Chapter Five

Death of Daka
|| 4.5.1 ||
maitreya uvca
bhavo bhavny nidhana prajpater
asat-kty avagamya nradt
sva-prada-sainya ca tad-adhvararbhubhir
vidrvita krodham apram dadhe
Maitreya said: Hearing from Nrada about that Sat had died because
of the insults to her by Daka, and that soldiers had been driven away
the bhus who arose from the sacrifice, iva became angry.
In the Fifth Chapter, iva, hearing about the death of his wife, cuts off the head
of Daka and kills him by transforming his hair into Vrabhadra. iva heard the
Sat had died because of the insults of Daka (prajpate).The bhus had
appeared at the sacrifice (tad-adhvararbhubhih).

|| 4.5.2 ||
kruddha sudaauha-pua sa dhr-jair
ja taid-vahni-saogra-rociam
utktya rudra sahasotthito hasan
gambhra-ndo visasarja t bhuvi
iva, with locks of matted hair, biting his lips, snatched a hair which
blazed terribly like fire or lightning, and, becoming ferocious, he stood
up. Laughing and roaring loudly, he forcibly threw the hair on the
ground.

Sa means blazing. Rudra eans he became ferocious.

|| 4.5.3 ||
tato 'tikyas tanuv span diva
sahasra-bhur ghana-ruk tri-srya-dk
karla-daro jvalad-agni-mrdhaja
kapla-ml vividhodyatyudha
From that hair, a huge, black figure which touched the sky with its body,
having a thousand arms, projecting teeth, eyes bright as three suns,
hair like blazing fire, appeared, wearing a garland of skulls and holding
various weapons.
Tata mean from that hair. He touched the sky with his body. His eyes were like
three suns.

|| 4.5.4 ||
ta ki karomti gantam ha
baddhjali bhagavn bhta-ntha
daka sa-yaja jahi mad-bhan
tvam agra rudra bhaako me
Vrabhadra, with folded hands, asked, What shall I do? iva, lord of
the ghosts, said, Kill Daka along with his sacrifice. O Rudra, skilled in
battle! You are my chief portion.
O Rudra, skilled in battle! Since you are my portion, the power of Brahman, you
cannot be defeated! Do not worry!

|| 4.5.5 ||
japta eva kupitena manyun
sa deva-deva paricakrame vibhum
mene-tadtmnam asaga-rahas
mahyas tta saha sahium
O Vidura! Thus ordered by angry iva, Vrabhadra circumambulated the
powerful lord of the devats. He considered himself capable of
combating the strength of the strongest with his speed which could not
be matched.
Ordered by iva who was angry, he circumambulated iva. He had speed which
could not be matched (asaga-rahas). Or he had the speed of iva who is
without material association, since he is self-satisfied. He thought himself
capable of tolerating the strength (saha) of the strongest (mahyasm).

|| 4.5.6 ||
anvyamna sa tu rudra-pradair
bha nadadbhir vyanadat subhairavam
udyamya la jagad-antakntaka
samprdravad ghoaa-bhaghri
Accompanied by the followers of iva, who made a tumultuous sound,
making a thundering sound with his foot ornaments, and raising a
trident which was the death for death itself, he hurried to the sacrifice.
The trident was like death (antakam) for death itself (jagad-antaka). On his two
feet he had ornaments which made a thunderous noise (ghoaa).

|| 4.5.7 ||
athartvijo yajamna sadasy

kakubhy udcy prasamkya reum

tama kim etat kuta etad rajo 'bhd
iti dvij dvija-patnya ca dadhyu
Seeing the darkness in the northern direction, the priests, sponsors and
assembled guests understood it was dust. The brhmaas and their
wives then thought, Where has this dust come from?
When it became dark, they thought that it was impossible. Then they
understood it was dust. But where has this dust come from?

|| 4.5.8 ||
vt na vnti na hi santi dasyava
prcna-barhir jvati hogra-daa
gvo na klyanta ida kuto rajo
loko 'dhun ki pralayya kalpate
The winds are not blowing. It is not thieves because King Prcnabarhi,
who administers severe punishment, is living. No one is herding cows.
Where is the dust coming from? Is the world ready for final
destruction?
They considered various possibilities. It is evident that Prcnabarhi was the
King at that time.

|| 4.5.9 ||
prasti-mir striya udvigna-citt
cur vipko vjinasyaiva tasya
yat payantn duhit prajea
sut satm avadadhyv angm
The wives of Daka headed by Prasti, with anxious hearts, said, This
is the result of Dakas sin. While her sisters watched, he insulted Sat,
his daughter, who was innocent.
The women of whom Prasti was the chief spoke. This is the result (vipkam) of
the offense of her father. Not only did Daka offend her, but did so in the
presence of her sisters, and she was innocent as well.

|| 4.5.10 ||
yas tv anta-kle vyupta-ja-kalpa
sva-la-scy-arpita-dig-gajendra
vitatya ntyaty uditstra-dor-dhvajn
ucca-hsa-stanayitnu-bhinna-dik

With scattered locks, piercing the directions with his trident, waving his
flag-like arms holding upraised weapons, and breaking the directions by
the roar of his loud laughter, iva dances at the time of universal
destruction.

The powers of Daka cannot defeat iva. This is explained in two verses. Sivas
locks of hair are scattered (vyupta-ja-kalpa). In his arms are raised
weapons. He throws his arms about like waving flags and dances. He pierces
the directions by the roar of his loud laughter.

|| 4.5.11 ||
amarayitv tam asahya-tejasa
manyu-pluta durnirkya bhru-kuy
karla-darbhir udasta-bhgaa
syt svasti ki kopayato vidhtu
After angering iva , terrifying in appearance, who has intolerable
strength, great anger, and who scatters the planets by the his frown
and protruding teeth, how can a person, even Brahm, have good
fortune?
Having angered (amarayitv) iva who scatters the luminaries like fire and the
sun, how can a person have good fortune, even if Brahm, the father of Daka,
angers iva? What to speak of others! By Dakas cruelty, we have fallen into
the greatest danger.

|| 4.5.12 ||
bahv evam udvigna-docyamne
janena dakasya muhur mahtmana
utpetur utptatam sahasrao
bhayvah divi bhmau ca paryak
While people were continuously speaking in this way, thousands of
great disturbances, frightening even to sober-minded Daka, appeared
in the sky, on earth, and all around.
O mothers! You are speaking the truth. In this way, all the assembled persons
spoke. The omens were frightening even for Daka who was powerful
(mahtmana). Or mahtmana can sarcastically mean the opposite-- evilminded.

|| 4.5.13 ||
tvat sa rudrnucarair mah-makho
nnyudhair vmanakair udyudhai
pigai piagair makarodarnanai
parydravadbhir vidurnvarudhyata

O Vidura! Vrabhadra, along with ivas associates, who were short,

reddish and yellowish, with faces and bellies like makaras, holding
various weapons, running everywhere, quickly surrounded the
sacrificial arena.
Vmanakai means with short stature. Anvarudhyata means they
surrounded.

|| 4.5.14 ||
kecid babhaju prg-vaa
patn-l tathpare
sada gndhra-l ca
Some of the associates broke the beams, while others destroyed the
womens quarters, the assembly hall, the kindling house, the sponsors
quarters and the kitchen.
Prg-vam refers to the wooden beams running east to west resting upon the
pillars, in construction of the sacrificial house. West of the sacrificial area was
the womens quarters. East of the sacrificial area was the assembly shed
(sadas). East of that was the shed for the vehicles to carry soma. North of that
was the place for kindling the fire (gndhra-lm). Vihram is the house for
the sponsor. Mahnasam is the kitchen.

|| 4.5.15 ||
rurujur yaja-ptri
tathaike 'gnn anayan
kuev amtrayan kecid
bibhidur vedi-mekhal
Others broke the sacrificial vessels. Others extinguished the fire.
Others urinated in the pits and others tore up the earthwork around the
fire pits.
Ruruju means they destroyed.

|| 4.5.16 ||
abdhanta munn anye
eke patnr atarjayan
apare jaghur devn
pratysannn palyitn
Others harassed the sages, while others shouted at the women. Others
caught the devas who had fled nearby.

They scolded the women with coarse language or by saving, Stay here, and we
will make you widows.

|| 4.5.17 ||
bhgu babandha maimn
vrabhadra prajpatim
caea paa deva
bhaga nandvaro 'graht
Maimn tied up Bhgu Muni, and Vrabhadra tied up Daka. Caea
tied up P. Nandvara tied up Bhaga.

|| 4.5.18 ||
sarva evartvijo dv
sadasy sa-divaukasa
tair ardyamn subha
grvabhir naikadhdravan
After seeing this, all the priests, guests, and devats, afflicted greatly
by the stones thrown at them, could not flee in a group.
Being afflicted by stones, they could not flee in a group.

|| 4.5.19 ||
juhvata sruva-hastasya
mari bhagavn bhava
bhgor luluce sadasi
yo 'hasac chmaru darayan
Vrabhadra tore off the moustache of Bhgu, who was offering
oblations with a ladle in his hand, but who had smiled, showing his
moustache (after Daka insulted iva).

|| 4.5.20 ||
bhagasya netre bhagavn
ptitasya ru bhuvi
ujjahra sada-stho 'k
ya apantam assucat
Vrabhadra pulled out the eyes of Bhaga, who had fallen on the ground,
and who had encouraged Daka by the movement of his eyebrows in
the assembly.
apantam refers to Daka who criticized iva. Bhaga encouraged aka by
glancing with the corner of his eye.

|| 4.5.21 ||
po hy aptayad dantn
kligasya yath bala
apyamne garimai
yo 'hasad darayan data
Vrabhadra made Ps teeth fall out, just as Balarma made the King
of Kaligas teeth fall out. P had smiled, showing his teeth, when
iva was being rebuked by Daka.

Just Balarma, at the time of Aniruddhas marriage, during a game of dice,

made the teeth of the King of Kaliga fall out, so Vrabhadra made Ps
teeth fall out. Garimai refers to iva. Data stands for dantn (teeth).
Another version has puno in the dual form. Sometimes Indra and P
are grouped together as in the phrase aindrpaua carum: the rice
offering of Indra and P. (Black Yayur Veda, Taittirya-bahmaa
1.7.2.4.5) Thus Vrabhadra made the teeth of both Indra and P fall
out.
|| 4.5.22 ||
kramyorasi dakasya
ita-dhrea hetin
chindann api tad uddhartu
naknot tryambakas tad
Vrabhadra, sitting on the chest of Daka, though trying to cut off his
head with a sharp sword, could not separate it from the body.
Hetin means using a sword. Tat refers to his head. Tryambaka is
Vrabhadra.

|| 4.5.23 ||
astrair astrnvitair evam
anirbhinna-tvaca hara
vismaya param panno
dadhyau paupati ciram
Seeing that Dakas skin could not be cut by swords or throwing
weapons, Vrabhadra became perplexed and thought for a long time.
astrai refers to swords and other hand weapons. Astra refers to weapons
which are thrown like arrows and tridents. The word seeing should be supplied.
Seeing that his skin could not be cut, he thought for a long time.

|| 4.5.24 ||
dv sajapana yoga
pan sa patir makhe
yajamna-pao kasya
kyt tenharac chira

Seeing a device for killing animals in the sacrificial arena, who

had using that device, Vrabhadra then cut off the head of
Daka, who had become a sacrificial animal.
Sajapana yogam means a device for killing sacrificial animals by
squeezing. Using that, he severed his head.
|| 4.5.25 ||
sdhu-vdas tad te
karma tat tasya payatm
bhta-preta-picn
anye tad-viparyaya
Seeing Vrabhadras action, the ghosts and demons expressed their
satisfaction, while others expressed grief.
Others, brhmaas, said the opposite: it was an improper action.

|| 4.5.26 ||
juhvaitac chiras tasmin
dakignv amarita
tad-deva-yajana dagdhv
prtihad guhyaklayam
Angry Vrabhadra offered the head in the southern fire. Setting the
sacrificial arena on fire, he then departed for Kailsa.
Guhyaklayam means Kailsa.
Thus ends the commentary on the Fifth Chapter of the Fourth Canto of the
Bhgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous
cryas.