Chapter 46 - Abduction of Śacī

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya said:

1-4. After getting the boon, the Dānava went to his city. It had quadrangles of diverse types. There were many gardens full of plantain groves, jackfruit trees, Bakulas, mangoes, Āmrātakas, Caṃpakas, Aśokas, coconut trees, pomegranates, citrons and various other kinds of fine trees. There were many lakes beautifying the gardens. The temples of divine features were decorated with a series of banners and festoons. The whole place reverberated with the sounds of the chanting of the Vedas and other auspicious passages and musical notes.

5-13. He entered his divine abode made of gold and golden strings and saw his sons, wife, ministers, servants and slaves. Then he saw many persons shouting cries of victory and running about here and there. With ensigns and banners raised up, they revealed the radiance of their hearts. Some of them tied festoons and raised arched doorways. Some of them scattered flowers. Others rushed towards Andhaka to greet him with citrons in their hands. Some people in the city were seen holding vessels filled with cooked food. There itself many people were seen with hands full. There hundreds and thousands of women held pots filled with raw rice-grains. The Brāhmaṇas recited Mantras and the women (sang) auspicious songs. The Ministers and the servants brought elephants as presents. Everyone of the citizens felicitated him. He saw all including the cavalry and infantry in motion. He saw the treasuries filled with gold. He saw she-buffaloes, cows, bulls and umbrellas.

In this way Andhaka lived in the mortal world for some time with feelings of elation and satisfaction. He was never attacked by Suras.

14. After coming to know that he had secured great boons the heaven-dwellers began to feel apprehensive. They collected together and sought refuge in Indra.

Śakra said:

15-23. How is it that all the heaven-dwellers have come here? Wherefrom has fear arisen in your case? Why have you come seeking refuge?

Thereupon all the Devas spoke these words to Śakra:

The Devas said:

O Lord of Suras, there is a Daitya named Andhaka. He has become all the more powerful on account of the boons granted by Śaṃbhu. He is invincible unto all the Devas. What should be done now? O Lord of Devas, consider this yourself. What means should be employed?

Thus the Devas spoke to Śakra. Then they had mutual consultation. While they were doing so, the Dānava came to know of it through the reports made by the spies. On coming to know about the congregation of the Devas, the Dānava came out of his abode alone, seated in his chariot and equipped with many weapons. O king, he passed over the impassable upper ridge of Meru sportingly. It had been strengthened with golden ramparts. The upper surface of Meru was rendered splendid through different kinds of hermitages. It was very difficult for the hordes of enemies to gain access to that place, O excellent king. The Asura however entered that place sportingly (and without effort) as though it was his own abode. The Slayer of Vṛtra (i.e. Indra) became afraid and he offered his own seat. Andhaka sat there on the splendid seat of Śakra himself. He surveyed the entire place full of the Devas all round.

Śakra said:

24-33. What is the purpose of your visit to this place? Do tell me. O Dānava, whatever wealth we possess, I shall hand over to you.

Andhaka said:

I do not desire the wealth, nor elephants, O Lord of Suras; show me your great elephant Airāvata embellished with all heavenly ornaments. Show me the horse Uccaiḥśravas, the jewels (beauties) beginning with Urvaśī. O Lord of heaven, show me the flowers of Pārijātaka and the many varieties of trees. O Consort of Śacī, show me all the kinds of musical instruments.

On hearing these words of his, Śakra thought thus (in his mind): ‘I don’t see at all anyone who can kill this sinner. (If) the heavenly world is miserable, there is no one to accord it protection.’ Frightened thus, he gave the musical instruments and other things. After making the Asura seated on the stage, he made the groups of Apsarās perform the Tāṇḍava dance. All the Suras including Yama, Māruta and Kinnaras also sat there. O king, one by one all the Apsarās beginning with Urvaśī danced before him to the accompaniment of songs and musical notes of the instruments. His mind was never at rest. (His mind was not satisfied) after witnessing the Apsarās, O king; his mind became enamoured of Śacī. He seized Śakra’s wife and proceeded towards his city. Thereupon the war between Andhaka and the Suras ensued.

34-38. With different kinds of weapons such as discus, thunderbolt and other heavy means of fighting all the groups of the Devas were smashed, O excellent king, in the war. All the Suras became distressed. They were destroyed in many ways. All the Māruts were broken down at the war front. Just as a single lion walks (triumphantly) through the forest after killing all the elephants, so also he, single-handedly defeated all of them and routed them. Just as the immature lord of a village may harass all the people and seize wealth and garments and never feels the harassment of subjects for himself, so also that great Dānava seized Śakra’s wife and went away.