Agastya Halts the Vindhya; the Gods Ask Him to Drink the Ocean

Verse 1 (3.103.1)

किमर्थं सहसा विन्ध्यः प्रवृद्धः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः । एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं विस्तरेण महामुने ॥

kimarthaṃ sahasā vindhyaḥ pravṛddhaḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ | etadicchāmyahaṃ śrotuṃ vistareṇa mahāmune

Why did the Vindhya suddenly grow, swept up in anger? I wish to hear this in full, great sage.

Verse 2 (3.103.2)

अद्रिराजं महाघोरं मेरुं कनकपर्वतम् । उदयास्तमने भानुः प्रदक्षिणमवर्तत ॥

adrirājaṃ mahāghoraṃ meruṃ kanakaparvatam | udayāstamane bhānuḥ pradakṣiṇamavartata

At his rising and at his setting the Sun used to circle Meru, the dreadful king of mountains, the golden peak, keeping it on his right.

Note on the text: Corrected रमेरुं → मेरुं (misprint in Wikisource; a stray syllable that breaks the metre; the critical edition has the mountain Meru here).

Verse 3 (3.103.3)

तं तु दृष्ट्वा तथा विन्ध्यः शैलः सूर्यमथाब्रवीत् । यथा हि मेरुर्भवता नित्यशः परिगम्यते ॥

taṃ tu dṛṣṭvā tathā vindhyaḥ śailaḥ sūryamathābravīt | yathā hi merurbhavatā nityaśaḥ parigamyate

Seeing this, the mountain Vindhya said to the Sun, "Just as you circle Meru every day

Note on the text: Corrected विन्ध्य शैलः → विन्ध्यः शैलः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped visarga; the critical edition reads vindhyaḥ śailaḥ). Matches the first two lines of the critical edition's 3.102.3, which runs to three lines.

Verse 4 (3.103.4)

प्रदक्षिणश्च क्रियते मामेवं कुरु भास्कर । एवमुक्तस्ततः सूर्यः शैलेन्द्रं प्रत्यभाषत ॥

pradakṣiṇaśca kriyate māmevaṃ kuru bhāskara | evamuktastataḥ sūryaḥ śailendraṃ pratyabhāṣata

and keep it on your right, do the same for me, O Sun." Thus addressed, the Sun replied to the lord of mountains:

Note on the text: Corrected करु → कुरु and प्रत्यभापत → प्रत्यभाषत (misprints in Wikisource; the critical edition reads kuru and pratyabhāṣata). The first line is the critical edition's 3.102.3e, the second its 3.102.4a; Wikisource's प्रदक्षिणश्च (for pradakṣiṇaṃ ca) is kept as a variant.

Verse 5 (3.103.5)

नाहमात्मेच्छया शैल करोम्येनं प्रदक्षिणम् । एष मार्गः प्रदिष्टो मे येनेदं निर्मितं जगत् ॥

nāhamātmecchayā śaila karomyenaṃ pradakṣiṇam | eṣa mārgaḥ pradiṣṭo me yenedaṃ nirmitaṃ jagat

"It is not by my own wish, mountain, that I circle it. This path was appointed for me by the one who made this world."

Note on the text: Matches the last two lines of the critical edition's three-line 3.102.4.

Verse 6 (3.103.6)

एवमुक्तस्ततः क्रोधात्प्रवृद्धः सहसाऽचलः । सूर्याचन्द्रमसोर्मार्गं रोद्धुमिच्छन्परंतप ॥

evamuktastataḥ krodhātpravṛddhaḥ sahasā'calaḥ | sūryācandramasormārgaṃ roddhumicchanparaṃtapa

At these words the mountain, in anger, suddenly grew, wishing to block the path of the Sun and the Moon, O scorcher of foes.

Verse 7 (3.103.7)

ततो देवाः सहिताः सर्व एव । सेन्द्राः समागम्य महाद्रिराजम् । निवारयामासुरुपायतस्तं । न च स्म तेषां वचनं चकार ॥

tato devāḥ sahitāḥ sarva eva | sendrāḥ samāgamya mahādrirājam | nivārayāmāsurupāyatastaṃ | na ca sma teṣāṃ vacanaṃ cakāra

Then all the gods together, with Indra, came to the great king of mountains and tried by various means to hold him back, but he did not heed their words.

Verse 8 (3.103.8)

अथाभिजग्मुर्मुनिमाश्रमस्थं । तपस्विनं धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठम् । अगस्त्यमत्यद्भुतवीर्यदीप्तं । तं चार्थमूचुः सहिताः सुरास्ते ॥

athābhijagmurmunimāśramasthaṃ | tapasvinaṃ dharmabhṛtāṃ variṣṭham | agastyamatyadbhutavīryadīptaṃ | taṃ cārthamūcuḥ sahitāḥ surāste

Then they went to the sage in his hermitage, the ascetic foremost among those who uphold dharma, Agastya, blazing with wondrous power, and together the gods told him their purpose.

Verse 9 (3.103.9)

सूर्याचन्द्रमसोर्मार्गं नक्षत्राणां गतिं तथा । शैलराजो वृणोत्येष विन्ध्यः क्रोधवशानुगः ॥

sūryācandramasormārgaṃ nakṣatrāṇāṃ gatiṃ tathā | śailarājo vṛṇotyeṣa vindhyaḥ krodhavaśānugaḥ

"This king of mountains, the Vindhya, in the grip of anger, is blocking the path of the Sun and the Moon and the course of the stars.

Note on the text: Corrected सूर्याचन्दर्मसोर् → सूर्याचन्द्रमसोर् and वृणोत्येप → वृणोत्येष (misprints in Wikisource; the critical edition reads sūryācandramasor and vṛṇoty eṣa).

Verse 10 (3.103.10)

तं निवारयितुं शक्तो नान्यः कश्चिद्द्विजोत्तम । ऋते त्वां हि महाभाग तस्मादेनं निवारय ॥

taṃ nivārayituṃ śakto nānyaḥ kaściddvijottama | ṛte tvāṃ hi mahābhāga tasmādenaṃ nivāraya

No one else can restrain him, best of brahmins, except you, illustrious one. Therefore restrain him."

Verse 11 (3.103.11)

तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं विप्रः सुराणां शैलमभ्यगात् । सोऽभिगम्याब्रवीद्विन्ध्यं सदारः समुपस्थितः ॥

tacchrutvā vacanaṃ vipraḥ surāṇāṃ śailamabhyagāt | so'bhigamyābravīdvindhyaṃ sadāraḥ samupasthitaḥ

Hearing the words of the gods, the brahmin went to the mountain. Arriving there with his wife, he stood before the Vindhya and said:

Note on the text: Corrected सोभिगम्याब्रवीद् → सोऽभिगम्याब्रवीद् (missing avagraha in Wikisource; the critical edition reads so 'bhigamyābravīd).

Verse 12 (3.103.12)

मार्गमिच्छाम्यहं दत्तं भवता पर्वतोत्तम । दक्षिणामभिगन्तास्मि दिशं कार्येण केनचित् ॥

mārgamicchāmyahaṃ dattaṃ bhavatā parvatottama | dakṣiṇāmabhigantāsmi diśaṃ kāryeṇa kenacit

"I wish you to grant me a way through, best of mountains. I am going to the southern quarter on a certain errand.

Note on the text: Corrected दिशे → दिशं (misprint in Wikisource; the noun must agree with दक्षिणाम्; the critical edition reads diśaṃ).

Verse 13 (3.103.13)

यावदागमनं मह्यं तावत्त्वं प्रतिपालय । निवृत्ते मयि शैलेन्द्र ततो वर्धस्व कामतः ॥

yāvadāgamanaṃ mahyaṃ tāvattvaṃ pratipālaya | nivṛtte mayi śailendra tato vardhasva kāmataḥ

Until I return, wait for me. When I have come back, lord of mountains, then grow as you please."

Verse 14 (3.103.14)

एवं स समयं कृत्वा विन्ध्येनामित्रकर्शन । अद्यापि दक्षिणाद्देशाद्वारुणिर्न निवर्तते ॥

evaṃ sa samayaṃ kṛtvā vindhyenāmitrakarśana | adyāpi dakṣiṇāddeśādvāruṇirna nivartate

Having made this agreement with the Vindhya, O tormentor of foes, Agastya, son of Varuna, has to this day not returned from the southern country.

Note on the text: Word spacing restored (कृत्वा विन्ध्येन).

Verse 15 (3.103.15)

विन्ध्योऽपि तद्भयाद्राजन्कुञ्चिताङ्गो न वर्धते । अगस्त्यस्य प्रभावेण यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि ॥

vindhyo'pi tadbhayādrājankuñcitāṅgo na vardhate | agastyasya prabhāveṇa yanmāṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi

And the Vindhya too, out of fear of him, O king, keeps his body bowed and does not grow, through the power of Agastya. That is what you asked me about.

Note on the text: Word spacing restored (विन्ध्योऽपि तद्भयाद्). Corresponds to the critical edition's 3.102.14, whose first line differs (etat te sarvam ākhyātaṃ yathā vindhyo na vardhate); Wikisource's line is a recension variant.

Verse 16 (3.103.16)

कालेयास्तु यथा राजन्सुरैः सर्वैर्निषूदिताः । अगस्त्याद्वरमासाद्य तन्मे निगदतः शृणु ॥

kāleyāstu yathā rājansuraiḥ sarvairniṣūditāḥ | agastyādvaramāsādya tanme nigadataḥ śṛṇu

Now hear from me as I tell how the Kaleyas were slain by all the gods, O king, after the gods had obtained a boon from Agastya.

Verse 17 (3.103.17)

त्रिदशानां वचः श्रुत्वा मैत्रावरुणिरब्रवीत् । किमर्थमभियाता स्थ वरं मत्तः कमिच्छथ ॥

tridaśānāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā maitrāvaruṇirabravīt | kimarthamabhiyātā stha varaṃ mattaḥ kamicchatha

Hearing the words of the gods, the son of Mitra and Varuna said, "Why have you come? What boon do you seek from me?"

Note on the text: Matches the first two lines of the critical edition's three-line 3.102.16.

Verse 18 (3.103.18)

एवमुक्तास्ततस्तेन देवता मुनिमब्रुवन् । सर्वे प्राञ्जलयो भूत्वा पुरन्दरपुरोगमाः ॥

evamuktāstatastena devatā munimabruvan | sarve prāñjalayo bhūtvā purandarapurogamāḥ

Thus addressed by him, the gods, all with joined palms and led by Indra, destroyer of cities, said to the sage:

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` … ') around the second line. The first line is the critical edition's 3.102.16e (devās taṃ for देवता); the second line is not in its constituted text and appears in its apparatus as 3.102.16f*0507.

Verse 19 (3.103.19)

एवं त्वयेच्छाम कृतं हि कार्यं । महार्णवं पीयमानं महात्मन् । ततो वधिष्याम सहानुबन्धा- । न्कालोपसृष्टान्सुरविद्विषस्तान् ॥

evaṃ tvayecchāma kṛtaṃ hi kāryaṃ | mahārṇavaṃ pīyamānaṃ mahātman | tato vadhiṣyāma sahānubandhā- | nkālopasṛṣṭānsuravidviṣastān

"This is the task we wish you to do, great-souled one: that the great ocean be drunk up. Then we shall slay those enemies of the gods, with all their kin, whom Time has already marked for death."

Note on the text: Corrected त्वयोच्छाम → त्वयेच्छाम (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads tvayecchāma). Wikisource's कृतं हि कार्यं and कालोपसृष्टान् (for kṛtaṃ maharṣe and kāleyasaṃjñān) are kept as recension variants.

Verse 20 (3.103.20)

त्रिदशानां वचः श्रुत्वा तथेति मुनिरब्रवीत् । करिष्ये भवतां कामं लोकानां च महत्सुखम् ॥

tridaśānāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā tatheti munirabravīt | kariṣye bhavatāṃ kāmaṃ lokānāṃ ca mahatsukham

Hearing the words of the gods, the sage said, "So be it. I shall do what you desire, and it will bring great happiness to the worlds."

Verse 21 (3.103.21)

एवमुक्त्वा ततोऽगच्छत्समुद्रं सरितांपतिम् । ऋषिभिश्च तपःसिद्धैः सार्धं देवैश्च सुव्रत ॥

evamuktvā tato'gacchatsamudraṃ saritāṃpatim | ṛṣibhiśca tapaḥsiddhaiḥ sārdhaṃ devaiśca suvrata

Having said this, he went to the ocean, lord of rivers, together with the gods and with seers perfected by austerity, O man of good vows.

Note on the text: Corrected तपःसिद्धै → तपःसिद्धैः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped visarga of the instrumental plural; the critical edition reads tapaḥsiddhaiḥ).

Verse 22 (3.103.22)

मनुष्योरगगन्धर्वयक्षकिंपुरुषास्तथा । अनुजग्मुर्महात्मानं द्रष्टुकामास्तदद्भुतम् ॥

manuṣyoragagandharvayakṣakiṃpuruṣāstathā | anujagmurmahātmānaṃ draṣṭukāmāstadadbhutam

Men, serpents, gandharvas, yakshas and kimpurushas followed the great-souled sage, eager to see that marvel.

Note on the text: Corrected द्रष्टुकानास् → द्रष्टुकामास् (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads draṣṭukāmās).

Verse 23 (3.103.23)

ततोऽभ्यगच्छन्सहिताः समुद्रं भीमनिःस्वनम् । नृत्यन्तमिव चोर्मीभिर्वल्गन्तमिव वायुना ॥

tato'bhyagacchansahitāḥ samudraṃ bhīmaniḥsvanam | nṛtyantamiva cormībhirvalgantamiva vāyunā

Together they came to the ocean with its terrible roar, which seemed to dance with its waves and to leap with the wind,

Note on the text: Corrected भीमनिःखनम् → भीमनिःस्वनम् (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads bhīmanisvanam).

Verse 24 (3.103.24)

हसन्तमिव फेनौघैः स्खलन्तं कन्दरेषु च । नानाग्राहसमाकीर्णं नानाद्विजगणान्वितम् ॥

hasantamiva phenaughaiḥ skhalantaṃ kandareṣu ca | nānāgrāhasamākīrṇaṃ nānādvijagaṇānvitam

to laugh with its masses of foam and to stumble among its caverns; it teemed with sea beasts of many kinds and was thronged with flocks of many kinds of birds.

Note on the text: Corrected तानाग्राह° → नानाग्राह° (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads nānāgrāha°).

Verse 25 (3.103.25)

अगस्त्यसहिता देवाः सगन्धर्वमहोरगाः । ऋषयश्च महाभागाः समासेदुर्महोदधिम् ॥

agastyasahitā devāḥ sagandharvamahoragāḥ | ṛṣayaśca mahābhāgāḥ samāsedurmahodadhim

The gods with Agastya, together with the gandharvas and the great serpents and the illustrious seers, reached the great ocean.

Note on the text: Corrected महारगाः → महोरगाः (misprint in Wikisource; mahā + uraga; the critical edition reads mahoragāḥ).