Krishna Tells the Story of Indra and Vritra

Verse 1 (14.11.1)

इत्युक्ते नृपतौ तस्मिन्व्यासेनाद्भुतकर्मणा । वासुदेवो महातेजास्ततो वचनमाददे ॥

ityukte nṛpatau tasminvyāsenādbhutakarmaṇā | vāsudevo mahātejāstato vacanamādade

When Vyasa, of wondrous deeds, had spoken thus to the king, the greatly radiant Vasudeva then took up the speech.

Verse 2 (14.11.2)

तं नृपं दीनमनसं निहतज्ञातिबान्धवम् । उपप्लुतमिवादित्यं सधूममिव पावकम् ॥

taṃ nṛpaṃ dīnamanasaṃ nihatajñātibāndhavam | upaplutamivādityaṃ sadhūmamiva pāvakam

He saw the king, sunk in sorrow, with his kinsmen and relatives slain, like the sun in eclipse or a fire wreathed in smoke.

Verse 3 (14.11.3)

निर्विण्णमनसं पार्थं ज्ञात्वा वृष्णिकुलोद्वहः । आश्वासयन्धर्मसुतं प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमे ॥

nirviṇṇamanasaṃ pārthaṃ jñātvā vṛṣṇikulodvahaḥ | āśvāsayandharmasutaṃ pravaktumupacakrame

Knowing Pritha's son to be despondent at heart, the upholder of the Vrishni line set about consoling the son of Dharma and began to speak.

Note on the text: Corrected आश्वासनन् → आश्वासयन् (misprint in Wikisource: न for य; CE āśvāsayan).

Verse 4 (14.11.4)

सर्वं जिह्मं मृत्युपदमजिह्मं ब्रह्मणः पदम् । एतावान्ज्ञानविषयः किं प्रलापः करिष्यति ॥

sarvaṃ jihmaṃ mṛtyupadamajihmaṃ brahmaṇaḥ padam | etāvānjñānaviṣayaḥ kiṃ pralāpaḥ kariṣyati

All that is crooked is the path of death; what is straight is the path of Brahman. This is the whole scope of knowledge; what can idle talk accomplish?

Verse 5 (14.11.5)

नैव तेऽनुष्ठितं कर्म नैव ते शत्रवो जिताः । कथं शत्रुं शरीरस्थमात्मनो नावबुध्यसे ॥

naiva te'nuṣṭhitaṃ karma naiva te śatravo jitāḥ | kathaṃ śatruṃ śarīrasthamātmano nāvabudhyase

Your work has not been accomplished, nor have your enemies been conquered. How is it that you do not recognise the enemy that dwells in your own body?

Note on the text: Corrected शरीरस्तमात्मनो → शरीरस्थमात्मनो (misprint in Wikisource: स्त for स्थ; CE śarīrastham ātmānaṃ). Line 1 reads अनुष्ठितं where the CE has niṣṭhitaṃ (recension variant, kept).

Verse 6 (14.11.6)

अत्र ते वर्तयिष्यामि यथाधर्मं यथाश्रुतम् । इन्द्रस्य सह वृत्रेण यथा युद्धमवर्तत ॥

atra te vartayiṣyāmi yathādharmaṃ yathāśrutam | indrasya saha vṛtreṇa yathā yuddhamavartata

On this I shall relate to you, as dharma teaches and as I have heard it, how the battle between Indra and Vritra went.

Verse 7 (14.11.7)

वृत्रेण पृथिवी व्याप्ता पुरा किल नराधिप । दृष्ट्वा स पृथिवीं व्याप्तां गन्धस्य विषये हृते । धराहरणदुर्गन्धो विषयः समपद्यत ॥

vṛtreṇa pṛthivī vyāptā purā kila narādhipa | dṛṣṭvā sa pṛthivīṃ vyāptāṃ gandhasya viṣaye hṛte | dharāharaṇadurgandho viṣayaḥ samapadyata

Long ago, O lord of men, the earth was pervaded by Vritra. When he saw the earth pervaded and its sphere of smell seized, that sphere became foul-smelling from the seizing of the earth.

Verse 8 (14.11.8)

शतक्रतुश्चुकोपाथ गन्धस्य विषये हृते । वृत्रस्य स ततः क्रुद्धो घोरं वज्रमवासृजत् ॥

śatakratuścukopātha gandhasya viṣaye hṛte | vṛtrasya sa tataḥ kruddho ghoraṃ vajramavāsṛjat

Then Shatakratu grew angry when the sphere of smell was seized, and in his fury he hurled his dreadful thunderbolt at Vritra.

Note on the text: Corrected सततः → स ततः (misprint in Wikisource: the two words run together; CE sa tataḥ).

Verse 9 (14.11.9)

स वध्यमानो वज्रेण सुभृशं भूरितेजसा । विवेश सहसा तोयं जग्राह विषयं ततः ॥

sa vadhyamāno vajreṇa subhṛśaṃ bhūritejasā | viveśa sahasā toyaṃ jagrāha viṣayaṃ tataḥ

Struck hard by the thunderbolt of great radiance, Vritra suddenly entered the water and seized its sphere.

Note on the text: The alignment matched this verse to the wrong CE verse. It is CE 14.11.9 (sa vadhyamāno vajreṇa pṛthivyāṃ bhūritejasā / viveśa sahasaivāpo jagrāha viṣayaṃ tataḥ); Wikisource reads subhṛśaṃ in line 1 (as CE 14.11.13a) and sahasā toyaṃ in line 2, a recension variant, kept.

Verse 10 (14.11.10)

अप्सु वृत्रगृहीतासु रसे च विषये हृते । शतक्रतुरतिक्रुद्धस्तत्र वज्रमवासृजत् ॥

apsu vṛtragṛhītāsu rase ca viṣaye hṛte | śatakraturatikruddhastatra vajramavāsṛjat

When the waters had been seized by Vritra and the sphere of taste taken, Shatakratu, exceedingly angry, hurled his thunderbolt at him there.

Note on the text: The alignment matched this verse to the wrong CE verse. It is CE 14.11.10 (vyāptāsv athāpsu vṛtreṇa rase ca viṣaye hṛte / śatakratur abhikruddhas tāsu vajram avāsṛjat); Wikisource's wording differs slightly (recension variant, kept).

Verse 11 (14.11.11)

स वध्यमानो वज्रेण तस्मिन्नमिततेजसा । विवेश सहसा ज्योतिर्जग्राह विषयं ततः ॥

sa vadhyamāno vajreṇa tasminnamitatejasā | viveśa sahasā jyotirjagrāha viṣayaṃ tataḥ

Struck by that thunderbolt of boundless radiance, he suddenly entered fire and seized its sphere.

Note on the text: The alignment matched this verse to the wrong CE verse. It is CE 14.11.11 (sa vadhyamāno vajreṇa salile bhūritejasā / viveśa sahasā jyotir jagrāha viṣayaṃ tataḥ); Wikisource's line 1 reads tasminn amitatejasā (as CE 14.11.15a), a recension variant, kept.

Verse 12 (14.11.12)

व्याप्ते ज्योतिषि वृत्रेण रूपेऽथ विषये हृते । शतक्रतुरतिक्रुद्धस्तत्र वज्रमवासृजत् ॥

vyāpte jyotiṣi vṛtreṇa rūpe'tha viṣaye hṛte | śatakraturatikruddhastatra vajramavāsṛjat

When fire had been pervaded by Vritra and the sphere of form taken, Shatakratu, exceedingly angry, hurled his thunderbolt there.

Verse 13 (14.11.13)

स वध्यमानो वज्रेण तस्मिन्नमिततेजसा । विवेश सहसा वायुं जग्राह विषयं ततः ॥

sa vadhyamāno vajreṇa tasminnamitatejasā | viveśa sahasā vāyuṃ jagrāha viṣayaṃ tataḥ

Struck by that thunderbolt of boundless radiance, he suddenly entered the wind and seized its sphere.

Note on the text: Corrected वद्यमानो → वध्यमानो (misprint in Wikisource: द for ध; CE vadhyamāno). The alignment matched this verse to the wrong CE verse: it is CE 14.11.13, whose line 1 reads subhṛśaṃ bhūritejasā (Wikisource's tasminn amitatejasā is a recension variant, kept).

Verse 14 (14.11.14)

व्याप्ते वायौ तु वृत्रेण स्पर्शेऽथ विषये हृते । शतक्रतुरतिक्रुद्धस्तत्र वज्रमवासृजत् ॥

vyāpte vāyau tu vṛtreṇa sparśe'tha viṣaye hṛte | śatakraturatikruddhastatra vajramavāsṛjat

When the wind was pervaded by Vritra and the sphere of touch taken, Shatakratu, exceedingly angry, hurled his thunderbolt there.

Verse 15 (14.11.15)

स वध्यमानो वज्रेण तस्मिन्नमिततेजसा । आकाशमभिदुद्राव जग्राह विषयं ततः ॥

sa vadhyamāno vajreṇa tasminnamitatejasā | ākāśamabhidudrāva jagrāha viṣayaṃ tataḥ

Struck by that thunderbolt of boundless radiance, he fled into space and seized its sphere.

Note on the text: Corrected वध्यगानो → वध्यमानो (misprint in Wikisource: ग for म; CE vadhyamāno). No alignment was found; the verse is CE 14.11.15 (sa vadhyamāno vajreṇa tasminn amitatejasā / ākāśam abhidudrāva jagrāha viṣayaṃ tataḥ).

Verse 16 (14.11.16)

आकाशे वृत्रभूतेऽथ शब्दे च विषये हृते । शतक्रतुरभिक्रुद्धस्तत्र वज्रमवासृजत् ॥

ākāśe vṛtrabhūte'tha śabde ca viṣaye hṛte | śatakraturabhikruddhastatra vajramavāsṛjat

When space had become Vritra and the sphere of sound was taken, Shatakratu, exceedingly enraged, hurled his thunderbolt there.

Note on the text: No alignment was found; the verse is CE 14.11.16 (ākāśe vṛtrabhūte ca śabde ca viṣaye hṛte / śatakratur abhikruddhas tatra vajram avāsṛjat). Wikisource reads vṛtrabhūte 'tha, a trivial variant, kept.

Verse 17 (14.11.17)

स वध्यमानो वज्रेण तस्मिन्नमिततेजसा । विवेश सहसा शक्रं जग्राह विषयं ततः ॥

sa vadhyamāno vajreṇa tasminnamitatejasā | viveśa sahasā śakraṃ jagrāha viṣayaṃ tataḥ

Struck by that thunderbolt of boundless radiance, he suddenly entered Shakra himself and seized his sphere.

Note on the text: The alignment matched this verse to the wrong CE verse (14.11.11); it is exactly CE 14.11.17.

Verse 18 (14.11.18)

तस्य वृत्रगृहीतस्य मोहः समभवन्महान् । रथन्तरेण तं साम्ना वसिष्ठः प्रत्यबोधयत् ॥

tasya vṛtragṛhītasya mohaḥ samabhavanmahān | rathantareṇa taṃ sāmnā vasiṣṭhaḥ pratyabodhayat

Seized by Vritra, Indra fell into a great bewilderment; Vasishtha roused him with the Rathantara chant.

Verse 19 (14.11.19)

ततो वृत्रं शरीरस्थं जघान भरतर्षभ । शतक्रतुरदृश्येन वज्रेणेतीह नः श्रुतम् ॥

tato vṛtraṃ śarīrasthaṃ jaghāna bharatarṣabha | śatakraturadṛśyena vajreṇetīha naḥ śrutam

Then Shatakratu slew Vritra, who had lodged in his body, with the unseen thunderbolt: so we have heard here, O best of the Bharatas.

Verse 20 (14.11.20)

इदं धर्म्यं रहस्यं वै शक्रेणोक्तं महर्षिषु । ऋषिभिश्च मम प्रोक्तं तन्निबोध जनाधिप ॥

idaṃ dharmyaṃ rahasyaṃ vai śakreṇoktaṃ maharṣiṣu | ṛṣibhiśca mama proktaṃ tannibodha janādhipa

This is the secret of dharma, spoken by Shakra among the great sages and told to me by the sages. Hear it, O ruler of men.