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  ‘The god Hrishikesha has a lotus in his navel. He conquered the earth in three strides. He is the lord of the world and the universe. He arose like the fire at the end of a yuga, with black trails. He is the slayer of Madhu. He is the one who arose from the waters. He is the one who enjoys the havya and is revered in sacrifices. He is the earth, water and the firmament. He is the dark. He is the one who establishes peace and is the destroyer of the enemy. Like the sun and the fire, he arose, infinite in his energy. The wielder of the chakra and the mace was ready to slay the enemy, the army of the asuras. He arose, like the sun blazing amidst his solar disc. In his left hand, he wielded the giant club, the destroyer of all the asuras. It was dark in form and ensured death to the enemy. In his other hands, the immensely illustrious lord wielded other blazing weapons, including the Sharnga bow. The enemy of the serpents510 was on the standard. That bird was Kashyapa’s offspring and survived on serpents. The bird’s speed was greater than that of the wind and he agitated the sky. An Indra among the serpents could be seen, trapped in his beak. He looked like Mandara, freed after the amrita had been churned.511 He had exhibited his valour in hundreds of conflicts between the gods and the asuras. There were the signs of the vajra on his body, inflicted by the great Indra, when he had tried to seize the amrita.512 With his crested peak, he looked like a mountain that exuded minerals. His garment was made out of colourful feathers and his ornaments were fashioned out of molten gold. He was like the moon in his energy. Because he had eaten serpents, the radiant gems and jewels from those serpents stuck to the feathers on his broad chest. In sport, he spread his beautiful wings and shrouded the sky. These looked like clouds full of rain at the end of a yuga, tinged with Indra’s bows.513 He was adorned with blue, red and yellow penants. With these penants, he assumed the form of a gigantic standard. In the battle, Hari climbed on to this beautiful bird, Aruna’s brother, as a mount. His own form was radiant, like that of Suparna, the supreme bird. The large number of gods and the self-controlled sages followed him. In praise of Gadadhara,514 they chanted supreme mantras. Vaivasvata515 was in the front, accompanied by Vaishravana.516 They were urged by the unvanquished king of the gods, the lord of rains. When the battle presented itself, there were sparkling moonbeams everywhere. The wind began to roar and the fire started to blaze. Vishnu was surrounded by his traits of Jishnu, Sahishnu and Bhrajishnu.517 The strong army advanced to do battle. The son of Angiras518 proclaimed, “Let the gods have good fortune.” Ushanas519 proclaimed, “Let the daityas have good fortune.”’

  Chapter 35

  Vaishampayana said, ‘Then, there was a tumultuous battle between the two armies. The gods and the asuras sought to defeat each other. Brandishing many kinds of weapons, the danavas and the gods rushed towards each other. They fought with each other, like mountains against other mountains. As the gods and the asuras engaged, there was a marvellous battle. Dharma clashed against adharma and insolence against humility. As the mounts were goaded, blazing chariots advanced. In every direction, as they dashed forward with swords, the sky was agitated. Clubs were flung, arrows were shot. Bows were twanged and cudgels descended. As the gods and the danavas clashed, it was wonderful and terrible. The universe was terrified, as if the fire of destruction at the end of a yuga had been unleashed. In that battle, the danavas swiftly released clubs and flung mountains from their hands, striking the gods, with Indra at the forefront. They were slaughtered by the powerful danavas, who hoped for victory. In that great battle, the gods were distressed and overcome by grief. They were crushed by those nets of weapons. Their heads were shattered with clubs. When their chests were mangled by Diti’s sons, copious quantities of blood began to flow from their wounds. Some were bound in nets of nooses. Others were afflicted by the arrows. The maya of the danavas penetrated them and they were incapable of regaining their senses. Their radiance vanished and they seemed to have lost their lives. Struck by the asuras, the army of the gods was soon incapable of raising weapons.

  ‘The many-eyed Shakra penetrated the fierce army of the daityas. He shattered the nooses of maya and repulsed their arrows with his vajra. He killed the foremost among the daityas and rendered their great army weak. Through his net of weapons, he plunged their army into darkness. They could no longer discern each other, nor the gods or the mounts. Because of Puruhuta’s energy, they were immersed in a terrible darkness. The best among the gods sought to free themselves from the noose of maya. While the bodies of that army of daityas were immersed in darkness, they brought them down. They fell down, bereft of their senses. Because of the darkness, they turned blue in complexion. Large numbers of danavas fell down, like mountains with their wings severed.520 The Indras among the daityas seemed to be amidst a dense ocean of darkness. Overwhelmed by the darkness, the danavas were despatched to their death.

  ‘At this, to burn down the darkness, Maya created a grand maya. He created a fire known as Ourva, the fire that is the origin of the fire that arrives at the end of a yuga. This maya created by Maya destroyed all the darkness. The daityas instantly regained their original forms and were ready to battle again. Resorting to the Ourvi maya, they burnt down the residents of heaven. They521 thought about the moon, whose heart is made out of water and whose rays are cool. Burnt by the Ourva energy, their own energy was destroyed. The wielder of the vajra asked the gods what had happened.522 They told him how they had been scorched by the arrows and burnt down by the maya of the danava soldiers.

  ‘Thus urged, the king of the gods asked Varuna and he replied in these words. “O Shakra! In earlier times, a brahmana rishi had tormented himself through extremely terrible austerities. With qualities like those of Brahma, that energetic one’s name was Urva. The undecaying universe, the sun included, was scorched by the fierceness of his austerities. With the gods and the devarshis, large numbers of sages presented themselves before him. In those ancient times, knowing of the rishi’s supreme energy, the danava Hiranyakashipu, the lord of the danavas, also went there. The brahmana rishis spoke these words, which were full of dharma. ‘O illustrious one! The foundation of this lineage and family of rishis has been severed. You are alone and without offspring. Without offspring, the gotra cannot continue. You have resorted to a vow of celibacy and are undergoing these hardships. O brahmana! There are many gotras of sages with cleansed souls. Since they were detached and without offspring, those remained in their bodies alone. There is no reason for you not to have offspring and have descendants. You are supreme in austerities and are like Prajapati in your radiance. By perpetuating your lineage, you will only extend yourself through them. Use the energy that you have accumulated and create a second body.’ On being thus addressed by the sages, that sage’s mind was disturbed. However, he did not accept the words of that large number of rishis and said this in reply. ‘This is the eternal dharma of sages, laid down from ancient times. They should follow the noble path of surviving on wild roots and fruits alone.523 If one has been born as a brahmana, one must follow the state of being a brahmana. If one conducts oneself well and resorts to the path of brahmacharya, one is following the path of the brahman. Three kinds of means of subsistence are indicated for brahmanas who dwell in the state of garhasthya.524 However, we reside in forest hermitages and the life of the forest is decreed for us. We should not eat, or should only subsist on air. Or we can be dantaulukhalinas525 or ashmakuttas.526 We should practise ten austerities, five austerities, or seven austerities.527 These are the extremely difficult austerities and vows we must be engaged in. We must honour brahmacharya and hope for the ultimate objective. A brahmana’s attribute of being a brahmana is gauged from his practice of brahmacharya. Those who reside in the supreme regions and know about brahmacharya have said this. Patience is based on brahmacharya. Austerities are based on brahmacharya. Brahmanas who base themselves on brahmacharya find a state in heaven. There is no success without yoga. There is no fame without success. There are no worlds without fame. Brahmacharya is the foundation and is the supreme austerity. If on
e controls the senses and this collection of the five elements528 and if one practises brahmacharya, what other supreme austerity does that person need? Without yoga, what is the point of tending to the hair? Without resolution, what is the point of observing rites and vows? Without observing brahmacharya, these three are merely signs of vanity.529 Who is a wife? What is intercourse? What does this distraction of the sentiment mean? Brahma created subjects through his mind, with mental resolution alone. Following Prajapati’s deeds, if you possess austerities and energy in your infinite souls, create mental sons. An ascetic worships a vagina that has been created through the mind. There is no need for intercourse with a wife to sow the seed. That is not said to be an ascetic’s vow. Without any fear, you have spoken to me about destroying dharma and artha. It is my view that is not virtuous and is against what is right. I can create a blazing and beautiful body from my own. Without intercourse with a wife, I can create a son who is just like myself. I will thus give birth to a second one from my own self. This is the decreed way for those who reside in the forest and he will burn down the subjects.’ Urva resorted to austerities. He used some darbha grass and kneaded it against his thigh. Using his powers, he used these two as kindling and generated a fire. Even without any kindling, suddenly, a garland of flames emerged, breaking through his thigh. Desiring to burn down the universe, a son was generated from the fire. Since he emerged by penetrating Urva’s thigh, this was known as the Ourva fire. This was an extremely angry fire that was capable of burning down the three worlds. As soon as he emerged, he addressed his father in blazing words. ‘O father! This hunger is constricting me and it will only abandon me if I burn up the universe.’ The flames rose up to heaven and he belched in the ten directions. He burnt down all the creatures and the flames spread, like the fire of destruction.”

  ‘Varuna continued, “At this time, Brahma appeared before the sage Urva. ‘Show compassion for the worlds. Control the son you have created through your energy. O brahmana! If you act in this way towards your son, you will do what is beneficial. I will give him a place to dwell in and food that is like amrita. O supreme among eloquent ones! There is truth in my words and you should listen to them.’ Urva replied, ‘I am blessed that you have shown me your favours. O illustrious one! You have now given me this benediction. It is my view that you have shown me a great favour by granting me this. It is now morning and my desires have been met by your arrival. O illustrious one! What oblations will my son be satisfied by? How will he find happiness? Where will he reside? What kind of food will he survive on? He is extremely energetic and these will have to be commensurate with his valour. Please lay these down.’ Brahma responded, ‘There is a region known as Vadavamukha530 in the ocean and he will reside there. O brahmana! I have been born from water and water also constitutes my mouth. Let him always dwell there and drink oblations of water. Let that be your son’s resting place and residence. O one who is excellent in his vows! When the end of the yuga arrives, with me, he will roam around, destroying all creatures and rendering them lifeless. I have made this fire of destruction reside in the waters. At the time of destruction, he will burn down all creatures, including the gods, the asuras and the rakshasas.’ Having been flung there by the power of the grandfather, the fire agreed to this and, surrounded by an orb of flames, entered Vadavamukha. Realizing the power of the fire known as Ourva, Brahma and all the other maharshis followed their respective paths and returned to their destinations. On seeing this, Hiranyakashipu prostrated himself flat before Urva,531 worshipped him and spoke these words. ‘O illustrious one! The worlds have witnessed this. Retreat now. O best among the sages! The grandfather has been satisfied with your austerities. O one who is great in vows! I am your son and that of your son532 too. If I can pride myself on my deeds and if I am engaged in worshipping you, know me as your servant. When you see that I have sought refuge with you, please arrive here. O best among sages! My defeat will be nothing but your defeat.’ Urva replied, ‘I am honoured that you have shown me your favours and that you consider me to be your preceptor. O one who is excellent in vows! You no longer have anything to fear on account of my austerities. Accept this maya, fashioned by my son. This has no weaknesses and is incapable of being touched even by the real fire. Whenever your lineage faces a hardship, this will remain under your control. Use it to protect your own side and burn down that of the enemy.’ He bowed down before the bull among sages and assented to this. Successful, the lord of the danavas cheerfully went to heaven. This is a maya that is impossible to withstand and is difficult for even the gods to repulse. This is a fire that was earlier created by Ourva and is a fire that is due to Urva’s son. There is no doubt that even with that daitya533 gone, the fire has not been rendered powerless. Through his own energy, in ancient times, the creator has created this curse for us. O Shakra! O illustrious one! If you wish to be happy and to counter this, then give me your friend, the moon, who originates from the water. Through your favours, there is no doubt that I will then be able to destroy this maya.”’

  Chapter 36

  Vaishampayana said, ‘Shakra, who extended the prosperity of the residents of heaven, was delighted at this and agreed. Using dew as a weapon, he instructed Soma to fight. “O Soma! Go and help the wielder of the noose534 destroy the asuras, for the sake of the victory of the residents of heaven. Your energy is unmatched. You are the lord of all the lords among the stellar bodies. Those who know about juices say that all the juices in the worlds are based on you. Your waxing and waning is evident in the ocean and in your circling in the sky. You circle through night and day and this is used as a standard to measure time in the universe. There is the mark of a hare on your lap and this is nothing but a shadow of the worlds. A person who doesn’t know about the god Soma cannot be a person who knows about the nakshatras. Your path is above that of the sun and you are stationed above the stellar bodies. You dispel darkness with your body and illuminate the entire universe. You are like a white sun that is cool in body. O moon! You are the lord of the stellar bodies. You are the soul behind the measurement of time and you are the creator of the year. You are the one who is worshipped. You are the undecaying essence of the sacrifice.535 You are the lord of herbs. You are the source of all sacrifices. You are the source of water. You are the one who quenches heat. You are cool in your rays. You are the store of amrita. You are fickle. You are the one who is drawn by white horses.” Soma replied, “O king of the gods! O granter of boons! For the sake of the battle, you have spoken to me. I will shower down dew and dispel the maya of the daityas. I will quench the heat with my coldness. Behold them, encircled by ice. In this great battle, the large number of daityas will be left without maya and without insolence.” The creator of ice then showered down ice, mixed with rain. The daityas were encircled by this terror, as if by a large number of clouds. In that great battle, Varuna and Soma struck them with the noose and with white beams. The danavas were slain by that shower of ice and by being struck with the noose. In the encounter, those two lords of the water fought with the noose and with ice. It was as if two mighty oceans, stores of water, were agitating the battleground. The danava soldiers were seen to be flooded by this. The entire world was enveloped and whirled around by this storm. The moon and Varuna used their beams and the noose to pacify the divine maya that had been fashioned by the daityas. In the battle, they were scorched by the cool beams and the water and slain by the noose. The daityas were like mountains without summits and were no longer capable of moving. The daityas were afflicted by the ice and fell down, slain by the cool beams. All their limbs were covered in the ice, like a fire that no longer possesses any heat. Fortune turned perverse for the daityas. Their colourful vimanas tottered and lurched. Their hands were bound down by the noose. They were enveloped by the cool beams.