Description of Jalandhara's Fighting

Sanatkumara said

The great lord Rudra took a terrible form. With the brave ganas, riding the excellent bull, he advanced to fight, seeming to smile. Seeing Rudra advance, the ganas roared like lions again. Those of Rudra's ganas who had withdrawn from the battle came back, and Shankara's other ganas raised war cries. They celebrated a festival of weapons, showering arrows and slaughtering daityas. All the daityas saw how terrible Rudra was and fled, like a sinner frightened at the sight of Shankara. Seeing the daityas retreat from the battle, Jalandhara advanced on Chandi's lord, showering thousands of arrows. Thousands of Indras among the daityas, Shumbha and Nishumbha first, advanced forcefully on Shiva, biting their lips in rage. Brave Kalanemi, Khadgaroma, Balahaka, Ghasmara, Prachanda and others advanced on Shiva too, and swiftly covered Rudra's ganas with arrows. Sage, Shumbha and the other brave ones sliced all their limbs. Hara saw his force of ganas wrapped in a darkness made of arrows. He cut that net of arrows with his own arrows and covered the sky. The daityas suffered in that storm of arrows, and with the fierce net of arrows he felled them. With his battle axe he separated Khadgaroma's head from his body; with his khatvanga he broke Balahaka's head in two; he bound Ghasmara the daitya with his noose and brought him to the ground; with his trident he cut down the immensely brave Prachanda. Some were killed by the bull, others brought down by arrows. Like elephants plagued by a lion, the asuras could not stay. The great daitya was overwhelmed by rage and shamed the daityas in the battle, laughing at Shumbha and the others.

Jalandhara said

Why boast of who your mother is? Like cowards you are being struck in the back. For those who pride themselves on bravery and long for heaven this is not praiseworthy. If you have any faith in fighting, or any substance in your hearts, stand before me. Otherwise it is plain you want only carnal pleasure. To die in battle is supreme. It gives all the fruits one desires and especially fame, and is also said to lead to liberation. One who faces battle and dies goes to the supreme destination in the solar disc, the one reached by a wanderer with supreme knowledge. The learned should never fear death, anywhere. For all one's efforts it is inevitable. Brave ones, when one has a body death comes with birth. It is certain that a living being will die, today or after a hundred years. So cast off the fear of death and fight gladly in the battle. Without doubt it brings great bliss in every way, in this world and the next.

Sanatkumara said

So he tried many ways to make the brave ones on his side understand, but they were frightened and could not recover their perseverance. They fled swiftly from the field. Seeing his own soldiers running, immensely brave Jalandhara, the ocean's son, grew angry.

Full of rage and angry at Rudra, in a fierce voice like a thunderclap he challenged him to fight.

Jalandhara said

Fight me now. Why are you killing them? Matted-haired one, show me what limited strength you have.

Sanatkumara said

Saying this, the great daitya Jalandhara struck Shambhu, unblemished in his deeds, with seventy arrows. Before Jalandhara's arrows could reach him, Mahadeva cut them down with his own sharp, wonderful arrows, seeming to laugh. Sage, with seven arrows he cut the horses, standard, umbrella and bow of Jalandhara the daitya; for Hara it was no surprise. Deprived of his chariot, his bow cut, the asura, the ocean's son, angry, raised a club and rushed powerfully at Shiva, and suddenly flung it. But Maheshvara is great and supremely wonderful in his pastimes; with his arrows he quickly shattered the club in two. At this the great asura grew angrier still, raised his fist and rushed forward with great force wishing to kill him. But the lord of the gods, unblemished in his deeds, with a volley of arrows flung Jalandhara a krosha away.

Jalandhara the daitya decided that Rudra was stronger than he. He made the wonderful maya of the gandharvas, able to delude even Rudra. By the power of that maya, to confound Rudra, many gandharvas and hosts of apsaras came, singing and dancing, while others played palm-leaf flutes and mridangas. Seeing the great wonder those hordes produced, Rudra was confounded; he did not even notice that the weapons had fallen from his hands. Jalandhara the daitya saw Rudra intently watching. Full of desire, he went to where Gouri was, leaving the conduct of the war to the immensely strong Shumbha and Nishumbha. Vyasa, by the asuras' maya Jalandhara took a form just like Rudra's, with ten powerful arms, five faces, three eyes and matted hair, seated on a giant bull. Bhava's beloved saw Rudra arriving. Leaving her friends, she came into his sight. The lord of danavas saw Parvati, lovely in her limbs, and overcome with desire lost control of his body. Realising this was the danava, Gouri was frightened. She vanished and went to the northern shore of Lake Manasa. When she vanished like a flash of lightning, the daitya could no longer see her. He swiftly went back to where the divinity Maheshvara waited to fight. In her mind Parvati remembered great Vishnu and at once saw the divinity seated near her. Parvati, loved by Shiva, saw Vishnu in front of her, bowing with joined hands. Pleased, the mother of the universe spoke.

Parvati said

Vishnu, Jalandhara the daitya has done an extremely wonderful act. Do you not know what the evil-minded one has done?

Sanatkumara said

Hearing the mother of the universe, the one with Garuda on his banner lowered his shoulders, joined his hands and answered Shivaa.

Shri Bhagavan said

Devi, by your favour I know what has happened. Mother, command me and I will act as you instruct.

Sanatkumara said

Hearing Vishnu, Parvati spoke again, wishing to instruct Hrishikesha properly in dharma and good policy.

Parvati said

Understand that he has himself shown the way. Follow my command and destroy his wife's dharma of fidelity to her husband. Rama's lord, there is no other way. The great daitya cannot be killed by you. On earth no dharma equals devotion to one's husband.

Sanatkumara said

Hari heard her command and, lowering his head, accepted it. To carry out that deception he quickly went to Jalandhara's city.