दशकम 4 मधुकैटभवधम् 4 chaturthadashakah' - madhukait'abhavadhah'

                        दशकम 4 मधुकैटभवधम्

           4 chaturthadashakah' - madhukait'abhavadhah'

 (This is the summary of chapters Vi, VII and Viii of book I of devi

Bhagwatham . Lord Vishnu fights with those Asuras for 5000 years.

He gets tired & is not able to win over them and prays to the

Goddess. Lord Vishu praised the asuras and offered to give them any

boon they wanted but those proud asuras completely mystified by

the Goddess did not want any boon, but offered Lord Vishnu any

boon that he wants. He asks a boon to be able to kill them. The

asuras told that they can be killed but not in water. Due to the water

caused by the deluge, all the surrounding places were covered with

water. He raises his thighs above the water keeps them on his thighs

and kills them.)

त्वं तामसी सूप्तरमाधवां गजा

श्यामा रुचा मोहनताम्रलोचना

एकार्ण्णवे घोरे णोत्सुकान् हररम्

दे त्यौ च तौ स्मेरमु खी समैक्षथााः ll1ll

tvam taamasee suptaramaadhavaangajaa shyaamaa ruchaa

mohanataamralochanaa .

ekaarnave ghoraranotsukaan harim daityau cha tau

smeramukhee samaikshathaah' .. 4-1..

1.She who arose from the body of sleeping Vishnu, was black in colour,

had beautiful reddish eyes, this form of you who was filled with tamo

guna, in the vast single ocean, stood smiling at Vishnu and the 2 asuras

who were all ready to start fighting a terrible war.

1.the lady form that arose from the joining of the lights that

originated from the various body parts of a sleeping Vishnu, has been

discussed in the 3rd chapter, 7th shloka. This is Devi’s tamo avatharam-

she has a black complexion(colour of tamo guna-behavior manifested

is laziness and sleep), and has pretty reddish eyes. She kept on

looking at Lord Vishnu and the 2 asuras with a naughty smile who

were excited by the war- thinking ‘poor things’

पश्यत्यजे बाहुरणं मुराररणा

कृत्वा मधुाः श्रान्तिमवाप सत्वरम्

अभ्येत्य युद्धं कुरुते स्म कैटभाः

श्रािे च तन्तस्मन्कृताSSहवम् मधुाः ll2ll

pashyatyaje baahuranam muraarinaa

kri'tvaa madhuh' shraantimavaapa satvaram .

abhyetya yuddham kurute sma kait'abhah'

shraante cha tasminnakri'taahavam madhuh' .. 4-2..

2.Lord Brahma saw that Madhu fought with fists and got defeated

due to tiredness, immediately the undefeatable Kaitabha, started

fighting the war and when he got tired,

Madhu came and fought the war again.

Fist fights took place between Vishnu and Madhu. When madhu got

tired kaitabha got up and came and took over the fight from madhu,

while he(madhu) rested. Thus madhu felt fresh. By then kaitabha felt

tired. Madhu again came back and resumed fighting

एवम् मुहुाः संगरववश्रमावुभौ

पयाण यतो वर्णसहस्रपंञ्चकम्

ग्लावनं ववना चक्रतु रच्युताः क्लामद्

ववश्रान्तिवमच्छन्नसुरौ जगाद तौll3ll

evam muhuh' sangaravishramaavubhau

paryaayato varshasahasrapanchakam .

glaanim vinaa chakraturachyutah' klamaad

vishraantimichchhannasurau jagaada tau .. 4-3..

3. Thus those two went on fighting like this for Five thousand years

without getting tired. As they were fighting, as well as taking rest.

But Lord Vishnu who desired to rest, due to being tired, looked at

them and told like this:

While madhu fought kaithabham took complete rest. While

kaithabham fought madhu rested. This way each took turns to rest

and fight the war. Vishnu was the only one who was fighting the war

continuously without resting. Like this 5000 years passed. Vishnu was

exhausted. With a wish to rest he thus told the asuras

श्रािेन भीतेन च बालकेन् च

प्रभुाः पुमान् नैव करोवत संयुगम्

मध्येरणं द्वौ कृतववश्रमौ युवाम्

एकाः करोम्येव वनरिराहवम् ll4ll

shraantena bheetena cha baalakena cha

prabhuh' pumaannaiva karoti samyugam .

madhyeranam dvau kri'tavishramau yuvaam

ekah' karomyeva nirantaraahavam .. 4-4..

4.“A gentleman does not fight a war with a tired or scared person or a

boy. You both lads are taking rest in between, and I alone am fighting

the war without any rest.”

 One should win over ones enemies with help of ones strength. To

fight a weak enemy is not heroic. Generally one does not wage a war

against an exhausted person, a frightened person, who is weaponless,

who has fallen or a small child. This dharma of the heroes is what

Vishnu was trying to remind the asuras. Vishnu requested the asuras

to stop the war for a while, as he was exhausted fighting and needed

to rest.

Achyuthan means one who cannot be destroyed. When he had to

fight the indestructible asuras (Due to the power of the boon given by

Devi) madhu-kaithabham, the indestructible Vishnu also became

destructible.

ज्ञात्वा हररम् श्रािमुभौ ववदु रताः

संतस्थतुर् ववश्रमसौख्यवां स्तताः

त्वामेव तुष्टाव कृपातरं वगणीम्

सवेश्वरीं दै त्यजयाय माधवाः ll5ll

nyaatvaa harim shraantamubhau vidooratah'

santasthaturvishramasaukhyavaamstatah' .

tvaameva tusht'aava kri'paatarangineem

sarveshvareem daityajayaaya maadhavah' .. 4-5..

5.They both realizing that Lord Vishnu was tired

kept themselves far away and Vishnu took rest. He became refreshed.

To please you and to win over the asuras, he started praying to you,

who is a sea of compassion and full of auspiciousness,

When they heard vishnu’s words, the asuras understood that he was

exhausted. They went far and rested. Vishnu seeing them at a

sufficient distance, started thinking,”I fought for 5000 years but these

2 danavas were not tired. what is the cause. From whom and what

boon have they seeked?” Thinking for a time he came to know that

they have been granted a boon by the supreme sakti devi, death at

their will(icchamrityu) and therefore indefeatable. If I do not defeat

the asuras they will trouble brahma. Thus thinking he reached a

conclusion-praise that devi who gave the boon to the asuras thus

making them invincible. Thus thinking he began to praise the devi

with folded palms.[ SDB skanda 1 chapter 9 slokas 40 – 49]

दे वव प्रसीदै र् रणे वजतोSस्म्यहम्

दै त्यद्वये नाब्जभवं वजघां सुना

सवं कटाक्षैस्तव साध्यमत्र माम्

रक्षेवत वक्तारमभार्था हरीम्ll6ll

devi praseedaisha rane jito'smyaham

daityadvayenaabjabhavam jighaamsunaa .

sarvam kat'aakshaistava saadhyamatra maam raksheti

vaktaaramabhaashathaa harim .. 4-6..

6.“Oh goddess even if you are pleased with me, the 2 asuras who

desire to kill brahma, have defeated me in this war. By your sideward

glance, everything is possible. At this stage please save me. The devi

said to the hari who spoke thus

 If he looses the war then the asuras will attack brahma is what Vishnu

thinks. Who should win or who should lose is decided by the devi.

What the devi wishes only that will take place. By just the sideward

glance she is capable of doing anything. Vishnu’s prayer to the devi to

make him fit to defeat the asuras was heard by her. Devi was pleased.

युद्धं कुरु त्वं जवह तौ मया भृशम्

सम्मोवहतौ वक्रदृशे त्ययम् त्वया

सञ्चोवदतो हृष्टमना महाणणवे

तस्थौ रणायाSSययतुश्च दानवौll7ll

yuddham kuru tvam jahi tau mayaa bhri'sham

sammohitau vakradri'shetyayam tvayaa .

sanchodito hri'sht'amanaa mahaarnave

tasthau ranaayaayayatushcha daanavau .. 4-7..

7. “You fight the war with them; kill them, due to my slanting

sideward slanting glance, they both will be extremely fascinated”. Like

this he (vishnu) was encouraged by you and very happily went into

the vast ocean to fight the war with renewed energy. The asuras too

reached there.

Hearing these loving words of bhagavati, bhagvan Vishnu was

rejuvenated. The devi also convinced him to fight the war again.

Because of devi’s maya(sideward glance) the asuras were bewitched.

Hence it was confirmed that Vishnu will only win the war. He was very

happy and went to fight the war again. The asuras too reached.

भुयोवप कुर्व्णन् रणमच्युतो हसन्

कामातुरौ ते मुखपद्मदशणनात्

तावाह – तुष्टोस्म्यतुलौ रणे युवाम्

ददाम्यहं वां वरमे र् वान्तितम् ll8ll

bhooyo'pi kurvan ranamachyuto hasan

kaamaaturau te mukhapadmadarshanaat .

taavaaha tusht'o'smyatulau rane yuvaam

dadaamyaham vaam varamesha vaanchhitam .. 4-8..

8. again the war was being fought, Vishnu, mockingly told

them(asuras) who were in the mode of passion after seeing your lotus

like face, ‘I am very happy, both of you are incomparable in war. I give

both of you a boon of your choice.”

Seeing Vishnu distressed the devi laughed loudly and began to look

constantly with eyes somewhat reddish and shot towards the 2 asuras

side long glances of love and amorous feelings which were like arrows

from cupid. The 2 vicious daityas became fascinated by the side long

glances of the devi and took great pleasure in them; looked at the

devi lustfully. Hari too saw this and smilingly told the 2 danavas,’ I

have seen many danavas before fighting; but never saw them as

expert like you nor have I heard like this. I am therefore very much

satisfied by your such unrivalled powers. Therefore, oh greatly

powerful pair of danavas! I wish to grant both of you any boon that

you want. I will grant that to u.”

तावूचतुर् – ववन्तद्ध हरे न याचका-

वावां ददावस्तव वान्तितं वरम्

नासत्यवाचौ स्व इतीररतो हरर-

स्तवां संस्मरन् शत्रु वजगीर्याSब्रववत्ll9ll

taavoochaturviddhi hare na yaachakaa-

vaavaam dadaavastava vaanchhitam varam .

naasatyavaachau sva iteerito hari-

stvaam samsmaran shatrujigeeshayaa'braveet .. 4-9..

9.They said,” Oh Vishnu ! We are not ones who ask for things. we will

give you a boon of your choice. We are not being dishonest. Hearing

these words vishnu meditating on you, with intentions of winning

over the enemies, said like this:

The asuras heard about Vishnu giving them a boon when they were

completely intoxicated by the Devi’s beautiful

Face. The one who gives is a richer person and the taker is a poorer

person is the rule of the universe. Asking for a boon in front of a

beautiful maiden will degrade them is what the asuras thought. They

wanted to to show their dignity by giving Vishnu a boon.

It was mentioned in the 7th shloka that the asura were under the

influence of devi’s sideward glance. Passion is the neutral realisation

between the donor and receptor.

मह्यं वरं यच्छतमध्य मे यतो

वद्यौ युवाम् स्यातवमतीररतावुभौ

दृष्ट्वाप्सु लीनं सकलं समुचतु-

स्त्वं सत्यवाङ् नौ जवह वनर्ज्णले स्थलेll10ll

mahyam varam yachchhatamadya me yato

vadhyau yuvaam syaatamiteeritaavubhau .

dri'sht'vaa'psu leenam sakalam samoochatu-

stvam satyavaangnau jahi nirjale sthale .. 4-10..

10.” Please give me the boon by which I would be able to kill you

both “and hearing this, the two asuras, seeing that the entire universe

was covered with water said, “carrying out what was told to us earlier,

you can kill both of us in a place that is devoid of any water.”

“We will give you what you want” the moment Vishnu heard these

words from the asuras, he replied, ‘ok I want a boon. I should be able

to kill you both. Give me a boon that permits.

Hearing these words of Vishnu madhu-kaitabha became very much

surprised and thinking ’we are now cheated’. A beautiful lady is

watching. This is not the time to be heroic. To show anger or not

keeping one’s words is not considered macho. Then reflecting that

there is water everywhere and solid earth nowhere, they said, ’oh

janardana hari! We know that you keep your word; therefore, now we

want this desired boon from you that you wanted to grant us before;

we too will keep our word. Let Your desire to kill us take place-we

grant that to you. But there is a problem-do not kill us in water-kill us

on solid ground.

अस्त्वेव वमत्यादृतवाङ् मुदा हरराः

स्वोरौ पृथावुन्नवमते जलोपरर

कृत्वाSररणा तन्तच्छरसी तदाSन्तच्छनत्

स्वच्छन्दमृत्यु तव मायया हतौll11ll

astvevamityaadri'tavaangmudaa harih'

svorau pri'thaavunnamite jalopari .

kri'tvaa'rinaa tachchhirasee tadaa'chchhinat

svachchhandamri'tyoo tava maayayaa hatau .. 4-11..

11.Lord Vishnu said “let it be so”. He respected the words of the

asuras at that time. Vishnu happily raised his 2 fat thighs above the

water, kept their heads on it, with the help of the discus, beheaded

them. They, who could die whenever they wished, due to the power of

your maya, was killed.

Vishnu honored the words of the asuras. He got the solution to kill

them from the asuras themselves. Vishnu lifted his fat thighs aabove

the water. He kept madhu’s head on it and with the help of the discus

cut off his head. On the same thigh he killed kaithaba. “do not kill us

in water” is what the asuras wanted, and that was fulfilled. From

whomever the asuras got the boon to die at wish, they got

spellbound by the maya of that devi only. With the blessings of devi

anything can be got. Whatever is gained, the great person should use

it for his prosperity, or attain liberation. Only then will that blessing be

fruitful. Madhu and kaithabhan became vain on getting the boon of

death at will. That is why they went and attacked brahma. Their

arrogance only caused their destruction.

Sri bhagvaan hari laughed and remembering his sudarshana disc said,

’oh two highly fortunate ones. I will kill both of you on the vast solid

spot without any trace of water. Thus, saying hari expanded his own

thighs and showed to those asuras the vast solid earth on the surface

of water and said to the 2 asuras,”see there is no water. Place your

heads here. Thus, I will keep my word and you would keep yours”.

Hearing this madhu-kaithaba expanded their bodies to 10,000

yojanas. Bhagvan hari expanded his thighs to twice that size. Seeing

this they were surprised and laid their heads on the thighs of Vishnu,

who quickly cut off their heads with his discus and their marrow

(meda) filled the ocean. For this reason the earth is also known as

medina.

In devi bhagvatham 1st skanda the 4 chapters,from chapter 6 to 9

describes devis mahakali avatar and the killing of madhu

kaithabha is described.

द्वे र्श्च रागश्च सदा ममान्तिके

दै त्यौ हृवद स्तोत्र वववेकमाधवाः

आभ्यां करोत्येव रणं जयत्वयम्

तुभ्यं महाकावल नमाः प्रसीद मे ll12ll

dveshashcha raagashcha sadaa mamaambike

daityau hri'di sto'tra vivekamaadhavah' .

aabhyaam karotyeva ranam jayatvayam

tubhyam mahaakaali namah' praseeda me .. 4-12..

12. Oh my mother! Asuras in the form of hatred and anger are seated

here (in my heart). That Vishnu who creates knowledge, is constantly

fighting a war with these asura like anger and hatred. Whoever is this

(knowledge-vishnu), may he be victorious; oh mahakali! Salutations to

you; be pleased by my devotion.

Thus ends the story of madhu-kaithabham. Keeping this story in mind

the poet salutes mahakali. Who are these madhu-kaithabhams? they

are nothing but hatred and passion in our minds. We should awaken

the wisdom called Vishnu in our mind. That Vishnu(wisdom) will be

able to kill the asuras(passion and hatred).The most important avatar

of devi is mahakali.

Thus ends the 4th chapter

ववष्णुना कृता दे वीस्तुवतिः .[ SDB skanda 1 chapter 9 slokas 40 – 49]

(दे वीभागवततिः )

ववष्णुरुवाच ।

नमो दे वव महामाये सृवष्टसंहारकाररवण ।

अनावदवनधने चन्ति भुन्तक्तमुन्तक्तप्रदे वशवे ॥ ४०॥

न ते रूपं ववजानावम सगुणं वनगुणणं तथा ।

चररत्रावण कुतो दे वव सङ् ख्यातीतावन यावन ते ॥ ४१॥

अनुभूतो मया तेऽद्य प्रभावश्चावतदु घणटाः ।

यदहं वनद्रया लीनाः सञ्जातोऽन्तस्म ववचेतनाः ॥ ४२॥

ब्रह्मणा चावतयत्नेन बोवधतोऽवप पुनाः पुनाः ।

न प्रबुद्धाः सवणथाहं सङ्कोवचतर्विन्तियाः ॥ ४३॥

अचेतनत्वं सम्प्राप्ताः प्रभावात्तव चान्तिके ।

त्वया मुक्ताः प्रबुद्धोऽहं युद्धं च बहुधा कृतम् ॥ ४४॥

श्रािोऽहं न च तौ श्रािौ त्वया दत्तवरौ वरौ ।

ब्रह्माणं हिुमायातौ दानवौ मदगववणतौ ॥ ४५॥

आहूतौ च मया कामं द्वन्द्द्वयुद्धाय मानदे ।

कृतं युद्धं महाघोरं मया ताभ्यां महाणणवे ॥ ४६॥

मरणे वरदानं ते ततो ज्ञातं महाद् भुतम् ।

ज्ञात्वाहं शरणं प्राप्तस्त्वामद्य शरणप्रदाम् ॥ ४७॥

साहाय्यं कुरु मे माताः न्तखन्नोऽहं युद्धकमणणा ।

दृप्तौ तौ वरदानेन तव दे वावतणनाशने ॥ ४८॥

हिुं मामुद्यतौ पापौ वकं करोवम क्व यावम च ।

इवत श्रीदे वीभागवते प्रथमस्कन्धे नवमाध्यायान्तगगता

ववष्णुना कृता दे वीस्तुवतिः सम्पूर्ाग ।

Meaning

The supreme Yogi, Bhagavān Viṣṇu, of immeasurable spirit

began to praise with folded palms that great Bhuvaneśvarī

Mahā Kāli, the giver of boons for the destruction of the

Dānavas. “O Devī! I bow down to Thee O Mahāmāyā, the

Creater and Destructor! Thou are beginningless and

deathless! O auspicious Chandike! The Bestower of

enjoyment and liberation I do not know Thy Saguṇa or

Nirguṇa forms; how then can I know Thy glorious deeds,

innumerable as they are. To-day Thy undescribable prowess

has been experienced by me, I being made senseless and

unconscious by Thy power of sleep. Being tried again and

again by Brahmā with great care to bring me back to my

consciousness, I could not become conscious, so much my

senses were contracted down. O Mother! By Thy power, Thou

didst keep me unconscious and Thou again hast freed me

from sleep, and I also fought so many times. O giver of one’s

honour! Now I am tired; but Thou hast granted boon to the

two Dānavas and therefore they are not getting tired. These

two Dānavas, puffed up with pride, were ready to kill Brahmā;

and therefore I challenged them to fight with me and they

too are fighting fiercely with me in this vast ocean. But Thou

hast granted them the wonderful boon that they will die

whenever they will; and therefore I have now come to Thy

refuge, as Thou protectest those that come under Thy

shelter. Therefore, O Mother, the remover of the Devaś

troubles! These two Dānavas are become exceedingly elated

by Thy boon and I, too, am tired. Therefore dost Thou help

me now. See! those two sinners are ready to kill me; without

Thy grace, what can I do now? and where to go?”