"The Killing of the Demon Hiranyâksha"

Skandham-3.1

 

Chapter-19.

 

 

 

Slokam - 1 to 38.

 

 

The Killing of the Demon Hiranyâksha

 

 

(1) Maitreya said: 'Hearing the nectarine words free from sinful intentions of Brahmâ, made the Lord heartily laugh and accept them with a glance laden with love. (2) Then, springing up, did He struck the demoniac enemy fearlessly stalking before Him with His mace sideways at the chin. (3) But that blow was stopped by Hiranyâksha his mace, so that the Lord His mace, slipping from His hands, fell down whirling with an astonishing miraculous glow. (4) Although then, from that having an excellent opportunity, did Hiranyâksha not attack respecting the code of combat that having no weapon in battle must be honored. This drove the Lord further. (5) As His mace fell a cry of alarm rose [from the bystanders] and seeing Hiranyâksha his righteousness did the All-powerful Lord remember His Sudars'ana cakra. (6) As He was revolving His discus, playing with the vile son of Diti, was He as the chief of His associates met with various expressions of disbelief that filled the sky with: 'All fortune to You, please put Him to his end.'(1) Maitreya said: 'Hearing the nectarine words free from sinful intentions of Brahmâ, made the Lord heartily laugh and accept them with a glance laden with love. (2) Then, springing up, did He struck the demoniac enemy fearlessly stalking before Him with His mace sideways at the chin. (3) But that blow was stopped by Hiranyâksha his mace, so that the Lord His mace, slipping from His hands, fell down whirling with an astonishing miraculous glow. (4) Although then, from that having an excellent opportunity, did Hiranyâksha not attack respecting the code of combat that having no weapon in battle must be honored. This drove the Lord further. (5) As His mace fell a cry of alarm rose [from the bystanders] and seeing Hiranyâksha his righteousness did the All-powerful Lord remember His Sudars'ana cakra. (6) As He was revolving His discus, playing with the vile son of Diti, was He as the chief of His associates met with various expressions of disbelief that filled the sky with:(1) Maitreya said: 'Hearing the nectarine words free from sinful intentions of Brahmâ, made the Lord heartily laugh and accept them with a glance laden with love. (2) Then, springing up, did He struck the demoniac enemy fearlessly stalking before Him with His mace sideways at the chin. (3) But that blow was stopped by Hiranyâksha his mace, so that the Lord His mace, slipping from His hands, fell down whirling with an astonishing miraculous glow. (4) Although then, from that having an excellent opportunity, did Hiranyâksha not attack respecting the code of combat that having no weapon in battle must be honored. This drove the Lord further. (5) As His mace fell a cry of alarm rose [from the bystanders] and seeing Hiranyâksha his righteousness did the All-powerful Lord remember His Sudars'ana cakra. (6) As He was revolving His discus, playing with the vile son of Diti, was He as the chief of His associates met with various expressions of disbelief that filled the sky with: 'All fortune to You, please put Him to his end.'

 

 

 

(7) The daitya upon seeing Him armed with His disc before him, being ready and looking at Him with His eyes like the petals of lotusflowers, was in his senses overpowered by indignation and hissing like a serpent he bit his lips in great resent. (8) With his fearful huge teeth and both his staring eyes burning like fire he then attacked saying: ' Thus You are defeated by Your own club!', and hurled it at the Lord. (9) That mace, o seeker of truth, was, while his enemy looked on, playfully knocked down by the right foot of the Supreme Lord of sacrifices who had taken the form of a boar, although it had the force of a tempest.

 

 

 

(10) Then He said: 'Pick it up and try again, when you are so eager to win'. At that time, did Hiranyâksha, thus challenged, roaring loudly strike again. (11) Seeing the mace flying towards Him, did the Lord standing firm catch it with ease, seizing it as Garuda would do a serpent. (12) The frustration of his bravery shattered the pride of the great demon and being put off he refused to take back the mace that the Lord offered Him. (13) Instead he took up a trident and flaming like fire he ravenously went against the Lord of Sacrifice in the form of Varâha, as one with evil intentions would against a brahmin. (14) The shiny trident that the mightiest among the daityas with all his strength had hurled was midair with a flash of light cut to pieces by the sharp rim of the cakra, like Indra cutting off the wing of Garuda [when he once snatched a pot of nectar]. (15) When he saw his trident cut in pieces by the Lord His disc, he went mad and came roaring forward striking the broad and S'rîvatsa-marked chest of the Lord hard with his fist, after which the demon disappeared from sight. (16) Thus struck by him, o Vidura, was the Supreme Lord in His first incarnation as a boar not in the least shaken and no more affected than an elephant struck by a bunch of flowers. (17) The people though now saw the Lord of the union in matter being sieged with an array of tricks and they fearfully thought that the end of the world had come. (18) Fierce winds were blowing and in all directions darkness spread itself from the dust while stones came down as if thrown by an army. (19) The luminaries in the sky disappeared behind masses of clouds from which it thundered and lightened while all the time it rained pus, hair, blood, stool, urine and bones. (20) O sinless one, mountains of all kinds of weapons discharging appeared and naked demonesses armed with tridents and with their hair hanging loose were seen. (21) Many savage devils and demons on foot, horseback, on chariots and elephants appeared, uttering cruel words of murder. (22) Upon this display of magical power of the demon intent on destruction, did the beloved enjoyer of the three sacrifices [of hearing, goods and breath see B.G. 4: 26-27] cast the weapon of His most excellent presence [the Sudars'ana cakra].

 

 

 

(23) At that very moment a shudder ran through the heart of Diti [the mother of the demon] and recalling the words of her husband [Kas'yapa] did blood flow from her breasts. (24) With his magic forces being dispelled the demon came in view again of the Supreme Lord, and full of rage he embraced to crush, but found the Lord outside of his grip. (25) Hiranyâksha stroke Lord Adhokshaja [meaning: beyond our sense control] with his fist as hard as a thunderbolt, but was slapped by Him just below his ear, like the Lord of the Maruts [Indra] did with the demon Vritra. (26) Though slapped by the Invincible Lord in a casual manner, did the demon's body wheel around; his eyes bulged out of their sockets and with his arms and legs lifeless and his hair scattered, he fell down like a gigantic tree uprooted by the wind.

 

 

 

(27) The self-born one [Brahmâ] and others who saw him lying on the ground with his glow still unfaded and his lip bitten by his teeth, said, approaching in admiration: 'O who indeed could so meet his final destination?. (28) He upon whom the yogîs in seclusion meditate absorbed in the union, seeking liberation from the unreal of the body - of a foot of Him was the son, the crest jewel of the ones of Diti, struck and did he indeed cast off his body while gazing at His countenance. (29) Both of the two personal assistants of the Lord have been cursed to be born again from the godless for a couple of lifes, after which they indeed will return again.'

 

 

 

(30) The godly ones said: 'All obeisances to You, enjoyer of all sacrifices, who for the purpose of maintaining took the form of pure goodness; to the worlds good fortune You've slain this one who was wreaking havoc. With devotion to Your feet, we are now at ease. '

 

 

 

(31) S'rî Maitreya said: 'After thus having killed the so very powerful Hyranyâksha, did the Lord, the source of the boar-incarnation return to His own abode, praised by the one seated on the lotus and the others in one uninterrupted festival. (32) To you I explained, as it was told to me, dear friend, how by the activities of the Supreme Lord in assuming His [boar-]incarnation, Hiranyâksha, who was of a vast prowess, in a great fight was killed like a plaything'."

 

 

(33) Sûta said: " Thus did Vidura, the great devotee, hear, from the son of Kushâru [Maitreya], the narration about the Supreme Lord and achieve transcendental bliss, o brahmin [S'aunaka]. (34) What must I say of hearing about the Lord with the mark of S'rîvatsa, when even the renown of others, devotees loyal to the verses, can raise the pleasure? (35) The king of the elephants [Gajendra] who was attacked by an alligator, meditated upon the lotus feet while his females were crying and was quickly delivered from the danger. (36) Who would not take shelter with Him who is so easily worshiped by men without pretensions; which grateful soul would not render service to the one who is impossible to worship by those who aren't real seekers? (37) He who indeed hears, chants and takes pleasure in this wonderful pastime of the Supreme One who as a boar raised the earth out of the ocean and killed Hiranyâksha, will instantly be freed, even if he finished a brahmin, o twice-born! (38) This narrative confers great merit, is very sacred and brings wealth, fame and longevity and will provide all that one needs. Whoever listens to it will find his life-force and senses strenghtened by it on the battlefield and at the end of one's life it will grant the shelter of Lord Nârâyana, o dear S'aunaka."

   

Thus ends the first part of Skandham 3.1 of the S'rîmad Bhâgavatam