Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 6 Chapter 10:16-33

Book 6: Chapter 10

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 6: Chapter 10: Verses 16-33 An account of the conflict between Indra and Vrtra Thereupon ensued a most fierce conflict of the gods with the demons on the bank of the (holy) Narmada (river) at the beginning of Treta during the very first round of the four Yugas (of the current Manvantara, the Vaivaswata Manvantara). The demons headed by Vrtra, O king (Pariksit), could not bear to see Sakra (Indra), the king of the gods, armed with the thunderbolt and resplendent in his native glory on the field of battle and accompanied by the Rudras (the gods presiding over destruction), the Vasus, the Adityas (the sons of Aditi), the two Aswinikumaras (the celestial physicians), the manes, the gods of fire, the Maruts (the wind-gods), the Rbhus, the Sadhyas and the Viswedevas. Namuci, Sambara, Anarva, Dwimurdha (who had a pair of heads), Rsabha, Ambara, Hayagriva (so-called because he was endowed with a horse's head), Sankusira (lit., spear-headed), Vipracitti, Ayomukha (who was endowed with a snout of iron), Puloma, Vrsaparva, Praheti, Heti and Utkala, and (other) Daityas (sons o Diti) and Danavas (sons of Danu), Yaksas and Raksasas (ogres)-led by Sumali and Mali who numbered several thousand and were adorned with gold ornaments resisted and harassed the vanguard of Indra's army, which was difficult to approach even for Death. With a lion's roar the furious demons, who were not the least agitated, (virtually) covered the generals of the celestial army on all sides with showers of maces, iron bludgeons, arrows, barbed darts, Mudgaras (a kind of hammer-like weapon), lances, pikes, axes, swords, Sataghnis (a cylindrical piece of wood four cubits long and studded with iron spikes), Bhusundis (another similar weapon with iron spikes one exceeding the other in length) and other weapons and missiles. Completely screened all round with volleys of arrows, each of which got stuck into the shaft of another, they (the celestial generals) could not be seen like luminaries hidden by clouds in the sky. Torn in thousands of pieces (even) in the air by the gods, who were skilled archers, those volleys of missiles and weapons surely did not reach (touch) the celestial troops at all. Their stock of missiles and weapons being depleted, they now showered mountainpeaks, trees and stones on the celestial host and the gods split them as before.Finding the aforesaid warriors of Indra secure and unhurt by their volleys of weapons and missiles and unscathed even by the trees, stones and peaks of mountains of every description (hurled by them), the demons led by Vrtra were filled with dismay. All the efforts repeatedly made by the demons (the sons of Diti) against the gods, to whom the all-blissful Lord was favourably disposed, proved entirely infructuous even as the maledictory and harsh words employed by the vile against exalted souls fail to provoke them. Finding their efforts fruitless, the aforesaid demons, who cherished no devotion to Sri Hari and had their pride crushed in battle, nay, who had been robbed of their energy (by their enemies), resorted to (the expedient of) fleeing away (from the battle-field) deserting their leader (Vrtra) in the very initial stages of the conflict. Seeing those Asuras-who had (till then) followed his lead-fleeing away, and (further) observing his ranks (too) broken and run away through intense fear, the valiant and self-possessed Vrtra heartily laughed and spoke as follows. That heroic personage made the following speech, which was not only appropriate to the occasion but thrilling to the brave-"Hullo Vipraciti, Namuci, Puloma, Maya, Anarva and Sambara, (just) listen to me. This death (which is so abhorrent to you) is sure to befall everyone that is born, wherever one may be; and no means (whatsoever) of avoiding it in this world (of matter) has been devised (by the creator). If, therefore, (an abode in) heaven (hereafter) and fame (in this world) could be had from it, who as a matter of fact would not actually court such a desirable death ? The following two modes of death are approved of in the scriptures and do not easily fall to one's lot. viz., (i) that he who is devoted to the practice of Yoga should, after controlling his vital airs and senses, cast off his body through deep concentration of mind on Brahma (the Absolute) and (ii) that, placed in the forefront of a battle, a man should give up the ghost on the battle-field, taking care not to turn his back on the enemy." Thus ends the tenth discourse entitled "An account of the conflict between Indra (the chief of the gods) and the demon Vrtra," in Book Six of the great and glorious Bhagavata-Purana, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Samhita.