Atri Lights the Darkness; Chyavana Wins Soma for the Ashvins

Verse 1 (13.261.1)

इत्युक्तस्त्वर्जुनस्तूष्णीमभूद्वायुस्तमब्रवीत् । शृणु मे हैहयश्रेष्ठ कर्मात्रेः सुमहात्मनः ॥

ityuktastvarjunastūṣṇīmabhūdvāyustamabravīt | śṛṇu me haihayaśreṣṭha karmātreḥ sumahātmanaḥ

Thus addressed, Arjuna fell silent, and Vayu said to him: “Hear from me, best of the Haihayas, the deed of the great-souled Atri.”

Note on the text: Printed heading: Bhishma. The first line is the narrator's; Vayu's speech begins in line 2 and fills the following verses, which are given to Vayu where the page prints no other heading.

Verse 2 (13.261.2)

घोरे तमस्ययुध्यन्त सहिता देवदानवाः । अविध्यत शरैस्तत्र स्वर्भानुः सोमभास्करौ ॥

ghore tamasyayudhyanta sahitā devadānavāḥ | avidhyata śaraistatra svarbhānuḥ somabhāskarau

In dreadful darkness the gods and the danavas, gathered together, fought; and there Svarbhanu pierced the Moon and the Sun with arrows.

Note on the text: Corrected अविद्यत → अविध्यत (dropped aspirate; CE avidhyata; misprint in Wikisource).

Verse 3 (13.261.3)

अथ ते तमसा ग्रस्ता निहन्यन्ते स्म दानवैः । देवा नृपतिशार्दूल सहैव बलिभिस्तदा ॥

atha te tamasā grastā nihanyante sma dānavaiḥ | devā nṛpatiśārdūla sahaiva balibhistadā

Then, seized by the darkness, the gods, O tiger among kings, were struck down by the danavas, together with the mighty ones.

Verse 4 (13.261.4)

असुरैर्वध्यमानास्ते क्षीणप्राणा दिवौकसः । अपश्यन्त तपस्यन्तमत्रिं विप्रं तपोधनम् ॥

asurairvadhyamānāste kṣīṇaprāṇā divaukasaḥ | apaśyanta tapasyantamatriṃ vipraṃ tapodhanam

Being slain by the asuras, their life-breath failing, the dwellers in heaven saw the brahmin Atri, rich in austerity, practising austerities.

Note on the text: Corrected असुरेर्वध्यमानास्ते → असुरैर्वध्यमानास्ते (CE asurair; misprint in Wikisource). Line 2 is a recension variant of CE 13.141.4c (CE: apaśyanta tapasyantam atriṃ vipraṃ mahāvane); the Wikisource reading is kept.

Verse 5 (13.261.5)

अथैनमब्रुवन्देवाः शान्तक्रोधं जितेन्द्रियम् । असुरैरिषुभिर्विद्धौ चन्द्रादित्याविमावुभौ ॥

athainamabruvandevāḥ śāntakrodhaṃ jitendriyam | asurairiṣubhirviddhau candrādityāvimāvubhau

Then the gods said to him, whose anger was stilled and whose senses were mastered: “Both of these, the Moon and the Sun, have been pierced by the asuras with arrows,

Note on the text: Corrected असुरेरिषुभिर्विद्धौ → असुरैरिषुभिर्विद्धौ (CE asurair; misprint in Wikisource).

Verse 6 (13.261.6)

वयं वध्यामहे चापि शत्रुभिस्तमसा वृते । नाधिगच्छाम शान्तिं च भयात्त्रायस्व नः प्रभो ॥

vayaṃ vadhyāmahe cāpi śatrubhistamasā vṛte | nādhigacchāma śāntiṃ ca bhayāttrāyasva naḥ prabho

and we too are being slain by our enemies, wrapped in darkness. We find no peace; from this fear save us, lord.”

Note on the text: The page prints no heading; the speech begun in verse 5 fills this whole verse, so it is given to the gods.

Verse 7 (13.261.7)

कथं रक्षामि भवतस्तेऽब्रुवंश्चन्द्रमा भव । तिमिरघ्नश्च सविता दस्युहन्ता च नो भव ॥

kathaṃ rakṣāmi bhavataste'bruvaṃścandramā bhava | timiraghnaśca savitā dasyuhantā ca no bhava

“How am I to protect you?” They replied, “Become the moon; become also the sun, destroyer of darkness, and be the slayer of our enemies.”

Note on the text: Printed heading: Atri. The first words are Atri's; the gods' reply follows in the same verse and is not split off, since the page prints no heading for it.

Verse 8 (13.261.8)

एवमुक्तस्तदात्रिर्वै तमोनुदभवच्छशी । अपश्यत्सौम्यभावाच्च सोमवत्प्रियदर्शनः ॥

evamuktastadātrirvai tamonudabhavacchaśī | apaśyatsaumyabhāvācca somavatpriyadarśanaḥ

Thus told, Atri then became the moon, dispelling the darkness; and he looked on them, and by his gentle nature he was as pleasing to behold as the moon.

Note on the text: Line 2 is a recension variant of CE 13.141.8c (CE: apaśyat saumyabhāvaṃ ca sūryasya pratidarśanam); the Wikisource reading is kept. The page's heading for the preceding verse is Atri's; this verse is the narrator's.

Verse 9 (13.261.9)

दृष्ट्वा नातिप्रभं सोमं तथा सूर्यं च पार्थिव । प्रकाशमकरोदत्रिस्तपसा स्वेन संयुगे ॥

dṛṣṭvā nātiprabhaṃ somaṃ tathā sūryaṃ ca pārthiva | prakāśamakarodatristapasā svena saṃyuge

Seeing that the Moon and the Sun were not very bright, O king, Atri in that battle made light by his own austerity.

Verse 10 (13.261.10)

जगद्वितिमिरं चापि प्रदीप्तमकरोत्तदा । व्यजयच्छत्रुसङ्घांश्च देवानां स्वेन तेजसा ॥

jagadvitimiraṃ cāpi pradīptamakarottadā | vyajayacchatrusaṅghāṃśca devānāṃ svena tejasā

He made the world free of darkness and blazing with light, and by his own radiance he conquered the hosts of the gods' enemies.

Verse 11 (13.261.11)

अत्रिणा दह्यमानांस्तान्दृष्ट्वा देवा महासुरान् । पराक्रमैस्तेऽपि तदा व्यघ्नन्नत्रिसुरक्षिताः । उद्भासितश्च सविता देवास्त्राता हतासुराः ॥

atriṇā dahyamānāṃstāndṛṣṭvā devā mahāsurān | parākramaiste'pi tadā vyaghnannatrisurakṣitāḥ | udbhāsitaśca savitā devāstrātā hatāsurāḥ

Seeing the great asuras being burned by Atri, the gods, well guarded by Atri, then struck them down in turn with their own prowess. The Sun was made to shine again, the gods were saved, and the asuras were slain.

Note on the text: Corrected तेऽपिं → तेऽपि (stray anusvara; CE te 'pi; misprint in Wikisource). The page prints three lines (11a–c) as one verse. Lines 1–2 = CE 13.141.11a and 11c (recension variant: vyatyaghnann); line 3 = CE 13.141.12a.

Verse 12 (13.261.12)

अत्रिणा त्वथ सोमत्वं कृतमुत्तमतेजसा । द्विजेनाग्निद्वितीयेन जपता चर्मवाससा ॥

atriṇā tvatha somatvaṃ kṛtamuttamatejasā | dvijenāgnidvitīyena japatā carmavāsasā

By Atri of surpassing radiance the moon's nature was then made: a twice-born with fire as his only companion, murmuring prayers, wearing a deerskin,

Note on the text: Corrected द्विजेनाग्निद्वितीयेनि → द्विजेनाग्निद्वितीयेन (stray ि; misprint in Wikisource). Line 1 = CE 13.141.12c; line 2 is a recension variant of CE 13.141.13a (CE: advitīyena muninā japatā carmavāsasā), kept.

Verse 13 (13.261.13)

फलभक्षेण राजर्षे पश्य कर्मात्रिणा कृतम् । तस्यापि विस्तरेणोक्तं कर्मात्रेः सुमहात्मनः । ब्रवीम्यन्यं ब्रूहि वा त्वमत्रितः क्षत्रियं वरम् ॥

phalabhakṣeṇa rājarṣe paśya karmātriṇā kṛtam | tasyāpi vistareṇoktaṃ karmātreḥ sumahātmanaḥ | bravīmyanyaṃ brūhi vā tvamatritaḥ kṣatriyaṃ varam

living on fruit—see, O royal sage, what Atri did. This deed of the greatly noble Atri has been told to you at length. I say: name another, or name a Kshatriya better than Atri.

Note on the text: The page prints three lines (13a–c) as one verse. Line 1 = CE 13.141.13c; line 2 = CE 14a; line 3 = CE 14c. CE star line 13.141.14d*0648_01 is not in Wikisource.

Verse 14 (13.261.14)

इत्युक्तस्त्वर्जुनस्तूष्णीमभूद्वायुस्ततोऽब्रवीत् । शृणु राजन्महत्कर्म च्यवनस्य महात्मनः ॥

ityuktastvarjunastūṣṇīmabhūdvāyustato'bravīt | śṛṇu rājanmahatkarma cyavanasya mahātmanaḥ

Thus addressed, Arjuna fell silent, and Vayu then said: “Hear, O king, the great deed of the great-souled Chyavana.”

Note on the text: The page prints no heading here; the first line is the narrator's (as in verse 1) and Vayu's speech begins in line 2.

Verse 15 (13.261.15)

अश्विनोः प्रतिसंश्रुत्य च्यवनः पाकशासनम् । प्रोवाच सहितो देवैः सोमपावश्विनौ कुरु ॥

aśvinoḥ pratisaṃśrutya cyavanaḥ pākaśāsanam | provāca sahito devaiḥ somapāvaśvinau kuru

Chyavana, having pledged his word to the Ashvins, spoke to Indra, the punisher of Paka, in the company of the gods: “Make the two Ashvins drinkers of Soma.”

Verse 16 (13.261.16)

अस्माभिर्निन्दितावेतौ भवेतां सोमपौ कथम् । देवैर्न सम्मितावेतौ तस्मान्मैवं वदस्व नः ॥

asmābhirninditāvetau bhavetāṃ somapau katham | devairna sammitāvetau tasmānmaivaṃ vadasva naḥ

“These two have been scorned by us; how could they become drinkers of Soma? They are not counted among the gods; so do not speak to us in this way.”

Note on the text: Page heading: Indra (CE 13.141.17 also heads this Indra). Line 1 is a recension variant of CE 13.141.17a (CE: asmābhir varjitāv etau); the Wikisource reading is kept.

Verse 17 (13.261.17)

अश्विभ्यां सह नेच्छामः सोमं पातुं महाव्रत । यदन्यद्वक्ष्यसे विप्र तत्करिष्याम ते वचः ॥

aśvibhyāṃ saha necchāmaḥ somaṃ pātuṃ mahāvrata | yadanyadvakṣyase vipra tatkariṣyāma te vacaḥ

“We do not wish to drink Soma together with the Ashvins, O man of great vows. Whatever else you ask of us, brahmin, we shall do at your word.”

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 13.141.18a; line 2 = CE star line 13.141.18b*0650_01 (yad anyad vakṣyase vipra tat kariṣyāma te vacaḥ).

Verse 18 (13.261.18)

पिबेतामश्विनौ सोमं भवद्भिः सहिताविमौ । उभावेतावपि सुरौ सूर्यपुत्रौ सुरेश्वर ॥

pibetāmaśvinau somaṃ bhavadbhiḥ sahitāvimau | ubhāvetāvapi surau sūryaputrau sureśvara

“Let the two Ashvins drink Soma together with you. These two are gods as well, sons of the Sun, O lord of the gods.”

Note on the text: Printed heading: Chyavana. Not in the critical edition's numbered text: CE star lines 13.141.18b*0650_02-03 (pibetām aśvinau somaṃ bhavadbhiḥ sahitāv imau; ubhāv etāv api surau sūryaputrau sureśvara), where the CE heads the speech 'cyavana uvāca' (at *0650_01).

Verse 19 (13.261.19)

क्रियतां मद्वचो देवा यथा वै समुदाहृतम् । एतद्वः कुर्वतां श्रेयो भवेन्नैतदकुर्वताम् ॥

kriyatāṃ madvaco devā yathā vai samudāhṛtam | etadvaḥ kurvatāṃ śreyo bhavennaitadakurvatām

“Let my word be done, gods, just as it has been spoken. If you do this, there will be good for you; if you do not, there will not.”

Note on the text: Printed heading (verse 18): Chyavana. Not in the critical edition's numbered text: line 1 = CE star line 13.141.18b*0650_04 (kriyatāṃ madvaco devā yathā vai samudāhṛtam); line 2 = CE star line *0650_05 (etad vaḥ kurvatāṃ śreyo bhaven naitad akurvatām), which the CE prints after an 'indra uvāca' heading; the page keeps it with Chyavana, which the sense requires.

Verse 20 (13.261.20)

अश्विभ्यां सह सोमं वै न पास्यामि द्विजोत्तम । पिबन्त्वन्ये यथाकामं नाहं पातुमिहोत्सहे ॥

aśvibhyāṃ saha somaṃ vai na pāsyāmi dvijottama | pibantvanye yathākāmaṃ nāhaṃ pātumihotsahe

“I will not drink Soma together with the Ashvins, best of the twice-born. Let the others drink as they please; I cannot bring myself to drink it here.”

Note on the text: Printed heading: Indra. Line 1 = CE star line 13.141.18b*0650_06 (aśvibhyāṃ saha somaṃ vai na pāsyāmi dvijottama); line 2 = CE 13.141.18c.

Verse 21 (13.261.21)

न चेत्करिष्यसि वचो मयोक्तं बलसूदन । मया प्रमथितः सद्यः सोमं पास्यसि वै मखे ॥

na cetkariṣyasi vaco mayoktaṃ balasūdana | mayā pramathitaḥ sadyaḥ somaṃ pāsyasi vai makhe

“If you do not do what I have said, slayer of Bala, you will drink Soma at the sacrifice only after I have crushed you on the spot.”

Verse 22 (13.261.22)

ततः कर्म समारब्धं हिताय सहसाऽश्विनोः । च्यवनेन ततो मन्त्रैरभिभूताः सुराऽभवन् ॥

tataḥ karma samārabdhaṃ hitāya sahasā'śvinoḥ | cyavanena tato mantrairabhibhūtāḥ surā'bhavan

Then, suddenly, a rite was begun for the good of the Ashvins, and the gods were overpowered by Chyavana's mantras.

Note on the text: Corrected च्यवनेनि → च्यवनेन (stray ि; CE cyavanena; misprint in Wikisource).

Verse 23 (13.261.23)

तत्तु कर्म समारब्धं दृष्ट्वेन्द्रः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः । उद्यम्य विपुलं शैलं च्यवनं समुपाद्रवत् ॥

tattu karma samārabdhaṃ dṛṣṭvendraḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ | udyamya vipulaṃ śailaṃ cyavanaṃ samupādravat

Seeing that rite begun, Indra, benumbed with rage, lifted a huge mountain and rushed at Chyavana,

Verse 24 (13.261.24)

तथा वज्रेण भगवानमर्षाकुललोचनः । तमापतन्तं दृष्ट्वैव च्यवनस्तपसाऽन्वितः ॥

tathā vajreṇa bhagavānamarṣākulalocanaḥ | tamāpatantaṃ dṛṣṭvaiva cyavanastapasā'nvitaḥ

and with the thunderbolt as well, the blessed one, his eyes wild with fury. Seeing him rushing on, Chyavana, endowed with austerity,

Note on the text: Corrected वज्रेम → वज्रेण (CE vajreṇa; misprint in Wikisource). Line 1 = CE 13.141.21e; line 2 = CE 13.141.22a.

Verse 25 (13.261.25)

अद्भिः सिक्त्वाऽस्तम्भयत्तं सवज्रं सहपर्वतम् । अथेन्द्रस्य महाघोरं सोऽसृजच्छत्रुमेव हि ॥

adbhiḥ siktvā'stambhayattaṃ savajraṃ sahaparvatam | athendrasya mahāghoraṃ so'sṛjacchatrumeva hi

sprinkled him with water and made him rigid, with his thunderbolt and mountain. Then the great sage brought forth against Indra a terrible enemy,

Note on the text: Corrected ऽस्तम्ययतं → ऽस्तम्भयत्तं (dropped भ and a run-together त्; CE astambhayat taṃ; misprint in Wikisource). Line 1 = CE 13.141.22c; line 2 = CE 13.141.23a (recension variant: so 'sṛjac chatrum eva hi).

Verse 26 (13.261.26)

मदं नामाहुतिमयं व्यादितास्यं महामुनिः । तस्य दन्तसहस्रं तु बभूव शतयोजनम् ॥

madaṃ nāmāhutimayaṃ vyāditāsyaṃ mahāmuniḥ | tasya dantasahasraṃ tu babhūva śatayojanam

named Mada, formed of oblations, with gaping mouth. He had a thousand teeth, a hundred yojanas long,

Note on the text: Line 1 differs from CE 13.141.23c (CE: madaṃ mantrāhutimayaṃ vyāditāsyaṃ mahāmuniḥ); the Wikisource reading is kept. Line 2 = CE 13.141.24a.

Verse 27 (13.261.27)

द्वियोजनशतास्तस्य दंष्ट्राः परमदारुणाः । हनुस्तस्याभवद्भूमावास्यं चास्यास्पृशद्दिवम् ॥

dviyojanaśatāstasya daṃṣṭrāḥ paramadāruṇāḥ | hanustasyābhavadbhūmāvāsyaṃ cāsyāspṛśaddivam

and his fearsome tusks were two hundred yojanas long. His jaw lay upon the earth, and his mouth touched the sky.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 13.141.24c; line 2 = CE 13.141.24e (hanus tasyābhavad bhūmāv ekaś cāsyāspṛśad divam).

Verse 28 (13.261.28)

जिह्वामूले स्थितास्तस्य सर्वे देवाः सवासवाः । तिमेरास्यमनुप्राप्ता यथा मत्स्या महार्णवे ॥

jihvāmūle sthitāstasya sarve devāḥ savāsavāḥ | timerāsyamanuprāptā yathā matsyā mahārṇave

All the gods, with Vasava, stood at the root of his tongue, like fishes in a great ocean that have come into the mouth of a timi.

Verse 29 (13.261.29)

ते सम्मन्त्र्य ततो देवा मदस्यास्य समीपगाः । अब्रुवन्सहिताः शक्रं प्रणमास्मै द्विजातये ॥

te sammantrya tato devā madasyāsya samīpagāḥ | abruvansahitāḥ śakraṃ praṇamāsmai dvijātaye

Then the gods, who had come near the mouth of this Mada, took counsel and said to Shakra, all together: “Bow down to this twice-born.

Note on the text: Line 1 differs slightly from CE 13.141.26a (CE: madasyāsyagatās tadā); a recension variant, kept. Line 2 = CE 13.141.26c.

Verse 30 (13.261.30)

अश्विभ्यां सह सोमं च पिबाम विगतज्वराः । ततः स प्रणतः शक्रश्चकार च्यवनस्य तत् ॥

aśvibhyāṃ saha somaṃ ca pibāma vigatajvarāḥ | tataḥ sa praṇataḥ śakraścakāra cyavanasya tat

Let us drink Soma together with the Ashvins, our fever gone.” Then Shakra bowed down and did what Chyavana asked.

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 13.141.26e; line 2 = CE 13.141.27a.

Verse 31 (13.261.31)

च्यवनः कृतवानेतावश्विनौ सोमपायिनौ । ततः प्रत्याहरत्कर्म मदं च व्यभजन्मुनिः ॥

cyavanaḥ kṛtavānetāvaśvinau somapāyinau | tataḥ pratyāharatkarma madaṃ ca vyabhajanmuniḥ

Chyavana made the two Ashvins drinkers of Soma. Then the sage withdrew his rite and divided Mada among others.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a recension variant of CE 13.141.27c (CE: cyavanaḥ kṛtavāṃs tau cāpy aśvinau somapīthinau); line 2 = CE 13.141.28a. CE star line 13.141.27b*0651_01 is not in Wikisource.

Verse 32 (13.261.32)

अक्षेषु मृगयायां च पाने स्त्रीषु च वीर्यवान् । एतैर्दोषैर्नरा राजन्क्षयं यान्ति न संशयः ॥

akṣeṣu mṛgayāyāṃ ca pāne strīṣu ca vīryavān | etairdoṣairnarā rājankṣayaṃ yānti na saṃśayaḥ

The mighty one placed him in dice, in hunting, in drink and in women. By these faults, O king, men come to ruin; there is no doubt of it.

Verse 33 (13.261.33)

तस्मादेतान्नरो नित्यं दूरतः परिवर्जयेत् ॥

tasmādetānnaro nityaṃ dūrataḥ parivarjayet

Therefore a man should always keep far away from these.

Note on the text: Corrected परिवर्जयेतद् → परिवर्जयेत् (stray द्; CE parivarjayet; misprint in Wikisource). Single-line verse as printed (13-261-33a); CE 13.141.29c.

Verse 34 (13.261.34)

एतत्ते च्यवनस्यापि कर्म राजन्प्रकीर्तितम् । ब्रवीम्यन्यं ब्रूहि वा त्वं क्षत्रियं ब्राह्मणाद्वरम् ॥

etatte cyavanasyāpi karma rājanprakīrtitam | bravīmyanyaṃ brūhi vā tvaṃ kṣatriyaṃ brāhmaṇādvaram

“This deed of Chyavana too has been told to you, O king. I say: name another, or name a Kshatriya better than the brahmin.”

Note on the text: Corrected कर्मि → कर्म (stray ि; CE karma; misprint in Wikisource). Line 2 is a recension variant of CE 13.141.30c (CE: cyavanāt kṣatriyaṃ varam).