Parva 2 Chapter 63: narakavadhaḥ - slaying of narakāsura

janamejaya said: On his return to dvārakā, after the killing of rukmī, what did the valiant viṣṇu with great arms do? O great sage! Please tell me. vaiśampāyana uvāca sa taiḥ parivṛtaḥ śrīmānpurīṁ yādavanandanaḥ | dvārakāṁ bhagavānviṣṇuḥ pratyavaikṣata vīryavān ||2-63-2 vaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya !) Surrounded by the yādava-s, auspicious, valiant lord viṣṇu, the son of yādava, returned to the city of dvārakā. pratyapadyata ratnāni vividhāni vasūni ca | yathārhaṁ puṇdarīkākṣo nairṛtānpratyavārayat ||2-63-3 The one with eyes as beautiful as lotus flower (kṛṣṇa) acquired many types of jewels and wealth in the proper way and engaged demons for guarding them. tatra vighnaṁ caranti sma daiteyāḥ saha dānavaiḥ | tāṣjaghāna mahābāhurvaradṛptānmahāsurān ||2-63-4 The daitya-s along with asura-s created obstacles in this. The one with great arms (kṛṣṇa) killed the great asura-s who were proud (of the boons they had.) vighnaṁ cāsyākarottatra narako nāma dānavaḥ | trāsanaḥ sarvadevānāṁ devarājaripurmahān ||2-63-5 Then the asura named naraka created obstacles in this. The great one (naraka), the enemy of the king of deva-s (indra), terrified all the devas. sa babhau mūrtiliṅgasthaḥ sarvadevādhibādhitā | devatānāmṛṣīṇāṁ ca pratīpamakarottadā ||2-63-6 The one who affected all the deva-s lived in mūrtiliṅga (prāgjyotiṣa - see nīlakaṇṭha commentary). He worked against the gods as well as the sages. tvaṣṭurduhitaraṁ bhaumaḥ kaśerumagamattadā | gajarūpeṇa jagrāha rucirāṅgīṁ caturdaśīm ||2-63-7 bhauma (the son of (goddess) earth, naraka), in the form of an elephant, took kasheru, the daughter of tvaṣṭa, having beautiful limbs, when she was fourteen years old. pramathya tāṁ varārohāṁ narako vākyamabravīt | naṣṭaśokabhayo mohātprāgjyotiṣapatistadā ||2-63-8 Taking that best, beautiful maiden, the lord of (prāg)jyotiṣa (naraka), without sorrow and fear, out of vanity, said the following words: yāni devamanuṣyeṣu ratnāni vividhāni ca | bibharti ca mahī kṛtsnā sāgareṣu ca yadvasu ||2-63-9 All varieties of jewels available with gods and men, all the wealth shining on earth and available in the entire ocean, adyaprabhṛti tānīha sahitāḥ sarvanairṛtāḥ | mamaivopāhariṣyanti daityāścha saha dānavaiḥ ||2-63-10 from today onwards, all the demons, along with daitya-s and dānava-s, shall offer them to me (as tribute). evamuttamaratnāni vastrāṇi vividhāni ca | sa jahāra tadā bhaumastaccha nādhicakāra saḥ ||2-63-11 In this way, then, bhauma (naraka) acquired best jewels and many varieties of cloths. But he did not use them. gandharvāṇāṁ ca yāḥ kanyā jahāra narako balī | yāścha devamanuṣyāṇaṁ sapta cāpsarasāṁ gaṇāḥ ||2-63-12 The powerful narakā took away many gandharva maiden. He also took away deva maidens, women and seven groups of divine women (apsarā). caturdaśa sahasrāṇi ekaviṁśacchatāni ca | ekaveṇīdharāḥ sarvāḥ satīmārgamanuvratāḥ ||2-63-13 They were fourteen thousand and twentyone hundred women in all. All were with single plait of hair and observing the vow of faithful wife (sati). vaiśampāyana uvāca tāsāṁ puravaraṁ bhaumo'kārayanmaṇiparvatam | alakāyāmadīnātmā muroḥ svaviṣayaṁ prati ||2-63-14 vaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya!) bhauma (naraka \) made a best city for them, named mountain of jewels, in the land of alaka, belonging to the asura, mura, having a soul devoid of any sorrow. tāścha prāgjyotiṣapatiṁ muroshcaiva daśātmajāḥ | nairṛtāścha yathā mukhyāḥ pālayanta upāsate | The chief of demons, mura, along with his ten sons guarded and served, the lord of the city of prāgjyotiṣa (bhauma). sa eṣa tamasaḥ pāre varadṛpto mahāsuraḥ |2-63-15 na cāsuragaṇaiḥ sarvaiḥ sahitaiḥ karma tatpurā | kṛtapūrvaṁ tadā ghoraṁ yadakārṣīnmahāsuraḥ ||2-63-16 The great asura (naraka) living on the shore of the blue ocean ( see nīlakaṇṭha commentary), proud of the boons, did terrible deeds in that city, which were not done before, along with all the groups of asuras. aditiṁ dharṣayāmāsa kuṇḍalārthe mahāsuraḥ | yaṁ mahī suṣuve devī yasya prāgjyotiṣaṁ puram ||2-63-17 The great asura of the city of prāgjyotiṣa, born to the goddess earth, coerced aditi (mother of deva-s) to give her ear rings to him. dvārapālāścha catvārastasyāsanyuddhadurmadāḥ | hayagrīvo nisundashcha vīraḥ paṣchanadastathā ||2-63-18 He has four door keepers, hayagrīva, nisunda, vīra and paṣchanada, with false pride (of skill) in battle. muruḥ putrasahasaraishcha varadatto'suro mahān | ādevayānamāvṛtya panthānaṁ samupasthitaḥ | vitrāsanaḥ sukṛtināṁ virūpai rākṣasaiḥ saha ||2-63-19 The great asura, mura, who has received boons, along with his thousand sons, stand blocking the path of deva-s, terrifying good people, along with deformed demons. tadvadhārthaṁ mahābāhuḥ śaṅkhacakragadāsibhṛt | jāto vṛṣṇiṣu devakyāṁ vasudevājjanārdanaḥ ||2-63-20 janārdhana (kṛṣṇa), having great arms, with conch (śaṅkha), discus (cakra) and mace (gada), was born, among the vṛṣṇi-s, to devakī and vasudeva to kill him (naraka). tasyātha puruṣendrasya lokaprathitatejasaḥ | nivāso dvārakā devairupāyādupapāditā ||2-63-21 For the indra (king) of men, with splendour spread in the world, the deva-s made a residence by strategy, at (the city of) dvārakā (having doors). atīva hi purī ramyā dvārakā vāsavakṣayāt | mahārṇavaparikśiptā paṣchaparvataśobhitā ||2-63-22 The city of dvārakā is more beautiful, than the residence of vāsava (indra), surrounded by the great ocean, shining with five mountains. tasyāṁ devapurābhāyāṁ sabhā kāṣchanatoraṇā | sā dāśārhīti vikhyātā yojanāyāmavistṛtā ||2-63-23 In that city, shining like a divine city, there is an assembly, named dāśārhī made of gold, decorated with arches, with an area, extending over a yojana (= 9 miles). tatra vṛṣṇyandhakāḥ sarve rāmakṛṣṇapurogamāḥ | lokayātrāmimāṁ kṛtsnāṁ parirakṣanta Asate ||2-63-24 There all vṛṣṇi-s and andhaka-s, lead by (bala)rāma and kṛṣṇa reside, protecting and maintaining the world. tatrāsīneṣu savreṣu kadācidbharatarṣabha | divyagandho vavau vāyuḥ puṣpavarṣaṁ papāta ha ||2-63-25 O the best of bharata race (janamejaya)! (vaiśampāyana said) Once, when all of them were seated (in the assembly), a breeze with divine fragrance blew and a shower of flowers fell from the sky. tataḥ kilakilāśabdaḥ prabhājālābhisaṁvṛtaḥ | muhūrtamantarikṣe'bhūttato bhūmau pratiṣṭhitaḥ ||2-63-26 Then a "kilakila" sound, along with a band of brightness, occurred for a moment in the sky and then descended on to the earth. madhye tu tejasastasya pāṇḍuraṁ gajamāsthitaḥ | vṛto devagaṇaiḥ sarvairvāsavaḥ samadṛśayta ||2-63-27 In the middle of that brightness, vāsava (indra), mounted on the white elephant, surrounded by all the groups of deva-s, was seen. rāmakṛṣṇau ca rājā sa vṛṣṇyandhakagaṇaiḥ saha | pratyudyayurmahātmanaṁ pūjayantaḥ sureshvaram ||2-63-28 (bala)rāma, kṛṣṇa, the king (ugrasena) along with all groups of vṛṣṇi-s and andhaka-s, received the great soul, the lord of deva-s (indra) and worshipped him. so'vatīrya gajāttūrṇaṁ pariṣvajya janārdanam | sasvaje baladevaṁ ca tam ca rājānamāhukam ||2-63-29 He (indra) descended from the elephant and embraced janārdana (kṛṣṇa), pressed baladeva(rāma) softly and the king Ahuka (ugrasena). vṛṣnīnanyānsasvaje ca yathākālaṁ yathāvayaḥ | pūjito rāmakṛṣṇābhyāmāviveśa sa tāṁ sabhām ||2-63-30 He embraced the vṛṣṇi-s in sequence according to the age. Worshipped by (bala)rāma and kṛṣṇa, he (indra) entered the assembly. tatrāsīno'bhyalaṅkṛtvā sabhāṁ tāmamareśvaraḥ | arghādisamudācāraṁ pratyagṛhṇādyathāvidhi ||2-63-31 The lord of deva-s (indra) sat there, becoming a decoration of the assembly, and accepted the ritual offerings as prescribed. vaiśampāyana uvāca athovāca mahātejā vāsavo vāsavānujam | sāntvapūrvaṁ kareṇāsya saṁspṛśya vadanaṁ śubham ||2-63-32 vaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya !) Then, vāsava (indra) having great splendour spoke to the younger brother of vāsava (kṛṣṇa), touching his auspicious face with his hand in a gentle way: devakīnandana vacaḥ śṛṇu me madhusūdana | yena tvābhigato'smyadya kāryeṇāmitrakarśana ||2-63-33 (indra said) O son of devakī (kṛṣṇa), hear my reason , O slayer of madhu (kṛṣṇa) why I have come here, O oppressor of enemies. nairṛto narako nāma brahmaṇo varadarpitaḥ | adityāḥ kuṇḍale mohājjahāra ditinandanaḥ ||2-63-34 The demon named naraka, the son of diti, proud of the boon received from brahma, took away the ear rings of aditi, out of vanity. devānāṁ vipriye nityamṛṣīṇāṁ ca sa vartate | taṁ ca devāntaraṁ prekṣya jahi tvaṁ pāpapūruṣam ||2-63-35 He lives always by doing what is disliked by deva-s and sages. Considering the interest of deva-s, kill that sinful one. ayaṁ tvāṁ garuḍastatra prāpayiṣyati kāmagaḥ | kāmavīryo'titejasvī vainateyo'ntarikṣagaḥ ||2-63-36 The valiant garuḍa, splendorous son of vinatā, who can go where he desires, traveling in the sky, will take you there quickly. avadhyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ bhaumaḥ sa narako'suraḥ | niṣūdayitvā taṁ pāpaṁ kṣipramāgantumarhasi ||2-63-37 The asura, naraka, bhauma, cannot be killed by any physical beings. Killing that sinner, you should return quickly. ityuktaḥ puṇḍarīkākṣo devarājena keśavaḥ | pratijajṣe mahābāhurnarakasya nibarhaṇe ||2-63-38 (vaiśampāyana said:) keshava (kṛṣṇa ), the one with lotus eyes, the one with great arms, who was told this by the king of deva-s (indra) replied agreeing to kill naraka. tataḥ sahaiva śakreṇa śaṅkhacakragadāsibhṛt | pratasthe garuḍenātha satyabhāmāsahāyavān ||2-63-39 Then along with śakra, with conch (śaṅkha), discus (cakra) mace (gada) and the sword, (kṛṣṇa) started mounting on garuḍa, assisted by satyabhāmā. (Note 1, Note 2) krameṇa saptaskandhānsa marutāṁ sahavāsavaḥ | paśyatāṁ yadusimhānāmūrdhvamācakrame balī ||2-63-40 Powerful kṛṣṇa, along with vāsava (indra), as watched by the lions of yādava race, climbed up, gradually, in the seven regions of wind. vāraṇendragataḥ shakro garuḍastho janārdanaḥ | vidūratvātprakāśete sūryācandramasāviva ||2-63-41 śakra (indra) mounted on the king (indra) of elephants and janārdana (kṛṣṇa) on garuḍa, sparkled at the distance like the sun and the moon. antarikṣe ca gandharvairapsarobhishcha keśavaḥ | stūyamāno'tha śakrashcha krameṇāntaradhīyata ||2-63-42 In the sky, keshava (kṛṣṇa) and śakra (indra), praised by the groups of gandharva-s and apsara-s, gradually disappeared. samādhāyetikartavyaṁ vāsavo vibudhādhipaḥ | svameva bhavanaṁ prāyātkṛṣṇaḥ prāgjyotiṣaṁ prati ||2-63-43 Confirming what is to be done, vāsava (indra), the king of deva-s, returned to his residence. kṛṣṇa proceeded towards prāgjyotiṣa. pakṣānilahato vāyuḥ pratilomaṁ vavau tadā | tato bhīmaravā meghā babhramurgaganecarāḥ ||2-63-44 By the wind of the wings (of garuḍa), the wind blew in the opposite direction. Then a row of clouds with loud sound covered the sky. kṣanena samanuprāptau dvijenākāśagena vai | dūrādeva ca tāndṛṣṭvā prayayau yatra te sthitāḥ ||2-63-45 They arrived quickly, the bird (garuḍa) traveling through the sky. Seeing them from a distance, they (the travellers soon) reached where they were standing. apaśyaddvāri tatrasthāṁ hastyaśvarathavāhinīm | kṣurāntānmauravānpāśānṣaṭsahasrāndadarśa ha ||2-63-46 There they saw at the door (entrance), an army with elephants, horses and chariots and six thousand razors, iron (rods) and ropes (nooses). vaiśampāyana uvāca garuḍasyopari śrīmāṣchaṅkhacakragadādharaḥ | bibhrannīlāmbudākāraṁ pītavāsāścaturbhujaḥ ||2-63-47 vaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya !) Mounted on garuḍa, auspicious (viṣṇu - kṛṣṇa) holding conch (śaṅkha), discus (cakra) and mace (gada), his form similar to a (dark) blue rain cloud, wearing yellow clothes, having four hands, vanamālākuloraskaḥ śrīvatsāṅkitabhūṣaṇaḥ | kirīṭamūrddhā sūryābhaḥ savidyudiva candramāḥ ||2-63-48 his chest adorned by a garland of wild flowers and decorated by the auspicious mark of śrīvatsa, crown on his head, with the splendour of the sun, sparkling like lightning, shining like moon, jyāṁ vikūjanmahāśabdaḥ śrūyate'śaniniḥsvanaḥ | jṣātvā ca dānavaḥ sarvaṁ svayaṁ viṣṇurihāgataḥ ||2-63-49 One who draws the string of the bow producing a great sound which is heard as the sound of thunder, arrived (at the city of prāgjyotiṣa). The asura (naraka) knew all about the arrival of viṣṇu himself. krodhāddviguṇaraktākṣo muruḥ kālāntakopamaḥ | abhyadhāvata vegena śaktiṁ gṛhya mahāsuraḥ ||2-63-50 With eyes doubly reddened due to anger, the great asura mura, appearing like the death of the god of death, ran quickly (towards viṣṇu - kṛṣṇa) taking the spear shakti. cikṣepa sumahāśaktiṁ vajrakāṣchanabhūṣitām | He (mura) threw the giant spear shakti, decorated with diamonds and gold. tāmāpatantīṁ śaktīṁ tu maholkāṁ jvalitāmiva ||2-63-51 samādhatta śaraṁ chaikaṁ rukmapuṅkhaṁ janārdanaḥ | Seeing that the spear shakti is approaching fast, as though burning the great world, janārdana (kṛṣṇa) shot a single arrow, having a knot of gold at its base. dvidhācchinatkṣurapreṇa vāsudevaḥ sa vīryavān ||2-63-52 śaktiṁ ciccheda tatrāsau vidyutpuṣja iva jvalan | The valiant vāsudeva (viṣṇu - kṛṣṇa) broke the spear into two with his arrow. vāsudeva broke the spear shakti, blazing like lightning. punashcha krodharaktākṣo mururgṛhya mahāgadām ||2-63-53 indrāśanirivendreṇa vikṛṣṭa iva niḥsvanaḥ | Again, with his eyes reddened with anger, mura took a great mace. There was a great sound similar to the sound produced when indra sends the lightning. ākarṇamuktaṁ cikṣepa ardhacandraṁ surottamaḥ ||2-63-54 madhyadeshe tu ciccheda gadāṁ tāṁ rukmabhūṣitām | The best of deva-s (viṣṇu - kṛṣṇa) drew a half moon shaped (ardhacandra) arrow upto his ear and shot it, breaking the mace, decorated with gold, in the middle. punaściccheda bhallena dānavasya śiro raṇe ||2-63-55 And then he (viṣṇu - kṛṣṇa) cut off the head of the asura (mura) with an arrow named bhalla in the battle. saṣchidya pāśāṇsarvāṁstanmuruṁ hatvā sabāndhavam | so'gryānrakṣogaṇānhatvā narakasya mahābalān ||2-63-56 Cutting all the nooses of mura, he (viṣṇu - kṛṣṇa) killed mura along with his relatives. He (viṣṇu - kṛṣṇa) killed the powerful leaders of the asura-s of naraka in the battle. śilāsaṅghānatikramya bhagavāndevakīsutaḥ | apaśyaddānavaṁ sainyaṁ nisundaṁ ca mahābalam ||2-63-57 The lord (viṣṇu - kṛṣṇa), son of devakī, crossed the barrier of rocks. Then he saw the army of asura-s and the powerful nisunda. hayagrīvaṁ ca ditijaṁ tathānyāṁścitrayodhinaḥ | He (viṣṇu - kṛṣṇa) saw hayagrīva, the son of diti, and also other asura warriors. rodhayāmāsa tanmārgaṁ svasainyena mahābalaḥ ||2-63-58 nisundo balināṁ śreṣṭho rathamāruhya satvaram | The best among the powerful, nisunda having great power, quickly mounted on a chariot and blocked his (viṣṇu - kṛṣṇa) path with his army. jagrāha kārmukaṁ divyaṁ hemapṛṣṭhaṁ durāsadam ||2-63-59 vivyādha daśabhirbāṇairnisundo madhusūdanam | nisunda took his unconquerable divine bow (kārmuka), decorated with gold knots and shot ten arrows at the slayer of madhu (viṣṇu - kṛṣṇa). keśavaścāpi saptatyā vivyādha niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||2-63-60 aprāptāṁścāntarikṣe tāṣcarāṁściccheda mādhavaḥ | keshava also shot seventy sharp arrows. mādhava (kṛṣṇa) cut the arrows in the sky before they reached (their destination). te sarve sainikāḥ kṛṣṇaṁ samantātparyavārayan ||2-63-61 śarajālena mahatā cādyamānaḥ surottamaḥ | All those soldiers surrounded kṛṣṇa and fought him. The best of deva-s (kṛṣṇa) was covered by a great number of arrows. dṛṣṭvā tāndānavānsarvānsakrodho madhusūdanaḥ ||2-63-62 Seeing all those asura-s, the slayer of madhu (kṛṣṇa) became angry. tato divyena cāstrena pārjanyena janārdanaḥ | mahatā śaravarṣeṇa vārayāmāsa tadbalam ||2-63-63 Then janārdana (kṛṣṇa) stopped the army with a great shower of divine arrows named parjanya. paṣchapaṣchaśaraisteṣu ekaikena ca tānbahūṇ | pārjanyasya prabhāveṇa sarvānmarmasvatāḍayat ||2-63-64] Among those arrows, every five arrows, each arrow, struck many of the enemies on their vulnerable spots, by the splendour of parjanya arrows. dudruvurbhayasaṁtrastā bhagnāste dānavā raṇe | svasainyaṁ vidrutaṁ dṛṣṭvā niścakrāma punarmṛdhe ||2-63-65 The asura-s became terrified with fear and they were scattered in the war. Seeing that his army is scattered, he (nisunda) returned to fight. visṛjaccharavarṣāṇi cādayāmāsa keshavam | na vibhāti raṇe sūryo nāpi vyoma disho daśa ||2-63-66 He (nisunda) shot a shower of arrows himself and covered keshava (kṛṣṇa) with arrows. In the battle, the sun, the sky along with all ten directions were not to be seen (due to the arrows). śaraiḥ saṣcādayāmāsa nisundo garuḍadhvajam | sāvitraṁ nāma divyāstraṁ jagrāha puruṣottamaḥ ||2-63-67 nisunda covered the one with garuḍa on his flag (kṛṣṇa), shooting arrows. The best among men took up a divine arrow named sāvitraṁ. tena bāṇena tānbāṇamściccheda samare hariḥ | bāṇairbāṇāṁścha saṁcchidya tasya kṛṣṇo mahābalaḥ ||2-63-68 In the battle, hari (viṣṇu - kṛṣṇa) cut all arrows with that (divine) arrow. kṛṣṇa having great power cut off the (enemy's) arrows with that arrow. catramekena bāṇena ratheṣāṁ ca tribhiḥ śaraiḥ | punaściccheda tānaśvāṁścaturbhiścaturaḥ śaraiḥ ||2-63-69 With one arrow, he broke the umbrella. With three arrows, he broke the chariot. Then he cut the four horses with four arrows. sārathiṁ paṣchabhirbāṇāirdhvajamekena cicchide | sharaikena vapuḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sutīkṣṇena shitena vai ||2-63-70 With five arrows he cut the charioteer and with one arrow, the flagstaff. With one good sharp arrow, kṛṣṇa cut off his body. śiraściccheda bhallena nisundasya surottamaḥ | The best of deva-s cut off the head of nisunda with bhalla (arrow). yaḥ sahasrasamāstvekaḥ sarvāndevānayodhayat ||2-63-71 nisundaṁ patitaṁ dṛṣṭvā hayagrīvaḥ pratāpavān | Seeing that nisunda who fought alone with all the deva-s for one thousand years, is felled, the splendours asura hayagrīva, śilāṁ pragṛhya mahatīṁ tolayāmāsa dānavaḥ ||2-63-72 āvidhya sahasāmuṣchacchilāṁ śailasamāṁ prabhuḥ | shook a giant rock with his hand. Then the lord (hayagrīva) lifted the rock looking like a mountain and, all of a sudden, threw it. gṛhītvā divyapārjanyamastramastravidāṁ varaḥ ||2-63-73 divyāstreṇa śilāṁ viṣṇuḥ saptadhākṛta tejasā | The best among the expert bowmen, viṣṇu (kṛṣṇa), shot a divine pārjanya (arrow) and broke the rock in seven pieces. tadvidārya mahachcāśma pātayāmāsa bhūtale ||2-63-74 Breaking the rock, viṣṇu felled it on the earth. tatastaiḥ śārṅganirmuktairnānāvarṇairmahāśaraiḥ | yathā devāsuraṁ yuddhamabhavadbharatarṣabha | O the best of the bharata race (janamejaya)! (vaiśampāyana said:) Then with great arrows of various colours released from śārṅga (bow of viṣṇu), a great battle took place like a battle between deva-s and the asuras. nānāpraharaṇākīrṇaṁ tathā ghoramavartata ||2-63-75 A terrible battle took place with many kinds of weapons. tataḥ śārṅgavinirmuktairnānāvarṇairmahāśaraiḥ | garuḍastho mahābāhurnijaghāna mahāsurān ||2-63-76 Then, with great arrows of various colours released from śārṅga (bow of viṣṇu), viṣṇu with great arms mounted on garuḍa, killed many great asuras. mahālāṅgalanirbhinnāḥ śaṅkhaśaktinipātitāḥ | vineśurdānavāḥ sarve samāsādya janārdanam ||2-63-77 Split by the great plough and felled by the great sound of the conch, all the asura-s perished, fighting with janārdana (kṛṣṇa). keciccakrāgninirdagdhā dānavāḥ peturambarāt | saṁnikarṣagatāḥ kechidgatāsuvikṛtānanāḥ ||2-63-78 Some asura-s, burned in the fire of the discus, fell from the sky. Some of them with deformed faces, who fought near, lost their lives. asṛjaccharavarṣāṇi vṛṣṭimanta ivāmbudāḥ | vikṛtāṅgāsurāḥ sarve kṛṣṇabāṇaprapīḍitāḥ ||2-63-79 The asura-s, with deformed limbs, all of them troubled by the arrows of kṛṣṇa, showered arrows, like rain clouds shower water. śoṇitāktāḥ sma dṛśyante puṣpitā iva kiṁśukāḥ | vyadravanta suvitrastā bhagnāstrāhscitrayodhinaḥ ||2-63-80 With blood all over their bodies, the asura-s were seen like kiṁśuka trees (butea frondosa) in full bloom. Greatly terrified and broken by arrows, the fighters ran away. punashcha krodharaktākṣo vāyuvegena dānavaḥ | daśavyāmocchritaṁ vṛkṣaṁ samāruhya vanaspatim ||2-63-81 Again the asura (hayagrīva), his eyes reddened with anger, with the speed of wind, went near a vanaspati tree (indian fig tree, bignonia suaveolens), ten lengths tall, vṛkṣamutpāṭya vegena pratigṛhyābhyadhāvata | cikṣepa sa mahāvṛkṣaṁ śikṣayā sughanākṛtiḥ ||2-63-82 pulled out the tree quickly and returned, running. The asura (hayagrīva) appearing like a huge cloud, threw the giant tree, due to practice. vṛkṣavegānilodbhūtaḥ śuśruve sumahāsvanaḥ | Due to the speed with which the tree was thrown, a great sound was heard because of the movement of wind. tataḥ śarasahasreṇa yatamāno janārdanaḥ ||2-63-83 naikadhā taṁ praciccheda citraśaktinibhākṛtim | Then janārdana, shooting thousand arrows with effort, cut off the tree, having great strength, into several pieces. punashchaikena bāṇena hayagrīvasya chorasi ||2-63-84 vivyādha stanayormadhye sāyako jvalanaprabhaḥ | Again, with one arrow, (kṛṣṇa) shot on to the chest of hayagrīva, between his breasts. The arrow was blazing like fire. vivesha so'pi vegena hṛdaṁ bhittvā vinirgataḥ ||2-63-85 taṁ jaghāna mahāghoraṁ hayagrīvaṁ mahābalam | That arrow, quickly went through (his body), split his liver, and thus killed the highly powerful and terrible hayagrīva. apāratejā durddharṣaḥ sa vai yādavananadanaḥ ||2-63-86 madhye lohitagaṅgasya bhagavāndevakīsutaḥ | The lord, son of devakī (kṛṣṇa), who cannot be conquered, with unlimited splendour, in the middle of lohitagaṅga, audakāyāṁ virūpākṣaṁ pāpmānaṁ puruṣottamaḥ ||2-63-87 killed the sinful virūpākṣa, in the trench. aṣṭau śatasahasrāṇi dānavānāṁ paramtapaḥ | nihatya puruṣavyāghraḥ prāgjyotiṣamupādravat ||2-63-88 O one who tortures the enemies (janamejaya)! (vaiśampāyana said :) The best among men (kṛṣṇa), killing eight hundred thousand asura-s, the tiger among men (kṛṣṇa) quickly rushed towards the city of prāgjyotiṣa. hatvā paṣchanadaṁ nāma narakasya mahāsuram | He (kṛṣṇa ) killed the great asura of naraka, named panṣchanada. tataḥ prāgjyotiṣaṁ nāma dīpyamānamiva śriyā ||2-63-89 puramāsādayāmāsa yuddhaṁ tatrābhavanmahat | Then he went near the city named prāgjyotiṣa which was sparkling with prosperity and there was a great battle. tataḥ prādhmāpayacchaṅkhaṁ pāṣchajanyaṁ mahābalaḥ ||2-63-90 śuśruve sumahāśabdaḥ saṁvartaninado yathā | Then kṛṣṇa (viṣṇu) with great power blew his conch pāṣchajanyaṁ. Then a great sound was heard like the sound of the cloud saṁvarta (at the dissolution of universe). śrūyate triṣu lokeṣu bhīmagambhīraniḥsvanaḥ | taṁ śrutvā narakaścāsītkrodhasaṁraktalocanaḥ ||2-63-91 The huge great sound was heard in all the three worlds. Hearing that sound, naraka became angry and his eyes became red (with anger). lohacakrāṣṭasaṁyuktaṁ trinalvapratimaṁ ratham | ratnakāṣchanacitrāḍhyaṁ vedikābhogavistaram ||2-63-92 The chariot with eight wheels of iron, three furlong long, decorated with jewels and gold, with a wide space vajradhvajena mahatā kāṣchanena virājitaṁ | hemadaṇḍapatākāḍhyaṁ vaidūryamaṇikūbaram ||2-63-93 with its great flagstaff decorated with diamond, shining with gold, decorated with flag on a golden pole and jewels of vaidūrya yuktamaśvasahasreṇa rathaṁ pararathārujam | lohajālaiścha saṣchannaṁ citrabhaktivirājitam ||2-63-94 yoked with thousand horses, the chariot which destroys enemy's chariot , tied with metal bands, decorated beautifully. rathamadhyagato vīraḥ sasandhya iva bhāskaraḥ | nānāpraharaṇākīrṇaṁ rathaṁ hemapariṣkṛtam ||2-63-95 The valiant naraka sat in the middle of that chariot, having many kinds of weapons and decorated with gold, like the son in the evening (sky). vajraṁ rathoracchadaminduvarṇaṁ vyānaddhamuktāmalatulyatejāḥ | kirīṭamūrddhārkahutāśanābhaḥ karnau tathā kuṇḍalayorjvalantau ||2-63-96 He was wearing a jacket of diamond in the chariot, with the colour of moon, with a splendour equal to the fire. He was wearing a crown, sparkling like fire. Ear rings sparkled in his ears. dhūmravarṇā mahākāyā raktākṣā vikṛtānanāḥ | nānākavachinaḥ sarve daityadānavarākṣasāḥ ||2-63-97 All the asura-s, dānava-s and demons were with colour of smoke, giant bodies, red eyes, deformed faces, wearing many kinds of shields. khaḍgacharmadharāḥ kechitkechittūrṇadhanurbhṛtaḥ | śaktihastāstathā keciccūlahastāstathāpare ||2-63-98 Some were holding sword and shield, some were holding bow and arrows, some were holding spears in their hands, some others were holding tridents. gajavājirathaughaiścha kālayantaścha medinīm | niryayurnagarātsarve susannaddhāḥ prahāriṇaḥ ||2-63-99 They shook the earth, mounted on elephants, horses and chariots. All of them left the city ready with weapons to fight. vṛto daityagaṇaiḥ sārdhaṁ narakaḥ kālasaṁnibhaḥ | bherīśaṅkhamṛdaṅgānāṁ paṇavānāṁ sahasraśaḥ ||2-63-100 Surrounded by groups of asura-s, naraka, looking like the god of death (also started). The sounds of playing thousands of musical instruments such as kettle drums, conch, drums and small drums, vādyamānāni śuśrāva jīmūtaninadopamaḥ | yataḥ kṛṣṇastato gatvā sarve te vikṛtānanāḥ ||2-63-101 was heard like the sounds of clouds. All the asura-s with deformed faces went to the place where kṛṣṇa was. parivārya garutmantaṁ sarve'yudhyanta saṅgatāḥ | mahatā cādayāmāsuḥ śaravarṣeṇa sainikāḥ ||2-63-102 Surrounding garuḍa, all of them fought the battle. The soldiers covered all with a great shower of arrows. śaktiśūlagadāprāsāṁstomarānsāyakānbahūn | ākāśaṁ cādayāmāsurvimuṣchantaḥ sahasraśaḥ ||2-63-103 Spear, trident, mace, tomara and many arrows - shooting thousands of these weapons, they covered the sky. kṛṣṇaḥ kṛṣṇombudākāraḥ śārṅgaṁ gṛhya dhanustataḥ | visphārya sumahachcāpaṁ dhanurjaladaniḥsvanam ||2-63-104 Then kṛṣṇa, having the form of black rain cloud, took up his bow named śārṅgaṁ. He shook the auspicious great bow having the sound of a rain cloud. vyasṛjaccharavarṣāṇi dānavānāṁ janārdanaḥ | śaravarṣeṇa tatsainyaṁ vyadravattu mahāhavāt ||2-63-105 janārdana shot a rain of arrows on the asuras. With the shower of arrows, that army of asura-s ran away from the battle field. tadyuddhamabhavadghoraṁ ghorarūpeṇa rakṣasā | bhagnavyūhāścha te sarve kṛṣṇabāṇaprapīḍitāḥ ||2-63-106 Then a terrible battle took place with the demons with terrible forms. All those were scattered and terrified by the arrows of kṛṣṇa. keciccinnabhujāścaiva ccinnagrīvāśirānanāḥ | keciccakradvidhāccinnāḥ kechidbāṇārditorasaḥ ||2-63-107 Some were with broken arms, some with broken neck, head and faces. Some were split in two with the discus. Some were struck with arms on their chest. kechiddvidhākṛtāḥ śaktyā gajāśvarathavāhanāḥ | kechitkaumodakībhinnāḥ keciccakravidāritāḥ ||2-63-108 Some mounted on elephants, horses and chariots, were split in two with spear. Some were split by the mace kaumodakī. Some were split by the discus. evaṁ vimathitā sarvā narāśvarathavāhinī | tatrāsīnnarakeṇāsya yuddhaṁ paramadāruṇam ||2-63-109 Thus all the army of men, horses and chariots was oppressed. Thus a greatly dreadful war occurred there with naraka. yatsamānena vakṣyāmi tanme nigadataḥ śṛṇu | trāsanaḥ surasaṅghānāṁ narakaḥ puruṣottamam ||2-63-110 (O janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) I shall tell you briefly (about the battle.) Hear what I am saying. naraka who terrified the group of deva-s fought the best of men (kṛṣṇa). yodhayāmāsa tejasvī madhuvanmadhusūdanam | krodharaktāntanayano narako ghanasaṁnibhaḥ ||2-63-111 The splendourous naraka, whose eyes had become red with anger and who appeared like a rain cloud, fought kṛṣṇa like madhu fought with the slayer of madhu (viṣṇu). jagrāha kārmukaṁ vīraḥ śakracāpamivocchritam | tathārkakiraṇaprakhyaṁ bāṇaṁ jagrāha keśavaḥ ||2-63-112 The valiant (kṛṣṇa) took up the bow kārmukaṁ equal to the bow of śakra (indra). keshava (kṛṣṇa) took an arrow similar to the ray of sun. divyenāstreṇa samare pūrayāmāsa taṁ ratham | uttamāstraṁ mahāpātaṁ mumocha narako balī ||2-63-113 In the battle, he (kṛṣṇa) troubled the chariot with the divine arrow. Powerful naraka released the best arrow mahāpāta. vajravisphūrjitākāramāyāntaṁ vīkṣya keśavaḥ | cicchedāstraṁ mahābhāgaścakreṇa madhusūdanaḥ ||2-63-114 Seeing that arrow arriving like thunder, keshava (kṛṣṇa), the great one, the slayer of madhu, cut the arrow with his discus. vyahanatsa rathaṁ cāsya śaraikeṇa janārdanaḥ | sarathaṁ sadhvajaṁ sāśvaṁ jaghāna daśabhiḥ śararaiḥ ||2-63-115 janārdana shot one arrow at his chariot. He destroyed the chariot along with the flagstaff and horses with ten arrows. tanutraṁ caiva ciccheda śareṇa madhusūdanaḥ | tato vimuktakavacaḥ sarpasyeva tanuryathā ||2-63-116 The slayer of madhu (kṛṣṇa) then cut off the shield with arrow. Then he (naraka), without the shield, appeared like a serpent, losing its skin. hatāśvo'pi raṇe vīro vitanutrashcha dānavaḥ | jagrāha vimalajvālaṁ lohabhārārpitaṁ dṛḍham ||2-63-117 The valiant asura, with his horses killed, and losing his shield, took his blazing strong trident, loaded with metal. āvidhya sahasā muktaṁ śūlamindrāśaniprabham | Suddenly he (naraka) released the trident, dazzling like the lightning of indra, with force. tadāpatatsa saṁprekṣya śūlaṁ hemapariṣkṛtam ||2-63-118 dvidhā cinnaṁ kṣurapreṇa kṛṣṇenādbhutakarmaṇā | Seeing the trident, decorated with gold, arriving, kṛṣṇa of wonderful deeds, split it in two with a sharp edged arrow (kṣurapra). tadyuddhamabhavadghoraṁ ghorarūpeṇa rakṣasā ||2-63-119 śastrapātamahāghātaṁ narakena mahātmanā | The war with the demon of terrible form (naraka) became terrible. The war with the great soul naraka was with various weapons. muhūrtaṁ yodhayāmāsa narakaṁ madhusūdanaḥ ||2-63-120 athogracakraścakreṇa pradīptenākaroddvidhā | The slayer of madhu (kṛṣṇa) fought naraka for some time. With his sparkling discus, he (kṛṣṇa - viṣṇu) cut the terrible naraka in two. cakradvidhākṛtaṁ tasya śarīramapatadbhuvi ||2-63-121 vibhaktaṁ kulishenaiva gireḥ śṛṅgaṁ dvidhākṛtam | His body, split in two by discus fell on the earth, like the peak of a mountain split by the vajra of indra in two parts. kṛṣṇamāsādya deveśaṁ jagāmāstamivāṁśumān ||2-63-122 cakrotkṛntitagātro'sau dānavaḥ patito raṇe | vajraprahāranirbhinnaṁ yathā gairikaparvatam ||2-63-123 Fighting with kṛṣṇa (viṣṇu), the lord of deva-s, the asura (naraka) with his body split by discus in two parts, fell in the battle, like the sun, like a brown mountain split by the vajra of indra. (Note 3) bhūmistu patitaṁ putraṁ nirīkṣyādāya kuṇḍale | upātiṣṭhata govindaṁ vacanaṁ chedamabravīt ||2-63-124 Seeing her son felled, mother earth brought the ear rings and approached govinda (kṛṣṇa) and spoke the following words. dattastvayaiva govinda tvayaiva vinipātitaḥ | yathecchasi tathā krīḍa bālaḥ krīḍanakairiva ||2-63-125 govinda (viṣṇu - kṛṣṇa)! This son who was given by you is killed by you. You play as you like, like a boy plays with his toys. ime te kuṇḍale deva prajāstasyānupālaya ||2-63-126 Here are those ear rings. O lord ! Please protect his subjects. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe Viṣṇuparvaṇi narakavadhe triṣaṣṭitamo'dhyāyaḥ Thus this is the sixty-third chapter of viṣṇuparva, harivaṁśa, khila of mahābhārata, slaying of narakāsura. Note 1: satyabhāmāsahāyavān: naraka's death can occur only with the consent of Goddess Earth. Hence naraka can be killed only with the consent of satyabhāmā, who is a portion of Goddess Earth. (see nīlakaṇṭha commentary for śloka 39) Note 2: The southern recension of harivamsha has a complete chapter describing the fight between satyabhāmā and naraka. See narakasatyabhāmāyuddham English translation by ṣatya Chaitanya available at ṣatyabhama-ṇarakasura Fight in the Harivamsa Note 3: The killing of naraka is briefly described in mahābhārata, vanaparva as follows: tān praṣṭukāmān vijṣāya pāṇḍavān sa tu lomaśaḥ uvāca vākyaṁ vākyajṣaḥ śṛṇudhvaṁ pāṇḍunandanāḥ etadvikīrṇaṁ suśrīmat kailāsaśikharopamam yat pashyasi naraśreṣṭha parvatapratimaṁ sthitam etānyasthīni daityasya narakasya mahātmanaḥ parvatapratimaṁ bhāti parvataprastarāśritam purātanena devena viṣṇunā paramātmanā daityo vinihatastāta surarājahitaiṣiṇā daśa varṣasahasrāṇi tapastapyan mahāmanāḥ aindraṁ prārthayate sthānaṁ tapaḥsvādhyāyavikramāt tapobalena mahatā bāhuvegabalena ca nityameva durādharṣo dharṣayan sa diteḥ sutaḥ sa tu tasya balaṁ jṣātvā dharme ca caritavratam bhayābhibhūtaḥ saṁvignaḥ śakra āsīt tadānagha tena saṁchintito devo manasā viṣṇuravyayaḥ sarvatragaḥ prabhuḥ śrīmān Agatashcha sthito babhau ṛṣayaścāpi taṁ sarve tuṣṭuvuścha divaukasaḥ taṁ dṛṣṭvā jvalamānaśrīr bhagavān havyavāhanaḥ naṣṭatejāḥ samabhavat tasya tejobhibhartsitaḥ taṁ dṛṣṭvā varadaṁ devaṁ viṣṇuṁ devagaṇeśvaram prāṣjaliḥ praṇato bhūtvā namaskṛtya ca vajrabhṛt prāha vākyaṁ tatastattvaṁ yatastasya bhayaṁ bhavet viṣṇuruvāca jānāmi te bhayaṁ śakra daityendrān narakāttataḥ aindraṁ prārthayate sthānaṁ tapaḥsiddhena karmaṇā so.ham enaṁ tava prītyā tapaḥsiddhamapi dhruvam viyunajmi dehāddevendra muhūrtaṁ pratipālaya tasya viṣṇurmahātejāḥ pāṇinā chetanāṁ harat sa papāta tato bhūmau girirāja ivāhataḥ tasyaitadasthisaṁghātaṁ māyāvinihatasya vai And knowing that Pandu's sons were intent upon asking (him), Lomasa versed in speech said, 'Hear, O sons of Pandu! O best of men, what ye see before you, of vast proportions like unto a mountain and beautiful as the Kailasa cliff, is a collection of the bones of the mighty Daitya Naraka. Being placed on a mountain, it looketh like one. The Daitya was slain by that Supreme Soul, the eternal God Vishnu, for the good of the lord of celestials. Aiming at the possession of īndra's place, by the force of austere and Vedic lore, that mighty-minded (demon) had practised austere penances for ten thousand years. And on account of his asceticism, as also of the force and might of his arms he had grown invincible and always harassed (īndra). And O sinless one, knowing his strength and austerities and observance of religious vows, īndra became agitated and was overwhelmed with fear. And mentally he thought of the eternal deity, Vishnu. And thereat the graceful lord of the universe, who is present everywhere, appeared and stood before him manifest. And the sages and celestials began to propitiate Vishnu with prayers. And in his presence even Agni of the six attributes and of blazing beauty being overpowered by his effulgence, became shorn of radiance and seeing before him the God Vishnu, the chief of the celestials who wields the thunder-bolt, bowing with head down readily apprised Vishnu of the source of his fear. Thereupon Vishnu said, "I know, O Sakra, that thy fear proceedeth from Naraka, that lord of the Daityas. By the merit of his successful ascetic acts he aimeth at īndra's position. Therefore, for pleasing thee, I shall certainly sever his soul from his body, although he hath achieved success in asceticism. Do thou, lord of celestials, wait for a moment." Then the exceedingly powerful Vishnu deprived (Naraka) of his senses (by striking him) with his hand. And he fell down on the earth even like the monarch of mountains struck by (thunder). He was thus slain by a miracle and his bones lie gathered at this spot. (Translation by Kīsari Mohan Ganguli) nīlakaṇṭha commentary athātra triṣaṣṭitame surendraḥ kṛṣṇamabravīt | kuṇḍalānyaditermāturhartuścātha nibarhaṇam || 1 || · 2-63-1 pratyetyeti || · 2-63-2 taiḥ yadubhiḥ || · 2-63-3 yāni ratnāni pratyapadyata tāni naiṛtān pratyavārayat rākṣasaiḥ svagṛhe anāpya sthāpitavānityarthaḥ || · 2-63-4 mūrtiliṅgasya dṛśyajṣāpakaṁ satvaṁ mūrtiliṅgaṁ tatsthaḥ prāgjyotiṣapurastho vā bāditā bādhakaḥ || · 2-63-7 kaśeruṁ sthānaviśeṣaṁ agamat | caturdaśīṁ sarvadā caturthyāṁ daśayā yuktāṁ sā ca garbhakaumārapaugaṇḍasandhiyauvanamiti daśabhya ūrdhvaṁ paṣchadaśabhyo'rvāk caturdaśavārṣikīmityarthaḥ | · 2-63-11 taccha ratnajātamāhṛtamapi nādhicakāra na bubhuje || · 2-63-13 ekaviṁśacchatāni śatādhike dvai caturdaśa cheti ṣoḍaśa sahasrāṇi śataṁ ca ekaveṇidharāḥ kumārikāḥ || · 2-63-14 murordaityasya || · 2-63-15 tāḥ prāgjyotiṣapatiṁ chetyanvayaḥ | sa eṣa narakaḥ tamasaḥ nīlavarṇasya samudrasya pāre tīre || · 2-63-22 vāsavakṣayāt indrālayāt || · 2-63-39 satyabhāmāsahāyavān iti asyāḥ satyabhāmāyāḥ pṛthivyaṁśatvāt pṛthivyājṣayaiva tasya mṛtyurvihito'stīti satyabhāmājṣayaiva taṁ haniṣyāmiītyāśayaḥ || · 2-63-40 sapta skandhān āvahapravāhādīn vāyumārgān || · 2-63-46 mauravānmuruvihitān kṣurāntavadati sūkṣmān dṛ+ḍhatarāvayavasaṁyogaṁ pāṣāṇādikamapi pravishya chetumarhānityarthaḥ || · 2-63-77 mahālāṅgalanirbhinnāḥ lāṅgalena bhūrividāritadehāḥ śaṅkhaśakti mahānādastenaiva pātitāḥ || · 2-63-87 lohitāṅgasya sindhoḥ pradeśaviśeṣasya madhye | audakāyām udakaparikhāyāṁ puryām || · 2-63-95 rathaṁ Aruroheti śeṣaḥ || · 2-63-99 madhuḥ kaiṭabhabhrātā tadvat || · 2-63-124 bhūmiḥ rūpiṇī bhūtvā || · 2-63-125 he deva tasya narakasya te prasiddhe || iti harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi ṭīkāyāṁ triṣaṣṭitamo'dhyāyaḥ || Note: (1) sloka 122, line 2: spelling mistake in deveśaṁ (2) sloka 79, line 2: I think it should be really vikṛtāṅgāsurāḥ (vikṛtāṅgāḥ + asurāḥ) Please check.