Narāntaka’s War on Kāśī

Narāntaka was an asura who ruled the three worlds in the Kṛta yuga. In this episode of the Gaṇeśa Purāṇa he goes to war on Kāśī, the sacred city, in person. He burns the city and takes its king, Kāśirāja, prisoner. Mahōtkaṭa, the avatāra of Gaṇeśa who guards Kāśī, then ends the war. He sends the Kālapurusha, a being made to devour, and then shows his Virāṭ rūpa, his form that holds the whole universe.

The spies’ report and Narāntaka’s vow

Narāntaka had sent two asura spies, Śūra and Capala, to watch what was happening in Kāśī. Mahōtkaṭa met them on Kāśirāja’s palanquin. He caught both of them and let them go.

The spies told Narāntaka about every asura who had been killed in Kāśī. They named Dhūmrāksha, the thousand asuras, Jṛmbhā, Jvālamukha, Vyāghramukha, Dāruṇa, Hemajyotirvid, Kūpa, Kandara, Andhakāsura, Ambhāsura, Tuṅga and Bhramarā.

Narāntaka was full of rage at the loss of so many of his forces. He vowed to go to war on Kāśī himself. The Gaṇeśa Purāṇa tells this in Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 56.

The siege and capture of Kāśī

Narāntaka’s army was huge. It was drawn from the asura armies of all three worlds that he ruled. The army surrounded Kāśī on every side, and Narāntaka ordered the city burned. The walls, the temples and the homes of Kāśī went up in flames. The women of the city were taken captive. This is told in Chapter 57.

Kāśirāja’s minister urged him to talk and make peace, but the army would not be stopped and the attack went on. Kāśirāja fought bravely. He was captured and taken prisoner.

Queen Ambā’s tears and Mahōtkaṭa’s answer

When Kāśirāja was taken, his queen Ambā broke into tears of grief. The sound of her weeping reached Mahōtkaṭa. He heard it and answered with a great roar that shook the three worlds. Then he turned his whole attention to the defence of Kāśī. This is told in Chapter 58.

The creation of the Kālapurusha

Mahōtkaṭa ordered Siddhi, one of his two divine śaktis, to create a being who could devour the whole army of Narāntaka. Siddhi used the limitless power of creation that she holds as the śakti of Gaṇeśa. She made the Kālapurusha, the “man of time and death”, a being whose very nature is total dissolution. The Kālapurusha was not made for fighting one enemy at a time. His power was complete. He devoured everything that stood before him. This is told in Chapter 58.

Mahōtkaṭa let the Kālapurusha loose on Narāntaka’s army. He devoured it whole: every soldier, every war elephant and every chariot. Then he went after Narāntaka himself, through all three worlds: through Bhūloka, through the lower realms and through the higher realms. At last he caught the asura king by the hair and dragged him before Mahōtkaṭa.

When his work was done, the Kālapurusha entered Mahōtkaṭa’s mouth and rested inside him.

The universe inside Mahōtkaṭa

After the Kālapurusha was made and Narāntaka was caught, an extraordinary thing happened. Kāśirāja, the sons of his ministers and others who had been caught in the turmoil entered the belly of Mahōtkaṭa. Some went in through the mouth. Inside his belly they saw the whole universe: all the lokas, all beings and all of creation, held within his divine body. They came out again through the pores of his hair. This is told in Chapter 58.

The final fight and the Virāṭ rūpa

Narāntaka was brought before Mahōtkaṭa, but he would not give in. He still trusted in the vara (boon) that Śiva had given him and in his own asura power. He challenged Mahōtkaṭa to fight him face to face. A great battle followed, and Narāntaka used weapons of māyā. This is told in Chapters 59–60.

Mahōtkaṭa then showed his Virāṭ rūpa, the universal form in which all of creation is held within the divine body. In this form his fingernails hold galaxies and his toenail holds whole universes. With his toenail he crushed Narāntaka, as easily as a person crushes a bedbug.

Pṛthivī, the devī of the Earth, came forward to give thanks. Narāntaka’s rule over Bhūloka had been a real weight on the Earth, and she received his end as relief. She thanked Mahōtkaṭa. Stotras (hymns of praise) were offered, and Kāśirāja praised Mahōtkaṭa. This is told in Chapter 61.

Devāntaka vows revenge

In the battle Narāntaka’s head was cut from his body. It fell in the courtyard of the house of his father, Raudraketu. The sight of their dear son’s head filled Raudraketu and Śāradā, Narāntaka’s mother, with terrible grief. This is told in Chapter 62.

Narāntaka’s younger brother Devāntaka was watching. His grief turned to rage and resolve. He vowed to march on Kāśī himself and avenge his brother. The second and last war of the Kṛta yuga was about to begin.

Sources

• Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 56 (the spies’ report)
• Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 57 (the siege of Kāśī)
• Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 58 (Queen Ambā, the Kālapurusha, the universe within)
• Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapters 59–60 (the final battle)
• Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 61 (Pṛthivī’s thanks)
• Gaṇeśa Purāṇa, Krīḍā Khaṇḍa, Chapter 62 (Narāntaka’s head, Devāntaka’s vow)