CHAPTER CLXXXV
(THE BATTLE BETWEEN VANA AND KRISHNA)
Beholding Vāna issue out and stand for battle Krishna too rode Garuda and went towards Vāna. Beholding the Yadu king Krishna, of incomparable energy, the rider of Garuda, approach and stand in the west Vāna was filled with anger and said to Vāsudeva:—"Wait! Wait! You will not escape from me to-day alive to Dwarakā and see your friends there. O Mādhava, you have been urged on by Death. Therefore vanquished by me in battle, you will, on the eve of your death, see the golden leaves of the trees. O Garudhwaja, being of eight arms how you will be able to fight with me who have a thousand arms? Slain with all your friends by me in the city of Shonita you will remember Dwārakā. You will see to-day my thousand arms, adorned with various weapons and ornaments, multiply into a million" (36-44).
While Vāna was thus roaring his words as if travelled all over like the dreadful waves of an ocean raised by the wind. As if desirous of consuming the world the eyes of that highly powerful Asura, filled with anger, shone like two suns rising in the firmament. Hearing those proud words of Vāna Nārada so laughed aloud that as if the sky was sundered in twain. Seated on a Yoga seat that ascetic, filled with curiosity, moved about on all sides for seeing the battle (45-48).
Krishna said:—"O Vāna, why are you roaring thus out of foolishness? The heroes do not vaunt thus. What is the use of vaunting? Come and fight with me in the battle field. O son of Diti, you have given vent to many unconnected words. If by words victory is accomplished in a battle, you would have been no doubt victorious. Come O Vāna; either defeat me or vanquished by me lie down on earth for good with your face down." Saying this Krishna struck Vāna with arrows cutting him to the quick. Thus mangled in that dreadful encounter by Krishna with arrows cutting to the very vitals Vāna, with great care, covered Krishna with burning arrows. With Parighas, Nisthringsas, clubs, Tomaras, Saktis, maces and Pattishas he completely covered Keshava. Proud Vāna, having a thousand arms, easily fought in the battle-field with two-armed Keshava. Although having eight-arms Keshava, the holder of conch-shell, discus and club, fought with thousand-armed Vāna in that battle. Then beholding Krishna's superior training Bali's son was greatly worked up with anger. He then discharged that celestial great weapon destructive of all enemies which Brahmā, by his ascetic powers, had formerly created for Hiranyakashipu. When that weapon was shot off all the quarters were enshrouded with darkness and thousands of dreadful omens were seen on all sides. When all the worlds were covered with darkness every thing was beyond the range of perception (49-59). The Dānavas applauded Vāna, saying "Well done! Well done!" and words of exclamations by the gods as "Alas!" were heard (60). A dreadful downpour of burning arrows was caused by the power and force of that weapon (61). When that weapon was discharged by Vāna and Keshava was being burnt, wind, storm or clouds did not move (62). When the divine slayer of Madhu took up Indra's weapon like unto inevitable death in the battle-field all the worlds were shorn of darkness, the fire was extinguished and the Dānavas completely lost their hearts. Seeing the Dānava weapon counteracted as soon as Indra's weapon was got ready the gods began to laugh and roar like lions (63–65).
Beholding his weapon thus counteracted Diti's son Vāna was beside himself with rage, said harsh words to Keshava who was on Garuda and covered him with maces and Pattiças. Keshava, the slayer of his enemies, however soon counteracted similingly his uplifted weapon. In that great battle with arrows, like unto thunderbolts, shot off his Srānga bow Keshava sundered Vāna's car, with horses and standards, into pieces. The very next moment the highly powerful Keshava separated from Vāna's person his highly lustrous crown, coat of mail, bow and shield. And smilingly he struck him on the breast with winged arrows. Cut to the very quick Vāna lost his consciousness and swooned away. Seeing Vāna thus struck and swoon away Nārada, who was sitting on the highest top of the palace, rose up with clapping and said "O great fortune! Great fortune, blessed is my life and birth since I have witnessed today this wonderful prowess of Dāmodara. O thou of large arms, O thou adored by the gods, do thou accomplish that for which thou hast incarnated thyself. Destroy soon Diti's son Vāna." Having thus sung the glories of the Lord Krishna and emblazoned the battle-field with sharpened arrows he moved about in the battle-field (66–76).
In that battle their standards, encountering each other, fought; so did the horses of the Devas and Dānavas. When Garuda and the peacock fought they struck each other with wings, beaks and talons. Thereupon leaping up in anger the highly powerful son of Vinatā speedily caught hold of the peacock's head with his beaks and struck him with his wings and talons. Thus repeatedly drawn by the highly powerful son of Vinatā the peacock fell down unconscious as the sun drops down from the sky. When the highly powerful peacock fell down on the ground, Vāna, stricken with great anxiety, thought:—"Elated with the pride of my strength I have not regarded the words of my friends. And therefore I have met with discomfiture before the very eyes of the gods and Daityas." Beholding Vāna thus depressed and distressed the Lord Rudra grew anxious for protecting him. Mahādeva, then in grave words, said to Nandi (77–85), "O sinless Nandi, go speedily where Vāna stands in the battle-field and give him this celestial car drawn by lions. I do not wish to fight. Let me stand here amongst the Pramathas. You better go and protect Vāna" Saying "So be it", Nandi, the foremost of car-warriors, went to Vāna with the car and spoke to him slowly. "O highly powerful Daitya, get upon this car soon; O hero, I will be your charioteer. Do not delay; ascend this car." Ascending that car, constructed by Brahmā, of Bhava of incomparable energy the powerful Vāna, in anger, brought into requisition the burning Roudra weapon Brahmashira, capable of destroying all other arms. Although the Lotus-sprung (Brahmā) had created that weapon for protecting the worlds still they were all agitated when it was ablaze. Seeing it and destroying it with his discus Krishna said to Vāna, illustrious in the world and incomparable in battle:—"O Vāna, where are your vauntings now? I now stand for battle: fight and display your prowess. Formerly there was a king having a thousand arms by namely Kārtavirya. His arms were reduced to two by Rāma in battle. Your pride, begotten by the strength of your arms, will share the same fate. I will soon destroy your pride in the battle-field. If you wait here for a moment I will chop off your arms which have created such a haughtiness in you. You will not be suffered to leave me with your life."
Seeing that highly dreadful encounter like unto that between the gods and demons Nārada began to dance with glee. Vanquished by the high-souled Pradyumna, the ghosts, leaving the battle-field, went to Shankara. Thereupon Krishna, resembling the muttering of the clouds of the rainy season, soon took up his thousand-bladed discus destructive of the Daityas in the battle-field. In that discus were combined the energies of luminous bodies, thunder, lightnings and of the king of gods. In it were the energies of the three-fold fires, Brahma fire and of the austerities and penances of the Rishis. In it was the energy of chaste women, the strength of the birds and beasts and the energy of the holder of the discus. In it was the strength of the Rākshasas, Yakshas and Gandharvas (86-104). In it was the power of all other creatures living in the three worlds. That powerful discus of the Lord, effulgent like the sun, stood before Vāna and deprived him of his energy.
Beholding the Lord with uplifted discus in the battle-field and knowing that it, endued with great energy, was incomparable and could not be counteracted Shiva said to Girija:—"O goddess, the discus, which Keshava has taken up, is unconquerable in the three worlds. Thereupon release Vāna before Keshava discharges this discus." Hearing the words of the three-eyed deity the goddess said to Lamvā:—"O Lamva, go soon and protect Vāna." Saying this Himalaya's daughter disappeared from view by her yoga powers; and going only to Krishna she showed her true form. On the other side seeing the Lord stand in the battle-field with uplifted discus Lamvā disappeared from view and left off her clothes. In order to protect Vāna, the goddess Kottavi, appeared naked before Vasudeva. Seeing her again return and appear before him with Rudra's consent Krishna said:—"O you of red eyes, you have again come naked to the battle-field for saving Vāna. Forsooth I will kill Vāna." Thus addressed by Krishna Lamvā said:–"O god, I know the great Purusottama, eternal, undecaying and lotus-navelled Hrishikesha, the creator of the world as the prime cause of the universe. O Keshava, thou shouldst not slay Vāna who has no match in the battle-field. Do thou promise Vāna protection and let me see my son alive. O Mādhava, I conferred on him a boon saying that I would protect him. Thou shouldst not falsify my words."
Thus addressed by the goddess, Krishna, the creator of enemy's cities, in anger said:—"Hear the truth, O lady. I will forsooth cut off to-day his thousand arms, elated with the pride of which Vāna is roaring in the battle-field. Your son will live even if Vāna has two arms (105-120). And resorting to his demonaic pride he will not approach me any more." Thus addressed by Krishna of unwearied actions the goddess said:—"O god of gods, let Vāna be so." Thereupon the highly powerful and large-armed Krishna, the foremost of speakers and strikers, welcoming Kārtikeya's mother, said to Vāna in anger:—"Fie on your manliness, O Vāna. Whenever you have been engaging in an encounter with me Kottavi, considering you weak, is coming and standing in the battle-field." Saying this the self-controlled and highly powerful Krishna opened his eyes and discharged his discus aiming it at Vāna. With great force Gadādhara, worked up with ire, took up that wonderful discus, effulgent like the sun, at the discharge of which, all the worlds, mobile and immobile, become unconscious and flesh-eating creatures find great pleasure, discharged it and cut off Vāna's arms. When discharged by Shridhara, parmeating the universe, that firmament-like discus so moved about in the battle-field that no body could see its true form. Gradually cutting off Vāna's thousand arms and making him the owner of only two the Sudarshana discus returned into Krishna's hands (121-131).
Vaishampāyana said:—When the Daitya-killing discus returned successful into Krishna’s hands the huge-bodied great Asura Vāna, bathed in streaming blood, who had his thousand arms chopped off, was maddened with the smell of blood and repeatedly roared like a muttering cloud. Hearing his leonine shout Krishna, the slayer of his enemies, was about to hurl his discus again for killing him. Thereat approaching him with Kumāra Mahadeva said:—"O Krishna, O thou of large arms, I know thee as the eternal God Purusottama, the destroyer of Madhu and Kaitabha. Thou art the refuge of the world and the universe has emanated from thee. Thou art unconquerable unto the entire world consisting of gods, Asuras and Pannagas. Therefore do thou withdraw thy uplifted, irrepressible, celestial discus terrible unto the enemies. O slayer of Keshi, I have promised Vāna protection and therefore do I request thee to desist (132-138)".
Krishna said:—"O god, salutation unto thee who art adorable unto the gods and Asuras. I withdraw my discus. At thy request Vāna will live. O Maheshawara, at thy request I do not accomplish Vāna's destruction for which I had come here. Permit me now to return" (139-140).
Saying this to Mahadeva Krishna went where Aniruddha was waiting bound with arrows. After Krishna's departure Nāndi spoke to Vāna the following well-meaning words: "O Vāna, with these wounds appear before the god of gods." Hearing the words of Nandi, Vāna too felt a desire of going away speedily. Beholding Vāna divested of his arms the powerful Nandi took him on his car to the rider of a bull (Shiva). He again spoke these well-meaning words to Vāna:—"O Vāna, the god of gods is propitiated with you. Dance before him and you will meet with your well-being." Urged on by Nandi's words, the bewildered, terror-stricken Dānava Vāna, desirous of living, began to dance with his body, bathed in blood before Shankara. Beholding Vāna, stricken with fear, dance again at Nandi's words, Mahādeva, ever kind unto his votaries, stricken with compassion, said:—(141-148). "I am pleased with you. The time has come when you may pray for a boon. Therefore pray for one you are cherishing at heart." Vāna said:–"O Lord, O God, if thou art desirous of giving me a boon grant me one by which I may become immortal and freed from fever." Mahadeva said:—"O Vāna, you are now like the gods. You will not meet with death. Furthermore, I am always kind to you. Pray for another boon." Vāna said:—"O Bhava, may those thy votaries, who will dance as I am doing covered with blood and inflicted with wounds, have sons." The Lord said:—"Those of my votaries, who abstaining from food and being patient, truthful and honest will thus dance, will have sons. O my son Vāna, may your desire become fruitful. Pray for a third boon. I will grant it." Vāna said:—"O Bhava, may my body, inflicted with wounds by the discus, find relief by thy third boon." Rudra said:—"So it will be and your body will be freed from pain. It will be healthy and unscathed as before. I am never unkind to you, specially I have been greatly pleased with you. If you wish you may pray for the fourth boon." Vāna said:—"O lord, may I be the first of the families of Pramathas and be renowned forever under the name of Mahākāla (149–158)".
Vaishampāyana said:—Saying "So be it", the highly effulgent Lord Shankara again said:—"By being under my protection you will have a celestial form, be of unscathed body and freed from diseases. By living always near me you will have no fear. I give you this fifth boon that you will be well-known by your strength and manliness. O Vāna, if you have any other desire in your mind pray for another boon." Vāna said:—"O lord, by thy favour my body may not be disfigured. I may not be ugly even if I have two arms." Hara said:—"O great Asura, I have nothing which I can not give away to my votaries. Besides you are my greatest votary. What you have wished will be accomplished." Thereupon Mahadeva again said to Vāna who stood by him:—"O Vāna, what you have said, will be so." Saying it the Lord, encircled by ghosts, disappeared before all creatures (159-164).
Source: https://archive.org/details/AProseEnglishTranslationOfHarivamsh
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