Swallowing of Shukra

Vyasa said

That great battle was terrible and made the hair stand up. I have heard briefly that Shukra, learned lord of the daityas, was swallowed by Tripura's enemy. Please tell me in detail. What did the great yogi do inside the Pinaka-wielder's stomach? How was Bhargava Shukra not burnt by Shambhu's digestive fire, which blazes like the fire at the end of a kalpa? How did the wise one get out of the cage of Shambhu's stomach? How did Bhargava worship him, and for how long? How did he get the supreme knowledge that quiets death, and what is that knowledge? After Andhaka was released from the trident, how did he become a ganapati? Shambhu, lord of the gods, plays in his pastimes, so please be kind and tell me everything, for Shiva's pastimes are like amrita to me.

Brahma said

Hearing the infinitely energetic Vyasa, Sanatkumara remembered Shiva's lotus feet and answered.

Sanatkumara said

Vyasa, hear Shiva's supreme pastimes, which are like amrita. You are foremost among Shiva's devotees, and blessed, and you please me. The battle between Shiva and Andhaka went on, the two commanders making an impenetrable formation and one shaped like a mountain. At first the powerful daityas won, and then, through Shiva's powers, the pramathas triumphed. Hearing this, the great asura Andhaka was dejected and wondered how to win. Deep in thought, he left the field alone and quickly went to Shukra. He stepped down from his chariot, bowed to his guru Kavya and, skilled in policy, folded his hands and set out his thoughts.

Andhaka said that with Shukra as their guru they sought his refuge and were never beaten. By his power they thought lightly of all the gods and their followers, and counted even lords like Hara and Upendra as small. By his power the gods had always feared them like elephants before a lion or serpents before Garuda. The daityas and danavas had made an impenetrable formation and by his favour had driven off all the pramathas. Having taken his shelter they had never been dislodged and roamed fearless, like goats on the earth. Now the asuras were suffering from a brave enemy and being killed, attacked by brave, terrible pramathas who could attack even death. Hunda and the other chiefs had been brought down or killed. Earlier Shukra had drunk kanadhuma for a thousand autumns and gained excellent learning, and the time had come to use it. Let all the pramathas see its fruit, and let him show compassion and revive all the asuras.

Hearing Andhaka, the patient Bhargava reflected, troubled. He wondered what to do and what would be good for him. A being's fall is decided by destiny and it was not right to interfere, and the knowledge came from Shankara and was to be applied to leaders crushed by Shankara's own followers, but protecting those who seek refuge is always supreme dharma. Thinking this, Shukra agreed. Smiling a little, Bhargava thought of Shiva's lotus feet and steadied himself, and said what Andhaka said was entirely true. He had gained this knowledge for the danavas' sake, though drinking kanadhuma for a thousand years was extremely hard. He had gained it from Ishvara, and it must always bring happiness to his kin. The daityas crushed by the pramathas he would raise up again as water revives wilted crops, and they would rise healed of wounds and pain as if after sleep. Within a muhurta Andhaka would see his daityas on their feet. Telling him this, Shukra lovingly thought of the lord of learning and applied the knowledge. At once all the daityas and danavas woke together as though they had slept with weapons in hand. Like the merit of those who give water to the thirsty in battle or faithfully give to brahmanas in calamity, they were revived.

Seeing Hunda and the other great asuras revived, all the asuras roared like laden clouds and, with terrible roars, were ready to fight the pramathas again, fearless, brave and strong. Nandi and the others were hard to beat, but seeing that Shukra had revived the daityas, the pramathas were amazed. They thought it over and told each other they must report this deed to Shankara, lord of the gods. While the sacrifice of battle went on, Shilada's son, leader of the pramathas, astonished at Bhargava's deed and unable to tolerate it, went to Mahesha. The golden-complexioned Nandi cried victory and told the fierce lord, source of victory, that what the gana leaders had achieved in battle was beyond even gods like Indra, but Bhargava had made it futile: using the learning of reviving the dead he had easily revived everyone who died on the enemy's side. Tuhunda, Hunda, Kumbha, Jambha, Vipaka and the other great asura lords had returned from Yama's abode and were driving the pramathas away. If the great daityas revived as soon as they were killed, how could they win, and how could the gana leaders find peace?

Hearing Nandi, the lord of the pramathas laughed and told the foremost of ganas to go quickly among Diti's sons and seize that noble brahmana, as a hawk grasps a water-born quail, and bring him at once. Nandi bellowed like a bull and roared like a lion, broke through the soldiers and reached the lamp of the Bhargava line. The daityas, with nooses, swords, trees, boulders and mountains in hand, were all engaged in guarding him, but Nandi, like a sharabha seizing an elephant, shook the powerful daityas and seized Kavya, whose clothes loosened, ornaments fell off and hair came undone. Like lions the gods' enemies followed and flung deceit, thunder, spears, battle-axes, staffs and discuses. The danava lords rained these fierce weapons on Nandishvara like clouds, making flesh tremble, but the foremost of ganas burned hundreds of them with fire from his mouth. Though the fight between asuras and gods grew fiercer, distressing the enemy, he seized Bhargava and returned to Bhava, saying "Lord, here is Shukra", and quickly presented him. The lord of the gods took Shukra like an offering made by someone pure, and, without a word, the protector of beings threw Kavya into his mouth like a fruit. All the asuras cried again and again, "Alas, we are doomed."