Shiva Purana
by J. L. Shastri | 1950 | 616,585 words
This page relates 鈥渕arch of shankhacuda鈥� as found in the Shiva-purana, which, in Hinduism, represents one of the eighteen Mahapuranas. This work eulogizes Lord Shiva as the supreme deity, besides topics such as cosmology and philosophy. It is written in Sanskrit and claims to be a redaction of an original text consisting of 100,000 metrical verses.
Disclaimer: These are translations of Sanskrit texts and are not necessarily approved by everyone associated with the traditions connected to these texts. Consult the source and original scripture in case of doubt.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Chapter 34 - The March of 艢补峁卥丑补肠奴岣峚
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Vy膩sa said:鈥�
1. O dear son of 叠谤补丑尘腻, O sage of great intellect, live long for many years. You have narrated the great story of the mooncrested lord.
2. When 艢颈惫补鈥檚 emissary had departed, what did the valorous 顿腻苍补惫补, 艢补峁卥丑补肠奴岣峚 do? Please mention that in detail.
Sanatkum膩ra said:鈥�
3. When the messenger returned, the valorous 艢补峁卥丑补肠奴岣峚 went in and told his wife 罢耻濒补蝉墨 all the details.
艢补峁卥丑补肠奴岣峚 said:鈥�
4. O dear lady, infuriated by the words of 艢颈惫补鈥檚 messenger I have prepared for a war. Hence I am going to fight. You carry out my directions.
Sanatkum膩ra said:鈥�
5. After saying this and slighting 艢颈惫补, that demon professing to be wise advised his wife in various ways and sported with her with delight.
6. Throughout that night, the couple indulged in sexual dalliance. Uttering coaxing and cajoling words, practising various erotic arts, they immersed themselves in the ocean of happiness.
7. He got up in the Br膩hma Muh奴rta,[1] and finished his daily routine in the morning. He then performed the offering of charitable gifts.
8-9. He crowned his son as the lord of 顿腻苍补惫补s. He entrusted his wife, his kingdom and his riches to the care of his son. When his wife cried and dissuaded him from going to the war he consoled her by various words of appeasement.
10. He called his general and ordered him to be ready for the war.
艢补峁卥丑补肠奴岣峚 said:鈥�
11. O general, let the heroic warriors start for the war. Let them be ready for action; they have been trained well for the war.
12. Let the heroic 顿腻苍补惫补s and Daityas, the armies of the powerful 碍补峁卥补蝉 of eighty-six divisions well-equipped in arms set out fearlessly.
13. Let the fifty families of Asuras, having the heroism and prowess of a crore set out to fight with 艢颈惫补, the partisan of the gods.
14. At my bidding, let the hundred armed families of Dhaumras speedily set out to fight with 艢颈惫补.
15. At my behest, let the 碍腻濒补办别测补蝉 Mauryas, Dauh峁沝as and the 碍腻濒补办补蝉 set out ready for the fight with 艢颈惫补.
Sanatkum膩ra said:鈥�
16. After ordering thus, the powerful lord of Asuras and the Emperor of the 顿腻苍补惫补s set out surrounded by thousands of warriors and great armies.
1 7. His general was an expert in the science and technique of warfare. He was the best of charioteers a great hero and skilled in warfare.
18. He had three hundred thousand 础办峁耻丑颈峁嚹�[2] armies. He performed the rites of auspicious beginning and came out of the camp. He was terrible to the watching heroes.
19. Mounting on an aerial chariot of exquisite build and inlaid with gems, and making obeisance to the elders and preceptors he set out for the battle.
20-21. In the holy land of 叠丑腻谤补迟补, to the east of the western ocean and to the west of Malaya[3] mountain, on the banks of river 笔耻峁补产丑补诲谤腻[4] there is a hermitage of Kapila[5] with an auspicious holy Banyan tree. It is called Siddh膩艣rama[6]. It is the place where holy men achieve the result of their action,
22. It is to the north of 艢谤墨艣补颈濒补[7] and to the south of Ga峁囜笉ham膩dana[8]. It is five Yojanas in width and a hundred times as much in length.
23. The river 笔耻峁补产丑补诲谤腻 is very beautiful and full of transparent water. It confers merits on everyone in 叠丑腻谤补迟补, like the river 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨.
24. It starts from 贬颈尘腻濒补测补, has its confluence with 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨. It is the beloved of the briny sea and blessess people with good fortune.
25. It enters the western ocean where Gomanta[9] is on its left. 艢补峁卥丑补肠奴岣峚 went there and saw the army of 艢颈惫补.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
See Note 191 P. 218.
[2]:
A single 础办峁耻丑颈峁嚹� consists of 21,870 elephants, 21870 chariots, 65610 horses and 109,350 foot.
[3]:
Malaya (Dravidian: malai) is identical with the Travancore hills and the southern most part of the Western Ghats.
[4]:
It has not been possible to identify this river. According to the present context, 笔耻峁补产丑补诲谤腻 issues from the Himalayas, rises along with the 厂补谤补蝉惫补迟墨 and falls into the Western ocean. (Cp. Verses 24-25 of this ch.)
[6]:
The wide tract of land, the Scene of Kapila鈥檚 hermitage, lies to the East of the Western ocean to the West of Travancore hills to the north of 艢谤墨艣补颈濒补 hills and to the south of 骋补苍诲丑补尘腻诲补苍补 mountain.
[8]:
The location of 骋补苍诲丑补尘腻诲补苍补 is highly controversial See Note 309 P. 405 and Note 66 P. 623. Most probably this is the 贬颈尘腻濒补测补n 骋补苍诲丑补尘腻诲补苍补 that is referred to here.
[9]:
It is identical with Goa.