Vishnu and Brahma Send the Gods to Agastya

Verse 1 (3.102.1)

तव प्रसादाद्वर्धन्ते प्रजाः सर्वाश्चतुर्विधाः । ता भाविता भावयन्ति हव्यकव्यैर्दिवौकसः ॥

tava prasādādvardhante prajāḥ sarvāścaturvidhāḥ | tā bhāvitā bhāvayanti havyakavyairdivaukasaḥ

"By your grace all four kinds of creatures thrive; nourished, they in turn nourish the dwellers of heaven with offerings to the gods and to the ancestors.

Note on the text: Corrected भावयनति → भावयन्ति (misprint in Wikisource; a broken conjunct; the critical edition reads bhāvayanti). The critical edition's first line reads itaḥ pradānād vartante for तव प्रसादाद्वर्धन्ते, a recension variant.

Verse 2 (3.102.2)

लोका ह्येवं विवर्धन्ते ह्यन्योन्यं समुपाश्रिताः । त्वत्प्रसादान्निरुद्विग्नास्त्वयैव परिरक्षिताः ॥

lokā hyevaṃ vivardhante hyanyonyaṃ samupāśritāḥ | tvatprasādānnirudvignāstvayaiva parirakṣitāḥ

In this way the worlds prosper, each depending on the other, free from fear by your grace and protected by you alone.

Verse 3 (3.102.3)

इदं च समनुप्राप्तं लोकानां भयमुत्तमम् । न च जानीम केनेति रात्रौ वध्यन्ति ब्राह्मणाः ॥

idaṃ ca samanuprāptaṃ lokānāṃ bhayamuttamam | na ca jānīma keneti rātrau vadhyanti brāhmaṇāḥ

And now this supreme danger has come upon the worlds: we do not know by whom the brahmins are being slain in the night.

Verse 4 (3.102.4)

क्षीणेषु च ब्राह्मणेषु पृथिवी क्षयमेष्यति । ततः पृथिव्यां क्षीणायां त्रिदिवं क्षयमेष्यति ॥

kṣīṇeṣu ca brāhmaṇeṣu pṛthivī kṣayameṣyati | tataḥ pṛthivyāṃ kṣīṇāyāṃ tridivaṃ kṣayameṣyati

When the brahmins are gone, the earth will perish; and when the earth has perished, heaven will perish.

Note on the text: Corrected तत → ततः (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped visarga; the critical edition reads tataḥ).

Verse 5 (3.102.5)

त्वत्प्रसादान्महाबाहो लोकाः सर्वे जगत्पते । विनाशं नाधिगच्छेयुस्त्वया वै परिरक्षिताः ॥

tvatprasādānmahābāho lokāḥ sarve jagatpate | vināśaṃ nādhigaccheyustvayā vai parirakṣitāḥ

By your grace, mighty-armed lord of the world, may all the worlds, protected by you, not come to ruin."

Verse 6 (3.102.6)

विदितं मे सुराः सर्वं प्रजानां क्षयकारणम् । भवतां चापि वक्ष्यामि शृणुध्वं विगतज्वराः ॥

viditaṃ me surāḥ sarvaṃ prajānāṃ kṣayakāraṇam | bhavatāṃ cāpi vakṣyāmi śṛṇudhvaṃ vigatajvarāḥ

"Gods, I know the whole cause of the destruction of creatures. I will tell it to you as well; listen, and be free of fear.

Verse 7 (3.102.7)

कालेया इति विख्याता गणाः परमदारुणाः । तैश्च वृत्रं समाश्रित्य जगत्सर्वं प्रमाथितम् ॥

kāleyā iti vikhyātā gaṇāḥ paramadāruṇāḥ | taiśca vṛtraṃ samāśritya jagatsarvaṃ pramāthitam

There are hosts of the utmost cruelty known as the Kaleyas. Rallying round Vritra, they laid waste the whole world.

Verse 8 (3.102.8)

ते वृत्रं निहतं दृष्ट्वा सहस्राक्षेण धीमता । जीवितं परिरक्षन्तः प्रविष्टा वरुणालयम् ॥

te vṛtraṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā sahasrākṣeṇa dhīmatā | jīvitaṃ parirakṣantaḥ praviṣṭā varuṇālayam

When they saw Vritra slain by wise, thousand-eyed Indra, they entered the abode of Varuna to save their lives.

Verse 9 (3.102.9)

ते प्रविश्योदधिं घोरं नक्रग्राहसमाकुलम् । उत्सादनार्थं लोकानां रात्रौ घ्नन्ति ऋषीनिह ॥

te praviśyodadhiṃ ghoraṃ nakragrāhasamākulam | utsādanārthaṃ lokānāṃ rātrau ghnanti ṛṣīniha

Having entered the fearsome ocean, full of crocodiles and sharks, they kill the seers here by night, to lay waste the worlds.

Note on the text: Corrected उत्सादार्थं → उत्सादनार्थं (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara, which also leaves the line a syllable short; the critical edition reads utsādanārthaṃ). The critical edition reads munīn for ऋषीन्, a variant.

Verse 10 (3.102.10)

न तु शक्याः क्षयं नेतुं समुद्राश्रयिणो हि ते । समुद्रस्य क्षये बुद्धिर्भवद्भिः संप्रधार्यताम् ॥

na tu śakyāḥ kṣayaṃ netuṃ samudrāśrayiṇo hi te | samudrasya kṣaye buddhirbhavadbhiḥ saṃpradhāryatām

But they cannot be destroyed, for they shelter in the ocean. You must set your minds on drying up the ocean."

Note on the text: CE 3.101.10ab–cd (which reads samudrāśrayagā for समुद्राश्रयिणो); the critical edition's third line of this verse appears in Wikisource as the second line of verse 17.

Verse 11 (3.102.11)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो देवा विष्णुना समुदीरितम् । विष्णुमेव पुरस्कृत्यब्रह्माणं समुपस्थिताः ॥

etacchrutvā vaco devā viṣṇunā samudīritam | viṣṇumeva puraskṛtyabrahmāṇaṃ samupasthitāḥ

Hearing these words spoken by Vishnu, the gods, with Vishnu himself at their head, went before Brahma.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick at the start (a wiki mark in Wikisource, opening a quoted block that closes in verse 17). Speaker corrected from Vishnu (a carry-over) to Lomasha: verses 11–13 are narration. The first line is CE 3.101.11ab (samudāhṛtam for समुदीरितम्); the second is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus has it as line 1 of star passage 3.101.11b*506).

Verse 12 (3.102.12)

ततस्ते प्रणता भूत्वा तमेवार्थं न्यवेदयन् । सर्वलोकविनाशार्थं कालेयाः कृतनिश्चयाः ॥

tataste praṇatā bhūtvā tamevārthaṃ nyavedayan | sarvalokavināśārthaṃ kāleyāḥ kṛtaniścayāḥ

Bowing low, they laid that very matter before him: that the Kaleyas were bent on destroying all the worlds.

Note on the text: Corrected तमेवार्धं → तमेवार्थं and कालेया → कालेयाः (misprints in Wikisource; ध for थ and a dropped visarga; the apparatus reads tam evārthaṃ and kāleyāḥ). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it as lines 2–3 of star passage 3.101.11b*506. Speaker corrected from Vishnu to Lomasha (narration).

Verse 13 (3.102.13)

एषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा पद्मयोनिः सनातनः । उवाच परमप्रीतस्त्रिदशानर्थवद्वचः ॥

eṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā padmayoniḥ sanātanaḥ | uvāca paramaprītastridaśānarthavadvacaḥ

Hearing their words, the eternal lotus-born god, greatly pleased, spoke to the thirty gods words full of meaning:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it as lines 4–5 of star passage 3.101.11b*506. Speaker corrected from Vishnu to Lomasha (narration).

Verse 14 (3.102.14)

विदितं मे सुराः सर्वे दानवानां विचेष्टितम् । मनुष्यादेश्च निधनं कालेयैः कालचोदितैः ॥

viditaṃ me surāḥ sarve dānavānāṃ viceṣṭitam | manuṣyādeśca nidhanaṃ kāleyaiḥ kālacoditaiḥ

"Gods, all of you, I know what the Danavas are doing, and how men and other creatures are being killed by the Kaleyas, driven on by Time.

Note on the text: Corrected विवेष्टितम् → विचेष्टितम् (misprint in Wikisource; व for च; the apparatus reads viceṣṭitam). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it as lines 6–7 of star passage 3.101.11b*506. Speaker corrected from Vishnu to Brahma: verses 14–18 are wholly his speech, with no printed heading.

Verse 15 (3.102.15)

क्षयस्तेषामनुप्राप्तः कालेनोपहताश्च ये । उपायं संप्रवक्ष्यामि समुद्रस्य विशोषणे ॥

kṣayasteṣāmanuprāptaḥ kālenopahatāśca ye | upāyaṃ saṃpravakṣyāmi samudrasya viśoṣaṇe

Their end has come; they are already struck down by Time. I will tell you the means of drying up the ocean.

Note on the text: Corrected क्षयस्तेपाम् → क्षयस्तेषाम् (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the apparatus reads teṣām). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it as lines 8–9 of star passage 3.101.11b*506. Speaker corrected from Vishnu to Brahma.

Verse 16 (3.102.16)

अगस्त्य इतिविख्यातो वारुणिः सुसमाहितः । तमुपागम्य सहिता इममर्थं प्रयाचत ॥

agastya itivikhyāto vāruṇiḥ susamāhitaḥ | tamupāgamya sahitā imamarthaṃ prayācata

There is a sage named Agastya, son of Mitra and Varuna, of deeply collected mind. Go to him together and ask this of him.

Note on the text: Corrected इतिविग्व्यातो → इतिविख्यातो (misprint in Wikisource; ग्व for ख; the apparatus reads iti vikhyāto). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it as lines 10–11 of star passage 3.101.11b*506. Speaker corrected from Vishnu to Brahma.

Verse 17 (3.102.17)

स हि शक्तो महातेजाः क्षणात्पातुं महोदधिम् । अगस्त्येन विना को हि शक्तोऽन्योऽर्णवशोषणे ॥

sa hi śakto mahātejāḥ kṣaṇātpātuṃ mahodadhim | agastyena vinā ko hi śakto'nyo'rṇavaśoṣaṇe

For that sage of great power can drink up the great ocean in an instant. Who but Agastya is able to dry up the sea?

Note on the text: Removed a stray closing quote mark after the first line (a wiki mark in Wikisource). Corrected अर्णवशोपणे → अर्णवशोषणे (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the critical edition reads 'rṇavaśoṣaṇe). The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus has it as line 12 of star passage 3.101.11b*506); the second is CE 3.101.10ef. Speaker corrected from Vishnu to Brahma.

Verse 18 (3.102.18)

अन्यथा हि न शक्यास्ते विना सागरशोषणम् । समुद्रे च क्षयं नीते कालेयान्निहनिष्यथ ॥

anyathā hi na śakyāste vinā sāgaraśoṣaṇam | samudre ca kṣayaṃ nīte kāleyānnihaniṣyatha

There is no other way to overcome them without drying up the sea. But once the ocean has been brought to nothing, you will slay the Kaleyas."

Note on the text: Corrected सागरशोपणम् → सागरशोषणम् (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the apparatus reads sāgaraśoṣaṇam). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has the first line as star passage 3.101.10f*505 and the second as line 13 of 3.101.11b*506. Speaker corrected from Vishnu to Brahma.

Verse 19 (3.102.19)

एवं श्रुत्वा वचो देवा ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः । परमेष्ठिनमाज्ञाप्यअगस्त्यस्याश्रमं ययुः ॥

evaṃ śrutvā vaco devā brahmaṇaḥ parameṣṭhinaḥ | parameṣṭhinamājñāpyaagastyasyāśramaṃ yayuḥ

Hearing these words of Brahma, the Supreme Lord, the gods took leave of the Supreme Lord and went to the ashram of Agastya.

Note on the text: Speaker corrected from Vishnu to Lomasha (narration). The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus has it as line 14 of star passage 3.101.11b*506), where CE 3.101.11ab has instead the line Wikisource gives in verse 11; the second line is CE 3.101.11cd.

Verse 20 (3.102.20)

तत्रापश्यन्महात्मानं वारुणिं दीप्ततेजसम् । उपास्यमानमृषिभिर्देवैरिव पितामहम् ॥

tatrāpaśyanmahātmānaṃ vāruṇiṃ dīptatejasam | upāsyamānamṛṣibhirdevairiva pitāmaham

There they saw the great-souled son of Varuna, blazing with splendour, attended by seers as the Grandfather is by the gods.

Note on the text: Corrected ऋपिभिः → ऋषिभिः (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the critical edition reads ṛṣibhir). Speaker corrected from Vishnu to Lomasha (narration).

Verse 21 (3.102.21)

तेऽभिगम्य महात्मानं मैत्रावरुणिमच्युतम् । आश्रमस्थं तपोराशिं कर्मभिः स्वैस्तु तुष्टुवुः ॥

te'bhigamya mahātmānaṃ maitrāvaruṇimacyutam | āśramasthaṃ taporāśiṃ karmabhiḥ svaistu tuṣṭuvuḥ

Approaching the great-souled son of Mitra and Varuna, the unfallen one, that treasure of austerity dwelling in his ashram, they praised him by recounting his own deeds.

Note on the text: Corrected आश्रमश्थं → आश्रमस्थं (misprint in Wikisource; श for स; the critical edition reads āśramasthaṃ). The critical edition reads svair abhiṣṭuvan for स्वैस्तु तुष्टुवुः, a variant. Speaker corrected from Vishnu to Lomasha (narration).

Verse 22 (3.102.22)

नहुषेणाभितप्तानां त्वं लोकानां गतिः पुरा । भ्रंशितश्च सुरैश्वर्याल्लोकार्थं लोककण्टकः ॥

nahuṣeṇābhitaptānāṃ tvaṃ lokānāṃ gatiḥ purā | bhraṃśitaśca suraiśvaryāllokārthaṃ lokakaṇṭakaḥ

"Long ago, when the worlds were tormented by Nahusha, you were their refuge; and that thorn in the side of the worlds was cast down from the lordship of the gods, for the good of the worlds.

Note on the text: Corrected नहुपेण → नहुषेण (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the critical edition reads nahuṣeṇa).

Verse 23 (3.102.23)

क्रोधात्प्रवृद्धस्तरणं भास्करस्य नभोगतः । वचस्तवानतिक्रामन्विन्ध्यः शैलो न वर्धते ॥

krodhātpravṛddhastaraṇaṃ bhāskarasya nabhogataḥ | vacastavānatikrāmanvindhyaḥ śailo na vardhate

The Vindhya, the mountain that in anger grew up into the sky across the sun's course, does not grow, for it will not transgress your word.

Note on the text: Matched to CE 3.101.15, which reads sahasā … nagottamaḥ for तरणं … नभोगतः; a recension variant (the Wikisource commentary also records नगोत्तम as another manuscript's reading).

Verse 24 (3.102.24)

तमसा चावृतेलोके मृत्युनाऽभ्यर्दिताः प्रजाः । त्वामेव नाथमासाद्य निर्वृतिं परमां गताः ॥

tamasā cāvṛteloke mṛtyunā'bhyarditāḥ prajāḥ | tvāmeva nāthamāsādya nirvṛtiṃ paramāṃ gatāḥ

When the world was shrouded in darkness and creatures were tormented by death, they found in you their protector and attained the highest peace.

Verse 25 (3.102.25)

अस्माकं भयभीतानां नित्यशो भगवान्गतिः । ततस्त्वार्ताः प्रयाचामो वरं त्वां वरदो ह्यसि ॥

asmākaṃ bhayabhītānāṃ nityaśo bhagavāngatiḥ | tatastvārtāḥ prayācāmo varaṃ tvāṃ varado hyasi

You, holy one, are ever the refuge of us who are stricken with fear. So in our distress we ask a boon of you, for you are the giver of boons."