Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 8 Chapter 11:32-48

Book 8: Chapter 11

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 8: Chapter 11: Verses 32-48 Conclusion of the conflict between the gods and the demons The powerful thunderbolt which was hurled with (great) force by Indra (the king of the gods) did not as a matter of fact pierce even the skin of Namuci. This was most wonderful that the weapon which smashed the mighty Vrtra was baffled by the skin on Namuci's neck. Indra (now) got afraid of that enemy (Namuci) from whom the thunderbolt had been repelled. (He said to himself,) "through a conspiracy of Fate what has this happened, that has bewildered the world? " By means of this (very) thunderbolt, in old days, I clipped the wings of mountains, that flew with (those) wings and settled down on earth on account of their (huge) weight, thus conducing to the destruction of created beings. (Nay,) by this was rent asunder (the demon) Vrtra, the vigorous austerity (personified) of Twasta (a lord of created beings), and others too, who were endowed with(extraordinary) strength and whose skin could not (even) be scratched with ali the missiles. (When) hurled by me at this puny Asura, the same thunderbolt has been rendered ineffectual! A (mere) staff, I shall no more handle it; though embodying the (spiritual) energy of a Brahmana (the sage Dadhici), it is unavailing (now)." To Sakra, who was thus sorrowing, an incorporeal voice said, "This demon can be killed neither with dry nor with wet things, since a boon has been conferred on him by Me to the effect that death will surely not come to him through any wet or dry substance. Hence any other contrivance should be thought of by you for (the death of) this enemy, O Maghava (Indra) ! Hearing that ethereal voice, Indra fully composed his mind and contemplated; and presently he discovered a means in the shape of foam (of the sea), which combined both (the aforesaid) attributes and could not therefore be called exclusively dry or wet). With that foam, which was neither dry nor wet, he severed the head of Namuci; (and) hosts of sages glorified him and showered flowers on the mighty Indra. Viswavasu and Paravasu, the chief among the Gandharvas (heavenly musicians), sang songs, the celestial drums sounded and (heavenly) dancing girls danced with joy. Similarly other gods too, headed by Vayu (the wind-god), Agni (the god of fire) and Varuna (the god of water), destroyed their rivals with volleys of missiles just as lions would kill deer. Perceiving the extermination of the Danavas, the celestial sage Narada was sent by Brahma (the creator) to the gods, O protector of men, and he remonstrated with the gods (in the following words). Narada said: Nectar has been secured by you by resorting to the arms of Lord Narayana and (besides) all (of You) have been blessed by Goddess Sri (His divine Spouse). (Therefore,) cease you (now) from hostilities. Sri Suka continued: Accepting the advice of the sage (Narada), the gods gave up anger as well as the zeal for fighting; and being glorified by their attendants, all returned to heaven. Those who survived in that conflict took with the concurrence of Narada the lifeless (body of their leader) Bali and made for the western hill (the mountain where the sun is believed to set). (46) There Usana (Sukracarya, the preceptor of the demons) restored to life, by his (secret) science of reviving the dead, those whose limbs were intact and whose neck was (still) whole. Bali too had his senses of perception and consciousness restored the moment he was touched by the sage Usana. Though vanquished (in battle), he did not feel sorry, fully conversant as he was with the truth relating to the world (viz., that victory and defeat etc., depended on one's good or evil destiny). Thus ends the eleventh discourse, forming part of the story relating to the war between the gods and the demons, in Book Eight of the great and glorious Bhagavata-Purana, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Samhita.