The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Vana Parva, Part 1
Religion
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Vana Parva, Part 1
Epic literature, Sanskrit
"Lomasa said, 'When these very identical words were spoken again and
again by the lord of celestials, the son of Bhrigu, setting Indra at
naught, took up the offering he had intended to make. And as he was
about to take up an excellent portion of the Soma juice with the object
of offering it to the two Aswins, the destroyer of the demon Vala
(Indra) observed his act, and thus spoke unto him, "If thou take up the
Soma with a view to offering it to those celestials, I shall hurl at
thee my thunderbolt of awful form, which is superior to all the weapons
that exist." Thus addressed by Indra, the son of Bhrigu, cast at Indra a
smiling glance, and took up in due form a goodly quantity of the Soma
juice, to make an offering to the Aswins. Then Sachi's lord hurled at
him the thunderbolt of awful form. And as he was about to launch it, his
arm was paralysed by Bhrigu's son. And having paralysed his arm,
Chyavana recited sacred hymns, and made offering on the fire. His object
gained, he now attempted to destroy that celestial. Then by the virtue
of that saint's ascetic energy, an evil spirit came into being,--a huge
demon, _Mada_ by name, of great strength and gigantic proportions. And
his body was incapable of being measured either by demons or by gods.
And his mouth was terrible and of huge size, and with teeth of sharpened
edge. And one of his jaws rested on the earth, and the other stretched
to heaven. And he had four fangs, each extending as far as one hundred
_yojanas_, and his other fangs were extended to the distance of ten
_yojanas_, and were of a form resembling towers on a palace, and which
might be likened to the ends of spears. And his two arms were like unto
hills, and extended ten thousand _yojanas_, and both were of equal bulk.
And his two eyes resembled the sun and the moon; and his face rivalled
the conflagration at the universal dissolution. And he was licking his
mouth with his tongue, which, like lightning, knew no rest. And his
mouth was open, and his glance was frightful, and seemed as if he would
forcibly swallow up the world. The demon rushed at the celestial by whom
a hundred sacrifices had been performed. And his intent was to devour
that deity. And the world resounded with the loud and frightful sounds
uttered by the Asura.'"
SECTION CXXV
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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