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The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 by or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli

o >> or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2




"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding that force broken, Kunti's son, Dhananjaya, of
immeasurable soul, proceeded against Aswatthaman from desire of slaying
him. Those troops then, O king, rallied with effort by Govinda and
Arjuna, stayed on the field of battle. Only Vibhatsu, supported by the
Somakas and the Matsyas, shot his arrows at the Kauravas and checked
their onset.[268] Quickly approaching Aswatthaman, that great bowman
having the mark of the lion's tail on his banner, Arjuna addressed him,
saying, 'Show me now the might thou hast, the energy, the knowledge, and
the manliness, that are in thee, as also thy affection for the
Dhartarashtras and thy hatred for us, and the high mettle of which thou
art capable. Even Prishata's son, that slayer of Drona, will quell thy
pride today. Come now and encounter the Panchala prince, that hero
resembling the Yuga fire and like the Destroyer himself with Govinda.
Thou hast displayed thy pride in battle, but I shall quell that pride of
thine.'

"Dhritarashtra said, 'The preceptor's son, O Sanjaya, is possessed of
might and worthy of respect. He beareth great love to Dhananjaya and the
high-souled Dhananjaya also loveth him in return. Vibhatsu had never
addressed Drona's son before in this way. Why then did the son of Kunti
address his friend in such words?'

"Sanjaya said, 'Upon the fall of the youthful prince of the Chedis, of
Vrihatkshatra of Puru's race, and of Sudarsana, the chief of the Malavas,
who was well-accomplished in the science of arms, and upon the defeat of
Dhrishtadyumna and Satyaki and Bhima, and feeling great pain and touched
to the quick by those words of Yudhishthira, and remembering a his former
woes, O lord, Vibhatsu, in consequence of his grief, felt such wrath rise
within him the like of which he had never experienced before. It was for
this that like a vulgar person, he addressed the preceptor's son who was
worthy of every respect, in such unworthy, indecent, bitter, and harsh
language. Addressed, from wrath, in such harsh and cruel words by Partha,
O king, Drona's son, that foremost of all mighty bowmen, became highly
angry with Partha and especially with Krishna. The valiant Aswatthaman,
then, staying resolutely on his car, touched water and invoked the Agneya
weapon incapable of being resisted by the very gods. Aiming at all his
visible and invisible foes, the preceptor's son, that slayer of hostile
heroes, inspired with mantras a blazing shaft possessed of the effulgence
of a smokeless fire, and let it off on all sides, filled with rage. Dense
showers of arrows then issued from it in the welkin. Endued with fiery
flames, those arrows encompassed Partha on all sides. Meteors flashed
down from the firmament. A thick gloom suddenly shrouded the (Pandava)
host. All the points of the compass also were enveloped by that darkness.
Rakshasas and Pisachas, crowding together, uttered fierce cries.
Inauspicious winds began to blow. The sun himself no longer gave any
heat. Ravens fiercely croaked on all sides. Clouds roared in the welkin,
showering blood. Birds and beasts and kine, and Munis of high vows and
souls under complete control, became exceedingly uneasy. The very
elements seemed to be perturbed. The sun seemed to turn. The universe,
scorched with heat, seemed to be in a fever. The elephants and other
creatures of the land, scorched by the energy of that weapon, ran in
fright, breathing heavily and desirous of protection against that
terrible force. The very waters heated, the creatures residing in that
element, O Bharata, became exceedingly uneasy and seemed to burn. From
all the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary, from the
firmament and the very earth, showers of sharp and fierce arrows fell and
issued with the impetuosity of Garuda or the wind. Struck and burnt by
those shafts of Aswatthaman that were all endued with the impetuosity of
the thunder, the hostile warriors fell down like trees burnt down by a
raging fire. Huge elephants, burnt by that weapon, fell down on the earth
all around, uttering fierce cries loud as the rumblings of the clouds.
Other huge elephants, scorched by that fire, ran hither and thither, and
roared aloud in fear, as if in the midst of a forest conflagration. The
steeds, O king, and the cars also, burnt by the energy of that weapon,
looked, O sire, like the tops of trees burnt in a forest-fire. Thousands
of cars fell down on all sides. Indeed, O Bharata, it seemed that the
divine lord Agni burnt the (Pandava) host in that battle, like the
Samvarta fire consuming everything at the end of the Yuga.

'Beholding the Pandava army thus burning in that dreadful battle, thy
soldiers, O king, filled with joy, uttered leonine shouts. Indeed, the
combatants, desirous of victory and filled with joy, speedily blew
thousands of trumpets, O Bharata, of diverse kinds. Darkness having
enveloped the world during that fierce battle, the entire Pandava army,
with Savyasachin, the son of Panda, could not be seen. We had never
before, O king, heard of or seen the like of that weapon which Drona's
son created in wrath on that occasion. Then Arjuna, O king, invoked into
existence the Brahma weapon, capable of baffling every other weapon, as
ordained by the Lotus-born (Brahma) himself. Within a moment that
darkness was dispelled, cool winds began to blow, and all the points of
the compass became clear and bright. We then beheld a wonderful sight,
viz., a full Akshauhini (of the Pandava troops) laid low. Burnt by the
energy of Aswatthaman's weapon, the forms of the slain could not be
distinguished. Then those two heroic and mighty bowmen, viz., Kesava and
Arjuna, freed from that darkness, were seen together, like the sun and
the moon in the firmament. Indeed, the wielder of Gandiva and Kesava were
both unwounded. Equipped with its banners and standards and steeds, with
the Anukarsa unjoined; and with all the mighty weapons stored on it
remaining uninjured, that car, so terrible to thy warriors, freed from
that darkness, shone resplendent on the field. And soon there arose
diverse sounds of life mingled with the blare of conchs and the beat of
drums, from among the Pandava troops filled with joy. Both hosts thought
that Kesava and Arjuna had perished Beholding Kesava and Arjuna,
therefore (freed from darkness and the energy of that weapon) and seeing
that reappear so quickly, the Pandavas were filled with joy, and the
Kauravas with wonder. Unwounded and full of cheerfulness, those two
heroes blew their excellent conchs. Indeed, seeing Partha filled with
joy, thy soldiers became exceedingly melancholy. Seeing those two
high-souled ones (viz., Kesava and Arjuna), freed (from the energy of his
weapon) the son of Drona became very cheerless. For a moment he
reflected, O sire, on what had happened. And having reflected, O king, he
became filled with anxiety and grief. Breathing long and hot sighs, he
became exceedingly cheerless. Laying aside his bow, then, the son of
Drona speedily alighted from his car, and saying, 'O fie, fie! Every
thing is untrue,' he ran away from the fight. On his way he met Vyasa,
the abode of Saraswati, the compiler of the Vedas, the habitation of
those scriptures, unstained by sin, and of the hue of rain-charged cloud.
Beholding him, that perpetuator of Kura's race, standing on his way, the
son of Drona with voice choked in grief, and like one exceedingly
cheerless, saluted him and said, 'O sire, O sire, is this an illusion, or
is it a caprice (on the part of the weapon)? I do not know what it is.
Why, indeed, hath my weapon become fruitless? What breach (has there been
in the method of invocation)? Or, is it something abnormal, or, is it a
victory over Nature (achieved by the two Krishnas) since they are yet
alive? It seems that Time is irresistible. Neither Asuras, nor
Gandharvas, nor Pisachas, nor Rakshasas, nor Uragas, Yakshas, and birds,
nor human beings, can venture to baffle this weapon shot by me. This
fiery weapon, however, having slain only one Akshauhini of troops, hath
been pacified. This exceedingly fierce weapon shot by me is capable of
slaying all creatures. For what reason then could it not slay Kesava and
Arjuna, both of whom are endued with the attributes of humanity? Asked by
me, O holy one, answer me truly. O great Muni, I desire to hear all this
in detail.'

"Vyasa said, 'O highly significant is this matter that thou enquirest of
me from surprise. I will tell thee everything; listen attentively. He
that is called Narayana is older than the oldest ones. For accomplishing
some purpose, that creator of the universe took his birth as the son of
Dharma. On the mountain of Himavat he underwent the severest ascetic
austerities. Endued with mighty energy, and resembling fire or the sun
(in splendour), he stood there with arms upraised. Possessed of eyes
like: lotus-petals, he emaciated himself there for sixty-six thousand
years, subsisting all the while upon air alone. Once more undergoing
severe austerities of another kind for twice that period, he filled the
space between earth and heaven with his energy. When by those
austerities, O sire, he became: like Brahma[269] he then beheld the
Master, Origin, and Guardian of the Universe, the Lord of all the gods,
the Supreme Deity, who is exceedingly difficult of being gazed at, who is
minuter than the minutest and larger than, the largest, who is called
Rudra,[270] who is the lord of all the superior ones, who is called Hara
and Sambhu, who has matted locks on his head, who is the infuser of life
into every form, who is the First cause of all immobile: and mobile
things, who is irresistible and of frightful aspect, who is of fierce
wrath and great Soul, who is the All-destroyer, and of large heart; who
beareth the celestial bow and a couple of quivers, who is cased in golden
armour, and whose energy is infinite, who holdeth Pinaka, who is; armed
with thunderbolt, a blazing trident, battle axe, mace, and a large sword;
whose eye-brows are fair, whose locks are matted, who wieldeth the heavy
short club, who hath the moon on his forehead, who is clad in tiger-skin,
and who is armed with the bludgeon; who is decked with beautiful angadas,
who hath snakes for his sacred thread, and who is surrounded by diverse
creatures of the universe and by numerous ghosts and spirits, who is the
One, who is the abode of ascetic austerities, and who is highly adored by
persons of venerable age; who is Water, Heaven, Sky, Earth, Sun, Moon,
Wind and Fire, and who is the measure of the duration of the universe.
Persons of wicked behaviour can never obtain a sight of that unborn one,
that slayer of all haters of Brahmanas, that giver of emancipation.[271]
Only Brahmanas of righteous conduct, when cleansed of their sins and
freed from the control of grief, behold him with their mind's eye. In
consequence of his ascetic austerities, Narayana obtained a sight of that
unfading one, that embodiment of righteousness, that adorable one, that
Being having the universe for his form. Beholding that supreme Abode of
all kinds of splendour, that God with a garland of Akshas round his neck,
Vasudeva, with gratified soul, became filled with delight which he sought
to express by words, heart, understanding, and body. Then Narayana
worshipped that Divine Lord, that First cause of the universe, that giver
of boons, that puissant one sporting with the fair-limbed Parvati, that
high-souled Being surrounded by large bands of ghosts, spirits, that
Unborn one, that Supreme Lord, that Embodiment of the unmanifest, that
Essence of all causes, that One of unfading power. Having saluted Rudra,
that destroyer of the Asura Andhaka, the lotus eyed Narayana, with
emotion filling his heart, began to praise the Three-eyed one (in these
words), 'O adorable one, O first of all the gods, the creator of
everything (viz., the Prajapatis) who are the regents of the world, and
who having entered the earth,--thy first work,--had, O lord, protected it
before, have all sprung from thee. Gods, Asuras, Nagas, Rakshasas,
Pisachas, human beings, birds, Gandharvas, Yakshas and other creatures:
with the entire universe, we know, have all sprung from thee. Everything
that is done for propitiating Indra, and Yama, and Varuna, and Kuvera and
Pitris and Tvashtri, and Soma, is really offered to thee. Form and light,
sound and sky, wind and touch, taste and water, scent and earth,[272]
time, Brahma himself, the Vedas, the Brahmanas and all these mobile
objects, have sprung from thee. Vapours rising from diverse receptacles
of water, becoming rain-drops, which failing upon the earth, are
separated from one another. When the time of the Universal dissolution
comes those individual drops, separated from one another, once more unite
together and make the earth one vast expanse of water. He that is
learned, thus observing the origin and the destruction, of all things,
understands thy oneness. Two birds (viz., Iswara and Jiva), four
Aswatthas with their wordy branches (viz., the Vedas), the seven
guardians (viz., the five essences or elements and the heart and the
understanding), and the ten others that hold this city (viz., the ten
senses that constitute the body), have all been created by thee, but thou
art separate from and independent of them. The Past, the Future, and the
Present, over each of which none can have any sway, are from thee, as
also the seven worlds and this universe. I am thy devoted adorer,--be
graceful unto me. Do not injure me, by causing evil thoughts to penetrate
my heart. Thou art the Soul of souls, incapable of being known. He that
knows thee as the Universal Seed, attaineth to Brahma. Desiring to pay
thee respects, I am praising thee, endeavouring to ascertain thy real
nature, O thou that art incapable of being understood by the very gods.
Adored by me, grant me the boons I desire but which are difficult of
acquisition. Do not hide thyself in thy illusion.'

"Vyasa continued, 'The blue-throated God, of inconceivable soul, that
wielder of Pinaka, that divine Lord ever praised by the Rishis, then gave
boons unto Vasudeva who deserved them all. The great God said, 'O
Narayana, through my grace, amongst men, gods, and Gandharvas, thou shalt
be of immeasurable might and soul. Neither gods, nor Asuras, nor great
Uragas, nor Pisachas, nor Gandharvas, nor men, nor Rakshasas, nor birds,
nor Nagas, nor any creatures in the Universe, shall ever be able to bear
thy prowess. No one amongst even the celestials shall be able to vanquish
thee in battle. Through my grace, none shall ever be able to cause thee
pain by the weapon of thunderbolt or with any object that is wet or dry,
or with any mobile or immobile thing. Thou shalt be superior to myself if
thou ever goest to battle against me.' Thus were these boons acquired by
Sauri in days of yore. Even that God now walketh the earth (as Vasudeva),
beguiling the universe by his illusion. From Narayana's asceticism was
born a great Muni of the name of Nara, equal to Narayana himself. Know
that Arjuna is none else than that Nara. Those two Rishis, said to be
older than the oldest gods, take their births in every Yuga for serving
the purposes of the world. Thyself also, O thou of great heart, hast been
born as a portion of Rudra, by virtue of all thy religious acts and as a
consequence of high ascetic austerities, endued with great energy and
wrath. Thou wert (in a former life) endued with great wisdom and equal to
a god. Regarding the universe to consist only of Mahadeva, thou hadst
emaciated thyself by diverse vows from desire of gratifying that God.
Assuming the form of a very superior person, that blazes fourth with
splendour, thou hast, O giver of honours, worshipped the great god with
mantras, with homa, and with offerings. Thus adored by thee in thy former
life, the great god became gratified with thee, and granted thee numerous
boons, O learned one, that thou hadst cherished in thy heart. Like
Kesava's and Arjuna's thy birth acts, and ascetic austerities are also
superior. Like them, in thy worship, thou hast, in every Yuga, adored the
great God in his Phallic form. Kesava is that devoted worshipper of Rudra
who has sprung from Rudra himself. Kesava always worship the Lord Siva,
regarding his Phallic emblem to be the origin of the universe. In Kesava
is always present that knowledge, in consequence of which he views the
identity of Brahman with the: universe and that other knowledge by which
the Past, the Present and the Future, the near and the remote, are all
seen, as if the whole are before his eyes. The gods, the Siddhas and the
great Rishis, adore Kesava for obtaining that highest object in the
universe, viz., Mahadeva. Kesava is the creator of everything. The
Eternal Krishna should be adored with sacrifices. The Lord Kesava always
worshippeth Siva in the Phallic emblem as the origin of all creatures.
The God having the bull for his mark cherisheth greater regard for
Kesava.'

"Sanjaya continued, 'Hearing these words of Vyasa, Drona's son, that
mighty car-warrior, bowed unto Rudra and regarded Kesava as worthy of the
highest regards. Having his soul under complete control, he became filled
with delight, the marks whereof appeared on his body. Bowing unto the
great Rishi, Aswatthaman then, casting his eyes on the (Kuru) army,
caused it-to be withdrawn (for nightly rest). Indeed, when, after the
fall of Drona, the cheerless Kurus retired from the field, the Pandavas
also, O monarch, caused their army to be withdrawn. Having fought for
five days and caused an immense carnage, that Brahman well-versed in the
Vedas, viz., Drona, repaired, O king, to the region of Brahma!'."



SECTION CCII

"Dhritarashtra said, Upon the slaughter of the Atiratha, viz., Drona, by
Prishata's son, what did my sons and the Pandavas next do?'

"Sanjaya, said, 'After the rout of the Kuru army, upon the slaughter of
that Atiratha, viz., Drona, by Prishata's son, Dhananjaya, the son of
Kunti beholding a wonderful phenomenon in connection with his own
victory, asked Vyasa, O bull of Bharata's race, who came thither in
course of his wanderings, saying, 'O great Rishi, while I was engaged in
slaying the foe in battle with showers of bright shafts, I continually
beheld before me, proceeding in advance of my car, a person of blazing
hue, as if endued with the effulgence of fire. Whithersoever he proceeded
with his uplifted lance, all the hostile warriors were seen to break
before him. Broken in reality by him, people regarded the foe to have
been broken by me. Following in his wake, I only destroyed those, already
destroyed by him. O holy one, tell me who was that foremost of persons,
armed with lance, resembling the sun himself in energy, that was thus
seen by me? He did not touch the earth with his feet, nor did he hurl his
lance even once. In consequence of his energy, thousands of lances issued
out of that one lance held by him.'

"Vyasa said, 'Thou hast, O Arjuna, seen Sankara, that First cause from
which have sprung the Prajapatis, that puissant Being endued with great
energy, he that is the embodiment of heaven, earth and sky, the Divine
Lord, the protector of the universe, the great Master, the giver of
boons, called also Isana. O, seek the protection of that boon, giving
Deity, that lord of the universe. He is called Mahadeva (the Supreme
Deity), of Supreme Soul, the one only Lord, with matted locks (on head),
the abode of auspiciousness. Of three eyes and mighty arms, he is called
Rudra, with his locks tied in the shape of a crown, and his body attired
in skins. That boon-giving lord of the universe, that Supreme Deity, is
also called Hara and Sthanu. He is the foremost of every being in the
universe, he is incapable of being vanquished, he is the delighter of the
universe and its supreme ruler. The first cause, the light and refuge of
the universe, he is ever victorious. The Soul and the creator of the
universe, and having the universe for his form, he is possessed of great
fame. The Lord of the universe, and its great Ruler, that puissant one,
is also the master of all actions. Called also Sambhu, he is self-born,
he is the lord of all creatures, and the origin of the Past, the Future,
and the Present. He is Yoga and the lord of Yoga; he is called Sarva, and
is the Lord of all the worlds. He is superior to everything. The foremost
of everything in the universe, and the highest of all, he is called also
Parumesthin. The Ordainer of the three worlds, he is the sole refuge of
the three worlds. Incapable of being vanquished, he is the protector of
the universe, and abode (the necessity of) birth, decay, and death. The
Soul of knowledge, incapable of being compassed by knowledge, and the
highest of all knowledge he is unknowable. Through grace, he giveth unto
his worshippers the boons they desire. That Lord hath for his companions
celestial beings of diverse forms, some of whom are dwarfs, some having
matted locks, some with bald heads, some with short necks, some with
large stomachs, some with huge bodies, some possessed of great strength
and some of long ears. All of them, O Partha, have deformed faces and
mouths and legs and strange attires. That Supreme Deity, called Mahadeva,
is worshipped by followers that are even such. Even that Siva, O son,
endued with such energy, proceedeth through kindness, in advance of thee.
In that fierce battle, O Partha, making the very hair stand on end, who
else, O Arjuna, than the divine Maheswara, that foremost of all bowmen,
that Deity of divine form, could even in imagination venture to vanquish
that force which was protected by those great smiters and bowmen, viz.,
Aswatthaman and Karna and Kripa? None can venture to stay before the
warrior that hath Maheswara walking before him. There is no being in the
three worlds that is equal to him. And the very scent of the enraged
Mahadeva, foes in battle tremble and become senseless and fall in large
numbers. For this, the gods in heaven adore and bow to him. Those men in
this world and those other men of pious conduct, that devoutly worship
the boon-giving, divine, and auspicious Rudra, obtain happiness here and
attain to the highest state hereafter. O son of Kunti, bow down unto him
that is peace, unto him, called Rudra of blue throat, exceedingly subtle,
and of great effulgence, unto him called Kapardin, him that is terrible,
him that of tawny eyes, him that is boon-giving; unto that great
ordainer, of red locks and righteous conduct; unto him that always does
auspicious acts; unto him that is an object of desire; him that is of
tawny eyes; him that is called Sthanu; him that is called Purusha; unto
him that is of tawny hair; him that is bold, him that is exceedingly
subtle and of great effulgence; unto him that is the giver of light; him
that is the embodiment of all sacred waters; him that is the God of gods;
and him that is endued with great impetuosity; unto him that is of
manifest form; him that is called Sarva; him that is of agreeable attire;
unto him that has an excellent head-gear, him that is of handsome face;
him that has the mountains for his habitation; him that is peace; him
that is the protector; him that has barks of trees for his attire; him
whose arms are decked with ornaments of gold, him who is fierce, him that
is the lord of all the points of the compass; him that is the lord of the
clouds and of all created beings; him that is the lord of all trees and
of all kine; him that has his body shrouded with trees; him who is the
celestial generalissimo; him who inspires all thought; him who has the
sacrificial ladle in his hand; him who is blazing; him who wields the
bow; him who is Rama's self, him who has diverse forms; him who is the
lord of the universe; him who had the munja grass for his attire; him who
has a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand arms, and a thousand
legs. O son of Kunti, seek the protection of that boon-giving Lord of the
universe, the lord of Uma, that God of three eyes, that destroyer of
Daksha's sacrifice; that guardian of all created things, that being who
is always cheerful, that protector of all beings, that God of unfading
glory; that one with matted locks; that mover of all superior beings,
that one whose navel is like that of a bull and who hath the bull for his
symbol; that one who is proud like the bull, who is the lord of bulls;
who is represented by the horns of the bull; and who is the bull of
bulls; that one who hath the image of the bull on his banner; who is
liberal to all righteous persons; who can be approached by Yoga only; and
whose eyes are like those of a bull; who owneth very superior weapons:
who hath Vishnu himself for his arrow; who is the embodiment of
righteousness; and who is called Maheswara; who is of vast stomach and
vast body; who hath a leopard's skin for his seat; who is the lord of the
worlds; who is devoted to Brahma and who loveth Brahmanas; who is armed
with trident; who is boon-giving; who wieldeth the sword and the shield,
and who is highly auspicious, who wieldeth the bow called Pinaka, who is
divested of the battle axe,[273] and who is the protector and lord of the
universe. I place myself in the hands of that divine Lord, that grantor
of protection, that God attired in deer-skins. Salutations, to that Lord
of the celestials who hath Vaisravana for his friend. Salutations ever to
him of excellent vows; to him who hath excellent bowmen for his
companions; to him who himself wieldeth the bow; to that God with whom
the bow is a favourite weapon; who is himself the shaft impelled by the
bow; who is the bowstring and the bow; and the preceptor teaching the use
of the bow. Salutations to the God whose weapons are fierce; and who is
the foremost of all the gods. Salutations to him of diverse forms; to him
who hath many bowmen around him. Salutations ever to him who is called
Sthanu and who has a large number of excellent bowmen for his companions.
Salutations to him who destroyed the triple city. Salutations to him who
slew (the Asura) Bhaga. Salutations to him who is the lord of trees and
of men. Salutations to him who is the lord of the (celestial), Mothers,
and of those tribes of spirits known by the name of Ganas. Salutations
ever to him who is the lord of kine and of sacrifices. Salutations ever
to him who is the lord of the waters and the lord of the gods, who is the
destroyer of Surya's teeth, who is of three eyes, who is the grantor of
boons; who is called Hara, who is blue-throated, and who is of golden
locks. I will now tell thee, according to my knowledge and as I have
heard of them, all the divine deeds of Mahadeva of Supreme wisdom. If
Mahadeva becomes angry, neither gods, nor Asuras, Gandharvas, nor
Rakshasas, even if they hide themselves in deep oceans, can have peace.
In the days of yore, Daksha, for performing a sacrifice, had collected
the necessary articles. Mahadeva destroyed that sacrifice in wrath.
Indeed, He became very stern on that occasion. Shooting an arrow from his
bow, he uttered terrible roars. The celestials then became filled with
anxiety and fright. Indeed, when Mahadeva became angry and the Sacrifice
(in its embodied form) fled away, the gods became exceedingly frightened
at the twang of Mahadeva's bow and the sound of his palms. The gods and
Asuras all fell down and submitted to Mahadeva. All the waters swelled up
in agitations and the earth trembled. The mountains split, and all the
points of the compass and the Nagas became stupefied. The universe,
enveloped in a thick darkness, could no longer be seen. The splendour of
all luminaries, with the sun was destroyed. The Rishis, filled with fear,
became agitated, and desirous of their own good as also of all creatures,
performed propitiatory rites. Surya was then eating the principal
oblation. Smilingly Sankara approached him and tore out his teeth. The
gods then, humbling themselves to him, fled away, trembling. Once more,
Mahadeva aimed at the gods a shower of blazing and keen arrows resembling
flames of fire mixed with smoke, or clouds with lightning. Beholding that
arrowy shower, all the gods bowing down unto Maheswara, assigned to Rudra
a substantial share in sacrifices. In fright, the gods, O prince, sought
his protection. His wrath being dispelled, the great God then restored
the sacrifice. The gods that had fled away came back. Indeed, they are to
this day afraid of Maheswara. Formerly, the valiant Asuras had, in
heaven, three cities. Each of those cities was excellent and large. One
was made of iron, another of silver, and the third of gold. The golden
city belonged to Kamalaksha, the silver city to Tarakaksha, and the
third, made of iron, had Vidyunmalin for its lord. With all his weapons,
Maghavat (Indra) was unable to make any impression on those cities.
Afflicted (by the Asuras), all the gods sought the protection of Rudra.
Approaching him, all the gods with Vasava at their head, said, 'These
terrible dwellers of the triple city have received boons from Brahma.
Filled with pride in consequence of those boons, they are greatly
afflicting the universe, O Lord of the gods, none, save thee, is
competent to slay them. Therefore, O Mahadeva, slay these enemies of the
gods: O Rudra, creatures slain in every sacrifice shall then be thine.
Thus addressed by the gods, Mahadeva thus accepted their request, moved
by the desire of benefiting them, and said, 'I will overthrow these
Asuras. And Hara made the two mountains, viz., Gandhamadana and Vindhya,
the two poles of his car. And Sankara made the earth with her oceans and
forests his battle car. And the three-eyed deity made that prince of
snakes, viz., Sesha, the Aksha, of that car. And that God of gods, the
wielder of Pinaka, made the moon and the sun the two wheels of that
vehicle. And the triple-eyed Lord made Elapatra and Pushpadanta, the two
pins of the yoke. And the valiant Mahadeva made the Malaya mountains the
yoke, and the great Takshaka the string for tying the yoke to the poles,
and the creatures about him the traces of the steed. And Maheswara made
the four Vedas his four steeds. And that lord of the three worlds made
the supplementary Vedas the bridle-bits. And Mahadeva made Gayatri and
Savitri the reins, the syllable Om the whip, and Brahma the driver. And
making the Mandara mountains the bow, Vasuki the bowstring, Vishnu his
excellent shaft, Agni the arrow-head, and Vayu the two wings of that
shafts, Yama the feathers in its tail, lightning the whetting stone, and
Meru the standard, Siva, riding on that excellent car which was composed
of all the celestial forces, proceeded for the destruction of the triple
city. Indeed, Sthanu, that foremost of smiter, that Destroyer of Asuras,
that handsome warrior of immeasurable prowess, adored by the celestials,
O Partha, and by Rishis possessing wealth of asceticism, caused an
excellent and unrivalled array called after his own name, and stood
immovable for a thousand years. When, however, the three cities came
together in the firmament, the lord Mahadeva. pierced them with that
terrible shaft of his, consisting of three knots. The Danavas were unable
to gaze at that shafts inspired with Yuga-fire and composed of Vishnu and
Soma. While the triple city commenced to burn, the goddess Parvati
repaired thither to behold the sight. She had then on her lap, a child
having a bald head with five clumps of hair on it. The goddess asked the
deities as to who that child was. Sakra, through ill-feeling endeavoured
to strike that child with his thunderbolt. The divine lord Mahadeva (for
the child was none other), smiling, quickly paralysed the arm of the
enraged Sakra. Then god Sakra, with his arm paralysed accompanied by all
the celestials, speedily repaired to the lord Brahma of unfading glory.
Bowing unto him with their heads, they addressed Brahma with joined hands
and said, 'Some wonderful creature, O Brahma, lying on the lap of
Parvati, in the form of a child, was behold by us but not saluted. We
have all been vanquished by him. We, therefore, desire to ask thee as to
who he may be. Indeed, that boy, without fighting, hath with the greatest
ease vanquished us all with Purandara at our head.' Hearing these words
of theirs, Brahma. that foremost of all persons, acquainted with Brahma,
reflected for a moment and understood that boy of immeasurable energy to
be none else than the divine Sambhu, Addressing then, those foremost of
celestials with Sakra at their head, Brahma said, 'That child is the
divine Hara the Lord of the entire mobile and immobile universe. There is
nothing superior to Maheswara. That Being of immeasurable splendour who
was beheld by you all with Uma, that divine lord, had assumed the form of
a child for Uma's sake. Let us all go unto him. That divine and
illustrious one is the Supreme Lord of the world. Ye gods, ye could not
recognise that master of the universe.' Then all the gods with the
Grandsire repaired to that child, endued with the effulgence of the
morning sun. Beholding Maheswara, and knowing that he was the Supreme
Being, the Grandsire Brahma thus adored him: Thou art Sacrifice, O lord,
thou art the stay and refuge of the universe. Thou art Bhava, thou art
Mahadeva, thou art the abode (of all things), and thou art the highest
refuge. This whole universe with its mobile and immobile creatures, is
pervaded by thee. O holy one, O lord of the past and the future, O lord
of the world, O protector of the universe, let Sakra, afflicted with thy
wrath, have thy grace.'

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