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Vaiśampāyana said.
Then Nakula, the expert in sword-fighting, approached the grandsire lying on the bed of arrows and said this.
O grandsire, the argument is that the bow is the best weapon. But in my opinion, O knower of dharma, the well-sharpened sword alone is indeed superior.
O king, when the bow is broken and the horses are exhausted, it is still possible to defend oneself well in battle with a sword.
There were warriors bearing bows, as well as those with maces and spears; there was one heroic swordsman, capable of resisting.
Here, I am filled with doubt and great curiosity; O king, what truly is the best weapon in all battles?
Great-grandfather, tell me how the sword was produced, by whom, and for what purpose, and also about the former teacher of the sword.
Having listened to that speech of the wise son of Mādrī, which was endowed with all skill, subtlety, variety, meaning, and auspiciousness.
Then he gave his reply, composed with proper accent and sound, and endowed with the principles of phonetics and logic, to Droṇa's disciple who was asking.
Bhishma, the master of all dharmas and the science of archery, lying on his bed of arrows, spoke to Nakula, the noble-hearted one.
O son of Madri, listen to the truth which you ask. I have been awakened by you, like a mountain full of ores.
O dear, in ancient times, all this became a single ocean of water; the surface of the earth was motionless, without sky, and indescribable.
In that place, enveloped in darkness, untouchable, of profound aspect, silent and immeasurable, the Grandfather (Brahmā) was born.
He, being powerful, created wind, fire, and the sun; he also created the sky, the upward and downward directions, the earth, and the region of Nairṛti (southwest).
The sky, along with the moon, stars, constellations, and planets, as well as years, days and nights, seasons, instants, and moments.
Then the grandsire, having established a body in the world, created sons of supreme brilliance.
Marīci, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Vasiṣṭha, Aṅgiras, Rudra, and the supreme lord are mentioned here as revered sages and deities.
Similarly, Dakṣa, the son of Pracetas, begot sixty daughters. All those daughters were accepted by the Brahmarṣis for the purpose of progeny.
To those women, all beings—including gods, ancestors, gandharvas, apsarases, and various kinds of demons—are devoted.
There were winged creatures, beasts, fishes, jumpers, great serpents, and others of various forms and strengths, wandering in water and on earth.
O dear, thus all beings in the world—whether immobile or mobile—were born: those born from plants, from sweat, from eggs, and from wombs.
After creating this world of beings, the grandsire of all worlds once again established the eternal dharma as recited in the Vedas.
In that dharma, the gods, along with their teachers and priests—the Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, Sādhyas, Maruts, and Aśvins—stood together.
Bhṛgu, Atri, Aṅgiras, the perfected sages, Kāśyapa and the ascetic, as well as Vasiṣṭha, Gautama, Agastya, and also Nārada and Parvata.
The seers, including the Vālakhiḷya, Prabhāsa, Sikatā, Ghṛtāca, Somavāyavya, Vaikhānasa, and Marīcipa sages, were present.
Those who do not till the soil, the Hamsas, the sages, those born from fire, the forest-dwellers, the Pṛśni sages, all were established in the discipline of Brahman.
But the lords of the Dānavas, disregarding their grandfather's command, caused the decline of dharma, being overcome by anger and greed.
Hiraṇyakaśipu, Hiraṇyākṣa, Virocana, Śambara, Vipracitti, Prahlāda, Namuci, and Bali.
These and many other Daityas and Dānavas, along with their groups, having crossed the bounds of righteousness, rejoiced, being intent on unrighteousness.
All of us are of equal birth, just like the gods; thus, adopting this reasoning, we competed with the divine sages.
O Bhārata, they neither acted with kindness nor with compassion towards beings. Having disregarded the three means, they controlled the people by punishment. The chief Asuras, out of pride, did not come to an agreement with them.
Then, the blessed Brahmā, together with the Brahmarṣis, arrived and was present on the delightful ridge of the Himalaya, at the place called Padmatāraka.
On that excellent mountain, stretching a hundred yojanas and heaped with jewels and pearls, in the forest of flowering trees, Brahmā, the foremost among the gods, stood there for the accomplishment of the world's purpose.
Then, after a thousand years had passed, the lord constructed a canopy, performing it exactly as prescribed in the Kalpa ritual and as stated in the instructions.
It was completely covered by sages skilled in sacrifice, proper performers of rites, the Maruts, and blazing fires.
The sacrificial arena, decorated with brilliant gold and ritual vessels, and surrounded by hosts of gods, shone resplendently.
Thus, when the place was adorned by the Brahmarṣis and the assembly members, I heard there about the most dreadful event concerning the sages.
Just as the moon shines in the spotless sky with the stars risen, so it is heard that a being arose after splitting the fire.
He had the appearance of the color of a blue lotus, sharp fangs, a thin belly, was tall, difficult to look at, and exceedingly radiant.
As that (being) was rising, the earth trembled; there, the wave-churned whirlpools and the great ocean were agitated.
Meteors and great portents fell; branches and trees broke off. All directions became unfavorable, and the wind blew ominously. Again and again, all beings were seized with fear.
Then, seeing that extraordinary and tumultuous event, the grandsire spoke these words to the great sages and divine Gandharvas.
I have conceived this powerful sword called 'Asi' for the protection of the world and for the destruction of the enemies of the gods.
Then, abandoning that form, he appeared as a sword—pure, sharp-edged, and raised aloft like Death himself.
Then Brahmā gave that shining sword to the blue-throated Rudra, the bull-bannered one, for the prevention of unrighteousness.
Then the venerable Rudra, praised by the assembly of Brahmarṣis, took up his sword and indeed assumed another immeasurable form.
Though standing on the earth, the four-armed great symbol, with his head touching the sky and gaze turned upward, emitted flames from his mouth and manifested many colors—dark-blue, pale, and red—in various ways.
He wore a garment of black-deerskin adorned with excellent golden star-like marks; one great eye on his forehead, resembling the sun, and his two clear eyes, dark-brown, shone brilliantly.
Then Mahadeva, the god with the spear, destroyer of Bhaga's eye, firmly seized the sword that shone like time, the sun, and fire.
He lifted his three-peaked shield, which resembled a cloud with lightning, and, full of immense strength and valor, moved along various paths, wielding his sword in the sky, intent on bringing about the end of the demon.
O Bhārata, at that time, as he uttered a loud sound and released a great laughter, the terrifying form of Rudra shone forth.
When they saw Rudra assuming that form and wishing to perform a terrible deed, all the Dānavas, delighted, rushed together towards him.
They rained down stones, blazing firebrands, terrible weapons, and other sharp-edged, iron-pointed missiles.
Then that army of demons, led by Acyuta (Krishna), was shaken by the strength of Rudra's sword, trembled, and became bewildered.
Because of his wonderful and extraordinary speed, all the asuras thought that the one sword-bearer was a thousand.
Rudra moved among the groups of Daityas, cutting, splitting, breaking, severing, tearing apart, and crushing them, just as fire moves through the undergrowth.
The great asuras, their arms, thighs, and chests severed by the swift sword, and their heads completely cut off, fell to the ground.
Other Dānavas, shattered and oppressed by Rudra's blows, attacked each other and fled in all directions.
Some entered the earth, others the mountains, others went to the sky, and others entered the water.
In that great and fierce battle, the earth at that time shone brilliantly, being muddy with blood.
O mighty-armed one, the place was covered with the great blood-smeared bodies of the dānavas, resembling mountains adorned with kiṃśuka trees.
At that time, the earth, soaked with blood and with her garments moistened and darkened, shone like an intoxicated woman.
Rudra, after destroying the Dānavas and establishing the world in supreme dharma, swiftly abandoned his terrible form and assumed the auspicious form of Śiva.
Then all the great sages and all the groups of gods likewise, with victorious and wondrous arrangements, worshipped the god of gods.
Then the revered Rudra respectfully gave to Viṣṇu the sword, smeared with the blood from the demon's wound, as the protector of dharma.
Viṣṇu gave the sword to Marīci; Marīci, the venerable sage, gave it to the great sages; the sages then gave the sword to Vāsava (Indra).
O son, great Indra gave a very broad sword to Manu, the son of the Sun, through the guardians of the worlds.
They said to him: "Thus, indeed, you are now the foremost lord of men; therefore, with this sword imbued with dharma, protect your subjects."
Those who have crossed the bounds of dharma, for subtle or gross reasons, should have punishment apportioned and protection given according to dharma, not arbitrarily.
Restraint, punishment, fines of gold, mutilation of the body, or even death may be imposed for serious offenses of evil speech.
One should indicate these forms of 'as', which are difficult to express and others. Only the measures of 'as' are due to excess of quantity.
After appointing his own son as the ruler of the people, Manu then gave a sword to Kṣupa for the protection of the subjects.
Ikṣvāku seized the kingdom from Kṣupa, and from Ikṣvāku came Purūravas; Āyu was born from him, and from him Nahuṣa was born on earth.
Yayati was born from Nahusha, and from Yayati, Puru was born; from Puru, the king Bhūmiśaya, of unmanifested glory, was then born.
Bharata, the descendant of Duhshanta, also obtained a sword from lying on the ground; and from that, O king, the dharma-knower Idabida likewise obtained one.
Then, Dhundhumāra, the lord of men, was born from Aiḍabiḍāla. From Dhundhumāra came Kāmboja, and from him, Mucukunda was born.
Marutta was born from Mucukunda, Raivata from Marutta, Yuvanāśva from Raivata, and then Raghu from Yuvanāśva.
The powerful Hariṇāśva was born from the descendant of Ikṣvāku. From Hariṇāśva, Śunaka obtained Asi, and from Śunaka as well.
Uśīnara was indeed a righteous king; from him descended the Bhojas along with the Yādavas; from the Yadus, Śibi was born; and from Śibi, Pratardana was also born.
From Pratardana came Aṣṭaka, and from Aṣṭaka, Ruśadaśva; from Ruśadaśva, Bharadvāja; from Bharadvāja, Droṇa; from Droṇa, Kṛpa. Then you, along with your brothers, obtained the supreme sword.
The Kṛttikā constellation is his star, with Agni as its deity. His clan is the Rohiṇī, and Rudra is his supreme teacher.
O son of Pāṇḍu, listen to the eight secret names of the sword from me. Whoever always recites them attains victory.
He is the sword, the destroyer, the scimitar with a sharp edge, difficult to approach, the one who holds prosperity within, victory itself, and indeed the protector of dharma, likewise.
O son of Mādravatī, it is certain in the Purāṇa that among weapons, the sword is foremost, and it was composed by Maheśvara.
But Pṛthu, the destroyer of enemies, created the original bow. By him, this earth was formerly protected as Vainya.
O son of Madri, you ought to act according to this authority of the ṛṣis. And worship should always be performed by those skilled in battle.
Thus, O best of the Bharatas, the first section has been explained to you in detail, describing the origin and connection of Asu as it truly is.
Whoever hears here, in every way, this supreme practice of the sword, gains fame and, after death, attains immortality.
