Parva 3 Chapter 56: devāsurayuddhe kujambotkarṣavarṇanam - description of kujamba's success in the fight between deva-s and asura-s

vaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya!) As the great battle, terrible, tumultuous, and causing hair to bristle (exciting a thrill of terror), was fought, the enraged deva-s and the sons of danu, showered arrows against each other. vyākrośanta gajāstatra śaraghātaprapīḍitāḥ | aśvāṁścha paryadhāvanta hatārohā disho daśa ||3-56-2 Tormented and injured by the arrows, the elephants cried. Horses, with the horse-riders killed, ran away in all the ten directions. utpatya nipatantyanye śaravarṣaprapīḍitāḥ | Others, tormented by the shower of arrows, leapt and fell down. devānāṁ dānavānāṁ ca gajāśvarathināṁ raṇe ||3-56-3 samare tatra śūrāṇāmanyonyamabhidhāvatām | dhanuṣāṁ talashabdena na prājṣāyata kiṣchana ||3-56-4 As the valiant fighters mounted on elephants, horses and chariots, among the deva-s and the sons of danu, opposed each other in the battle field, nothing could be known due to the sound of twanging the bows. śaraśaktigadābhiste khaḍgaiścāmitatejasaḥ | nijaghnurmahatīṁ senāmanyonyasya paraṁtapa ||3-56-5 O the torturer of enemies! (janamejaya! vaiśampāyana continued) Those having unlimited splendor, killed the great armies of each other with arrows, spears (shakti), maces and swords. bāhūnāmuttamāṅgānāṁ kārmukāṇāṁ ca saṁyuge | rāśayastatra dṛśyante devadaityasamāgame ||3-56-6 During the battle between deva-s and the sons of diti, arms, the best limbs (heads) and bows were seen compiled in the battle field. aśvānāṁ kuṣjarāṇāṁ ca rathānāṁ ca varūthināṁ | nāntaṁ samabhigacchanti nihatānāṁ surāsuraiḥ ||3-56-7 There was no end to the horses, elephants and groups of chariots destroyed by the deva-s and the sons of diti. gadābhirasibhiḥ prāsairbhallaiḥ sannataparvabhiḥ | yodhāstatrābhyahanyanta hastyaśvaṁ cāmitaṁ bahu ||3-56-8 Many fighters, elephants and horses were killed by maces, swords, barbed missiles and arrows with pointed sharp tips. prāvartata nadī ghorā śoṇitaughā taraṅgiṇī | tadā madhye tu sainyānāṁ keśaśaivalaśāḍvalā ||3-56-9 A terrible river with waves of blood and floating weeds of hair, started flowing there between the armies. hāhākāro mahāśabdo yodhānāmabhavattadā | dānavairhanyamānānāṁ tridaśānāṁ mahāraṇe ||3-56-10 In the great battle, the fighters of the deva-s being killed by the sons of danu, cried in a loud voice. vaiśampāyana uvāca teṣāṁ tadabhavadyuddhaṁ devānāmasuraiḥ saha | vibhīṣaṇaṁ mahāraudraṁ vikṛtaṁ bhīmadarśanam ||3-56-11 vaiśampāyana said: (O janamejaya!) The battle between the deva-s and the demons became fearful, highly terrible, deformed and fearful to see. virochanastu tatraiva viṣvaksenaṁ mahāhave | jaghāna rudhirābhākṣaṁ sādhyaṁ paramadhanvinam ||3-56-12 In that great battle, virochana shot arrows at viṣvaksena, the sādhya, foremost among the archers, having blood red eyes. tamāyāntamabhiprekṣya viṣvaksenaḥ surairvṛtaḥ | ameyātmā suraśreṣṭhaḥ pratyavidhyatstanāntare ||3-56-13 viṣvaksena, the one with immeasurable soul, the best among the deva-s surrounded by deva-s, seeing virochana approaching, shot arrows at the middle of his chest. sādhyasya bāṇābhihatastotrārpita iva dvipaḥ | virochanaḥ prajajvāla krodhenāgnirivādhvare ||3-56-14 Struck by the arrows shot by the sādhya (viṣvaksena), virochana blazed with anger, like an elephant struck by a staff, like the fire in the sacrifice. sa kārmukavinirmuktaiḥ śarairdānavasattamaḥ | viṣvaksenaṁ bibhedājau dīptaiḥ saptabhirāśugaiḥ ||3-56-15 The best among the sons of danu struck viṣvaksena in the battle with seven blazing arrows released from his bow. so'tividdho balavatā dānavena surottamaḥ | mūrchcāmabhijagāmāśu dhvajaṁ cāpyāśrayatprabhuḥ ||3-56-16 The best among the deva-s (viṣvaksena) struck by the arrows shot forcefully by the son of danu, became unconscious and the lord leaned against the flagstaff. tataḥ sa punarāśvasya sādhyo yuddhe mano dadhe | visphārya ca mahācāpaṁ daityamadhye vyavasthitaḥ ||3-56-17 Then getting relieved again, the sādhya (viṣvaksena) prepared for the battle. Twanging his great bow, he stood among the sons of diti. virochanastu balavānabhyayudhyata sarvaśaḥ | kṣobhayansurasainyāni samantānniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||3-56-18 The powerful virochana fought all around. Shooting sharp arrows, he agitated the deva-s army all over. tatastasyāsurendrasya yuddhyamānasya saṁyuge | shrayate tumulaḥ shabdo jīmūtasyeva garjataḥ ||3-56-19 A tumultuous sound of the indra (king) of demons fighting in the battle field could be heard, like the thunder of clouds. jagarja ca mahāghoṣo vinighnandevavāhinīm | chaṇḍavegāśmavarṣī ca savidyutstanayitnumān ||3-56-20 The one who destroyed the army of deva-s roared with a loud sound like a cloud moving with high speed showering rocks, thunder and lightning. disho vidrāvayāmāsa śaravarṣeṇa dānavaḥ | sarvasainyāni devānāmudyatāstro mahāhave ||3-56-21 In the great battle, the son of danu, the shooter of arrows, by a shower of arrows scattered all the armies of deva-s in all directions. te prādravanta vitrastā rathebhyo rathinastadā | sādinaścāśvapṛṣṭhebhyo bhūmau cāpi padātayaḥ ||3-56-22 Frightened chariot fighters ran away from chariots. Horse riders dismounted from horses and ran away. Foot soldiers ran away from the battle field. śrutvā kārmukanirghoṣaṁ visphūrjitamivāśaneḥ | sarvasainyāni bhītāni nivyalīyanta saṁyuge ||3-56-23 Hearing the twang of the bow like thunder, all the armies of deva-s became afraid and bolted from the battle field. virochanabhayatrastā rathebhyo rathinastadā | padātīnāṁ yayuḥ saṅghā yatra devaḥ sacīpatiḥ ||3-56-24 Frightened by the fear of virochana, the chariot fighters left the chariots and the groups of foot soldiers left the battle. They went to the place where deva, the husband of sacī (indra) was. viṣvaksenasya sādhyasya sarvataḥ sumahābalaḥ | pāde rakṣaḥsahasrāṇi nijaghāna caturdaśa ||3-56-25 The highly powerful virochana killed fourteen thousand foot soldiers, guarding viṣvaksena, the sādhya, all around. aśvavṛndeṣu nāgeṣu rathānīkeṣu cābhibhuḥ | padātīnāṁ ca saṅgheṣu vinighnanpratyadṛśyata ||3-56-26 He was seen as the killer among the groups of horses, elephants, rows of chariots and groups of foot soldiers. vitatya śyenavatpakṣau sarvataḥ sa varūthinīm | bhittvā cittvā mahābāhuḥ śirāṁsyājau hyakṛṁtata ||3-56-27 The one with powerful arms, virochana, reaped heads in the battle by cutting off and splitting, like an eagle spreading his wing all around. sādinaścha padātāścha hataśeṣā rathāstathā | viṣvaksenena sahitā virochanamathādravan ||3-56-28 The horse riders, foot soldiers and the remaining chariot (fighters) along with viṣvaksena, opposed virochana. te'sicharmagadāśaktiparighaprāsatomaraiḥ | taṁ ekamabhyadhāvantaṁ siṁhanādaṁ pracakrire ||3-56-29 Taking swords, shields, maces, spears, iron clubs, barbed missiles and lances, they shouted, seeing him approaching. tataḥ so'siṁ samudyamya javamāsthāya dānavaḥ | chakarta rathināmājau śirāṁsi ca dhanūṁṣi ca ||3-56-30 Then the son of danu, with high speed, taking a sword, cut off the heads and bows of the chariot fighters. rathanāgāśvavṛndeṣu balavānarisūdanaḥ | virochanaścaranmārgānprakārānekaviṁśatim ||3-56-31 The powerful virochana, the slayer of enemies, roamed among the groups of chariots, elephants and horses, showing twenty one types of battle techniques. bhrāntamudbhrāntamāviddhamāplutaṁ viplutaṁ yugam | saṁpātaṁ samudīrṇaṁ ca darśayāmāsa dānavaḥ ||3-56-32 Whirling, whirling up, swinging, jumping, springing, rushing, moving fast - the son of danu showed all these techniques (in the battle field). kechidvarāsinā rugṇā dānavena mahātmanā | viniduścinnavarmāṇo nipetushcha gatāsavaḥ ||3-56-33 Some cut off by the great soul, the son of danu, with his sword, roared splitting their shields and simply fell off dead. cinnapṛṣṭhā hatārohā dānavena mahātmanā | vidrutāḥ svānyanīkāni jaghnustridaśavāraṇāḥ ||3-56-34 The elephants of the deva's army, with their backbones broken and the riders killed by the great soul, the son of danu, ran amok among their own army and destroyed them. nipetururvyāmākāśe nikṛtā dṛḍhadhanvinā | vividhāstomarāścāpā mahāmātraśirāṁsi ca ||3-56-35 Many varieties of weapons such as lances, bows and the heads of the elephant keepers (mahouts), fell down on the earth, cut off in the sky by the one holding his strong bow. pratīpamāharannāgānaśvāṁścha dṛḍhavikramān | The one having fixed valiance made the elephants and horses run backwards. Aplutya rathinaḥ kāṁśchitparāmṛśya mahābalaḥ ||3-56-36 sūtāṁściccheda khaḍgena rathānapi ca dānavaḥ | Catching some of the chariot fighters by jumping forward, the highly powerful son of danu, cut off the charioteers and chariot fighters with his sword. muhurutpatato dikṣu dhāvataścha yaśasvinaḥ ||3-56-37 mārgāṁścharati vai citrānvismayantastato.surān | The son of danu again ran after and oppressed all those with fame, who were running in all directions and the wonder struck deva-s who were running in strange ways. nijaghāna padā kāṁśchidākṣipyānyānapothayat ||3-56-38 khaḍgena cānyāṁściccheda nādenānyāṁścha bhīṣayan | He struck some with his foot and oppressed others by beating. He cut of some others with his sword and frightened others by roaring. ūrustambhagṛhītāścha nipatantyapare bhuvi | apare daityamālokya bhayātprāṇānavāsṛjan ||3-56-39 Some were stunned at their waist. Some others fell down on earth. Others lost their life by seeing the son of diti. tasmiṁstathā vartamāne yuddhe mahati dāruṇe | rathaughagajapattīnāṁ surāṇāṁ ca mahākṣaye ||3-56-40 As the terrible battle was proceeding in this way, as the deva-s were being destroyed with their groups of chariots, elephants and foot soldiers, kujambho dānavaśreṣṭho hyaṁśamādityamāhave | yodhayāmāsa samare vṛṣaḥ prativṛṣaṁ yathā ||3-56-41 kujambha, the best among the sons of danu fought with the āditya, aṁśa in the battle field, like a bull fights with another bull. jaghānācalasaṅkāśo mattavāraṇavikramaḥ | sphuradbhirniśitaistīkṣṇaśarairbahubhirāśugaiḥ ||3-56-42 devasainyasahasrāṇi sarathāni mahāhave | The huge one, like a mountain, valiant like an elephant in rut, with sparkling, sharp, fast arrows destroyed thousands of deva armies along with chariots in the battle. tasya bāṇapathaṁ prāpya nābhyavartanta sarvaśaḥ ||3-56-43 No one could break the path of his arrows all around. praṇeduḥ sarvabhūtāni babhūvustimirā diśaḥ | devānāmajayaḥ krūraḥ pratyapadyata dāruṇaḥ ||3-56-44 As all the beings cried together and all directions were engulfed in darkness, the deva-s suffered a cruel and terrible defeat. aṁśastu dānavendrasya jaghānottamavikramaḥ | anīkaṁ daśasāhasraṁ kuṣjarāṇāṁ tarasvinām ||3-56-45 aṁśa, the best among valiants, attacked ten thousand soldiers of the king of the sons of danu with fast moving elephants. āpatantaṁ gajānīkaṁ kujambho vīkṣya dānavaḥ | gadāpāṇiravārohadrathopasthādariṁdamaḥ ||3-56-46 Seeing the army of elephants approaching, kujambha, the son of danu, the oppressor of foes, took up his mace and left his chariot. adrisāramayīṁ gurvīṁ pragṛhya mahatīṁ gadām | abhyadravadgajānīkaṁ vyāditāsya ivāntakaḥ ||3-56-47 Holding the heavy mace of iron, huge like a mountain, the son of danu ran quickly into the army of elephants, like the god of death, with his mouth wide open. sa gajāngadayā nighnanvyacharatsamare balī | kujambho dānavaśreṣṭho gadāpāṇirbalādhikaḥ ||3-56-48 Powerful kujambha, the best among the sons of danu, holding the mace in his hand, roaming in the battle field, killed the elephants with the mace. viśīrṇadantāṁścha bahūnbhinnakumbhāṁścha dāruṇān | akaroddānavaśreṣṭha uddishyoddishya tānbalī ||3-56-49 The powerful, the best among the danava-s, killed many of the elephants by breaking the tusks and foreheads and counting them again and again. viśīrnadantā bahavo bhinnakumbhāstathā pare | kujambhenārditā nāgā vyadravanta disho daśa ||3-56-50 The elephants oppressed by kujambha ran away in all the ten directions, some of them with their tusks broken and others with their foreheads broken. kujambhasya ca ye'mātyā dānavā ghoravikramāḥ | nārācairvividhaistīkṣṇairapāstagajayodhinaḥ ||3-56-51 Ministers of kujambha, the terribly valiant sons of danu, oppressed the elephant fighters by shooting many sharp arrows. kṣuraiḥ kṣuraprairbhallaiścha pātairaṣjalikaiḥ śitaiḥ | ciccheda chottamāṅgāni kujambho dānavottamaḥ ||3-56-52 kujambha, the best among the sons of danu shot arrows with knife edges, arrows with sharp edges, arrows with a particular shape and sharp arrows and cut off heads. śirobhiḥ prapatadbhistu gaganaṁ pratyapūryata | The sky was filled with falling heads. aśmavṛṣṭirivākāśe bahubhishcha mahāṅkuśaiḥ ||3-56-53 kṛttottamāṅgāḥ skandheṣu gajānāṁ gajayodhinaḥ | Many elephant fighters were seen in the sky holding the staff, with their heads cut off, holding on the neck of elephants, like a shower of rocks. adṛśyanta mahārāja tālā vishiraso yathā ||3-56-54 O great king! (O janamejaya!) They were seen like headless palm trees. āpatantaṁ mahānāgamaṁśasyāsurasattamaḥ | jaghānaikeṣunā kruddhastataḥ sa vimukho'bhavat ||3-56-55 The best among the demons, becoming angry, shot one arrow at the great elephant of aṁśa which approached fast. That elephant ran back. vigāhyaivaṁ gajānīkaṁ kujambho dānavottamaḥ | vinighnanpravarānsainyāngadayā balināṁ varaḥ ||3-56-56 kujambha, the best among the sons of danu, the best among the powerful struck with a mace at the army of elephants and killed them. ekaprahārābhihatānkumjambhena mahāgajāṇ | apashyanta surāḥ sarve parvatāniva pātitān ||3-56-57 All the deva-s saw the great elephants struck by kujambha once, as fallen mountains. kujambhasya ca mārgeṣu viśīrṇāste mahāgajāḥ | vajrāhatā ivendreṇa viśīrṇā iva parvatāḥ ||3-56-58 The great elephants coming in the path of kujambha were broken like mountains broken by indra by his thunderbolt (vajra). apaśyaṁstridaśāḥ sarve mūrtimantamivāntakam | gajāstathā vyadīryanta siṁhasyevetare mṛgāḥ ||3-56-59 All the deva-s saw him like the god of death in bodily form. The elephants were scattered like other animals scatter in front of the lion. sa babhau tāṁ gadāṁ bibhratprokṣitāṁ gaṇaśoṇitaiḥ | vyāditāsyo'nadatkruddho raudrarūpo bhayānakaḥ ||3-56-60 yathā hi bhagavānkruddhaḥ prajānāṁ saṅkṣaye purā | The fearful one, having a terrible form, the angry one with his mouth wide open, sparkled holding the mace, consecrated by the blood of elephants, like the angry lord at the time of decline of the subjects, long ago. vikrīḍamāno gadayā raṇamadhye mahāsuraḥ ||3-56-61 gopāla iva daṇḍena kalayansa mahāgajān | The great demon played in the battle field with his mace, and made the elephants run like a cow herd makes the cows run with his staff. kruddhaṁ kālamivākāle daṇḍamudyamya dānavam ||3-56-62 apashyanta surāḥ sarve kujambhaṁ bhīmavikramam | All the deva-s saw kujambha, the son of danu, with high valiance, like the angry lord of death, holding his staff. hatārohāstu tatrānye prabhinnā vāraṇottamāḥ ||3-56-63 te hanyamānā gadayā bāṇaiścha bhṛśavikṣatāḥ | The best among elephants, with their mahouts killed, the elephants struck by mace and wounded severely by arrows, asahantaḥ kujambhasya gadāvegaṁ mahāhave ||3-56-64 svānyanīkāni gṛhṇantaḥ prādravanta mahāgajāḥ | those great elephants, unable to bear the speed of the mace of kujambha in the battle field, ran away oppressing their own large army. mahāvāta ivābhrāṇi vidhamangadayā gajān | atiṣṭhatsamare daityaḥ kālaḥ saṁvartako yathā ||3-56-65 Breaking the elephants with his mace, like a huge wind destroys the cloud, the son of diti stood in the battle field, like the god of death, the world-destroying fire. iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe bhaviṣyaparvaṇi devāsurayuddhe kujambhotkarṣavarṇane ṣaṭpaṣcāśattamo'dhyāyaḥ This is the fiftysixth chapter of bhaviṣyaparva, harivaṁśa, khila of mahābhārata, in the manifestation of vāmana, deva-demon battle, description of kujamba's success in the fight between deva-s and asura-s