SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 8

S'rî S'uka said: 'The Dânavas and Daityas thus with their combined efforts of churning failed to achieve the nectar, o Ruler, because they cherished another notion of liberation in relating to Vâsudeva.

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: O King, the demons and Daityas all engaged with full attention and effort in churning the ocean, but because they were not devotees of Vâsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, they were not able to drink the nectar. (Vedabase)

Text 2

After the amrit had been generated o King, and had served as a drink to the Suras who belonged to Him, left the Lord of all living beings, who is carried by Garuda, their presence.

O King, after the Supreme Personality of Godhead had brought to completion the affairs of churning the ocean and feeding the nectar to the demigods, who are His dear devotees, He left the presence of them all and was carried by Garuda to His own abode. (Vedabase)

Text 3

Seeing how their rivals enjoyed the best of opulence was something intolerable to all the sons of Diti, and so raised they their weapons for march against the godly.

Seeing the victory of the demigods, the demons became intolerant of their superior opulence. Thus they began to march toward the demigods with raised weapons. (Vedabase)

Text 4

The godly who had found new strength from drinking the nectar, thereupon from their side, from the refuge of Nârâyana's feet, raised their weapons to defend themselves.

Thereafter, being enlivened because of drinking the nectar, the demigods, who are always at the shelter of the lotus feet of Nârâyana, used their various weapons to counterattack the demons in a fighting spirit. (Vedabase)

Text 5

There at the shore of the milk ocean was then by the gods and the demons to their honor fought a most fierce battle, o King, with a violence that made one's hair stand on end.

O King, a fierce battle on the beach of the ocean of milk ensued between the demigods and the demons. The fighting was so terrible that simply hearing about it would make the hair on one's body stand on end. (Vedabase)

Text 6

Very angry minded in that battle putting their abilities to an ultimate test, wielded they their swords, arrows and the rest of their weaponry.

Both parties in that fight were extremely angry at heart, and in enmity they beat one another with swords, arrows and varieties of other weapons. (Vedabase)

Text 7

From the mass of conchshells, the trumpets, the drums, the bugles and kettledrums; of the elephants, the horses, the footsoldiers and chariotfighters all together was there a tumultuous noise.

The sounds of the conchshells, bugles, drums, bherîs and damarîs [kettledrums], as well as the sounds made by the elephants, horses and soldiers, who were both on chariots and on foot, were tumultuous. (Vedabase)

Text 8

On the battlefield as chariotfighter against chariotfighter, infantry against infantry, cavalry against cavalry and elephantry against elephantry, fought the enemies one another on an equal basis.

On that battlefield, the charioteers fought with the opposing charioteers, the infantry soldiers with the opposing infantry, the soldiers on horseback with the opposing soldiers on horseback, and the soldiers on the backs of elephants with the enemy soldiers on elephants. In this way, the fighting took place between equals. (Vedabase)

Text 9

Some rode elephants, some fought from the backs of camels and some others engaged as combatants with white- and red-faced monkeys, tigers and lions.

Some soldiers fought on the backs of camels, some on the backs of elephants, some on asses, some on white-faced and red-faced monkeys, some on tigers and some on lions. In this way, they all engaged in fighting. (Vedabase)

Text 10-12:

Both parties of fighters faced one another in strange forms depending the bodies of the water, land and sea animals they took up as their vehicles: vultures, eagles, ducks, hawks, bhâsa birds; killer whales, monkeys, buffalos, rhinoceroses, cows, bulls, wild cows and red cows, jackals and rats; some took to the forms of lizards, rabbits, human beings, goats and some others entered the fight with black deer, swans and boars.

O King, some soldiers fought on the backs of vultures, eagles, ducks, hawks and bhâsa birds. Some fought on the backs of timingilas, which can devour huge whales, some on the backs of s'arabhas, and some on buffalo, rhinoceroses, cows, bulls, jungle cows and arunas. Others fought on the backs of jackals, rats, lizards, rabbits, human beings, goats, black deer, swans and boars. In this way, mounted on animals of the water, land and sky, including animals with deformed bodies, both armies faced each other and went forward. (Vedabase)

Text 13-15:

With nicely decorated flags and canopies, o King, with spotless white parasols with precious handles full of jewels and pearls, with normal fans and peacock feather fans, with their upper and lower garments flapping in the wind, with the effulgence of their ornaments and shields and their shining, sharp and clean weapons abundantly glittering in the sunshine, looked the two bannered parties of the godly and the dânava heroes with all their garlands, o descendant of Pându, much like two oceans of aquatics.

O King, O descendant of Mahârâja Pându, the soldiers of both the demigods and demons were decorated by canopies, colorful flags, and umbrellas with handles made of valuable jewels and pearls. They were further decorated by fans made of peacock feathers and by other fans also. The soldiers, their upper and lower garments waving in the breeze, naturally looked very beautiful, and in the light of the glittering sunshine their shields, ornaments and sharp, clean weapons appeared dazzling. Thus the ranks of soldiers seemed like two oceans with bands of aquatics. (Vedabase)

Text 16-18:

Bali the son of Virocana, for the battle celebrated as the captain of the demons drove a vehicle made by Maya called Vaihâyasa ['flying in the air'] that would move wherever he desired. Fully equipped with all the necessary weapons was it inexplicably, indescribably, most wondrous, sometimes being visible and sometimes being invisible. Protected by nicely decorated umbrellas and câmaras was he, seated on that first class heavenly chariot and surrounded by all the commanders, situated as brilliant as a rising moon.

For that battle the most celebrated commander in chief, Mahârâja Bali, son of Virocana, was seated on a wonderful airplane named Vaihâyasa. O King, this beautifully decorated airplane had been manufactured by the demon Maya and was equipped with weapons for all types of combat. It was inconceivable and indescribable. Indeed, it was sometimes visible and sometimes not. Seated in this airplane under a beautiful protective umbrella and being fanned by the best of câmaras, Mahârâja Bali, surrounded by his captains and commanders, appeared just like the moon rising in the evening, illuminating all directions. (Vedabase)

Text 19-24:

All around him there were the different vehicles of the asura commanders of the troops: Namuci, S'ambara, Bâna, Vipracitti; Ayomukha, Dvimûrdhâ, Kâlanâbha and Praheti; Heti, Ilvala, S'akuni, Bhûtasantâpa, Vajradamshthra, and Virocana; Hayagrîva, S'ankus'irâ, Kapila, Meghadundubhi, Târaka, Cakradrik, S'umbha, Nis'umbha, Jambha and Utkala; Arishtha, Arishthanemi, Maya, Tripurâdhipa and the other sons of Puloma and the Kâleyas, of Nivâtakavaca and all others who were unable to get a share of the nectar. Only having had the burden were they all, taking the front with all they had, now in great trouble, roaring as lions and blowing their conchshells in the greatest tumult. When Balabhit ['fear of strength', Lord Indra] saw his ferocious rivals got he greatly incensed.

Surrounding Mahârâja Bali on all sides were the commanders and captains of the demons, sitting on their respective chariots. Among them were the following demons: Namuci, S'ambara, Bâna, Vipracitti, Ayomukha, Dvimûrdhâ, Kâlanâbha, Praheti, Heti, Ilvala, S'akuni, Bhûtasantâpa, Vajradamshthra, Virocana, Hayagrîva, S'ankus'irâ, Kapila, Meghadundubhi, Târaka, Cakradrik, S'umbha, Nis'umbha, Jambha, Utkala, Arishtha, Arishthanemi, Tripurâdhipa, Maya, the sons of Puloma, the Kâleyas and Nivâtakavaca. All of these demons had been deprived of their share of the nectar and had shared merely in the labor of churning the ocean. Now, they fought against the demigods, and to encourage their armies, they made a tumultuous sound like the roaring of lions and blew loudly on conchshells. Balabhit, Lord Indra, upon seeing this situation of his ferocious rivals, became extremely angry. (Vedabase)

Text 25:

Mounted on Airâvata his carrier elephant was Indra as beautiful to behold as the sun shining over Udayagiri's cascades.

Sitting on Airâvata, an elephant who can go anywhere and who holds water and wine in reserve for showering, Lord Indra looked just like the sun rising from Udayagiri, where there are reservoirs of water. (Vedabase)

Text 26:

Around him had all the gods with banner and weapon taken positions with their carriers: all the leaders of the higher worlds and the demigods of the air, of fire and of water.

Surrounding Lord Indra, King of heaven, were the demigods, seated on various types of vehicles and decorated with flags and weapons. Present among them were Vâyu, Agni, Varuna and other rulers of various planets, along with their associates. (Vedabase)

Text 27:

Having come forward chided the combatants face to face one another as painful to the heart as they could and fought they, drawing near, two by two their battle.

The demigods and demons came before each other and reproached one another with words piercing to the heart. Then they drew near and began fighting face to face in pairs. (Vedabase)

Text 28:

Bali fought Indra, Târaka fought Kârttikeya, Varuna engaged with Heti, and Mitra, o King fought with Praheti.

O King, Mahârâja Bali fought with Indra, Kârttikeya with Târaka, Varuna with Heti, and Mitra with Praheti. (Vedabase)

Text 29:

Yamarâja did so with Kâlanâbha, Vis'vakarmâ tried Maya, Tvashthâ fought S'ambara, and Savitrâ contested Virocana.

Yamarâja fought with Kâlanâbha, Vis'vakarmâ with Maya Dânava, Tvashthâ with S'ambara, and the sun-god with Virocana. (Vedabase)

Text 30-31:

Aparâjita fought Namuci, the two As'vinî-kumâras fought with Vrishaparvâ, the demigod Surya fought the hundred sons of Bali who were lead by Bâna, Soma [the moon-god] fought Râhu, Anila [god of the air] fought Puloma and the extremely powerful goddess Bhadra Kâlî [Durgâ] waged against S'umbha and Nis'umbha.

The demigod Aparâjita fought with Namuci, and the two As'vinî-kumâra brothers fought with Vrishaparvâ. The sun-god fought with the one hundred sons of Mahârâja Bali, headed by Bâna, and the moon-god fought with Râhu. The demigod controlling air fought with Pulomâ, and S'umbha and Nis'umbha fought the supremely powerful material energy, Durgâdevî, who is called Bhadra Kâlî. (Vedabase)

Text 32-34:

Vrishâkapi [S'iva] fought with Jambha and Vibhâvasu, the fire god, fought with Mahishâsura and Ilvala with his brother Vâtâpi fought the sons of Brahmâ, o suppressor of the enemies. Durmarsha fought with Kâmadeva [Cupid], Utkala with the Mâtrikâ goddesses, Brihaspati opposed S'ukrâcârya and S'ani [Saturn] fought with Narakâsura. The Maruts fought with Nivâtakavaca, the Vasus contested the Kâlakeyas, the Vis'vedevas tried the Paulomas en de Rudras waged against the Krodhavas'as.

O Mahârâja Parîkshit, suppressor of enemies [Arindama], Lord S'iva fought with Jambha, and Vibhâvasu fought with Mahishâsura. Ilvala, along with his brother Vâtâpi, fought the sons of Lord Brahmâ. Durmarsha fought with Cupid, the demon Utkala with the Mâtrikâ demigoddesses, Brihaspati with S'ukrâcârya, and S'anais'cara [Saturn] with Narakâsura. The Maruts fought Nivâtakavaca, the Vasus fought the Kâlakeya demons, the Vis'vedeva demigods fought the Pauloma demons, and the Rudras fought the Krodhavas'a demons, who were victims of anger. (Vedabase)

Text 35:

All of the ruling Suras and Asuras this way mixed in pairs engaged in fighting on the battlefield and waging with great strength they slashed one another earnestly with their sharp arrows, metal and lances in desiring the victory.

All of these demigods and demons assembled on the battlefield with a fighting spirit and attacked one another with great strength. All of them desiring victory, they fought in pairs, hitting one another severely with sharpened arrows, swords and lances. (Vedabase)

Text 36:

With fire weapons, discs, clubs, spears, pikes, firebrands, barbed missiles, mystic curses, swords, lances, iron bludgeons, mallets and slings were they cutting off each other's heads.

They severed one another's heads, using weapons like bhus'undis, cakras, clubs, rishthis, paththis'as, s'aktis, ulmukas, prâsas, paras'vadhas, nistrims'as, lances, parighas, mudgaras and bhindipâlas. (Vedabase)

Text 37:

The elephants, horses and chariots, foot soldiers and all the types of riders with their carriers were slashed to pieces. Arms, thighs, necks and legs were severed, and flags, bows, armor and ornaments were shredded.

The elephants, horses, chariots, charioteers, infantry soldiers and various kinds of carriers, along with their riders, were slashed to pieces. The arms, thighs, necks and legs of the soldiers were severed, and their flags, bows, armor and ornaments were torn apart. (Vedabase)

Text 38:

Of their violent trampling and rambling rose the dust of the field high in the sky up to the sun in every direction and rained its particles down heavy of the blood splattered all over.

Because of the impact on the ground of the legs of the demons and demigods and the wheels of the chariots, particles of dust flew violently into the sky and made a dust cloud that covered all directions of outer space, as far as the sun. But when the particles of dust were followed by drops of blood being sprinkled all over space, the dust cloud could no longer float in the sky. (Vedabase)

Text 39:

And so was the field there strewn with severed heads complete with helmets and earrings, angry eyes and bitten lips and lay scattered like elephant trunks legs and ornamented arms which severed still held the weapons.

In the course of the battle, the warfield became strewn with the severed heads of heroes, their eyes still staring and their teeth still pressed against their lips in anger. Helmets and earrings were scattered from these severed heads. Similarly, many arms, decorated with ornaments and clutching various weapons, were strewn here and there, as were many legs and thighs, which resembled the trunks of elephants. (Vedabase)

Text 40:

With the eyes of their own heads could the soldiers fallen there still see the trunks and raised arms with weapons coming after them on the battlefield.

Many headless trunks were generated on that battlefield. With weapons in their arms, those ghostly trunks, which could see with the eyes in the fallen heads, attacked the enemy soldiers. (Vedabase)

Text 41:

Bali attacked the great Indra with ten arrows, Airâvata, his carrier with three arrows, his four guardians [soldiers on horseback] with four arrows and the driver of the elephant with one.

Mahârâja Bali then attacked Indra with ten arrows and attacked Airâvata, Indra's carrier elephant, with three arrows. With four arrows he attacked the four horsemen guarding Airâvata's legs, and with one arrow he attacked the driver of the elephant. (Vedabase)

Text 42:

Indra skilled, in a quick response, immediately cut the arrows rushing towards him in pieces with a different type of very sharp arrows and smiled about the enemy not reaching him.

Before Bali Mahârâja's arrows could reach him, Indra, King of heaven, who is expert in dealing with arrows, smiled and counteracted the arrows with arrows of another type, known as bhalla, which were extremely sharp. (Vedabase)

Text 43:

Observing what a martial expert he was took he enraged the s'akti weapon up but with the torch of blazing fire still in his hand was it shattered by Indra.

When Bali Mahârâja saw the expert military activities of Indra, he could not restrain his anger. Thus he took up another weapon, known as s'akti, which blazed like a great firebrand. But Indra cut that weapon to pieces while it was still in Bali's hand. (Vedabase)

Text 44:

When next the lance, the barbed missile, the javelin, the sword and whatever more was tried, were they all cut to pieces by the mighty one.

Thereafter, one by one, Bali Mahârâja used a lance, prâsa, tomara, rishthis and other weapons, but whatever weapons he took up, Indra immediately cut them to pieces. (Vedabase)

Text 45:

O master of men, now was released a demoniac illusion because of which the Asura vanished from sight and a huge mountain appeared towering over the heads of the sura warriors.

My dear King, Bali Mahârâja then disappeared and resorted to demoniac illusions. A giant mountain, generated from illusion, then appeared above the heads of the demigod soldiers. (Vedabase)

Text 46:

Big snakes, scorpions and other poisonous creatures came down to crush them as also lions, tigers, boars and great elephants.

Scorpions, large snakes and many other poisonous animals, as well as lions, tigers, boars and great elephants, all began falling upon the demigod soldiers, crushing everything. (Vedabase)

Text 47:

Big trees ablaze in a forest fire came down from it and sharp pointed stones to destroy the enemy army.

From that mountain fell trees blazing in a forest fire. Chips of stone, with sharp edges like picks, also fell and smashed the heads of the demigod soldiers. (Vedabase)

Text 48:

Hundreds and hundreds of stark naked carnivorous demonesses, o Ruler, each holding a trident, yelled 'Pierce them, cut them to pieces' and such.

O my King, many hundreds of male and female carnivorous demons, completely naked and carrying tridents in their hands, then appeared, crying the slogans "Cut them to pieces! Pierce them!" (Vedabase)

Text 49:

Next were big, deeply rumbling clouds seen in the sky releasing embers, accompanied by strong tormenting winds and claps of thunder.

Fierce clouds, harassed by strong winds, then appeared in the sky. Rumbling very gravely with the sound of thunder, they began to shower live coals. (Vedabase)

Text 50:

The Daitya created a huge terrifying conflagration resembling Sâmvartaka [the fire at the end of time] that was carried by the blasting wind to burn the warriors of wisdom.

A great devastating fire created by Bali Mahârâja began burning all the soldiers of the demigods. This fire, accompanied by blasting winds, seemed as terrible as the Sâmvartaka fire, which appears at the time of dissolution. (Vedabase)

Text 51:

Thereafter appeared, for everyone to see, a sea agitated all over with waves blown up by the wind into a formidable whirlpool.

Thereafter, whirlpools and sea waves, agitated by fierce blasts of wind, appeared everywhere, before everyone's vision, in a furious flood. (Vedabase)

Text 52:

Thus lost the sura warriors, daunted by the creation of the illusory atmosphere as was presented by the invisible Daityas, those experts in the illusion, their courage to fight.

While this magical atmosphere in the fight was being created by the invisible demons, who were expert in such illusions, the soldiers of the demigods became morose. (Vedabase)

Text 53:

Empty-handed not knowing how to respond to that countering force, o King, meditated the followers of Indra for the Supreme Lord, the Creator of the Universe, to appear there.

O King, when the demigods could find no way to counteract the activities of the demons, they wholeheartedly meditated upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the creator of the universe, who then immediately appeared. (Vedabase)

Text 54:

He with the yellow dress and the lotuspetal eyes, whose feet rest upon the shoulders of Garuda, then became visible with His eight arms and weapons, the Goddess of Fortune and His invaluable Kaustubha gem, His helmet and His earrings brilliantly exhibited.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose eyes resemble the petals of a newly blossomed lotus, sat on the back of Garuda, spreading His lotus feet over Garuda's shoulders. Dressed in yellow, decorated by the Kaustubha gem and the goddess of fortune, and wearing an invaluable helmet and earrings, the Supreme Lord, holding various weapons in His eight hands, became visible to the demigods. (Vedabase)

Text 55:

The moment He appeared were, by the superior power of the Greatest of the Great, immediately the illusory manifestations from the false works of the Asura curbed, indeed the way it happens with dreams when one wakes up; all dangers are vanquished when the remembrance of the Lord has returned.

As the dangers of a dream cease when the dreamer awakens, the illusions created by the jugglery of the demons were vanquished by the transcendental prowess of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as soon as He entered the battlefield. Indeed, simply by remembrance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one becomes free from all dangers. (Vedabase)

Text 56:

When the demon Kâlanemi who engaged with the enemy of the elephants [the lion] saw Him on the battlefield who was carried by Garuda, threw he a whirling trident at Him, but just as easy was it, as it came down upon Garuda's head, seized and was the enemy together with his carrier with the same weapon killed by the Lord of the Three Worlds.

O King, when the demon Kâlanemi, who was carried by a lion, saw that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, carried by Garuda, was on the battlefield, the demon immediately took his trident, whirled it and discharged it at Garuda's head. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, the master of the three worlds, immediately caught the trident, and with the very same weapon he killed the enemy Kâlanemi, along with his carrier, the lion. (Vedabase)

Text 57:

The very powerful Mâlî and Sumâlî fell in the battle with their heads severed by His cakra, following which the enemy Mâlyavân met the same fate of having his head severed by the disc of the Original Personality the moment he, with a pointy club and roaring like a lion, tried to attack the king of the birds [Garuda].

Thereafter, two very powerful demons named Mâlî and Sumâlî were killed by the Supreme Lord, who severed their heads with His disc. Then Malyavan, another demon, attacked the Lord. With his sharp club, the demon, who was roaring like a lion, attacked Garuda, the lord of the birds, who are born from eggs. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original person, used His disc to cut off the head of that enemy also. (Vedabase)