Chapter Seven Dig-vijaya-varṇana Description of the Conquest of All Directions

Then, accompanied by Pralamba and the other demons he had defeated before, Kaṁsa went to the city of Śambara and made his offer.

Although he was very powerful, Śambara would not fight. Instead, he made friends with Kaṁsa and all his very powerful allies.

A very strong demon named Vyoma slept on the summit of Mount Trikūṭa. When Kaṁsa awakened him with a kick, his eyes became red with rage.

He stood up and attacked Kaṁsa with hard punches. Then they fought a terrible battle with their fists.

Kaṁsa's punches weakened him and made him dizzy. Kaṁsa made Vyoma his servant. Then Kaṁsa came to me and bowed down to offer respects.

He said, "O lord, I yearn to fight. Where should I go?" I said to him, "Go to the very powerful demon Bāṇāsura."

Thus sent by me, Kaṁsa, who was filled with pride in the strength of his arms and was looking for a fight, went to the city named Śonitā.

When he heard Kaṁsa's offer, powerful Bāṇāsura became very angry. He kicked the ground and roared like thunder.

That kick pushed his leg through the ground up to his knee as his foot reached Pātālaloka. Then Bāṇāsura said, Please pull me up as I was before."

Hearing these words, with both hands proud and powerful Kaṁsa pulled him up as an elephant pulls up a lotus.

By this pulling the seven Tala planets were devastated, many great mountains fell, and the sturdy elephants holding the directions stumbled.

Seeing that Bāṇāsura was very eager to fight, Lord Śiva arrived, greeted everyone, and to Bali Mahārāja's son, Bāṇāsura, said:

Except for Lord Kṛṣṇa, no one in the world can defeat him. Lord Paraśurāma gave him that benediction and also gave him Lord Viṣṇu's own bow.

Śrī Nārada said: By speaking these words Lord Śiva, who is the Supreme Lord Himself, brought peace between Kaṁsa and Bāṇāsura and made them great friends.

Hearing of a great demon named Vatsāsura who lived in the west, the demon-king Kaṁsa fought with him, a demon who had the form of a calf.

Kaṁsa grabbed the calf Vatsāsura by the tail and threw it to the ground, in this way bringing it under his dominion. Then he quickly went to the countries of the barbarian mlecchas.

Hearing about him from my mouth, red-bearded Kālayavana picked up a club and went before the powerful demon Kaṁsa to fight with him.

Kaṁsa picked up his own club, which weighed a hundred thousand bhāras, threw it at the barbarian king, and then roared like a lion.

Then Kaṁsa and Kālayavana fought a terrible duel with clubs, a duel where, throwing many sparks, the clubs were ground to powder.

Kaṁsa grabbed Kālayavana, threw him to the gound, jumped on him, and attacked him so violently he almost died.

When Kālayavana's army showered him with arrows, the powerful demon-king Kaṁsa knocked it to the ground with his club.

When he knocked down the elephants, horses, chariots and warriors in the club battlefield, powerful Kaṁsa roared like thunder.

Then the barbarians fled the battlefield. Aware of the code of chivalry, Kaṁsa did not attack the frightened, fleeing barbarians.

padma-netro bṛhat-keśo 'ruṇa-varṇo 'sitāmbaraḥ kirīṭī kuṇḍalī hārī padma-mālī layārka-ruk khaḍgī niṣaṅgi kavacī mudgarāḍhyo dhanur-dharaḥ madotkaṭo yayau jetuṁ devān kaṁso 'marāvatīm ucca—raised; pādo—feet; dīrgha—long; jānuḥ—knees; stambha—pillar; ūrur—thighs; laghimā—slender; kaṭiḥ—waist; kapaṭa—a great door; vakṣaḥ—chest; pīna—broad; aṁsaḥ—shoulders; puṣṭaḥ—broad; prāṁśur—tall; bṛhad—broad; bhujaḥ—arms; padma—lotus; netro—eyes; bṛhat—great; keśo—hair; aruṇa—red; varṇo—color; asita—black; ambaraḥ—garments; kirīṭī—wearing a helmet; kuṇḍalī—wearing earrings; hārī—wearing a necklace; padma—of lotuses; mālī—wearing a garland; laya—at the time of cosmic devastation; arka—sun; ruk—splendor; khaḍgī—wielding a sword; niṣaṅgi—carrying a quiver of arrows; kavacī—carrying a shield; mudgarāḍhyo—carrying a club; dhanur-dharaḥ—carrying a bow; madotkaṭo—proud; yayau—went; jetum—to conquer; devān—the demigods; kaṁso—Kaṁsa; amarāvatīm—to Amarāvatī. Lifting his feet and knees, his thighs like pillars, his waist slender, His chest a great door, his shoulders broad, His arms massive, His eyes lotus flowers, his hair long, his complexion ruddy, his garments black, wearing a helmet, earrings, necklace, and lotus garland, effulgent as the sun at the time of cosmic dissolution, wielding a sword, shield, quiver of arrows, and club, proud Kaṁsa went to Amarāvatī to conquer the demigods.

padma-netro bṛhat-keśo 'ruṇa-varṇo 'sitāmbaraḥ kirīṭī kuṇḍalī hārī padma-mālī layārka-ruk khaḍgī niṣaṅgi kavacī mudgarāḍhyo dhanur-dharaḥ madotkaṭo yayau jetuṁ devān kaṁso 'marāvatīm ucca—raised; pādo—feet; dīrgha—long; jānuḥ—knees; stambha—pillar; ūrur—thighs; laghimā—slender; kaṭiḥ—waist; kapaṭa—a great door; vakṣaḥ—chest; pīna—broad; aṁsaḥ—shoulders; puṣṭaḥ—broad; prāṁśur—tall; bṛhad—broad; bhujaḥ—arms; padma—lotus; netro—eyes; bṛhat—great; keśo—hair; aruṇa—red; varṇo—color; asita—black; ambaraḥ—garments; kirīṭī—wearing a helmet; kuṇḍalī—wearing earrings; hārī—wearing a necklace; padma—of lotuses; mālī—wearing a garland; laya—at the time of cosmic devastation; arka—sun; ruk—splendor; khaḍgī—wielding a sword; niṣaṅgi—carrying a quiver of arrows; kavacī—carrying a shield; mudgarāḍhyo—carrying a club; dhanur-dharaḥ—carrying a bow; madotkaṭo—proud; yayau—went; jetum—to conquer; devān—the demigods; kaṁso—Kaṁsa; amarāvatīm—to Amarāvatī. Lifting his feet and knees, his thighs like pillars, his waist slender, His chest a great door, his shoulders broad, His arms massive, His eyes lotus flowers, his hair long, his complexion ruddy, his garments black, wearing a helmet, earrings, necklace, and lotus garland, effulgent as the sun at the time of cosmic dissolution, wielding a sword, shield, quiver of arrows, and club, proud Kaṁsa went to Amarāvatī to conquer the demigods.

padma-netro bṛhat-keśo 'ruṇa-varṇo 'sitāmbaraḥ kirīṭī kuṇḍalī hārī padma-mālī layārka-ruk khaḍgī niṣaṅgi kavacī mudgarāḍhyo dhanur-dharaḥ madotkaṭo yayau jetuṁ devān kaṁso 'marāvatīm ucca—raised; pādo—feet; dīrgha—long; jānuḥ—knees; stambha—pillar; ūrur—thighs; laghimā—slender; kaṭiḥ—waist; kapaṭa—a great door; vakṣaḥ—chest; pīna—broad; aṁsaḥ—shoulders; puṣṭaḥ—broad; prāṁśur—tall; bṛhad—broad; bhujaḥ—arms; padma—lotus; netro—eyes; bṛhat—great; keśo—hair; aruṇa—red; varṇo—color; asita—black; ambaraḥ—garments; kirīṭī—wearing a helmet; kuṇḍalī—wearing earrings; hārī—wearing a necklace; padma—of lotuses; mālī—wearing a garland; laya—at the time of cosmic devastation; arka—sun; ruk—splendor; khaḍgī—wielding a sword; niṣaṅgi—carrying a quiver of arrows; kavacī—carrying a shield; mudgarāḍhyo—carrying a club; dhanur-dharaḥ—carrying a bow; madotkaṭo—proud; yayau—went; jetum—to conquer; devān—the demigods; kaṁso—Kaṁsa; amarāvatīm—to Amarāvatī. Lifting his feet and knees, his thighs like pillars, his waist slender, His chest a great door, his shoulders broad, His arms massive, His eyes lotus flowers, his hair long, his complexion ruddy, his garments black, wearing a helmet, earrings, necklace, and lotus garland, effulgent as the sun at the time of cosmic dissolution, wielding a sword, shield, quiver of arrows, and club, proud Kaṁsa went to Amarāvatī to conquer the demigods.

tṛṇāvartāgha-kūṭaiś ca bhauma-bāṇākhya-śambaraiḥ vyoma-dhenuka-vatsaiś ca rurudhe so 'marāvatīm cāṇūra-muṣṭikāriṣṭa—with Cāṇūra, Muṣṭik, and Ariṣṭa; śala-tośala-keśibhiḥ—with Śala, Tośala, and Keśī; pralambena—with Pralamba; bakena—with Baka; api—also; dvividena—with Dvivida; samāvṛtaḥ—accompanied; tṛṇāvartāgha—with Tṛṇāvarta and Agha; kūṭais—with Kūṭa; ca—also; bhauma-bāṇākhya-śambaraiḥ—with Narakāsura; Bāṇa, and Śambara; vyoma-dhenuka-vatsaiś—with Vyoma, Dhenuka, and Vatsa; ca—also; rurudhe—besieged; so—he; amarāvatīm—Amarāvatī. Aided by Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika, Ariṣṭa, Śala, Tośala, Keśī, Pralamba, Baka, Dvivida, Tṛṇāvarta, Agha, Kūṭa, Narakāsura, Bāṇa, Śambara, Vyoma, Dhenuka, and Vatsa, he besieged the city of Aamarāvatī.

Seeing the demons headed by Kaṁsa had come, Indra, the sovereign king of the demigods became angry and, accompanied by a great host of demigods, went to fight with them.

śastrāndhakāre saṣjāte rathārūḍho maheśvaraḥ cīkṣepa vajraṁ kaṁsāya śata-dhāraṁ taḍid-dyuti tayor—of them; yuddham—battle; abhūd—was; ghoraṁ—terrible; tumulam—tumult; roma-harṣaṇam—masking the hairs stand erect; divyaiswith divine; ca—also; śastra-sampātair—weapons; bāṇais—with arrows; tīkṣnaiḥ—sharp; sphurat-prabhaiḥ—effulgent; śastra—of weapons; andhakāre—blinding darkness; sa 24jāte—manifested; ratha—on a chariot; ārūḍho—riding; maheśvaraḥ—king Indra; cīkṣepa—threw; vajraṁ—thunderbolt; kaṁsāya—at Kaṁsa; śata—a hundred; dhāraṁ—streams; taḍid—lightning; dyuti—splendor. Then they fought a terrible, tumultuous battle that made hairs stand up. When hosts of sharp and glistening arrows and divine weapons created a blinding darkness, King Indra, riding on a chariot, threw his thunderbolt, flowing with a hundred streams and glittering with lightning, at Kaṁsa.

śastrāndhakāre saṣjāte rathārūḍho maheśvaraḥ cīkṣepa vajraṁ kaṁsāya śata-dhāraṁ taḍid-dyuti tayor—of them; yuddham—battle; abhūd—was; ghoraṁ—terrible; tumulam—tumult; roma-harṣaṇam—masking the hairs stand erect; divyaiswith divine; ca—also; śastra-sampātair—weapons; bāṇais—with arrows; tīkṣnaiḥ—sharp; sphurat-prabhaiḥ—effulgent; śastra—of weapons; andhakāre—blinding darkness; sa 24jāte—manifested; ratha—on a chariot; ārūḍho—riding; maheśvaraḥ—king Indra; cīkṣepa—threw; vajraṁ—thunderbolt; kaṁsāya—at Kaṁsa; śata—a hundred; dhāraṁ—streams; taḍid—lightning; dyuti—splendor. Then they fought a terrible, tumultuous battle that made hairs stand up. When hosts of sharp and glistening arrows and divine weapons created a blinding darkness, King Indra, riding on a chariot, threw his thunderbolt, flowing with a hundred streams and glittering with lightning, at Kaṁsa.

With his club the great demon Kaṁsa struck the thunderbolt. Its streams of lightning broken, it fell in the battle.

Abandoning the thunderbolt, Indra took up a sword and angrily struck Kaṁsa on the head, making a terrible sound.

Kaṁsa remained unhurt, like an elephant struck by a flower garland. Then he took a great and heavy club made of eight metals.

Then the demon-king Kaṁsa threw that club weighing a hundred thousand bhāras at Indra. Seeing it coming, Indra caught it.

Indra, the killer of Namuci, threw the club back at the demon. Then Indra, cutting his enemies to pieces, and his chariot driven by Mātali, went into the battle.

Taking an iron club, Kaṁsa struck Indra on the shoulder. Because of that blow, Indra, the king of the demigods and enemy of the demons, became momentarily unconscious.

Then all the Maruts coverd Kaṁsa with a great and splendid flood of gṛdhra-feathered arrows like a monsoon cloud covering the sun.

Making a great sound as he worked many bows with his thousand arms, the powerful warrior Bānaāsura drove them back with a host of arrows.

Surrounding him as a host of elephants might surround a mountain, the Vasus, Rudras, Adityas, Ṛbhus, and Suras attacked Bāṇāsura with a great variety of weapons.

Then, assisted by Pralamba and the other demons, Narakāsura came and made a great sound. That sound made the demigods fall unconscious on the battleground.

aṅkuśāsphalanāt kruddhaṁ pātayantaṁ padair dviṣaḥ śuṇḍā-daṇḍasya phūtkarair mārdayantam itas tataḥ sravan-madaṁ catur-dantaṁ himādrim iva durgamam nadantaṁ srṅkhalaṁ śuṇḍāṁ cālayantaṁ muhur muhuḥ ghaṇṭāḍhyaṁ kiṅkinī-jāla- ratna-kambala-maṇḍitam go-sūtra-caya-sindūra- kastūrī-pātra-bhṛn-mukham utthāya—rising; āśu—quickly; tadā—then; sākro—Indra; gajam—an elephant; āruhya—mounting; rakta—red; dṛk—eyes; nodayām āsa—charged; kaṁsāya—at Kaṁsa; mattam—furious; airāvataṁ—Airāvata; gajam—elephant; aṅkuśa—of the goad; āsphalanāt—by the blows; kruddhaṁ—angered; pātayantaṁ—falling; padair—with feet; dviṣaḥ—of the enemy; śuṇḍā-daṇḍasya—of the tusk; phūtkarair—with loud sounds; mārdayantam—attacking; itas tataḥ—here and there; sravat—flowing; madam—ichor; catur—four; dantaṁ—tusks; hima—of snow; ādrim—mountain; iva—like; durgamam—unassailable; nadantaṁ—making a sound; srṅkhalaṁ—chains; śuṇḍaṁ—trunk; cālayantaṁ—moving; muhur—again; muhuḥ—and again; ghantā—with bells; aḍhyaṁ—opulent; kiṅkinī—of tinkling ornaments; jāla—net; ratna—jewel; kambala—saddle; maṇḍitam—decorated; go-mūtra-caya—cow's urine; sindūra—red sindūra; kastūrī—musk; pātra—designs; bhṛt—holding; mukham—face. Quickly rising, and his eyes now red, Indra mounted his furious four-tusked elephant Airāvata, now provoked by the striking of the goad, trumpeting with its trunk, crushing its enemies under its moving feet, its rut flowing, unapproachable as a mountain of snow, jingling its chains, moving its trunk again and again, opulent with bells, decorated with a jewel saddle and a network of tinkling ornaments, and its face decorated with pictures and designs drawn in musk, sindūra and gomūtra, and made it charge Kaṁsa.

aṅkuśāsphalanāt kruddhaṁ pātayantaṁ padair dviṣaḥ śuṇḍā-daṇḍasya phūtkarair mārdayantam itas tataḥ sravan-madaṁ catur-dantaṁ himādrim iva durgamam nadantaṁ srṅkhalaṁ śuṇḍāṁ cālayantaṁ muhur muhuḥ ghaṇṭāḍhyaṁ kiṅkinī-jāla- ratna-kambala-maṇḍitam go-sūtra-caya-sindūra- kastūrī-pātra-bhṛn-mukham utthāya—rising; āśu—quickly; tadā—then; sākro—Indra; gajam—an elephant; āruhya—mounting; rakta—red; dṛk—eyes; nodayām āsa—charged; kaṁsāya—at Kaṁsa; mattam—furious; airāvataṁ—Airāvata; gajam—elephant; aṅkuśa—of the goad; āsphalanāt—by the blows; kruddhaṁ—angered; pātayantaṁ—falling; padair—with feet; dviṣaḥ—of the enemy; śuṇḍā-daṇḍasya—of the tusk; phūtkarair—with loud sounds; mārdayantam—attacking; itas tataḥ—here and there; sravat—flowing; madam—ichor; catur—four; dantaṁ—tusks; hima—of snow; ādrim—mountain; iva—like; durgamam—unassailable; nadantaṁ—making a sound; srṅkhalaṁ—chains; śuṇḍaṁ—trunk; cālayantaṁ—moving; muhur—again; muhuḥ—and again; ghantā—with bells; aḍhyaṁ—opulent; kiṅkinī—of tinkling ornaments; jāla—net; ratna—jewel; kambala—saddle; maṇḍitam—decorated; go-mūtra-caya—cow's urine; sindūra—red sindūra; kastūrī—musk; pātra—designs; bhṛt—holding; mukham—face. Quickly rising, and his eyes now red, Indra mounted his furious four-tusked elephant Airāvata, now provoked by the striking of the goad, trumpeting with its trunk, crushing its enemies under its moving feet, its rut flowing, unapproachable as a mountain of snow, jingling its chains, moving its trunk again and again, opulent with bells, decorated with a jewel saddle and a network of tinkling ornaments, and its face decorated with pictures and designs drawn in musk, sindūra and gomūtra, and made it charge Kaṁsa.

aṅkuśāsphalanāt kruddhaṁ pātayantaṁ padair dviṣaḥ śuṇḍā-daṇḍasya phūtkarair mārdayantam itas tataḥ sravan-madaṁ catur-dantaṁ himādrim iva durgamam nadantaṁ srṅkhalaṁ śuṇḍāṁ cālayantaṁ muhur muhuḥ ghaṇṭāḍhyaṁ kiṅkinī-jāla- ratna-kambala-maṇḍitam go-sūtra-caya-sindūra- kastūrī-pātra-bhṛn-mukham utthāya—rising; āśu—quickly; tadā—then; sākro—Indra; gajam—an elephant; āruhya—mounting; rakta—red; dṛk—eyes; nodayām āsa—charged; kaṁsāya—at Kaṁsa; mattam—furious; airāvataṁ—Airāvata; gajam—elephant; aṅkuśa—of the goad; āsphalanāt—by the blows; kruddhaṁ—angered; pātayantaṁ—falling; padair—with feet; dviṣaḥ—of the enemy; śuṇḍā-daṇḍasya—of the tusk; phūtkarair—with loud sounds; mārdayantam—attacking; itas tataḥ—here and there; sravat—flowing; madam—ichor; catur—four; dantaṁ—tusks; hima—of snow; ādrim—mountain; iva—like; durgamam—unassailable; nadantaṁ—making a sound; srṅkhalaṁ—chains; śuṇḍaṁ—trunk; cālayantaṁ—moving; muhur—again; muhuḥ—and again; ghantā—with bells; aḍhyaṁ—opulent; kiṅkinī—of tinkling ornaments; jāla—net; ratna—jewel; kambala—saddle; maṇḍitam—decorated; go-mūtra-caya—cow's urine; sindūra—red sindūra; kastūrī—musk; pātra—designs; bhṛt—holding; mukham—face. Quickly rising, and his eyes now red, Indra mounted his furious four-tusked elephant Airāvata, now provoked by the striking of the goad, trumpeting with its trunk, crushing its enemies under its moving feet, its rut flowing, unapproachable as a mountain of snow, jingling its chains, moving its trunk again and again, opulent with bells, decorated with a jewel saddle and a network of tinkling ornaments, and its face decorated with pictures and designs drawn in musk, sindūra and gomūtra, and made it charge Kaṁsa.

aṅkuśāsphalanāt kruddhaṁ pātayantaṁ padair dviṣaḥ śuṇḍā-daṇḍasya phūtkarair mārdayantam itas tataḥ sravan-madaṁ catur-dantaṁ himādrim iva durgamam nadantaṁ srṅkhalaṁ śuṇḍāṁ cālayantaṁ muhur muhuḥ ghaṇṭāḍhyaṁ kiṅkinī-jāla- ratna-kambala-maṇḍitam go-sūtra-caya-sindūra- kastūrī-pātra-bhṛn-mukham utthāya—rising; āśu—quickly; tadā—then; sākro—Indra; gajam—an elephant; āruhya—mounting; rakta—red; dṛk—eyes; nodayām āsa—charged; kaṁsāya—at Kaṁsa; mattam—furious; airāvataṁ—Airāvata; gajam—elephant; aṅkuśa—of the goad; āsphalanāt—by the blows; kruddhaṁ—angered; pātayantaṁ—falling; padair—with feet; dviṣaḥ—of the enemy; śuṇḍā-daṇḍasya—of the tusk; phūtkarair—with loud sounds; mārdayantam—attacking; itas tataḥ—here and there; sravat—flowing; madam—ichor; catur—four; dantaṁ—tusks; hima—of snow; ādrim—mountain; iva—like; durgamam—unassailable; nadantaṁ—making a sound; srṅkhalaṁ—chains; śuṇḍaṁ—trunk; cālayantaṁ—moving; muhur—again; muhuḥ—and again; ghantā—with bells; aḍhyaṁ—opulent; kiṅkinī—of tinkling ornaments; jāla—net; ratna—jewel; kambala—saddle; maṇḍitam—decorated; go-mūtra-caya—cow's urine; sindūra—red sindūra; kastūrī—musk; pātra—designs; bhṛt—holding; mukham—face. Quickly rising, and his eyes now red, Indra mounted his furious four-tusked elephant Airāvata, now provoked by the striking of the goad, trumpeting with its trunk, crushing its enemies under its moving feet, its rut flowing, unapproachable as a mountain of snow, jingling its chains, moving its trunk again and again, opulent with bells, decorated with a jewel saddle and a network of tinkling ornaments, and its face decorated with pictures and designs drawn in musk, sindūra and gomūtra, and made it charge Kaṁsa.

With a hard punch Kaṁsa struck the great elephant and with a second punch he struck Indra in that battleground.

With that punch Indra fell far away and the elephant was wounded and fell, its knees touching the ground.

Again standing, the king of elephants attacked the demon-king Kaṁsa with its tusks, picked him up with its trunk, and threw him eight-hundred thousand miles.

His body hard as a thunderbolt, when he fell he was only a little upset in his heart. Angry, and his lips trembling, he returned to the battleground.

Kaṁsa grabbed the elephant-king Airāvata, threw him onto the battleground, strangled its trunk, and broke its tusks into pieces.

Knocking over many great heroes, the elephant Airāvata fled the battleground and went to the capitol of the demigods.

Taking the bow of Lord Viṣṇu and stringing it, with a flood of arrows accompanied by the twanging sound of the bow, the demon-king Kaṁsa made the demigods flee.

As Kaṁsa was attacking and killing them, the dispirited demigods fled in all directions. Some, their helmets lost, screamed in terror.

Some, dropping their weapons and armor, humbly surrendered with folded hands. Others, very troubled, had lost all desire to stand before King Kaṁsa.

Seeing that the demigods had fled, Kaṁsa took (Indra's) throne and parasol and returned with all the demons to his own capitol Mathurā.