Chapter 17 - The Fight between Yama and Grasana

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Nārada said:

1. Then, these two armies met together like two tempestuous oceans at the close of the Yuga.

2-4. That extremely terrible clash of the two armies of Suras and Asuras became excessively tumultuous as though (it was) the termination of a Yuga, due to the sound of conchs and war drums, of the roaring Devas and Daityas, the loud sound of the musical instruments, the trumpeting sound of the elephants, the neighing sound of the groups of horses and the noise of the rims of chariots.

5. With the desire for life eschewed and with fury enveloping all their limbs, they clang to one another and became excessively red due to their march against each other.

6. Chariots met chariots (in great clash), elephants with huge elephants, foot soldiers with (the rival) foot soldiers and horses with other great horses.

7-9. All sorts of weapons and missiles (flew everywhere) in the sky—weapons such as lances, thunderbolts, iron clubs, Bhinḍipālas [Bhindipālas/Bhiṇḍipālas?] (i.e. sling-like instruments for hurling stones), axes, javelins, Paṭṭiśas (i.e. sharp-edged spears), spears, mallets, pointed lances made of iron, Guḍas (i.e. armours of elephants), discuses, Śaktis (i.e. javelins), Tomaras (i.e. varieties of iron clubs), goads, Karṇis (i.e. arrows furnished with knots), darts, iron-tipped arrows, Vatsadantas (a variety of arrows), arrows with crescent-shaped edges, Bhallas (i.e. missiles), Vetasapatras (i.e. arrows with the shape of leaves of reed), Śukatuṇḍas (i.e. arrows shaped like the beaks of parrots) and others of wonderful nature.

10. These missiles and weapons covered all the quarters. The sky became completely dark. They were not seen or known by one another in that confusing darkness.

11-12. They cut and chopped off one another even as they were invisible in that darkness The whole earth was covered with ear-rings, elephants, horses, foot soldiers—falling and already fallen. It appeared as though lotuses fell from the lake of the sky and (got scattered everywhere).

13. Huge elephants resembling mountains fell down on the ground with blood flowing out. Their tusks were broken, the frontal globes on the foreheads of those elephants were pierced through. Their long trunks were chopped off.

14. Chariots fell shattered with their axle pole and shafts broken down, Crores of foot soldiers and thousands of horses fell down.

15. Thousands of rivers of blood began to flow giving great delight to flesh-eating goblins and Vetālas (‘vampires’).

16. In that battle of such a nature, the Commander-in-chief Grasana, the slayer of foes, scattered the army of Devas with a great shower of arrows.

17. Then, turning towards Grasana, Yama who had become over-infuriated, discharged a shower of arrows especially of the blazing lustre of fire.

18-20. Pierced with many arrows, Grasana of great exploit, wanted to take revenge on him. He bent his terrible bow and struck him (i.e. Yama) with thousands, five hundred thousands of arrows. He (Yama) warded off the arrows discharged by Grasana. Yama inflicted injuries on Grasana with terrible showers of arrows. Grasana, the lord of Dānavas, cut and chopped off the oncoming volleys of arrows of Kṛtānta with the shower of his own arrows.

21-25. On seeing that his own volley of arrows was in vain Yama hurled a blazing mallet at the chariot of Grasana. As the mallet approached him, Grasana, the slayer of foes, jumped down from his excellent chariot and caught it sportingly with his left hand. With the same mallet he furiously and forcibly struck the buffalo of Yama. It fell down on the ground. Yama jumped down from the falling buffalo. With a barbed dart, he hit Grasana forcefully in his face. With the blow of the barbed dart, he fall down unconscious on the ground.

26. On seeing Grasana fallen down, Jaṃbha of terrible exploit, hit the chest of Yama with his javelin.

27. On account of that blow much blood was vomited through the mouth by Yama. Distressed by the hard blow, Kṛtānta (Yama) became unconscious.

28. On seeing that Yama was struck down and distressed, Dhanādhipa (Kudera) who wielded a mace in his hand and was surrounded by groups of ten thousand Yakṣas, furiously rushed against Jaṃbha.

29. Just as one welcomes the affectionate words of the king, so did Jaṃbha who was surrounded by the Dānava army receive (i.e. caught) him, though he had been rushing with fury.

30. Regaining consciousness, Grasana hurled at Yama a heavy iron club adorned and beautified with jewels and gold (plates) and capable of destroying all barriers and hindrances.

31-32. On seeing the iron club approaching, the Buffalo-vehicled (Lord) furiously discharged a baton as terrific as universal fire, to thwart the attack of the iron club surrounded by dusters of flames. The baton came into clash with the iron club and roared tremendously like the thundering cloud.

33-37. Their mutual clash was as unbearable as that of the collision of two mountains. The sound of their mutual friction and dash stunned the quarters. The whole universe became agitated and bewildered as though they suspected the advent of the deluge. Within a moment the loud report subsided. The blazing flames gathered and accumulated together like a meteor. Thus the clash in the sky was excessively terrible. After quelling the iron club, the baton fell on the head of Grasana in the same manner as pre-destined (blow of) fate befalls one destroying all manly efforts.

On account of that blow Grasana (was so stunned that he) saw the quarters enveloped in darkness. He lost consciousness and fell on the ground smeared with dust particles of the ground. A terrible cry of distress ‘Alas! Alas!’ arose in both the army camps.

38. Within a short time (‘Muhūrta’ = 48 minutes), Grasana regained consciousness and found his body shattered and the garments and the ornaments in great disarray.

39-41. He then thought about the means of taking revenge: ‘Fie upon the manliness of mine! Am I the Commander-in-chief of the Lord? How can I be so? The armies were dependent upon me. If I was conquered they were also conquered(?) Only a good man who has no high esteem about himself (can) rejoice happily. If one who is esteemed, is weak, one has neither (friend) nor foe.’ Thinking thus that (Daitya) of great strength got up quickly.

42-48. Grasana of terrible resolve bit his lips (in fury). He seized a hammer as brilliant as the baton of Kāla and as huge as a mountain. He hurriedly went ahead in his chariot and approached Antaka (Yama) in the battlefield. After coming to Yama he whirled the terrible hammer with great force and hurled it on the head of Yama, On seeing the brilliant hammer, Yama’s vision became dim and he was bewildered. The extremely powerful (Yama) dodged the unbearable Mudgara (hammer, mallet). When he slipped aside, the hammer pounded and pressed ten thousand Kiṅkaras (‘servants’) of Yama of fierce and terrible activities.

On seeing the ten thousand Kiṅkaras (servants) killed, the army of the Kiṅkaras numbering thousand millions angrily rushed at Grasana.

On seeing that splendid army full of Kiṅkaras, Grasana thought that thousands of Yamas (were attacking him). The army of such a (formidable) form and nature got Grasana involved in showers of arrows.

49. That great battle became a very terrible one like the time of world annihilation, at the end of a Kalpa. Some of them crushed and broke the enemies with mountains and some with the arrows going straight ahead.

50. Some crushed and pounded with iron clubs; some with showers of ṭnaces and mallets. Some haughty (Kiṅkaras) struck with blows of barbed missiles and darts.

51. Other Kiṅkaras hung down from his-arms. Others hurt and hit with rocks; still others with trees of great height.

52. Others hit his limbs with their teeth. Other Kiṅkaras hit and struck his back with their fists.

53. On being assailed by them, Grasana became intensely angry. He shook them off from his body. He pounded and thrashed thousands of them on the ground.

54. He stood up and killed some Kiṅkaras in the battle with his fists; some he killed by kicking them; and others he reduced to powder by running over (them).

55. Within a moment, O descendant of Bharata, he led them all to the world of Yama (i.e. killed them). By this battle with the Kiṅkaras, he became stronger like fire (fed) with fuel.

56. On seeing him unaffected by fatigue and on seeing his own men exhausted and killed, the buffalo-vehicled Yama came there raising his baton.

57-60. As he approached, Grasana struck him on his chest with his mace. Antaka, the slayer of foes, did not mind at all that action of Grasana. With his baton, he killed the tigers. He (Grasana) fell down on the ground from the chariot. Thereafter the proud (Daitya) got up in a trice, thought about himself and rushed with the speed of the wind towards the chariot of Yama, on foot. He got into the chariot and fought with Yama with his hands and dragged him (with force). Yama, the most excellent one among powerful persons, threw his weapons away and engaged in a hand-to-hand fight.

61. The valiant Grasana caught hold of Yama by his loincloth and whirled him with great speed till his mind became utterly bewildered.

62. Yama freed himself with great difficulty and seized the Asura by the neck with both the hands and whirled him. He (Grasana) then released himself.

63. Then both of them ruthlessly hit each other with their fists, but due to the superior vigour and virility of the leading Daitya, Yama became more exhausted and tired.

64-65. He wished for some rest by placing his face over the shoulder of the Daitya. On seeing him tired, the Daitya shook him off with force, toppled him on the ground and thrashed him with his heals and hands. Thereat much blood flowed from the mouth of Yama.

66-68. Finding him apparently lifeless, the Dānava left him off. After gaining victory he shouted haughtily and frightened Devas. He went back to his own army and stood there immovable like a mountain.

On account of the loud shout (of victory) of Grasana in the battle, Suras became distressed. Their limbs were wounded by the great weapons and missiles. When Yama fell down on the ground lustreless, Suras became frightened and they trembled.