Janamejaya said:—O foremost of the twice-born, I have heard many
incomparable deeds of that intelligent Yadu king many a time. O foremost
of moral men, O you having asceticism for your wealth, I wish now to
hear how Vāsudeva behaved towards Vāna as mentioned by you before. O
Brahman, how could that Asura, who was protected by Shankara, obtain the
sonship of that god of gods? How could he live in the company of his
Guhas? The son of the powerful Bali was the eldest of a hundred brothers
and had thousand hands adorned with hundreds of celestial weapons, was
encircled by numberless huge-bodied Asuras and was a master of hundreds
of illusion. How was Vāna, desirous of fighting a duel and inflamed with
anger, defeated by Vasudeva in battle And why did Keshava leave him off
with life?
Vaishampāyana said:—Hear, O king, with attention how a terrible
encounter took place between Vāna and Krishna of incomparable energy in
the land of men? O king, hear how Bali’s son Vāna, helped by Rudra and
Kumāra, and always spoken high of in battle, was defeated by Vasudeva
and left off with his life, how the high-souled Shankara used to keep
him always by him and conferred on him the sovereignty over Ganus; how
the Asura Vāna obtained the sonship of that god of gods; how a great
battle ensued between him and Vāsudeva and how he was left off with his
life (1-11).
Once on a time seeing the high-souled Kumāra (Kārtikeya) while sporting
the highly powerful Bali’s son was filled with surprise. Then thinking,
"How may I be Rudra’s son?" he desired to carry on hard austerities for
worshipping Rudra. Gradually the more that foremost of Asuras rendered
himself glorious by practising hard austerities the more pleased was
Siva, who is easily satisfied, with Umā. Having attained to an excess of
satisfaction with the austerities of Vāna, the blue-throated deity
himself went there and said to the Asura:—"May you fare well: pray for a
boon which you cherish at heart" (12–15). Thereupon Vāna said to
Maheswara, the god of gods:—"O three-eyed deity, my prayer is that thou
mayst confer on me the son-ship of the goddess" (16). Saying "So be it"
Shankara said to the goddess:—"Accept him as your son. He is the younger
brother of Kārtikeya. Forsooth, his city will be laid out at that place
from where formerly Mahāsena rose up from the blood produced by fire.
That best of cities will be celebrated by the name of Shonita-pura. No
body will be able to withstand the beautiful Vāna completely protected
by me" (17-19).
Thereupon Vāna lived in the city of Shonita and governed his kingdom
oppressing the gods. Gradually the thousand-armed one was so much worked
up with the pride of his prowess that disregarding the gods he solicited
a battle with them (20-21). At that time Kumāra give him a standard
burning like fire and an effulgent peacock to carry him. Afterwards, by
the power of Maheshwara, the god of gods, Vāna so fought that none
amongst the gods, Gandharvas, Yakshas and Rākshasas could keep himself
firm at that time (22–23). Protected completely by Tryamvaka and elated
with pride the Asura, desirous of fighting, again approached Siva (24).
Approaching Rudra and saluting him Bali’s son said:—"The gods, Sādhyas
and Marutas, whom I repeatedly vanquished with the help of my army and
under your protection, have come here and are living happily. O god,
vanquished by me, filled with terror and despairing of my defeat the
gods are living happily in the celestial city under your protection. So
despairing of success in battle I do not wish to live any longer; there
is no use of holding all these arms if I cannot fight. Save fighting my
mind does not fix upon any thing else. Be thou propitiated and tell me
when I shall be able to fight (25–29)."
Thereupon the Divine Vrishadhwaja similingly said:—"O Dānava Vāna, hear
how you will enter upon a battle. When this your standard, planted in
your own city, will be broken, you will enter upon a battle" (30–31).
Thus spoken to Vāna, smiling again and again, prostrated himself at
Bhava’s feet and said:—"By my good luck, my holding these thousand arms
has not become fruitless. I will again, by my good fortune, defeat the
thousand-eyed deity." Thereupon having his eyes filled with tears of
joy, Vāna, the aggrandiser of his enemies, prostrated himself on the
ground and adored Maheshwara with his five hundred fingers. Maheshwara
said:—"Rise up O hero you will soon obtain a fight befitting your family
and thousand arms" (32–34).
Vaishampāyana said:—Thus addressed by the high-souled three-eyed deity
Vrishadhwaja Vāna, with delight, saluted him and rose up speedily (35).
Thereupon dismissed by the blue-throated deity Vāna, the victor of
hostile cities, entered into the room of standards in his own palace.
Seated there he smilingly said to Kumbhānda:—"I will give a pleasant
tidings after your heart." Hearing it the minister Kumbhānda smilingly
said to Vāna, incomparable in battle:—"O king, what pleasant news are
you desirous of communicating to me? O foremost of Daityas, my eyes have
been expanded with joy and surprise. I wish to learn what boon you have
obtained (36–39). By the grace of the blue-throated deity as well as
that of Skanda what boon have you obtained? Has Trident-handed deity
given you the kingdom of the three worlds? Will Indra, in fear of you,
enter into nether region? Will Diti’s sons be freed from the fear of
Vishnu afraid of whose discus they entered into the ocean? Will not
Diti’s sons have to fear Vishnu stationed in battle with Shrānga bow and
club in his hands (40-42)? Will the great Asuras, under the protection
of your power, leave the nether region and reside in the celestial city
(43)? O king, your father Bali, defeated by Vishu’s power, is living in
chains. Will he rise up from the water and regain his kingdom (44).
Shall we see again your father Bali, Virochona’s son, adorned with
celestial garlands and pasted with celestial unguents (45)? O Lord,
shall we, vanquishing the gods, bring again to our subjection the worlds
pilfered with three steps (46)? Shall we vanquish the god Nārāyana, the
victor of armies, who is preceeded by the grave and cool sound of his
conch-shell (47)? From the dancing of your heart and tears of joy it
appears that Vrishadhwaja has been propitiated by you. Have you, by the
Lord’s pleasure and Kartikeya’s consent, obtained for us all the dignity
of the king of the earth?" (48–49) Encouraged by the words of Kumbhānda,
Vāna, the foremost of Asuras and speakers, gave vent to the following
powerful words:—"I have not been able to fight for a long time.
Therefore stricken with sorrow I said to the divine blue throated
deity:—’O lord, I am filled with a great desire for battle. Tell me when
I shall enter on a battle conducive to the satisfaction of my mind’.
Hearing it Hara, the god of gods, and the slayer of his enemies, smiled
for some time and then said to me in sweet words:–’O Vāna, in no time
you will face a great battle. O Diti’s son, when your peacock standard
will be broken you will find a great battle awaiting you.’ After the
divine Vrishadhwaja had said this I saluted him and came to you"
(50-55).
Thus addressed Kumbhānda said to the king of Asuras: "O king, the words
given vent to by you appear to be highly charming." While they were thus
conversing the huge standard, clapped by Indra’s thunderbolt, dropped
down with great force (56-57). Beholding that most excellent standard
thus struck down Asura Vāna was filled with joy in anticipation of an
approaching battle. At that time struck by Indra’s thunder-bolt the
earth trembled and a cat, hiding itself under the earth, began to mew.
In the city of Shonita, Vāsava, the king of gods, began to shower blood
around the king’s palace (58–60). Piercing the sun huge fire-brands fell
down on earth. The sun, rising with the planet Kirtika, assailed Rohini
(61). Hundreds and thousands of dreadful streams of blood fell from
Chaitya trees and stars continually fell (from the sky) (62). Though
that men-destroying hour was not a _Parva_ yet Rāhu devoured the sun and
huge-fire brands fell. A comet appeared in the south and dreadful winds
blew continually (63–64). Encircled by three-coloured Parighas, the sun,
effulgent like lightning, having white and red corners and black neck,
covered the hue of the evening. As if chastising Rohini, the birth star
of Vāna, the dreadful Angaraka entered as Rahu into Kirtikā. The huge
Chaitrya tree, having many branches, which the Dānava maidens used to
worship, fell down on earth. Vāna, elated with the pride of his
strength, though he saw all these evil portends, could not make out that
he would be defeated (65–68). But Vāna’s wise and right-seeing minister
Kumbhānda, struck with sorrow, spoke much on all those evil omens. He
said:—"These omens presage evil. Forsooth they indicate the destruction
of your kingdom; on account of the evil conduct of a king like yourself,
we ministers, along with your servants, will meet with destruction.
Alas! As the tree, the banner of Sakra, has fallen down, so will proud
Vāna, always vaunting out of ignorance, will fall. Desirous of
conquering the three worlds for the favour of the god of gods, Vanā is
crying out for battle. But on the other hand his destruction is drawing
near (69-73)."
Thereupon Vāna, of great prowess, began to drink delightedly Asava wine
in the company of Daitya and Danava damsels (74). Beholding those
portends and filled with anxiety Kumbhānda entered into the king’s
palace; and thinking of those evil omens, he said:—"The wicked and
careless Asura king Vāna, elated with the pride of success, is desiring
for a battle. He does not see his weakness out of ignorance. The evil
omens that are being seen now, may not be true for the present but the
fear consequent thereon can never be otherwise (75–77). The lotus-eyed
Sivā and the powerful Kārtikeya live here and so these evil omen’s may
be destroyed. But methinks our sins will never be dissipated. A great
destruction, begotten by our pride, is drawing near. Alas, by the
oppressions of this king all the Dānavas have been touched by sin and
this will lead to their destruction (78–80). Hara, the lord of three
worlds, the master of gods and Dānavas and the divine Kārtikeya live in
our city. Guha is loved by Bhava more than his life. But Vāna is still a
greater favourite. On account of his excessive pride, Vāna, for his own
destruction, prayed for a battle to Bhava. And that too he has obtained.
But it does not appear that a battle will take place. If however an
encounter comes off with Indra and other gods headed by Vishnu it must
be regarded as a creation of Bhava. If Bhava and Kumāra are willing to
help Vāna nobody will be able to fight with them. The words of the
three-eyed deity never prove untrue. Forsooth a great Daitya-destroying
battle will soon take place." Thus thinking the considerate and
right-seeing Asura Kumbhānda directed his understanding towards good and
said "Those who fight with the virtuous gods meet with destruction as
Bali has been suppressed" (81-88).