Hiranyaksha’s demise at the hands of Lord Vishnu
हिरण्याक्षं तावद्वरद भवदन्वेषणपरं
चरन्तं सांवर्ते पयसि निजजङ्घापरिमिते ।
भवद्भक्तो गत्वा कपटपटुधीर्नारदमुनि:
शनैरूचे नन्दन् दनुजमपि निन्दंस्तव बलम् ॥१॥
hiraNyaakshaM taavadvarada bhavadanveShaNaparaM
charantaM saanvarte payasi nijajanghaaparimite |
bhavadbhaktO gatvaa kapaTapaTudhiirnaaradamuniH
shanairuuche nandan danujamapi nindamstava balam || 1
Bhattathiri gives an account of Narada and his exploits in the first sloka of the Thirteenth Dashakam. The greatest devotee of the Lord, Narada, uses cunning strategy to carry out the Lord’s work. Hiranyaksha was searching the knee-deep floodwaters for the Lord when Narada came to him. In front of him, he disparaged the Lord while praising him for his achievements.
स मायावी विष्णुर्हरति भवदीयां वसुमतीं
प्रभो कष्टं कष्टं किमिदमिति तेनाभिगदित: ।
नदन् क्वासौ क्वासविति स मुनिना दर्शितपथो
भवन्तं सम्प्रापद्धरणिधरमुद्यन्तमुदकात् ॥२॥
sa maayaavii viShNurharati bhavadiiyaaM vasumatiiM
prabhO kaShTaM kaShTaM kimidamiti tenaabhigaditaH |
nadan kvaasau kvaasaaviti sa muninaa darshitapathO
bhavantaM sampraapaddharaNidharam udyantamudakaat || 2
Hiranyaksha was tricked by Narada, who pretended to be grieving for Hiranyaksha while complaining that Lord Vishnu was a thief who had stolen the Earth. Enraged, Hiranyaksha bellowed and asked after Lord Vishnu. Hiranyaksha followed Narada’s path to the Lord and saw the mighty Koormavathar of Lord Vishnu emerge from the water with Earth on his tusk.
अहो आरण्योऽयं मृग इति हसन्तं बहुतरै-
र्दुरुक्तैर्विध्यन्तं दितिसुतमवज्ञाय भगवन् ।
महीं दृष्ट्वा दंष्ट्राशिरसि चकितां स्वेन महसा
पयोधावाधाय प्रसभमुदयुङ्क्था मृधविधौ ॥३॥
ahO aaraNyO(a)yaM mR^iga iti hasantaM bahutarai
rduruktairvidhyantaM ditisutamavaj~naaya bhagavan |
mahiiM dR^iShTvaa damShTraashirasi chakitaaM svena mahasaa
payOdhaavaadhaaya prasabhamudayunkthaa mR^idhavidhau || 3
O Lord, despite Hiranyaksha’s insults and belittling words, which referred to you as a mere wild animal, you placed the trembling Earth in a stable location outside of water and prepared for war.
गदापाणौ दैत्ये त्वमपि हि गृहीतोन्नतगदो
नियुद्धेन क्रीडन् घटघटरवोद्घुष्टवियता ।
रणालोकौत्सुक्यान्मिलति सुरसङ्घे द्रुतममुं
निरुन्ध्या: सन्ध्यात: प्रथममिति धात्रा जगदिषे ॥४॥
gadaapaaNau daitye tvamapi hi gR^ihiitOnnatagadO
niyuddhena kriiDan ghaTaghaTaravOdghuShTaviyataa |
raNaalOkautsukyaanmilati surasanghe drutamamuM
nirundhyaaH sandhyaataH prathamamiti dhaatraa jagadiShe ||4
Given that Hiranyaksha was carrying a mace, you also grabbed a strong mace and boldly challenged him to a duel. Delighted to see the fight, the gods gathered in the sky as the sound of the respective maces being struck reverberated. Brahmaa yelled for the Asura to be killed before the sun set.
गदोन्मर्दे तस्मिंस्तव खलु गदायां दितिभुवो
गदाघाताद्भूमौ झटिति पतितायामहह! भो: ।
मृदुस्मेरास्यस्त्वं दनुजकुलनिर्मूलनचणं
महाचक्रं स्मृत्वा करभुवि दधानो रुरुचिषे ॥५॥
gadOnmarde tasmimstava khalu gadaayaaM ditibhuvO
gadaaghaataad bhuumau jhaTiti patitaayaam ahaha bhOH |
mR^idusmeraasyastvaM danujakulanirmuulanachaNaM
mahaachakraM smR^itvaa karabhuvi dadhaanO ruruchiShe || 5
Hiranyaaksha’s stroke during that duel caused your mace to drop to the ground. With a smile on your face you proudly took out your Sudarshana, which is renowned for eliminating the Asura race, while grinning. Oh, Lord, you looked magnificent as you held the invoked discus in your hands.
तत: शूलं कालप्रतिमरुषि दैत्ये विसृजति
त्वयि छिन्दत्येनत् करकलितचक्रप्रहरणात् ।
समारुष्टो मुष्ट्या स खलु वितुदंस्त्वां समतनोत्
गलन्माये मायास्त्वयि किल जगन्मोहनकरी: ॥६॥
tataH shuulaM kaalapratimaruShi daitye visR^ijati
tvayi Chindatyenat karakalitachakrapraharaNaat |
samaaruShTO muShTyaa sa khalu vitudamstvaaM samatanOt
galanmaaye maayaastvayi kila jaganmOhanakariiH || 6
Hiranyaksha, enraged, attempted to attack Lord Vishnu by throwing his trident at him, but Lord Vishnu countered with the Sudarshana in his hands. Furiously, he struck the Lord with his arrogance and attempted to use Maya’s deception against the Lord. Though Maya might affect the entire world, the Lord is unaffected by it since he created Maya and is therefore beyond the reach of Maya.
भवच्चक्रज्योतिष्कणलवनिपातेन विधुते
ततो मायाचक्रे विततघनरोषान्धमनसम् ।
गरिष्ठाभिर्मुष्टिप्रहृतिभिरभिघ्नन्तमसुरं
स्वपादाङ्गुष्ठेन श्रवणपदमूले निरवधी: ॥७॥
bhavachchakra jyOtiShkaNa lavanipaatena vidhute
tatO maayaachakre vitataghana rOShaandha manasam |
gariShThaabhirmuShTiprahR^itibhiH abhighnantamasuraM
svapaadaanguShThena shravaNapadamuule niravadhiiH || 7
As Bhattathiri stated, Hiranyaksha felt hurt and furious when his illusions were all destroyed by being struck by a strong spark from your divine discus. He then attempted to attack you with powerful, hard blows from his large fists, but you retaliated by giving him a hard kick to the base of his ear with the side of your big toe.
महाकाय: सो॓ऽयं तव चरणपातप्रमथितो
गलद्रक्तो वक्त्रादपतदृषिभि: श्लाघितहति: ।
तदा त्वामुद्दामप्रमदभरविद्योतिहृदया
मुनीन्द्रा: सान्द्राभि: स्तुतिभिरनुवन्नध्वरतनुम् ॥८॥
mahaakaaya sO(a)yaM tava charaNapaatapramathitO
galadraktO vaktraadapatadR^iShibhiH shlaaghitahatiH |
tadaa tvaamuddaamapramadabharavidyOtihR^idayaaH
muniindraaH saandraabhiH stutibhiranuvannadhvaratanum ||8
And that massive Asura, struck hard by the Lord’s kick, collapsed, spitting blood. The sages exalted this deed. They felt ecstasy and joy in their hearts as Lord accomplished this. Hymns honoring the Lord’s bravery were composed by the sages.
त्वचि छन्दो रोमस्वपि कुशगणश्चक्षुषि घृतं
चतुर्होतारोऽङ्घ्रौ स्रुगपि वदने चोदर इडा ।
ग्रहा जिह्वायां ते परपुरुष कर्णे च चमसा
विभो सोमो वीर्यं वरद गलदेशेऽप्युपसद: ॥९॥
tvachi ChandO rOmasvapikushagaNashchakshuShi ghR^itaM
chaturhOtaarO(a)~Nghrau srugapi vadane chOdara iDaa |
grahaa jihvaayaaM te parapuruSha karNe cha chamasaaH
vibhO sOmO viiryaM varada galadeshe(a)pyupasadaH || 9
Oh Supreme Lord, Your skins are the Vedic Mantras. Your eyes are the ghee used in sacrifices, and your hair is the Durba grass. Your four legs represent four sages performing fire sacrifices. Your face represents the ‘Sruk’, a ladle used to hold ghee during sacrifices to the gods. Your stomach serves as the ‘Ida’, or container for storing the Puroda offering.
Soma Rasa is stored on your tongue.
Its your ears that are designed to be used for drinking the Soma Rasa. Furthermore, your semen is the purest form of Soma Rasa itself. And the offerings, known as Upasads, are your neck. You are the manifestation of the holy Yagna.
मुनीन्द्रैरित्यादिस्तवनमुखरैर्मोदितमना
महीयस्या मूर्त्या विमलतरकीर्त्या च विलसन् ।
स्वधिष्ण्यं सम्प्राप्त: सुखरसविहारी मधुरिपो
निरुन्ध्या रोगं मे सकलमपि वातालयपते ॥१०॥
muniindrairityaadistavanamukharair mOditamanaaH
mahiiyasyaa muurtyaa vimalatar akiirtyaa cha vilasan |
svadhiShNyaM sampraaptaH sukharasavihaarii madhuripO
nirundhyaa rOgaM me sakalamapi vaataalayapate ||
O Lord of Guruvayoor! O Destroyer of Madhu! Satisfied by the sages’ hymns, you manifested in a massive, charming form and a taintless glory, before departing for your palace in Vaikunth to experience pure bliss. Oh Lord, take away all my illnesses.