Aniruddha and Usha Amuse Themselves

Sanatkumara said

Banasura went in anger and saw him. He was in the first bloom of youth, his form seemingly made for divine play. Bana was amazed and wondered what could be the reason, then, overcome by anger and wanting to show his valour, seemed to laugh as he spoke. He said the man had a human form but was surely brave and persevering. Who was this unfortunate one who had come at such a time, deluded in his mind, who had sullied his family's character and defiled his daughter? He must be killed. He told the angry guards to seize terrible weapons, bind the evil-conduct man and throw him in a fearful prison, guarding him a long time in that horrible place. Then the intelligent asura thought again and was cautious. No one knew who this fearless person was, or his fierce valour. So the evil-minded daitya ordered ten thousand brave soldiers to kill him. They quickly surrounded the inner quarters on all sides, the fierce asuras shouting "Cut, pierce." The Yadava saw the enemy soldiers and roared. From the door of the inner quarters he grabbed an unmatched club and came out of the residence like the Destroyer holding a vajra. He killed those servants and went in again. His eyes were red with rage and Shiva increased his energy. He killed ten thousand soldiers and another hundred thousand warriors.

Banasura, furious, took Kumbhanda and challenged intelligent Aniruddha to a great duel. Pradyumna's son, protected by Shiva's energy, blazed. Ten thousand horses and excellent chariots of the daitya lord reached the field, but Aniruddha killed them with his sword. He then took a spear blazing like the fire of destruction and flung it at Bana to kill him. Bana, seated on his chariot, was firmly struck, and the brave one vanished from the spot at once with his horse. After he disappeared, Pradyumna's son stood undefeated like an unmoving mountain, glancing in all directions. The danava, staying invisible, fought in mysterious ways, hitting him again and again with thousands of different weapons, and by deceit the strong one bound him in the coils of nagas. This is what Bali's brave son, the asura devoted to Shiva, did. Having bound him and put him in a cage, he stopped the battle.

The strong Bana then angrily told his charioteer's son to cut off the man's head with a light hand, for this wicked one had by force sullied his pure, virtuous line. After cutting off all his limbs he should offer them to the rakshasas, or let beasts feed on his flesh and blood, kill the sinner or throw him into a bottomless pit covered with grass. Not to say more, he must be killed in every way. Bana's excellent minister Kumbhanda, a night-roamer with a sense of dharma, answered: the lord should think, since this was not the right course. If they killed him they would end up killing themselves. He could be seen to be as valiant as Vishnu, and his energy seemed raised by the moon-crested one, whom he equalled in bravery. Though reduced to this state he had not lost his manliness. It was by Shiva's favour that Krishna's strong grandson regarded them as blades of grass, and though bitten by serpents he remained strong. Having said this, skilled in royal policy, Kumbhanda asked Aniruddha who he was and whose son, and to speak the truth. He called him evil in conduct, the worst of men, asked who had brought him, and told him to praise the brave daitya lord, fold his hands, bow, and say again and again that he was wretched and beaten; then he would be freed, otherwise he would stay bound. Aniruddha answered back: he called Kumbhanda friend of the worst of daityas, one who lives on the leftover tribute in his hands, a wicked night-roamer who did not know the dharma to follow against enemies. In his view, for a brave man, to be wretched and run away is worse than death, and these are like stakes. It is always best for a kshatriya to die in face-to-face battle, and one proud of being brave will not sink miserably to the ground with folded hands. He said many such brave words, and Bana was amazed and angry at once.

Then an unseen voice from the sky reassured Bana, and all the brave ones, Aniruddha and the ministers heard it. It told Bana not to be angry, to think, as Bali's intelligent son and Shiva's devotee: Shiva is lord of everyone and Parameshvara is witness to all karma; all that moves and stands is under his control; he is always creator, preserver and destroyer; as Brahma, Vishnu and Hara his self supports sattva, rajas and tamas; he is within everything, the one who prompts and is superior to all, free of change and decay, eternal, without attributes, lord of maya. Know that by his will even a weak person becomes strong. Knowing this, Bana should return to his natural mind. Bhagavan removes all pride and plays in many ways, and, kind to devotees, would now destroy Bana's pride. Having said this the voice fell silent. Banasura did not disobey and did not kill Aniruddha. He went inside the inner quarters and drank excellent liquor, forgot those words and acted against his own judgement. Aniruddha stayed bound in serpent coils full of virulent poison. Still unsatisfied and wanting his beloved, he at once remembered Durga. He called to her as refuge, saying he was bound and scorched by the snakes, and begged her, fierce in rage and giver of fame, devoted to Shiva and the cause of creation, preservation and destruction, to come and save him, since no one else could protect him. He satisfied Kali, who, with the complexion of broken collyrium, arrived on the great night of krishna chaturdashi in Jyeshtha. With blows of her heavy fists she broke the cage, reduced the serpent-shaped arrows to ashes, and freed Aniruddha. When he entered the inner quarters, Durga vanished. By the favour of Devi, Shiva's Shakti, Aniruddha was freed from his troubles and found happiness, and by Shiva's Shakti he had victory. Pradyumna's son won his beloved, Bana's daughter, and was happy. He and she were happy as before, and with Bana's daughter he drank liquor until his eyes turned red.