Radha Krishna - Chapter 10: The Battle Between the Demigods and the Demons

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Because they had turned away from Vâsudeva [and rather saw Mohinî-mûrti], the Dânavas and Daityas oh Ruler, thus with their combined efforts of churning failed to achieve the nectar. (2) After the amrit had been generated oh King and had served as a drink for the Suras who belonged to Him, the Lord of all living beings who is carried by Garuda went away. (3) Seeing how their rivals enjoyed a good life, the sons of Diti could not accept it and therefore raised their weapons to march against the demigods. (4) The godly ones who under the shelter of Nârâyana's feet had found new strength from drinking the nectar, thereupon took up their weapons to defend themselves. (5) There was a very fierce battle between those who were named the gods and the demons oh King, with a tumult that made one's hair stand on end. (6) That battle in which they angry minded fought against each other wielding their swords, arrows and the rest of their weaponry, was an encounter that tried them all sorely. (7) Because of the conch shells, trumpets, drums, bugles and kettledrums and [the sounds of] all the elephants, horses, foot soldiers and chariot fighters there rose a tumultuous noise. (8) On the battlefield the enemies fought with each other on an equal basis: charioteer against charioteer, infantry against infantry, cavalry against cavalry and elephantry against elephantry. (9) Some rode elephants, some sat on camels and some others fought sitting on asses. Some also used white-faced and red-faced monkeys, tigers and lions. (10-12) Both the parties of fighters faced each other using all kinds of differently shaped water animals, land animals and sea animals. There were vultures, eagles, ducks, hawks and bhâsa birds, killer whales, monkeys, buffalos, rhinoceroses, cows, bulls, wild cows and red cows, jackals and rats, lizards, rabbits, human beings and goats while others entered the fight making use of black deer, swans and boars [as their 'vehicle', totemic animal or fighting spirit]. (13-15) With the nicely decorated flags and canopies oh King, with the spotless white parasols with precious handles full of jewels and pearls, with the normal fans and peacock feather fans, with their upper and lower garments flapping in the wind, with the effulgence of their ornaments and shields and with their shining spotless weapons abundantly glittering in the sunshine, the two bannered parties of the demigod and Dânava heroes with their garlands all together looked like two oceans of aquatics oh descendant of Pându. (16-18) Bali the son of Virocana, the captain of the demons, drove for the sake of the battle a vehicle made by Maya that was called Vaihâyasa ['flying through the air']. It moved wherever he wanted to. Fully equipped with all the necessary weapons it was inexplicable, indescribable and most wondrous. Sometimes it was invisible and sometimes it could be seen. Protected by nicely decorated umbrellas and câmaras he, seated on that first-class heavenly chariot and surrounded by all the commanders, was situated in a position as brilliant as that of a rising moon. (19-24) The different vehicles of the Asura commanders of the troops surrounded him on all sides: those of Namuci, S'ambara, Bâna, Vipracitti; Ayomukha, Dvimûrdhâ, Kâlanâbha and Praheti; the ones of Heti, Ilvala, S'akuni, Bhûtasantâpa, Vajradamshthra and Virocana; of Hayagrîva, S'ankus'irâ, Kapila, Meghadundubhi, Târaka, Cakradrik, S'umbha, Nis'umbha, Jambha and Utkala, as also those of Arishtha, Arishthanemi, Maya, Tripurâdhipa and the sons of Puloma, the Kâleyas, the Nivâtakavacas and all the others who did not get a share of the nectar. Only having carried the burden [and not receiving the reward] they, who had conquered hosts of enemies, now with all their prowess ready to fight against the immortals roared as lions and blew their conch shells with the greatest tumult. When [Lord Indra], Balabhit ['afraid of the strength'], saw his ferocious rivals he got very angry.

(25) Indra mounted on Airâvata his carrier elephant that was dripping must, looked as beautiful as the sun shining over Udayagiri's cascades. (26) Around him all the gods with banners and weapons had taken positions with their different carriers: all the leaders of the higher worlds and the demigods of the air, of fire and of water. (27) Having come forward the combatants face to face chided each other as painful to the heart as they could. Then they drew near to engage one to one in battle. (28) Bali fought with Indra, Târaka with Kârttikeya, Varuna with Heti and Mitra oh King, fought with Praheti. (29) Yamarâja fought with Kâlanâbha, Vis'vakarmâ with Maya, Tvashthâ with S'ambara and Savitrâ fought with Virocana. (30-31) Aparâjita fought with Namuci, the two As'vinî-kumâras with Vrishaparvâ, the demigod Surya with the hundred sons of Bali who were lead by Bâna, Soma [the moon-god] fought with Râhu, Anila [god of the air] with Puloma and the extremely powerful goddess Bhadra Kâlî [Durgâ] fought with S'umbha and Nis'umbha. (32-34) Vrishâkapi [S'iva] fought with Jambha and Vibhâvasu, the fire god, with Mahishâsura. Ivala together with his brother Vâtâpi fought with the sons of Brahmâ oh suppressor of the enemies. Durmarsha fought with Kâmadeva [Cupid], Utkala with the Mâtrikâ goddesses, Brihaspati with S'ukrâcârya and S'ani [Saturn] fought with Narakâsura. The Maruts fought with Nivâtakavaca, the Vasus with the Kâlakeyas, the Vis'vedevas with the Paulomas and the Rudras fought with the Krodhavas'as.

(35) The Suras and Asuras this way one by one engaged in fighting each other on the battlefield. Desiring the victory they slashed one another earnestly, waging with great strength with their sharp arrows, scimitars and lances. (36) They cut off each other's heads making use of fire weapons [bhus'undhis], discs, clubs, spears, tridents, spikes, fire brands, barbed missiles, axes, swords, lances, iron bludgeons, mallets and slings. (37) The elephants, horses and chariots, foot soldiers and all the types of riders with their carriers were slashed to pieces. Arms, thighs, necks and legs were severed and flags, bows, armor and ornaments were shredded. (38) Because of their violent trampling and rambling the dust of the field rose high in the sky up to the sun in every direction after which the particles rained down again with the blood that splattered in every direction. (39) And so the field there was strewn with severed heads complete with helmets and earrings, angry eyes and bitten lips and legs and ornamented arms, that being severed still held the weapons, laid scattered like elephant trunks. (40) With the eyes of their own heads fallen there the soldiers could still see the trunks and raised arms with weapons coming after them on the battlefield.

(41) Bali attacked the great Indra with ten arrows, Airâvata, his carrier with three arrows, his four guardians [soldiers on horseback] with four arrows and the driver of the elephant with one arrow. (42) Indra skilled as he was, in a quick response immediately cut the arrows rushing towards him to pieces with a different type of very sharp arrows [bhallas] and smiled about the fact that the enemy did not reach him. (43) Observing what a martial expert he was he, enraged, took the s'akti weapon up but that torch of blazing fire was, still in his hand, shattered by Indra. (44) But whether he next tried the lance, the barbed missile, the javelin or the sword, they were all cut to pieces by the mighty one. (45) Oh master of men, the Asura then produced a demoniac illusion because of which he vanished and a huge mountain appeared above the heads of the Sura warriors. (46) In order to minimize the enemy forces, big trees ablaze in a forest fire rained down from it as also sharp pointed stones. (47) Big snakes, scorpions and other poisonous creatures came down as also lions, tigers, boars and great elephants that crushed everything. (48) Many hundreds of stark naked carnivorous demonesses and demons oh Ruler, each holding a trident, yelled 'Pierce them, cut them to pieces!' and such. (49) Next big, deeply rumbling clouds harassed by the wind were seen in the sky that with claps of thunder released embers. (50) The Daitya created a huge terrifying conflagration resembling Sâmvartaka [the fire at the end of time] that was carried by the blasting wind to burn the demigod warriors. (51) Thereafter, for everyone to see, a sea appeared agitated all over with waves blown up by the wind into a formidable whirlpool. (52) The Sura warriors thus lost their courage, daunted as they were by the creation of the illusory atmosphere as was presented in the fight by the invisible Daityas, those experts in illusion. (53) Not knowing anymore how to respond to that oh King, the followers of Indra meditated upon the Supreme Lord, the Creator of the Universe who right there appeared before them.

(54) He with the yellow dress and the lotus petal eyes whose feet rest upon the shoulders of Garuda, then became visible with His eight arms and weapons, the Goddess of Fortune and His invaluable Kaustubha gem, His helmet and His earrings, all brilliantly exhibited. (55) The moment He appeared, the illusory manifestations of the false works of the Asura were immediately curbed by the superior power of the greatest personality of all. Just as it happens with dreams when one wakes up, all dangers are vanquished when the remembrance of the Lord has arrived. (56) When the demon Kâlanemi who was carried by 'the enemy of the elephants' [the lion] saw Him on the battlefield who was carried by Garuda, he threw a whirling trident at Him. Directed at Garuda's head it was seized with ease by the Lord of the Three Worlds, whereupon the enemy together with his carrier with the same weapon was killed by Him. (57) The very powerful Mâlî and Sumâlî fell in the battle when their heads were severed by His cakra. Thereafter the enemy Mâlyavân lost his head by the disc of the Original Personality when he, with a pointed club and roaring like a lion, attacked the king of the birds [Garuda].