Departure of Indra and other Lokapalas for war

Vaishampayana said — О Janamejaya, you have listened to the details of the Daitya army. Now I am narrating the size of the army of gods, from the very begining.

Lord Indra, the foremost of all the gods, Marudganas, Adityas, Visvadevas, eight vasus, Yaksas, Raksasas, the huge Nagas, all the Vidyadharas, the valorous Gandharvas, the great oceans, the mountains, the illustrious Rudra, Yama, Kubera and king Varuna, were issued a command to get ready for the war.

The command for getting ready by the gods was issued thus "All the Siddhas and the great souls, the intelligent manes, the Rajarsis besides hundreds of yoga-siddha Purusas, are commanded by the valorous Indra, the ruler of the gods and all competent, that all the gods and others should get ready for the destruction of the Daityas."

On hearing the words of Indra, all the intelligent gods who were as valorous as Indra, got ready for the waging of the war.

All of them wore the kavacas of different types. Their flags and the kavacas were simply wonderful. They held various types of weapons in their hands and were quite anxious for waging the war like the intoxicated elephants.

Some of them were mounted over the tigers, while some were mounted over the elephants. Some of them used the Nagas as their vehicles, while others were mounted over the bulls.

Their eyes were shining like the tigers. Their moustaches were of blue colour. Their flags had the mark of an elephant Airavata. The steed of green colour drove their chariots, by which they reached the battle field.

The lustre of the chariot resembled the sun rays. It was spotless clean and was washed bright. Visvakarma had himself built it for the use of Indra. There were the nets of Jambanada gold fixed in it. Besides the strings of gold beads were hanging in it.

The chariot of Kubera, was equipped with pleasent equipments and the beautiful Isadanda, the chariot coming in contact with the lightning was turned into the copper colour. The plane of Indra appeared like the peak of the Kailasa mountain. It was extremely pleasent and could rule over the group of enemies.

Thousands of shining stars were studded in it. All the parts of chariot were decorated with the divine garlands. The hightly graceful flag was fluttering over it. Its axle could never be worn out. The chariot was illumining with the lustre of Indra.

Lord Indra, the spouse of Saci, the protector of the universe, the lord of the gods, holder of vajra and lord of the threes lokas, mounted over the fast moving chariot and proceeded towards the battle-ground.

He had worn the kavaca which was resplendent like the fire and the sun and was studded with a thousand stars. His head was adorned with shining crown. He were the long VaijantI garland which fell from the neck upto the feet.

Then he held in his hand the vajra which had a hundred knots in it. It had been drenched with the blood of the great asuras. The vajra was shining like the rays of the sun, which had been built by Visvakarma. Its blades were quite sharp, spotless and was penetrating.

There were two more thunder bolts which illuminated like the great planets. They were resplendent and were unfailing. Indra holding the vajra as well as the two other asanls (thunder bolts) departed for waging the war.

He has a thousand eyes and is the eternal lord of all bhUtas. He is the elernal of all the eternal elements. He is the lord of all the gods besides being full of wisdom. At that point of time he also held a wonderful shield made of tiger skin and a sword, while marching towards the battle field.

Indra was adorned with two gold ear­rings, which emerged out of the ocean, when it was churned by the gods as well as the Daityas collectively, which were considered to be the best of ornaments and were presented to Devamata Aditi. These ear rings were presented by Aditi to Indra, for waging the war. Having been adorned by those kundalas the thousand eyed Indra, illumining all the directions and the sub­directions, appeared quite graceful.

The all powerful Indra, getting anxious for waging the war, looked graceful with his thousand eyes. It appeared as if the moon was shining in spotted the cloudless sky of the winter season surrounded by the thousands of planets.

Indra, with the enhanced dharma, prowess, while departing for the war, the Rishis like Atri, Vasistha, Jamadagni, urva, Brhaspati, Narada and Parbata, reciting enormous mantras offered prayer to him, blessing him at the same time.

Indra was resplendent like the sun, when proceeding for waging the war and was followed by Visvedevas, Marudganas, Sadhyas, Adityas, besides all other gods.

The reins of the horses of the chariot of Indra, was held by Matali. These horses served as vehicles of the gods and shattered the pride of the sky with their hoofs. They galloped with great speed.

The Brahmarsis, Maharsis, and Rajarsis, dwelling in the lokas of the eternal merits, at once started shining and started following Indra.

They holding the tridents, battle-axes, shining bows, and astonishing types of Vajras and wearing kavacas glittering like the gold, marched forward.

Similarly Kubera — the lord of riches, mounted over the precious chariot, which could face all the adversities, marched for the battle field. They were holding the gadas burning with flames in their hands, which appeared graceful.

Kubera — the son of Visrava and the friend of Siva, when moving had several of the Raksasa moving ahead of him who roamed about in the night. They had the complexions of fire and smoke.

Some of the Yaksas were as black as the powder of coal, had red eyes and were holding pasas, gadas and swords. Such types of Yaksas had surrounded Kubera - the lord of Yaksas from all the sides, guarding him at the same time.

Yama, the son of Surya, who controlled his own mind and lord of the lives of all, the foremost of the religious minded people, the auspicious soul, was mounted over a chariot in which a hundred steed were yoked. The chariot was resplendent in the lustre of lightining and resplendent like the sun.

The manes who were sinless, illumining with thier tapas followed Yama — the Lokapala. All the principle elements of the three worlds, followed him carrying different types of weapons in their hands.

He held the great weapon danda in his hand by which the entire world is controlled and surely subjugates the enemy and then wore the garland of golden lotus flowers.

His eyes were red and of smoke colour. He seated over his chariot held the shining but terrific mudgara in his hand which was like the death for all the asuras and was soaked with there flesh, bones, blood and fat etc.

His moustaches were black or of blue colour. He was quite a broad minded one. Then Yamaraja, the lord of ailments and diseases, accompanied with several types of ailments with him had resolved to kill the great asuras.

Thereafter, Varuna, the destroyer of the arrogance of the Daityas and the lord of waters, mounted over the chariot which was as bright as the lotus or the moon, and was made of gold. It was driven by huge three hooded serpents, and departed for waging the war.

His limbs were decorated with the precious gems like lapiz lazuli, pearls and other gems, His arms were adorned with the armlets of silver. He held a noose in his hand. Thus the illustrious god Varuna, advanced towards the battle ground, for the destruction of the asuras.

At that point of time, all the gods of water, followed him. Those who were born in water were performing abhiseka for him. The groups of Maharsis were praising him. The huge serpents then started adoring him.

Lord Varuna, the surpreme god of the ocean, besides the consumer of the nectar, was of white complexion like the peak of Kailasa mountain. His strength was beyond measure. The great Nagas as well as his sons, guarded him well. He marched on mounted over the chariot which was resplendent like the sun.

Lord Varuna was resplendent like the moon, being large hearted, at the time of his departure for war, at that point of time all the people in the sky were visualising him with folded hands.

The gods like Dhata, Aryama, Amsa, Vivasvan, Parjanya, Mitra, Moon, Trasta, the illustrious Visvakarma, PUsa, besides Devaraja Indra were moving in the sky mounted over beautiful chariots. All the horses could appeal the hearts and were covered with kavacas. The medals of lapiz lazuli as well as the gold garlands were hanging. The steeds were decorated with small banners and the small bells. The colour of the horses of their chariots was the same as that of the horses of the chariot of Indra, (which was green).

Some of the gods were like the solar disc, some of them were like the fire flames, some of them resembled the moon rays, some of them resembled the lightning, some of them had the colour of the blue clouds, some of them resembled the iron in colour. All of them were covered with the shining kavacas, which had been made by Visvakarma himself. The golden flowers had been inserted in them. Wearing such garlands of gods having the speed of water and the wind, kept on advancing towards the battle field.

Both the Asvanikumaras, were exceedingly beautiful, the best of the auspicious people, also arrived in the battle field mounted over the golden chariots. The complexion of the bodies of both of them resembled the gold.

The sons of Manu and all the Vasus who were immensely valorous and held weapons in their hands mounted over gigantic chariots filled with weapons, advanced for the killing of the demons.

The valorous Rudras, having the complexion of smoke, who possessed all the virtues, were illustrious and were shining with their lustre, arrived in the battle field mounted over their white bulls. It appeared as if they were reducing to ashes, all the lokas, by using the weapons held in their hands by them.

Wearing the golden kavacas, accompanied with army, when they advanced, at that point of time they looked like the clouds with lightings. They were shining like the sun rays, possessing enormous strength, illumining with the lustre of their tapas, the Visvedevas, also marched on followed by their armies. It was difficult for the enemy to stop the force of their advancement. They were immensely strong and were adorned with the garlands of a thousand flowers.

All of them arrived in the battle ground, having the grace of gold, pearls and other gems which were hung in strings. The chariots were well yoked and all of them arrived in the battle ground. They had several types of shapes. The well built, pleasent, wonderful, spotless and shining umbrellas were hanging over their heads which could move to all the sides. As a result of these umbrellas, they looked like the fire in flames.

The soldiers were marching ahead riding over the horses decorated with kavacas, flags, and small bells, which could move with the speed of the wind, were bright like the peak of the Kailasa mountain, besides the gigantic sized elephants. They held terrific bows in their hands, which appeared like the comets of the time of dissolution.

The immensely influential Sadhyd gods, controlling the entire army, were marching for the waging of the war. Their faces bore the divine respledence. All their limbs were adorned with the ornaments of Jambunada gold. A large number of warriors accompanied them like the flow of the Ganga or the sky. The Sadhyas were the best of the winning warriors, were illumining all the directions and sub directions with their lustre.

They had eight arms each, which were well built and excellent. All of them were proud of their prowess. They were influential like the sun and the fire. The people well-versed in Brahman, used to bow in revernce to them. All the gods with Indra adored them. While moving for the killing of the Daityas, they were followed by Gandharvas.

Because of their having been studded with Lapiz Lazuli, the diamonds, the flag looked quite wonderful. Which added to their grace. They were adorned with ornaments only for the destruction'of the Daityas. The Sadhya. gods looked quite beautiful there.

There was a great combination of lustres, one issuing from the bodies of the Sadhya gods, the second one emerging from the kavacas which removed the darkness, then the lustre emerging from the flag, besides the one issuing from the arrows carried by the warriors. With the issue of the combined lustre of all of them, all the excellent gods with the Sadhyas, looked quite resplendent. The valorous gods, mounted over the gigantic chariots blowing couches and issuing lion's roars, advanced towards the enemy army, holding huge weapons in their hands. They had awful bodies. All those gods marched on for the killing of the great Daityas.

Similarly, the immensely valorous and strong Marudganas who were of the black complexion like the clouds, and held the discs, thundering like the clouds, feeling sure of their victory, moved towards the battle ground.

They were as valorous as Airdvata — the flag of Indra. The could fight in the war getting intoxicated. All their limbs had been plastered with the paste of red sandal. They were wearing the garlands of gold and were clad in divine garments. They reached the battle ground carrying the clubs by which they had killed all the asuras.

All of them were well-versed in fighting the war. They possessed enough of strength of their arms and the strength of weapons. They were immensely strong. Their eyes were red in anger. These gods wearing the garlands of gold lotus flowers, took to many forms, surrounded Indra from all the sides, and marched towards the battle ground. They were carrying the swords over their shoulders and the backs because of which they appeared to be of dark complexion.

They could face the force of the enemies, their limbs were adorned with the ornaments studded with lapiz lazuli gems. They appeared beautiful. They had put on shining kavacas which could make the weapons of Daityas infructuous. Wearing these kavacas they were marching for waging the war.

The army of the gods, having flags fixed over the gold pedestals which were raised like the sun rays, shouted the slogans for war again and again, was marching on.

Thus for the killing of the great asuras starting from the battle ground the victorious Indra — the lord of gods, and his army was quite forceful, which has been described in this form.

Here ends chapter — 52, of Bhavisya Parva of the Harivarhsa Purana, a supplement of the epic of Mahabharata, relating to the Departure of Indra and other iokapalas for war. (Vrs. 1-65, P.T. = 11,910)

Chapter 53

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