CHAPTER XIII
(THE WORLD OF CREATION BEGINS: THE BIRTH OF MADHU AND KAITABHA)
Vaishampāyana said:—After the revolution of a thousand Yugas and the commencement of Satya-Yuga the quality of Tamas (disorganizing tendency) prevails. At this time the great Asura Madhu, the impediment of creation, took his birth. Some time after, by the quality of Rajas for helping Madhu the second Asura Kaitabha was produced. These two great Asuras, Madhu and Kaitabha, capable of assuming various forms and pervaded severally by the qualities of Rajas and Tamas, began to agitate the water of the one ocean. They were clad in dark-blue and crimson-coloured raiments, had burning white teeth, were elated with pride and adorned with shining Keyuras and bracelets. They had hideous coppery eyes, spacious breast, long arms and huge heads. Covered with coats of mail those two Asuras appeared like two immobile mountains. The colour of their body was like that of blue clouds, their countenance was effulgent like the sun and the lustre of their arms imitated that of coppery clouds charged with lightning. And they looked exceedingly dreadful, as if with the movement of their hairs and feet the ocean over-flowed and Hari, the slayer of his enemies, who was lying there, trembled. While they sported on that lotus, the mouth of the universe, they saw the eternal Brahmā endued with a shining body, the foremost of Yogins. Thereupon beholding Brahmā, create, at the command of Nārāyana, on that lotus, the entire host of creatures, gods, the universe and his mind-born sons the Rishis those two best of Asuras Madhu and Kaitabha, who had their blood-red eyes burning in anger, said to him, being desirous of fighting. "Who art thou wearing a black crown and having four faces? Living on this lotus and shorn of anxiety, thou art, out of foolishness, disregarding us. Come and fight with us. We are great heroes. Thou shalt not be able to stand before us in battle. Who art thou? Whence art thou produced? Who hath sent thee hither? Who is thy creator and protector? And by what name men call thee" (1-12)?
Brahma said:—"I have sprung from Him who is unknowable in this world and am practicing Yoga. Do you not know this?" (13)
Madhu And Kaitabha said:—"O great Muni, there is no one else superior to us in this world. We have covered this universe with the qualities of Rajas and Tamas. We are also possessed by these two qualities and appear before the ascetics as if suffering from misery and before the pious deceiptful. Know us as above the reach of creatures. We are born in every Yuga and stupify the world. Wealth, objects of desire, sacrifices and all sorts of gifts are under our control. Whatever people desire for happiness, joy, prosperity, advancement and morality they obtain from us (14-17)".
Brahma said:—"Knowing truly by my mental concentration Him who is the foremost of Yogins, I am living in the quality of Sattwa which I had known before. Engaged in fighting the Lord Himself, who is the eternal Satwa quality of the Yogins, who is the creator of the qualities of Rajas and Tamas, who is the cause of the origin of creatures and from whom all creatures, pervaded by the quality of Sattwa and all other inferior qualities have originated, will vanquish you (18–20)".
Vaishampāyana said:—Thereupon bowing unto the lotus-navelled Hrishikesha who was lying on a bed extending over many Yojanas Madhu and Kaitabha said:—(21) "O Purusottama, we have been able to know that thou art the only cause of the origin of this universe; know that our this conduct was meant for worshipping thee (22). O lord, we too also wish to see thee as the Eternal Real Isvara, of sure sight as the learned have known thee. O slayer of thy enemies, we wish to receive a boon from thee. O Lord, of sure success is thine view. Salutation unto thee" (23–24).
The Lord said:—"O foremost of Asuras, tell me speedily what boon do you pray for. Do you wish to live longer than the period I have alloted to you? O highly powerful Madhu and Kaitabha, you have obtained what you have tried for. Both of you are high-souled, powerful and observant of the duties of the Kshatriyas. I therefore confer upon you this boon that you will be slain only by me (25–26)".
Madhu And Kaitabha said:—"O king of the celestials, may we be slain at a place where no one had met with his death. And may we (afterwards) become thy sons. This is the boon we pray for" (27).
The Lord said:—"In the future cycle you will be born as my sons. I speak you the truth and you need not doubt it" (28).
Vaishampāyana said:—Having conferred this boon upon those two foremost of Asuras Madhu and Kaitabha who were capable of protecting the world by their qualities of Rajas and Tamas the Eternal Lord, the upholder of the universe, placed them on his thighs and killed them (29).
Source: https://archive.org/details/AProseEnglishTranslationOfHarivamsh
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