The Kathá Sarit Ságara; or, Ocean of the Streams of Story
took place between him and them. And Sthirabuddhi slew Parákrama in
fight with a javelin, and then fought with the eight Vasus enraged
on account of his death. And Prabhása, seeing Bhása deprived of his
chariot, though himself engaged in fighting with Dámodara, killed
Mardana with one arrow. The Dánava Prakampana killed Tejahprabha in
a missile combat, and then fought with the god of Fire enraged on
account of his death. And when Dhúmraketu had slain Yamadanshtra
in fight, he had a terrible combat with the enraged Yama. [692]
And Sinhadanshtra, having crushed Suroshana with a stone, fought
with Nirriti, [693] enraged on account of his death. Kálachakra
also cut Váyubala in two with a discus, and then fought with Váyu
[694] inflamed with rage thereat. And Mahámáya slew Kuveradatta,
who deluded his foes by assuming the forms of a snake, a mountain,
and a tree, assuming himself the forms of Garuda, of the thunderbolt,
and of fire. Then Kuvera [695] himself fought with him in wrath. In
the same way all the gods fought, angry on account of the slaughter
of their sons. And then various other princes of the Vidyádharas were
slain by various men and Dánavas, darting forward from time to time.
And in the meanwhile a conflict went on between Prabhása and Dámodara,
terrible from its unceasing exchange of missiles. Then Dámodara,
though his bow was cleft asunder, and his charioteer slain, took
another bow and fought on, holding the reins in his own hands. And
when Brahmá applauded him, Indra said to him, "Revered one, why are
you pleased with one who is getting the worst of it?" Then Brahmá
answered him,--"How can I help being pleased with one, who fights for
so long with this Prabhása? Who but Dámodara, who is a portion of Hari,
would do this? For all the gods would be a scant match for Prabhása in
fight. For that Asura Namuchi, who was so hard for the gods to subdue,
and who was then born again as Prabala, one entire and perfect jewel,
has now been born as the invincible Prabhása son of Bhása, and Bhása
too was in a former birth the great Asura Kálanemi, who afterwards
became Hiranyakasipu and then Kapinjala. And Súryaprabha is the
Asura who was called Sumundíka. And the Asura who was before called
Hiranyáksha is now this Sunítha. And as for Prahasta and others, they
are all Daityas and Dánavas; and since the Asuras slain by you have
been born again in these forms, the other Asuras, Maya and others,
have espoused their cause. And see, Bali has come here to look on, for
his bonds have been broken by virtue of the great sacrifice to Siva,
duly performed by Súryaprabha and the others, but keeping his promise
faithfully, he remains content with the realm of Pátála until your
allotted period of rule is at an end, and then he will be Indra. These
are now favoured by Siva, so it is not now a time of victory for you,
make peace with your foes." While Brahmá was saying this to the king
of the gods, Prabhása sent forth the great weapon of Siva. When Vishnu
saw that terrible all-destroying weapon let loose, he also sent forth,
out of regard for his son, his discus called Sudarsana. Then there took
place between those divine weapons, which had assumed visible shapes,
a struggle which made the three worlds dread a sudden destruction of
all creatures. Then Hari said to Prabhása--"Recall your weapon and I
will recall mine," and Prabhása answered him,--"My weapon cannot be
launched in vain, so let Dámodara turn his back, and retire from the
fight, and then I will recall my weapon." When Prabhása said that,
Vishnu answered--"Then do you also honour my discus, let not either
of these weapons be fruitless." When Vishnu said this, Prabhása who
possessed tact, said "So be it, let this discus of thine destroy my
chariot." Vishnu agreed, and made Dámodara retire from the fight, and
Prabhása withdrew his weapon, and the discus fell on his chariot. Then
he mounted another chariot and went to Súryaprabha, and then Dámodara,
for his part, repaired to Srutasarman.
And then the single combat between Srutasarman, who was puffed
up by being a son of Indra, and Súryaprabha, became exceedingly
fierce. Whatever weapon Srutasarman vigorously employed, Súryaprabha
immediately repelled with opposing weapons. And whatever delusion
Srutasarman employed, was overmastered by Súryaprabha with
opposing delusion. Then Srutasarman in fierce wrath sent forth
the weapon of Brahmá, and the mighty Súryaprabha let loose the
weapon of Siva. That mighty weapon of Siva repelled the weapon of
Brahmá, and being irresistible, was overpowering Srutasarman, when
Indra and the other Lokapálas, being indignant, sent forth their
tremendous weapons beginning with thunderbolts. But the weapon of
Siva conquered all those weapons, and blazed exceedingly, eager to
slay Srutasarman. Then Súryaprabha praised that great weapon, and
entreated it not to kill Srutasarman, but to take him prisoner and
hand him over to himself. Then all the gods speedily prepared for
fight, and the other Asuras also, who had come to look on, did the
same, being eager to conquer the gods. Then a Gana named Vírabhadra,
sent by Siva, came and delivered this order of his to Indra and the
other gods: "You came to look on, so what right have you to fight
here? Moreover, your overstepping the bounds of propriety will produce
other bad results." When the gods heard that, they said--"All of us
have sons here that have been slain, or are being slain, so how can
we help fighting? [696] Love for one's offspring is a feeling hard
to lay aside, so we must certainly revenge ourselves on their slayers
to the utmost of our power; what impropriety is there in this?" When
the gods said this, Vírabhadra departed, and a great fight took place
between the gods and the Asuras: Sunítha fought with the two Asvins,
and Prajnádhya fought with the Moon, and Sthirabuddhi with the Vasus,
and Kálachakra with Váyu, and Prakampana with Agni, and Sinhadanshtra
with Nirriti, and Pramathana with Varuna, and Dhúmraketu with Yama,
and then Mahámáya fought with the god of wealth, and other Asuras
[697] at the same time fought with other gods, with missiles and
opposing missiles. And finally, whatever mighty weapon any god sent
forth, Siva immediately destroyed with an angry roar. But the god
of wealth, when his club was uplifted, was restrained by Siva in a
conciliatory manner, while various other gods, their weapons having
been broken, fled from the field of battle. Then Indra himself, in
wrath, attacked Súryaprabha, and let fly a storm of arrows at him and
various other weapons. And Súryaprabha repelled those weapons with
ease, and kept striking Indra with hundreds of arrows drawn back to
the ear. Then the king of the gods, enraged, seized his thunderbolt,
and Siva made an angry noise and destroyed that thunderbolt. Then
Indra turned his back and fled, and Náráyana himself, in wrath,
attacked Prabhása with sharp-edged [698] arrows. And he fearlessly
fought with him, opposing those and other missiles with his own
missiles, and when his horses were slain, and he was deprived of his
chariot, he ascended another, and still fought with that enemy of the
Daityas on equal terms. Then the god enraged sent forth his flaming
discus. And Prabhása sent forth a heavenly sword, after consecrating
it with magic formulas. While those two weapons were contending,
Siva, seeing that the sword was gradually being overpowered by the
discus, made an angry roar. That caused the discus and sword to be
both destroyed. Then the Asuras rejoiced, and the gods were cast
down, as Súryaprabha had obtained the victory, and Srutasarman was
taken prisoner. Then the gods praised and propitiated Siva, and the
husband of Ambiká, being pleased, gave this command to the gods--"Ask
any boon but that promised to Súryaprabha; who can set aside what
has been once promised at a burnt-sacrifice?" The gods said--"But,
Lord, let that also which we promised to Srutasarman be fulfilled,
and let not our sons perish." Then they ceased, and the Holy Lord
thus commanded them, "When peace is made, let that be so, and this
is the condition of peace;----let Srutasarman with all his retinue do
homage to Súryaprabha. Then we will issue a decree which shall be for
the weal of both." The gods acquiesced in this decision of Siva's,
and made Srutasarman do homage to Súryaprabha. Then they renounced
their enmity and embraced one another, and the gods and Asuras
also laid aside their enmity and made peace with one another. Then,
in the hearing of the gods and Asuras, the holy Siva said this to
Súryaprabha: "You must rule yourself in the southern half-vedi, but
the northern half-vedi give to Srutasarman. For you are destined, my
son, soon to receive the fourfold sovereignty of all the sky-goers,
Kinnaras and all. And when you receive this, as you will be in a
distinguished position, you must also give the southern half-vedi
to Sríkunjarakumára." And as for the heroes slain on both sides in
the battle, let them all rise up alive with unwounded limbs. After
saying this, Siva disappeared, and all those heroes, who were slain
in that battle, rose up unwounded, as if they had awaked from sleep.
Then Súryaprabha, the tamer of his foes, intent on observing the
command of Siva, went to a remote extensive plain, and sitting in
full court, himself made Srutasarman, who came to him, sit down
on half of his throne. And his companions, headed by Prabhása, and
Srutasarman's companions, headed by Dámodara, sat at the side of the
two princes. And Sunítha and Maya, and the other Dánavas, and the kings
of the Vidyádharas too sat on seats in order of precedence. Then the
Daityas, who were kings of the seven Pátálas, headed by Prahláda,
and the kings of the Dánavas came there out of joy. And Indra came
with the Lokapálas, preceded by Vrihaspati, and the Vidyádhara Sumeru
with Suvásakumára. And all the wives of Kasyapa came, headed by Danu,
and the wives of Súryaprabha in the chariot Bhútásana. When they had
all sat down, after shewing one another affection, and going through
the prescribed courtesies, a friend of Danu's, named Siddhi, spoke
to them as from her: "O gods and Asuras, the goddess Danu says this
to you--'Say, if you have ever felt before the joy and satisfaction
which we all feel in this friendly meeting! so you ought not to wage
against one another war, which is terrible on account of the sorrow
it produces. Hiranyáksha and those other elder Asuras, who waged it
to obtain the empire of heaven, have passed away, and Indra is now
the eldest, so what cause is there for enmity?
"'So let your mutual antagonism drop, and be happy, in order that I
may be pleased, and the prosperity of the worlds may be ensured.'" When
they had heard this address of the revered Danu, uttered by the mouth
of Siddhi, Vrihaspati, Indra having looked him in the face, said to
her--"The gods entertain no design against the Asuras, and are willing
to be friends with them, unless they display a treacherous animosity
against the gods." When the preceptor of the gods said this, Maya the
king of the Dánavas said--"If the Asuras entertained any animosity,
how could Namuchi have given to Indra the horse Uchchhaihsravas that
resuscitates the dead? And how could Prabala have given his own body
to the gods? And how could Bali have given the three worlds to Vishnu,
and himself have gone to prison? Or how could Ayodeha have given his
own body to Visvakarman? What more shall I say? The Asuras are ever
generous, and if they are not treacherously injured, they cherish
no animosity." When the Asura Maya had said this, Siddhi made a
speech, which induced the gods and Asuras to make peace and embrace
one another.
In the meanwhile a female warder, named Jayá, sent by Bhavání,
came there and was honoured by all, and she said to Sumeru, "I am