devair daitya-parājitaiḥ

kṛtānta āsīt samaro

devānāṁ saha dānavaiḥ

pārṣṇigrāho vṛto vīro

devair daitya-parājitaiḥ

Formerly, there was a devastating war between the devatās and the demons. The devatās, having been defeated, accepted Purañjaya as their assistant.

There was a war similar to the destruction of the universe. During that war Purañjaya was accepted as an ally by the devatās.

|| 9.6.14 ||

vacanād deva-devasya

viṣṇor viśvātmanaḥ prabhoḥ

vāhanatve vṛtas tasya

babhūvendro mahā-vṛṣaḥ

Indra became a great bull, and accepted to be the carrier of Purañjaya by the order of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu, soul of the universe.

“If Indra becomes my carrier, then I will kill the demons.” Indra, out of shame, refused to be his carrier, but by the order of Viṣṇu, he became a huge bull and carried Purañjaya.

|| 9.6.15-16 ||

sa sannaddho dhanur divyam

ādāya viśikhāñ chitān

stūyamānas tam āruhya

yuyutsuḥ kakudi sthitaḥ

tejasāpyāyito viṣṇoḥ

puruṣasya mahātmanaḥ

pratīcyāṁ diśi daityānāṁ

nyaruṇat tridaśaiḥ puram

Well protected by armor and desiring to fight, Purañjaya took up a celestial bow and sharp arrows, and, while being highly praised by the devatās, he got up on the back of the bull [Indra] and sat on its hump. Empowered by Lord Viṣṇu, who is the Supersoul and the Supreme Person, Purañjaya, surrounded the city of the demons in the west along with the devatās.

Purañjaya, mounting the bull who was Indra is thus called Indravāha (he whose carrier is Indra). Because he sat on the hump of the bull he is called Kakutsha (situated on the hump). He surrounded the city with the devatās.

|| 9.6.17 ||

tais tasya cābhūt pradhanaṁ