tataḥ sapatnaṁ mukhataś
tataḥ sapatnaṁ mukhataś
carantam akuto-bhayam
jaghānotpatya gadayā
hanāv asuram akṣajaḥ
The Lord leaped up and with his club struck the demon on his lower cheek as the demon moved in front of him fearlessly
Mukhataḥ means “in front of.” He struck him on the lower cheek (hanau). Akṣajaḥ means “he who appeared from Brahmā’s nose.”
|| 3.19.3||
tataḥ sapatnaṁ mukhataś
carantam akuto-bhayam
jaghānotpatya gadayā
hanāv asuram akṣajaḥ
The club of the Lord, loosened from his hand because of a blow from the demon’s club, rolled about, fell on the ground, and glowed. This action was most astonishing.
The club of the Lord (sā) struck by the club of the demon, fell from the hand of the Lord and rolling about, fell to the earth and glowed. This falling of the Lord’s club (tat) was most astonishing.
|| 3.19.4||
sa tadā labdha-tīrtho ’pi
na babādhe nirāyudham
mānayan sa mṛdhe dharmaṁ
viṣvaksenaṁ prakopayan
Though the demon now had the opportunity, he did not strike the Lord who was without a weapon. He respected the rules of fighting and made the Lord angry by this.
Though the demon had the opportunity he did not strike the Lord. The reason is given. He accepted the rules of fighting. He made the Lord angry by this. “Because you know that I am in trouble, by making my club fall by the strength of your arms, you display your sense of dharma, and do not strike me. See! In a moment’s time, I will take the club along with your life!”
|| 3.19.5||
gadāyām apaviddhāyāṁ
hāhā-kāre vinirgate
mānayām āsa tad-dharmaṁ
sunābhaṁ cāsmarad vibhuḥ
When the club fell from his hand and the devatās cried out in distress, the Lord respected the proper behaviour of the demon and remembered his cakra as well as his club.
When the club fell for his hand, it is not the same as his bow falling from his hand in the fight with Śālva, where other motives are inferred. Because Hirayākṣa was actually an associate of the Lord, and thus equal to the Lord, they had equal strength. Thus, it was possible for the club to fall from the hand of the Lord. Without equal strength, there would be no pleasure in fighting. Thus this action increased the enthusiasm of the Lord to fight. It is thus an ornament of the Lord, not a fault, since the Lord, filled with love for his devotee, many times accepts defeat at the hands of the devotee. This is indicated in the next verse, which explains that the Lord recognized his devotee. The Lord remembered his cakra and previous to that, he remembered his club. That is indicated by the word ca.
|| 3.19.6||
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