Swallowing of Shukra Continued

Vyasa said

When Rudra swallowed Shukra, what did the very brave danavas with Andhaka as leader do? Great sage, please tell me.

Sanatkumara said

When Girija's lord swallowed Kavya the daityas gave up hope of victory. They were like elephant lords without trunks, bulls without horns, a band of gods without a head, brahmanas who do not study, creatures without enterprise, enterprise unfavoured by fortune, women without husbands, arrow-floods without feathers, lifespans without good deeds, learning without vows, rites without wealth to support them so that their fruit is wasted, kshatriyas without bravery, and followers of dharma without truth. When Nandi seized Shukra and the swallower of poison swallowed him, the daityas fell into depression and all their festivity over the war stopped. Seeing Tuhunda, Hunda and the others lose heart, the persevering and brave Andhaka spoke to them.

He said that by force Nandi had taken Kavya away and tricked them. All of them were like bodies without life. With Bhargava gone, they had all lost perseverance, valour, direction, deeds, spirit, energy and bravery. Shame on them. Shukra had been worshipped by the lineage, was its best, the guru of all and capable, their saviour, but in calamity they could not save him. So without delay, remembering their guru's lotus feet, they must fight the brave enemies and brave pramathas. He would remember the two lotus feet of Kavya, who had brought them happiness, destroy all the pramathas with Nandi, and that day make the gods and Vasava helpless and kill them. As a yogi frees the individual self from karma, he would free Bhargava, who was himself a yogi. If the lord used yoga to free himself and come out of the body, he would protect those who were left.

Hearing Andhaka's words, rumbling like clouds, the daityas resolved to fight the pramathas. They said if they were meant to live, the pramathas' strength could not harm them, and if they were not, then having abandoned their master in battle, where would they go? Those who abandon their master and leave, even if they gain respect and riches, go to the abode called andha-tamisra, and all their wide fame is stained by the ill fame of darkness. Those who run away find no happiness here or hereafter. If one bathes in the field of battle, which removes the impurity of rebirth, what need is there of gifts, austerities, tirthas and washing in their waters? Having said this the daityas and Danu's sons acted accordingly, sounded war drums and crushed the pramathas.

They used arrows, swords, vajras, hard boulders, bhushundis, catapults, spears, javelins, battle-axes, khatvangas, spikes, tridents, sticks and bludgeons to kill one another and made great carnage. Arrows from bows came down like birds, catapults and bhushundis caused turmoil, and there was a great roar. War drums and trumpets sounded, elephants trumpeted, horses neighed, and the tumult rose and filled the space between heaven and earth, making hair stand on end whether one was brave or a coward. Flags and standards fell, weapons were spent, many vomited blood, horses, elephants and chariots lay scattered, and thirsty soldiers on both sides lost consciousness. The brave pramathas, Nandi and the others, used their strength to beat all the asuras and claim victory. Seeing his soldiers routed by the pramathas, Andhaka himself rushed at the ganas on his chariot. Like mountains struck by the vajra, the pramathas were broken by his weapons and floods of arrows, like clouds without rain. He looked at those far and near, coming and going, and pierced them with as many arrows as there were pores on their bodies. Seeing the soldiers routed by powerful Andhaka, Skanda, Vinayaka, Nandi, Somanandi, other strong pramathas, Viraka, Shankara's own ganas and other mighty ones fought a wonderful battle. Vinayaka, Skanda, Nandi, Somanandi, Viraka, Naigama, powerful Vishakha and other fierce ganas stood against Andhaka, raining tridents, spears and arrows in a steady flow, and a great tumult rose among the pramatha and asura soldiers.

Inside Shambhu's stomach Shukra heard that great noise. He roamed searching for a way out, like the wind that has no fixed home. Within Bhava's body he saw the seven higher worlds and the seven lower regions beginning with Patala, the worlds of Brahma, Narayana, Indra, the Adityas and apsaras, and also the wonderful battle between pramathas and asuras. He wandered inside for a hundred years but found no opening, as a crooked man finds no weakness in a pure one. Then Bhargava used Shambhu's yoga to take the form of semen, which, inside the cage of Shambhu's stomach, he managed by doing japa of that supreme mantra. He bowed to Shiva and came out, using the generative organ as his path. Gouri, who removes obstacles, accepted him as a son. So Bhargava Kavya emerged by the path of semen. Seeing this, Mahesha, ocean of compassion, laughed and told him that, as a descendant of Bhrigu who had come out in the form of semen through his organ, he would be called Shukra and be counted as his son. Shukra, radiant as the sun, bowed again, folded his hands and praised him: he addressed Shiva as the one of endless feet, forms, heads and arms, the auspicious one and the destroyer, asked how someone like him could praise him, and said one should bow to him with lowered head, the eight-formed and endlessly formed giver of all desires to gods and asuras, who can harm and cannot be seen, who crushes. After praising Shiva again, Shukra bowed once more and took his leave and, like the moon entering a garland of clouds, entered the danava army. Sanatkumara said he had told how in the course of the battle Shankara swallowed Kavya, and now Vyasa should hear the mantra Kavya chanted inside Shambhu's stomach.