Nakulī Meditation

Our most humble salutations to the lineage from Śrī Mahā Kamesvara to our guru With a prayer to dispel the darkness called ignorance by lighting the lamp of knowledge in our minds

nakulī vajradantālī sādhya jihvāhi damsini
bhakta vakṛtva jananī bhāvanīyā sarasvatī

The above is the meditation verse of Nakulī, pratyāṅga Devī of Śrī Rāja Mātaṅgī. During first day of war with Bhandasura, five of his commanders, named Karaṇga, Kākavāsita, Vajraloma, Vajramukha, Vajradanta ventured into battle. They created an illusion of serpent goddess called Sarpiṇi, who projects out a horde of snakes of different species. Śrī Devī Lalitā brought forth Śrī Nakulī Devī from her palate (upper part - inside of mouth). Śrī Nakulī discharged akṣīṇanakulāstra (ā weapon that shall produce an un-exhaustible horde of mongoose) which produced a horde of mongoose with diamond like teeth. They fought and slew enemy horde of snakes. Finally she discharged Garudāstra, which swallowed illusion called Sarpiṇi. She engaged with above commanders in a battle and severed heads of commanders with a sword. On third day of war, she killed Viṣeṇa.

Her mantra in Nityotsava is

oṣṭāpidhānā nakuḷī dantaih parivṛtā paviḥ
sarvasyai vāca īshāna cāru māmiha vādayet

Nakula means mongoose - traditionally considered as an enemy of serpents. It is also believed that mongoose will smear some herbal roots/ leaves on its mouth before a fight with serpent to protect it from venom of snake.

A translation of above ṛg mantra: “O! Nakuli Devī your lips which cover teeth are smeared with thunder-bolt like speech, you are the head of all spoken words, Let my speech here be beautiful”. Here Thunder-bolt like speech is allegoric to mastery in logic and debate. On a whole this refers to undefeated position in all debates. This is also concurred in Lalitā Sahasranāma phalaśruti which said that Nakuli will cause undefeated position in debates to a person who chants this Sahasranāma.

Kula also refers to six astral centers in central path called suṣumnā nādi, called as ṣaṭcakras, in body. Kundalini śakti - which is personified as a snake will move from lowest cakra mūlādhāra, piercing all five cakras above it, to reach sahasrāra which is called a-kula, not of six centers, but highest - above all.

Na-kula means nayati - kule, which means guiding through these centers. Thus we are amazed to see revelation that this Devī is devoted to continuous monitor of Kundalini’s movement - snake, on right path in form of guidance from Śrī Guru, not allowing it to move in a haphazard manner or getting suspended in or between cakras. This haphazard movement or suspension in or between cakras may cause mental debalance and other physical ailments are only due to unqualified or undirected sādhana by aspirant. This Kula sādhana is mainly through verbal instructions by guru, Hence this Devī is personification of his verbal directions, which continuously light way for a seeker.

This is an attempt to find mantra in dhyāna śloka.

nakulī – sarasvatī: We find both as an address to deity, which is also found in mantra as “nakulī”

vajradantālī: This means diamond like teeth, mantra says “oṣṭāpidhānā dantaih” Teeth covered by lips.

sādhya jihvāhi damsini: This is an allegory to snake poison being bitten on opponents tongue, this is clearly said in mantra as “parivṛtā pavih;” aspirants lips are smeared with thunderbolt like speech, which shall quell any objections from opponent.

bhakta vakṛtva jananī: This points to source of above act of silencing of opponent, which is from mouth of aspirant. This is referred in mantra as “sarvasyai vāca īshāna” – The Head / lord of all speech and its source is mouth.

bhāvanīyā: Thus above Devī as described is visualized by aspirant. The result of this visualization is beautiful speech in a debate, which is denoted in mantra as “cāru māmiha vādayet”.

Let us now see philosophical import of slaying of all above asuras. They are representatives of different types of people who will hinder improvement of a sādhaka in his sādhana.

1. Karaṇga: The name means a skull - empty. Therefore this will point to a dull witted person with no knowledge. He will try to confuse sādhaka by his illogical empty arguments.

2. kākavāsita: The name means breath like a crow. Crows are traditionally believed to live long due to their lower rate of breath. This will now point to a person who has some prānāyāma skills. He will suggest other ways, calling them better, fruitful with less effort and finally will lead the sādhaka astray. Only a sure committed belief on the guru’s words and a total surrender to Śrī Guru is the sure way of attainment in this sādhana.

3. Vajra Loma, Vajra Mukha and Vajra Danta: vajra means diamond, the one of the most hardest substance.

A. Loma means sweat, Hence a person who believes in physical work-out i.e. a staunch body builder. He will try to raise the kundalini by this method.

B. Mukha means the face and hence all sensory organs in it, thus we find a person fully indulging in pleasure of the sense organs. In ancient times there was a theory called cārvāka siddhāntā which was like this.

C. Danta means teeth, hence speech by direct revelation. This is now a knowledgeable adept in debates with lots of logic.

4. Viṣeṇa: Viṣa is poison, eṇa means moon and hence mind (candra mā manaso jātah). This will now refer to persons with poisoned minds who will also try to poison sādhaka’s mind with lots of data against this sādhana from smṛtis and other sources.

Thus we find these auras are unshakeable and deeply rooted tendencies in us and also are seen as people in our environment. Slaying / Removal of this asura / tendency will be by Śrī Guru’s grace personified as this deity.

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Source: Yogamba Sahita Atmanandantha - "Meditative Texts - Revised Thoughts"

Hymn of Praise of Nakulī

Source: Purnanda Lahari Compilation; Śrī Vidyā Mahārṇavaḥ (Vol 3) p.1093

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nava nalina nirūḍhā vallabhāpadmajasya dyuti vikasita candroddāmakānti prasannā |
viharatu mama citte sarvabodha pradhātrī vitaratu sukavitvaṃ sarvalokaprasiddhaṁ ||

nakulī vajradantāli sādhya jihvā'hidaṃśini |
bhaktavaktṛtvajananī bhāvanīyā sarasvatī ||

vikāsabhāji hṛtpadmasthitāṁ ullāsadāyinīṁ |
paravāk stambhinīṁ nityāṁ smarāmi nakulīṁ sadā ||

oṣṭhābhyāṁ piśitaiḥ ca paṅkti niśitaiḥ dantaiḥ ghanaiḥ saṃvṛtā
tīkṣṇā vajravadatra sarvajagatāṁ yā svāminī santataṁ |
sā māṃ cāru karotu vādanipuṇaṁ sarvatra 
sā vāgrasā yena syāhameva sarvajagatāmatyarthamagre saraḥ ||

tārkṣyarūḍhā mahita lalitaṁ tālu janmā viśaṅkī
cañcadvīṇā kalarava śukī cakraśaṅkhāsi pāṇiḥ |
rājottuṃsā manasi nakulī rājatu śyāmalāyā
pratyaṅgatvaṃ parigatavatī pratyahaṁ māmakīne ||

pratyābhīṣṭa śarat śaśāṅkarucibhiḥdaṃṣṭrāmayūkhāṅkuraiḥ
ajñānākhya mahāndhakārapaṭalīnirvāsayantī muhuḥ |
śuddhajñāna sudhārasadravamayīmūrtiṃ dadhānāṁ śivāṁ
vāgīśā nakulī karotu manasa śuddhiṁ prakṛṣṭā mama ||

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(Translation by Adaityananda Saraswati)

Herself like a freshly bloomed lotus (or seated on a freshly bloomed lotus), the beloved wife of the one who is himself born from a lotus, majestic, she has extraordinary feminine beauty lustrous like the full moon, she is gracious. Mother of all awakening/understanding may you roam about for pleasure (or reside) in my citta (heart/mind/thought), may you roam about in (or please bestow) excellent poetic skill which is celebrated in all the world!

Nakuli (lit. mongoose), you have rows of diamond (vajra) teeth and are the biter of the snake like tongue* of the opponent. You are born from the mouth of the devotees, I mentally picture you Devi Sarasvati.

* here mouth is said as tongue since speech comes from it – likened to the snakes, which are killed by the teeth of the mongoose in Lalitophakhyana. Both teeth and tongue are required for expression of sound as speech in gross form.

I always think of Nakuli, situated in the blooming lotus of the heart bestowing light and joy, constantly paralyzing (stopping) the speech of all adversaries*.

* The exoteric interpretation of Para Vak Stambhini can also be the stopping (ending) of the Para Vak (supreme speech) which here reaches its final expression and thus end as Vaikhari Vak.

You who has keen and lightning like speech which is surrounded by the two lips and adorned with rows of sharp firm teeth, you are the master of all the worlds, eternally.

May she beautifully make me perfectly skillful at speech in every way. She is the very nectar of speech, by which even may become the unparalleled best amongst all the world.

She has great beauty and is riding on the Kind of Birds (Garuḍa). She is the excellent one born from the palate [of Lalitāmbikā during war with Bhaṇdāsura for destruction of five commanders and their māyā Sarpiṇi]. Her parrot like speech is likened to the sounds of the vīṇa. She holds in her hands the discus, conch and sword and wears bright earrings. Let Nakuli always shine in my mind. She who got the boon of being the Pratyaṅga Devi of Rāja Śyāmalā (due to her valour in the war with Bhaṇdāsura’s commanders).

May she always drive away the great mass of blinding darkness known as ignorance with her teeth that resemble the flames of a lamp (or sprouts of light) and have the radiance of the extremely lovely full moon of autumn. She is auspicious, bearing a form which is the manifestation of the stream of liquid nectar of pure knowledge. May She, the Ruler of Speech, Nakuli make the mind pure and distinguished.

Supreme Speech in Debates - Nakulī’s gross symbolism

Located in the mouth region and representing Vaikari, Nakuli’s domain is a throat and the mouth – communication centers. Nakulī was believed to grant oratorial and debate siddhis. In her mantra the seeker asks for a beautiful and also thunder-bolt like speech.

She promotes compassion, cleanses the poisons (of the mind and of the opponents arguments), grants oratorial siddhis and helps to generate persuasive arguments.

In Lalitopakhyana, the killing of the many snakes denote countering many arguments, sentences and words. It also shows that the speech is made beautiful, persuasive and forceful.

For a sound to come out the following is needed:

1. Upper palate (represented by Nakulī as per Lalitopakhyana)

2. Teeth (represented by mongooses as per Lalitopakhyana)

3. Tongue (represented by Garuḍa, since Nakulī sits on him)

4. Breath (also represented by Garuḍa, a bird that is also associated with the praṇas)

When all of the above are put in motion the expressed speech is produced.

The killing of the Sarpini (māyā) denotes killing the base belief and conviction (the root cause) which generates the arguments. Only after killing it, all of the serpents lost their power and were easily defeated.

At the end of the story Nakulī shows compassion to the demons, and lets them go, which makes them happy. This shows the merciful attitude when you defeat your opponent.

The Story of Garuḍa

Introduction

Garuḍa is often associated with power, morality, strength and speed. He is often referred to as “Destroyer of Serpents” as he devours snakes as his preferred food. The word is usually rendered into English as "eagle", though the name literally means "devourer", because Garuda was originally identified with the "all-consuming fire of the sun's rays”.

Garuda traditionally has the torso and arms of a man and the wings, head, beak and talons of an eagle or vulture. His body is gold in colour, his wings are red and his face is white. Garuda is also known as the 'king of the birds' (Khagesvara), as 'he who has beautiful feathers' (Suparna), as 'golden bodied' (Suvarnakaya) and 'the devourer' (Nagantaka). The latter name is in reference to his role as the enemy of all snakes which are symbolic of death and the underworld. In contrast, Garuda represents birth and heaven; in addition he is associated with the sun and fire.

Garuḍa’s is most known from a story told in Mahābharata, where an origin of the animosity between Garuḍa and the serpents is given, along with a tale of how Garuda met and pledged his loyalty to Viṣṇu.

Garuda's wife is Unnati (or Vinayaka in other versions) and his son is Sampati, another mythical bird and ally of Rama. Garuda is the offspring of Kasyapa and Vinata. It was following his mother's quarrel with her co-wife Kadru, the queen of serpents, that Garuda acquired his dislike of snakes.

Birth

Garuḍa is descended from Vṣṇu thus: Brahmā – Marīcī – Kaśyapa – Garuḍa.

Once Kaśyapa who was much pleased with the service of Vinatā and Kadrū asked them to select any boon they desired. Kadrū chose to have a 1,000 nagas as her children while Vinatā chose to have two sons more powerful and heroic than the thousand sons of Kadrū.

After some time Kadru laid 1,000 eggs and Vinatā two eggs. In the 500th year the eggs of Kadru hatched and 1,000 serpents of various kinds emerged out of them. But Vinatā's eggs did not hatch yet, which pained her much. She, therefore, broke open one of her eggs in secret, and a half-grown child stepped out of it. That child was Aruna. Aruna got angry and cursed her to become a slave of Kadru.

But, Aruna granted her redemption from the curse thus: After another 500 years the remaining egg of yours will hatch and a son endowed with exceptional power and prowess will be born to you. He will liberate you from slavery.” After telling his mother so much Aruna rose to the sky where he became the charioteer of the Sun.

After 500 years the egg broke itself open and out came Garuḍa with blazing effulgence, and he rose up in the sky. His body glowed like the sun. His effulgence was equal to that of Agnideva.

Slavery of Vinatā

The churning of the Milk-ocean was done before Garuḍa was born. Indra got a horse named Uccaiḥśravas from the Ocean of Milk. Between Kadru and Vinatā a dispute arose as regards the colour of the horse's tail, Kadru saying that it was black while Vinatā asserted that it was white. They further agreed to test the colour the next day, betting that she who was proved to be wrong would become the slave of the victor. As the naga sons of Kadru hung on to the tail of the horse the tail appeared to be black and Vinatā lost the bet and became Kadru's slave.

It was at this juncture that Garuḍa was born, and he felt highly mortified to find his mother working as a slave of Kadrū. The serpents agreed to free his mother if he could bring them the amrita that was captured by the Gods.

Garuḍa goes to Devaloka and steals the Pot of Nectar

Garuḍa went on a journey to Devaloka to retrieve the amrita. The Devas and Indra, nay, even the sun and the Moon lined up against Garuḍa, but he defeated them all, and entered the particular place where the pot of nectar was kept. Two terrific wheels were rotating round the pot and they would cut into mince-meat anybody who tried to lay hands on the pot and a machine circled the wheels. Below the wheels were two monstrous serpents with glowing eyes and protruding tongues like flashes of fire, and the serpents never closed their eyes. The very look with those eyes was death. Garuḍa blinded those eyes by raising a torrent of dust, pierced them in the middle with his beak and through the hole, his body reduced to such a tiny shape, went nearer to the pot. He destroyed the wheels and the machine, and carrying the pot of nectar in his beaks rose to the sky shielding the light of the sun by his outspread wings. Mahāviṣṇu, who became so much pleased with the tremendous achievements of Garuḍa asked him to choose any boon. Garuḍa requested Viṣṇu that he should be made his (Viṣṇu's) vehicle and rendered immortal without his tasting amṛta. Both the boons were granted.

After seeing the invincibility of Garuda, Indra, who’s Vajra couldn’t penetrate this majestic being either, asked to become friends and return amrita. After that both of them devise a plan to trick the serpents.

Garuḍa handed over amrita and Indra cheated them of it

Garuḍa handed over the pot of nectar to the nagas, who on the suggestion of the former placed the pot on darbha grass spread on the ground. Also, in accordance with Garuḍa's advice that they should take a purificatory bath before tasting the amrta the nagas went out to have the bath, and in their absence Indra carried off the pot of nectar back to Devaloka.

Failing to find the pot of nectar on their return from bath the aggrieved nagas licked the darbha on which the pot was placed with the result that their tongues were cloven into two. It was from that day onwards that the nagas became double-tongued (dvijihvas). And, thus Garuḍa redeemed his mother from slavery.

Garuda’s relationship with snakes

There’s always an undercurrent of conflict between Garuda and Viṣṇu over snakes and an open one between Garuda and the Nagas. When Viṣṇu gives the snake Sumukha shelter, Garuḍa challenges Viṣṇu, who eventually throws the snake over Garuḍa’s neck. His antagonism towards control of snakes has given him the title Vinayaka (which he shares with Ganesha) as the remover of obstacles, snakes being the obstacles intros case. There is a continuous enmity between him and the snakes, which Garuda constantly on the lookout to devour them. He is credited with the power to cure those bitten by snakes. Thus the bird is invariably represented with a snake over his neck.

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Sources: Puranic Encyclopedia

The Story of Nakulī (Pratyaṅga Devata of Rāja Śyāmalā) from Lalitopakhyana

Chapter 23: Five Asura Generals Slain.

Hayagrīva continued:

1. When Kuraṇḍa was thus slain by the Goddess seated on the horse, the demon Bhaṇḍa said to Kuṭilākṣa once again in his eager desire for war.

2. “Alas! What could not have occurred even in a dream, what has never been heard before, what has not even been suspected by us in our minds —such a calamity has befallen us.

3. Kuraṇḍa and Durmada had been very mighty brothers. The power of this wicked fraudulent female slave (practitioner of black magic) is greater than we expected.

4. Now despatch five of our generals beginning with Karaṅka along with a hundred Akṣauhiṇīs to the battle-field.

5. They are genuinely proud of (their ability in) fighting. They are great heroes ready to give up their bodies in fighting battles. In every respect they will vanquish that vainly proud woman.”

6. On hearing these words of Bhaṇḍa, Kuṭilākṣa hurriedly summoned the five generals beginning with Karaṅka.

7. Directed by Kuṭilākṣa, they bowed down to their lord and master and appeared to be ready to enter even fire (for his sake). Blind with fury, they set out from the city.

8. On hearing the tumultuous and unbearable sound of their drums at the time of their departure on their march, even the elephants guarding the quarters squirmed and writhed, as they experienced a sort of shattering of their ears.

9-10. A hundred Akṣauhiṇīs of soldiers moved ahead with clusters of flags and banners fluttering, horses etc., stirred up in. excitement and elephants in their rut.

It was full of neighing horses and trumpeting elephants. The foot-soldiers shouted and screamed and the wheels of chariots creaked with a rumbling sound.

11. When the dust particles of the ground were raised by the rims of the wheels, they obscured the lustre of the sun. Hence, it appeared to be covered with showers of snow.

12. The entire universe appeared to be covered with dust. In some places, it was very noisy on account of the harsh sounds of war-drums.

13. The soldiers of the Daityas were overspread with the columns of dust that rose there. Hence, the number of soldiers could be conceived in the form “It is so much”.

14. Banners of many varieties with the emblems of fish, snake etc. fluttered in the dust columns like fishes in the great ocean.

15. On seeing them rushing at the army of Lalitā, all the immortal ones (Suras) became frightened apprehending breakdown and collapse of the Śaktis.

16. The five haughty generals, the chief of whom was Karaṅka, created in the course of their fight a huge Māyā (illusory demoness) named Sarpiṇī.

17. The wicked Sarpiṇī created by them was a Raṇaśāmbarī (a sorceress of war) of smoky complexion with smoke-coloured lips and breasts.

18. The hollow of her belly was as huge and extensive as a great ocean. She moved ahead in the battle ground frightening the minds of Śaktis.

19. She was like another vicious Kadru being the source of origin of many serpents of magical and illusory bodies. She had many serpents serving the purpose of ornaments.

20. Rolling on the ground at the front line of the generals, she made many sinuous movements and screamed in as excessively dreadful manner.

21. It was by means of this very same Māyā that those leading Asuras became victorious formerly. The five evil-souled Daityas beginning with Karaṅka were as if desirous of their own death.

22. Then began the battle between the Śaktis and the enemies of gods. They incited one another’s excessively violent fury by one another’s heroically boastful utterances.

23. On account of excessive confusion and perplexity, Śaktis and Dānavas could not distinguish one another. With the weapons in their hands they began to strike indiscriminately.

24-28. The fight between Śaktis and the demons gathered intensity. It became more and more dreadful. When the weapons clashed together, sparks of fire were produced. The series of arrows discharged by them were so innumerable that all the spaces between the cardinal points were hidden and covered up. The gushing stream of blood was so profuse that even elephants were carried away by the currents. Many chariots got stuck up and rendered motionless in the swampy, slushy mire of (dead bodies and) flesh. Tufts of hairs and tresses floating on the streams of blood shone like gathering mosses and other aquatic plants. It was extremely cruel, destructive and dreadful on account of the terrific lionlike roar. The dust particles increased the gathering darkness. It gave more and more satisfaction and pleasure to the demonesses. Blood flowed from the neck (and throats) of the Daityas when they were cut off by a row of soldiers armed with weapons. Then Sarpiṇī was urged by the five (generals) along with their army. She created many kinds of serpents from her own body.

29-32. Many kinds of serpents came out of the body of Sarpiṇī and moved about here and there. Some were like Takṣaka and Karkoṭaka. Some had the lustre of Vāsuki and other important serpents. Their bodies were of various sizes and colours, (and had terrible (poisonous sight). They could burn three worlds with different kinds of poisonous breaths coming out like flames. By means of their mouths where two forked tongues moved about, they scattered various kinds of poison in the army of Śaktis. The poisons were Pārada (quicksilver), Vatsanābha (a strong poison from aconite), Kālakūṭa poison of another type, Saurāṣṭra poison of very dreadful nature, Brahmaputra (a poison of another variety), Śauklikeya (more correctly Śaulkikeya, a poison that is produced in Śulkikā) and various other kinds of poison.

33. Very terrific serpents with two faces and smoke-coloured bodies came out of the pair of eyes of Sarpiṇī. They were extremely furious.

34. Crores of serpents issued forth from the ear cavity of Sarpiṇī. They had yellow colour and three hoods. Their mouths were hideous due to their fangs.

35. From the mouth of Sarpiṇī issued forth a number of serpents. They had blue colour throughout. They had mouths at the front as well as at the tail-end along with hoods.

36. Other serpents of brindled and variegated colours, with four mouths and four feet issued forth from her nostrils. They had fierce splendour.

37-39. Many dreadful red coloured serpents issued forth from her great hanging folds of skin, thick and circular breasts and the hollow cavity of navel. They held Halāhala variety of poison. They bit soldiers in the army of Śaktis. They burned everyone by means of poisonous fires. They twined round them and bound them with their noose-like bodies. They struck them with their hoods. Thus they made the army of Laliteśī utterly bewildered and confused.

40-43a. Though they were split and cut frequently by the crores of weapons of Śaktis, they increased in number more and more. They then glided and crawled regaining the fullness and compactness of their original bodies. Many serpents died but others were born. At the death of one many others sprang up. Since the wicked Sarpiṇī the root cause did not perish, other serpents were produced (in plenty) on the destruction of serpents (originally) created by her.

43b-48a. On being burnt by the poisonous fires, the bodies of soldiers in the army of Śaktis became ruined and overwhelmed by misery. When the troops of Śaktis stood bewildered, unable to decide what should be done, on account of serpents, those five Dānavas exhibited many feats of valour.

Karaṅka occupied a chariot to which hundreds of donkeys had been yoked. He smashed and thrashed the army of Śaktis with a discus the edge of which was very sharp.

Another general of Bhaṇḍa Daitya named Vajradanta fought riding on a camel hitting and hurling adamantine arrows, Then Vajramukha mounted a great ass and pierced and struck the troops of Śaktis by the edges of his spears.

48b-50. Another powerful general of the armies named Vijradanta rode in a chariot with two vultures and began to fight with arrows.

Encouraged in the battle by those wicked generals, the hundred Akṣauhiṇīs of soldiers gathered together playfully and fell (on their enemies).

Sarpiṇī of evil activity adopted many Māyās and created crores of serpents every moment.

51-53. On seeing the army overpowered and unnerved in that manner, goddess Nakulī (Mongoose) became furious. Riding on Garuḍa, she jumped into the fray. She had the lustre of the molten gold. She was born of the palate of Lalitā. The entire realm of speech and language constituted her features. She was endowed with adamantine teeth. She despatched her army towards Sarpiṇī.

54. Garuḍa whose elevated shoulders were occupied by her (goddess Nakulī) and who could toss even mountains with his wings, moved ahead in the battle ground like a mobile Sumeru.

55. On seeing the dreadful serpents born of Māyā of Sarpiṇī, Nakulī had her eyes turned red due to anger and she opened her mouth.

56. Thereupon, the tips of the thirty-two teeth of goddess Śrīnakulīdevī turned into thirty-two crores of mongooses with golden lustre.

57. Cutting the groups of serpents of (demoness) Sarpiṇī into pieces by means of the crushing power of their curved teeth and neutralising their poison, golden ichneumons capable of dispelling poison wandered here and there in the course of that dreadful war.

58. Raising up their ears and shaking up their hairs on account of excessive fury, the elated mongooses opened their mouths and bit the serpents.

59. For everyone of the illusory serpents there arose an ichneumon and it cut off the body (of the serpent) with the penetrating thrust of its sharp teeth.

60. With their tongues resembling tender sprouts, the mongooses began licking up the two corners of their mouths that had become red due to the drops of blood exuding from the bodies of serpents. Then they jumped about and leapt in the battle.

61. The excessively tremulous body of the serpents while being bitten by the mongooses quivered frequently along with, the coiled hoods.

62. In the course of the battle, the jewels stuck on to the weighty hoods of the serpents shone even after they had been bitten to death by the groups of mongooses.

63. With their coiled hoods shattered and forced out by the blows of the mongooses, the serpents appeared like the flames of fires of their own great treachery (mahādroha.)

64. When the magical and illusory groups of serpents were thus broken into pieces by the sets of ichneumons Sarpiṇī became excessively angry.

65. After fighting a great battle with her, that goddess. Nakulī fixed the extremely ruthless Gāruḍa (having Garuḍa for its deity) missile to her arrow.

66. That Gāruḍa missile which illuminated the faces of the quarters through formidable flames entered the body of Sarpiṇī and absorbed and extinguished the Sarpamāyā.

67. With the destruction of the Māyā Power, Sarpiṇī got dissolved. On account of her destruction, the five excellent generals became furious.

68. That Sarpiṇī by means of whose strength those generals contemptuously disregarded all the Suras, was led to her death due to the prowess of mongooses (or of goddess Nakulī).

69. Hence, those generals became excessively furious on account of the loss of their powerful support. With a united effort, they showered goddess Nakulī by means of multitudes of weapons.

70. Seated on her Garuḍa chariot, that heroine of the army fought with all the five though she was alone. With great deal of dexterity she showered weapons and missiles.

71. She showered and wielded thousands of missiles and weapons such as spears with sharp edges, pestles and javelins. With her adamantine teeth, she bit them in their weak and vulnerable vital parts.

72. Thereupon, the servants of the Daitya king yelled out dreadfully piteous cries of agony, as they were tortured by the mongooses of formidable power.

73. Some of the mongooses with blazing fury leaped from the sky with terrible shrieks and began biting the army of their enemies.

74-75. Some were bitten in their ears; others in their noses; still others were bitten on the tops of their heads. Some of the mongooses engaged in mutilating and disfiguring activities came and bit the backs (of the demons). Those enemies of gods assailed by the mongooses fell down maimed and mutilated in their bodies, with their coats of mail broken through. Due to great fright, they cast off all their weapons.

76. Some mongooses entered the open mouths of the enemies. They pulled at them as if they were bodies of serpents and bit the bottoms of their tongues.

77. Other mongooses entered the ears of the enemies of the Devas. Ichneumons of very small size entered the different pores of their bodies.

78. On observing his own armies assailed and cast into wretched condition by the mongooses, Karaṅka became angry.

79-80. The other extremely powerful and dexterous generals of the army showered volleys of arrows on every ichneumon like the clouds (showering waters). The arrows issuing forth from the mighty bows of the generals of the army of the Daityas came into violent clash with the tips of the teeth of ichneumons.

81-82. Fire issued forth from the adamantine teeth of ichneumons struck and wounded by hundreds of volleys of arrows of the generals.

The army of the ichneumons was thrashed and shattered by those numerous arrows with shining tips jointly and playfully discharged by the five generals.

With their bodies shattered and broken by the crores of arrows discharged here and there by the generals the mongooses surrounded Nakulī.

83. Thereupon, goddess Nakulī, the sole deity of speech and language, (identical with Sarasvatī) became very furious at the retreat of the mongooses.

84. She fixed a great missile named Akṣīṇanākula (undiminishing [unending mongoose]) to her Śārṅga bow. The missile had faces (points) alt round and its tip was enveloped by flames of fire.

85-88. Mongooses, crores in number, issued forth from that missile. They had adamantine limbs, hairs and curved teeth. They were very swift. They had the intrinsic strength of thunderbolt. They moved ahead in a crowd. They were as terrible as numerous thunderbolts gathered together. They tore up the ground hurriedly with their adamantine claws. They appeared splendid with their eyes as lustrous as diamonds and other gems. The hissing sound they produced through their nostrils resembled that at the fall of thunderbolts. With the crores of their teeth, they pounded and crushed the army of the demons. Free from the blame of mischievousness, they displayed many kinds of exploits.

89. Wounded and ruined in every limb by those crores of mighty mongooses as terrible as thunderbolt, the base Dānavas began to perish.

90-91. When the whole army that consisted of a hundred Akṣauhiṇīs (at the beginning) was struck down by the groups of ichneumons of adamantine power, the excellent generals found only themselves left behind. They were seized by great fright as well as anger. Drawing their bows, they fought more vigorously.

92. Fighting with them in various ways goddess Nakulī chopped off the hard head of Karaṅka by means of her sharp edged spear,

93. Flying up seated on Garuḍa, she cut off with her sword the heads of the other four enemies also of whom Kākavāśita was the chief.

94-95. On seeing such an ease and active dexterity of goddess Nakulī Śyāmalāmbikā honoured that deity of great intrinsic strength who destroyed the wicked Asuras. Śyāmāmbikā granted to her the status of being her own satellite deity.

96. Who is not pleased and delighted when extremely good qualities are observed?

The demons who escaped death became highly frightened. They sought refuge in Nakulī.

97-99. On seeing them she kindly said to them smilingly “Do not be afraid. Go and tell your king the detailed news of the war.”

On being sent by her thus they were delighted. They became afraid once again on seeing the battle-field. They immediately fled to the city of Śūnyaka.

On hearing the news from them, Bhaṇḍa became fierce on account of anger.

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Source: wisdomlib