeared like the earth (covered) with mountains cut off by thunderbolt. Then the Ocean’s son fashioned an illusory (form of) Gaurī that was endowed with the quality of beauty and adorned with all ornaments. Making an illusory (form of) Jayā the Ocean’s son said: “Quickly go in front of Śiva, and quickly fascinate him on the battlefield.” The illusory Jayā thus addressed, went (to Śiva). Having gone to the battlefield and with her hair let loose she wept. Asked by Śiva, she said: “From the mountain north of Mānasa your dear wife, Pārvatī, O god, has been kidnapped by the Ocean’s son.” Hearing these words of her, the bull-bannered (god Śiva) said to her: “O Jayā, you go to the bull (Nandin). The demons will kidnap you.”

18b-24. Then, Jayā, mounting upon the bull (Nandin) and embracing Śiva, said: “O Hara, I (shall) go. I cannot live without Pārvatī.” Taking the moon that had entered the matted hair of Śiva, she—the illusory form—quickly got down from the bull. Clasped by the illusory form, he went to the battlefield. Then hearing that Pārvatī was kidnapped, Śiva became worried. O king, encircled by the demon’s illusion, he did not recognise himself. In the meanwhile, the Ocean’s son surrounded by a great army, came after having put the illusory Pārvatī in his chariot to Śiva. In the same way, there was the sound of musical instruments in (i.e. declaring) the victory of Jālandhara, due to which the earth shook and the mountains echoed. The Ocean’s son showed Pārvatī to Śiva. Rudra (i.e. Śiva) too saw his dear wife who was distressed due to separation (from him), who was helpless, who was slim and whose eyes were overanxious, sitting in his enemy’s chariot.

25-30a. She was again and again crying, “O lord, O dear Rudra.” Śiva saw Pārvatī seated in the strong enemy’s chariot like the sacred text remaining in the possession of a heretic. ‘How shall I get (back) my beloved?’ (Like this), Śambhu deluded by the demon’s illusion lamented. ‘O dear one, the demons deluded me. How have you been kidnapped?’ The Ocean’s son, seeing Śiva bewildered with grief and delusion, laughed and uttered (these) words as kind (person would do). “You are without any authority. You are without sexual love. Though you are the lord, you have become miserable without Pārvatī O Śiva, do not weep. I (shall) give you your dear wife. Having taken Pārvatī, I have spared you the fight.”

30b-36. Speaking like this to Śiva, he got down Pārvatī from the chariot. Then he sent his army towards Śaṅkara. To take Pārvatī who was crying “Protect (me), protect (me)”, Śiva too, along with (his) bull (Nandin), quickly ran towards his (i.e. Jālandhara’s) army. When Śiva seized Pārvatī with his hand, the demon Śumbha quickly seized her and remained in the sky. The mighty Śiva discharged his spear to kill the demon Śumbha. Śumbha left her and she fell on the spear. She, beautiful in all limbs and weeping, when left, fell along with the spear in front of Śiva, and saying “Ail right” died (there only). Rudra, seeing the illusory Pārvatī dead, was full of grief and delusion, and wailing “O dear one”, he fell in a swoon on the ground. Having regained consciousness (after) a moment, he cursed Sumbha and others on the battlefield: “Pārvatī will kill you.”

Nārada said:

37-42. O king, in the previous age of Manu the demons Śumbha and others were knocked down by the goddess due to Śiva’s curse. Having cursed them and having gone out he wailed, “O dear one, where have you gone after abandoning me, the distressed one, on the battlefield? Giving up attachment for me, I Śaṅkara, am made distressed by separation from you. O dear one, even Viṣṇu does not know me to be abandoned by you (i.e. does not know that you have left me). O goddess, in the fire-vessel of Dakṣa, you had offered your head. You were again obtained by me. (Then) how do you abandon me again? O you of a beautiful body, O Girijā, get up, get up. Communicate with me.” In the meanwhile, Brahmā remaining in the group of deities, knowing that Śiva was deluded by the demon’s illusion, came (there). He who was invisible, spoke to the wailing Śiva:

Brahmā said:

43-45. You are without grief, delusion, father and mother. You do not have pain, pleasure, son, a wife, or an enemy. You are not born of a father, nor will you be born (of a father). You are looked upon (like this) by the sages? (Then) whence this delusion? O lord, you are one; you have taken up various forms, as the sun is seen (to be many) in the waves of the water. Those who observe restraint, reach by means of meditation your feet, the great form, unintelligible, and quite indescribable. This your beloved is not distressed like you. O god, give up the illusion fashioned by Jālandhara. That Pārvatī has gone into the bud of a lotus. Fight; kill the multitude of enemies. Protect us.

46-52. Having heard these words of Brahma, Śiva knew (the illusion). Knowing the demon’s illusion, he threw a large rock (at the demons). With that he killed three hundred crores of demons. O king, then having very angrily mounted upon his bull (i.e. Nandin), Śiva took his Pināka bow and arrows. Then the son of the Ocean (i.e. Jālandhara), seeing Śiva, free from the illusion, manifested quickly another group of illusions which deluded the lord of gods, which was very wonderful, which was very powerful. Jālandhara turned into (one) having a crore of arms and fought Śiva with trees, weapons and missiles; and he, the Ocean’s son, put the earth that was decorated with the red chalk into the intermediate space; and the Ocean’s son made the earth adorned with many charming temples of deities, full of various (kinds of) flowers. Celestial nymphs, more lovely than Menakā danced there. Śambhu, forgot (to fight) and instantly abandoned the bow, and deluded by (the sound of) musical instruments and songs and by the tāṇḍava dance of the lord of demons, started, being mounted upon the bull.

53-60. Seeing Śiva seated on the bull deluded, the Ocean in an embodied form, to delude him, roared with tāṇḍava, songs, musical instruments, and dances. He, constantly being rejoiced, threw the beings into the ocean; “Where are all those deities? Where are the attendants led by Nandin? You who are respectable, are deluded by the demon’s illusion. O lord Śambhu, why do you neglect (him)? Taking out the disc remaining in your belly, and fashioned for killing him only, O Maheśa, kill Jālandhara with that in the battle.” By (i.e. on hearing) these words of Kṛṣṇa, and recollecting himself to be the lord, he quickly mounted upon the bull and came to the great battle. Seeing that Śiva coming, that angry demon Jālandhara surrounded by his entire army, stopped him. The form of Śiva, who was angry, (was one that) would destroy the creation. In his third eye there were fires and the demons were like moths. O king, seeing the lord’s form full of fierce flames, the demons like Śumbha, so also those like Rāhu seeing Śiva, were frightened and through fear they entered the nether world.

61-66. Seeing many soldiers killed in the great war, and seeing certain demonslike Śumbha that were spared, and (seeing a few) who had fled away, Jālandhara remained on the battlefield like a mountain. Seeing actually the true form of Rudra, he was delighted. Then Jālandhara laughed and said to Śiva: “Withdraw your (fierce) form with which you are burning (the world with) the mobile and the immobile. Give up your divine power and fight with a weapon.” Hearing these words of Jālandhara, Śiva then said (to him:) “O lord of demons, ask for a boon. I am pleased with your deed that you are fearless even after having seen such a (fierce) form. O demon, even the entire universe is not able to look at this form of me and at my lustre. (But) you are fearless in that respect.”

Nārada said:

67-71. Regarding this to be a favour of Śiva, Jālandhara, having no desire for the mundane existence, asked from him release as a boon in the form of absorption into him.

Śrī Mahādeva said:

O demon, this your divine body endowed with all pleasures and divine powers, and lovely due to Vṛndā and charming remaining here will meet with death here. Not knowing the highest soul that is one and immutable, for a while, how do you give it up? How do you desire salvation? Your dear queen Vṛndā has been taken away through divine power. Having known the nature of Brahman, she has reached that highest position. Now she is difficult to obtain, so also that position is difficult to obtain. Ask for a boon in the worldly existence between heaven and salvation.

Jālandhara said:

72-75. O god, the position of salvation is obtained by a blessed one. Now I am blessed, since, struck by you I am seeing you.

Śiva said:

O demon, if you are eager to go to my place, a holy place, then (striking me) with strong arrows, quickly make me angry. Then, O sinless one, I shall kill you, (and) you will go to my place.

Hearing the words of the great god, Jālandhara said to Śiva: “I shall not first strike you who are adorable to the whole world.”

Nārada said:

76-81. Thus addressed, Śiva quickly struck the Ocean’s son with arrows and those arrows stuck to the Ocean’s son’s body shone as the bamboos blazing with fire shine on the skirt of Lohagiri. Jālandhara filled the body of Śiva with arrows. With those arrows Rudra shone like the sky full of birds. Then, O king, a duel took place between Jālandhara and god (Śiva). There is no other striker than Śiva. There is no other one than the Ocean’s son who bears (the strokes). With thousands of crores of mountains taken out from the cavity of the earth, the Ocean’s son filled the lord of Pārvatī in the battle. Then the demon (Jālandhara) was struck on his chest with a spear by Śiva. From his mouth fearful and yawning Jvara emerged. He having the face of a lion and a human figure was (called) Vīrajvara.

82-92. Seeing Jvara having a lion’s face, moving out of the demon’s body, (Śiva) made a ‘hum’ sound. From it a Śarabha^[1] came out. He was knocked down by the Śarabha, sent out by Śiva. Seeing that Śaṅkara, along with the lord of bulls (viz. Nandin) invincible, that Ocean’s son speedily came near the bull. Seizing the bull by his tail, he whirled him into the sky. (That) mighty-armed Jālandhara threw him on the Himalaya mountain. Then Girijā’s husband (i.e. Śiva) discharged the very fierce trident. Catching it with his hand near Śiva, the lord of the demons, the Ocean’s son, mounted upon his chariot, took the bow (called) Kalakedāra, and filled with arrows Śiva standing on the earth. Śiva cut off his weapons and arrows and pounded with arrows his chariot which was ten yojanas extensive, along with the charioteer and horses. Jālandhara too, who was chariotless, ran to Śiva in the battle. A fierce, wonderful and thrilling battle took place between the two. Seeing it, the deities, through fear of the unexpected deluge, trembled. The two, of a fearful valour, shaking the earth by means of their foot(-steps) and making the sky tremble with the sounds struck each other with all missiles. Then seeing the great might of the lord of demons, Śiva, through his divine power, took a multitude of weapons. Then a demon, having a crore of arms and with eyes fearful due to the fangs, though without a weapon, quickly ran to Śiva.

93-99. On the battlefield he bound Śiva with the bond of his large arms. Then with a sword he cut off the jungle (i.e. multitude) of his hands. Rudra, overpowered by the arms of the Ocean’s son, became dark blue. The Ocean’s son easily fought with him. Though his hands were cut off, he fought as Rāhu (would fight) with his head. The River’s son (Jālandhara) pleased Śiva with his fighting. Śiva who was pleased, said: “Ask for a difficult boon.” Jālandhara too said to him: “Give me your position. Please do not insult me who am without arms and weapons. Quickly give me a divine power; otherwise I shall destroy you.” Saying so, and being equipped with arms he struck him on his chest. Then, vomitting from his mouth the Sudarśana disc which he himself had formerly fashioned, he took it in his hand and angrily raised it. Its brilliance was like that of a crore of suns and it was swallowing (the world including) the mobile and the immobile.

100-106. With that disc the head of Jālandhara was cut off (by Śiva). Then that head flew into the sky to (the distance of) a hundred yojanas. O king, then it having a terrible mouth with a hundred fangs, having eyes of heaven and earth, went, with the speed of a tiger to the house of Brahmā. Then again seeing the head in heaven Śiva ran to the head, from which blood was oozing and which was making a fearful sound. Then the quarters disappeared, and the sky (too) disappeared. The light of the luminaries was not there, and the earth trembled through fear. Rudra, with the disc, quickly cut off the head coming to him. Being cut into two it fell upon the Himalaya mountain. Then the pieces of Jālandhara’s head quickly entered Śiva when all the beings were watching it.

107-112. That trunk of Jālandhara, red due to blood, danced. Again and again demons sprang up from his throat. They were repeatedly struck by Śiva with the disc. The entire earth was filled with the marrow of the Ocean’s son. O king, due to the marrow only, Medinī (i.e. the earth) got that name. In the northern region of Kailāsa, where the blood of the excellent demon turned into a hill, the city (called) Śoṇitapura was (situated). Then seeing the heaps of flesh covering every place, the lord (i.e. Śiva) remembered his sixtyfour attendants. Due to the discerning recollection the goddesses also reached the vicinity of Śiva. With the palms of their hands folded they said: “O Śiva, what do (i.e. should) we do?”

Mahādeva said:

113-120. Together you who are permitted by me, should quickly eat the heaps of the demon’s flesh which resemble mountains.

Brāhmī, Māheśvarī and. Kaumārī so also Vaiśṇavī (Vaiṣṇavī) and Vārāhī, and Māhendrī, (all) thus ordered by Śiva, and shining with their own attendants, looked at the heaps of flesh with a cruel eye, and in a moment they vanished. Then the weak body of Jālandhara was powerfully approached by śaktis. When his body was seized by them, from his body came out a lustre; it reached Śiva and in a moment it disappeared. That lustre resembling the sun’s lustre, got merged into Śiva. Thus the enemy of gods met his destruction from Śiva. Maheśvara being pleased, said to them all: “Ask for a boon.” Then all those female attendants asked the lord of the world: “Those men in the mortal worlds, who desire enjoyments and salvation and boons, will always worship the group of your attendants (the Yoginīs) in their house. Due to your favour all that is desired by them will come about.”

Mahādeva said:

121-128. I am the giver of a boon to him on the earth, whosoever will every day devoutly worship your group. To my devotee or that of Viṣṇu who hates the group of Yoginīs, I shall be terrible and will take away his religious merit.

Thus were boons given to the Yoginīs in the battle. In the meanwhile Śiva remembered that Bhavānī (his wife) and his bull (Nandin). On just being remembered Pārvatī and the bull came there in a moment. Śiva’s beloved (i.e. Pārvatī) came there along with her friends. Giving up her Bhrāmarī form, she mounted upon half the portion of (the body of) Hara. Then, O king, with Pārvatī, Śiva rejoiced. To the Yoginīs he said: “Drink the blood on the trunk of Jālandhara. Hearing it they were very much delighted. The Yoginīs, after (eating and) drinking the flesh, marrow and blood danced with joy. Then seeing their sport, Śiva was pleased; and taking up his Bhairava form, he drank it in the midst of them. The group of the Yoginīs were of sharp fangs and huge bodies.

129-132. Even today at (this) time they are seizing the flesh. Therefore, demon Jālandhara killed in battle, does not get up. Then there came the groups of deities like Brahmā. The sages, the Maruts and the gods praised the great lord (Śiva). The quarters were bright; fragrant breezes blew; showers of flowers fell from the sky. The drums also, that were beaten, produced sound above (i.e. in the sky) when he was consecrated. Then the earth was sprinkled with the continuous showers of honey by the swarms of bees going over it and humming sweetly, being blinded by the fragrance. In his assembly fell the shower of flowers dropped by gods.

133-136. When the Ocean’s son was killed by Śiva with the strokes of the arrows, shower of flowers appeared (there), beautiful women danced and, yakṣas led by gods and kinnaras sang (songs). Śiva, having great fame due to his victory, and then being praised by groups of gods, siddhas and cāraṇas, went to his own mountain. From the mountain, Pārvatī also surrounded by her friends, went to the Śveta mountain. The divine damsels waited upon her with a shower of flowers. Lord Śiva, the kind god, knowing (this) established the groups of gods in their own positions, and gave them his wealth. What more should be said when great pity would be shown by the lord? Or which other god is there who would bring under his control the earth on all sides? Gods having got (back) their kingdom, shone as before. Being the regents of quarters (again) they shared portions in sacrifices.

Nārada said:

137-142. O king, I have thus narrated in a sequence to you the very wonderful account of Jālandhara, hero of the world. Even now Viṣṇu being under his sway, does not leave the Milky Ocean. Know that everyone enjoys the fruit of his own act(s). To remove your grief I have told you this excellent account. As long as the body lasts, a man being influenced, experiences (the fruits of) his actions—pains and pleasures. O king, there is no greater refuge than knowledge. Even Kṛṣṇa and others when bound in a body have pleasure, pain etc. Then what can be said about others who are averse to detachment? Knowing that such is the course of acts, which is the strongest of all, be patient, wait for the arrival of auspicious acts again. At (the proper) time, you will, after vanquishing your enemies, regain your kingdom.

143-148. Having heard this account, (a man) is not overcome by griefs. Here (the four goals of human life, viz.) righteousness, material welfare, sensual enjoyments and salvation are properly told. A brāhmaṇa gets the auspicious knowledge leading to heaven, removing sins, destroying delusion, and a kṣatriya obtains a kingdom. Hearing (it) a vaiśya would obtain wealth, and a śūdra happiness. A weak king who is deprived of his kingdom but remains on the good path, again obtains his kingdom by hearing it every day. O King, after hearing this, the good do not like to hear anything else, as a man does not like to hear the harsh crying of crows after hearing the sweet notes of cuckoos. Having heard this guileless account, he who is dear to the hearts of the good, should please the reader (of this account) by (giving him) gold, sesamum-seeds, garments etc. and land. When he is pleased, he would get the (desired) fruit.

149-155. When the reader—the preceptor—is honoured, the deities also would be pleased. He should give gifts of food and honour brāhmaṇas. He, being prosperous with sons and grandsons, is always victorious. He who listens to this excellent account, is born in Viṣṇu’s world. O king, those best men who, under this pretext, listen to the cause of the rise of Tulasī, have no sin anywhere. By listening to or telling this auspicious, sin-removing greatness of Tulasī (a man) undoubtedly attains salvation. By seeing Tulasī destroying sins, planted in one’s house, the sin of a brāhmaṇa’s murder perishes. There is no doubt about this. (A man) should worship Viṣṇu with Tulasī (leaves) in Kārtika and Māgha. Viṣṇu’s worship in Vaiśākha is especially laid down. Even by once going round it, all the sin goes (away). Those śūdras who are always engaged in (giving) gifts, are purified within (due) time. Their bodies also become worthy of worshipping deities. Those devotees of Viṣṇu, now very rare in this Kali age, have gone far away from sins.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Śarabha: A fabulous animal said to have eight legs and be stronger than a lion.