Indra and Vritra in Battle

Verse 1 (12.287.1)

अहो धर्मिष्ठता तस्य वृत्रस्यामिततेजसः । यस्य विज्ञानमतुलं विष्णोर्भक्तिश्च तादृशी ॥

aho dharmiṣṭhatā tasya vṛtrasyāmitatejasaḥ | yasya vijñānamatulaṃ viṣṇorbhaktiśca tādṛśī

How righteous was Vritra of boundless splendour, whose understanding was beyond compare and whose devotion to Vishnu was equally great!

Verse 2 (12.287.2)

दुर्विज्ञेयमिदं तस्य विष्णोरमिततेजसः । कथं वा राजशार्दूल पदं तु ज्ञातवानसौ ॥

durvijñeyamidaṃ tasya viṣṇoramitatejasaḥ | kathaṃ vā rājaśārdūla padaṃ tu jñātavānasau

That state of Vishnu of boundless splendour is hard to understand. How, O tiger among kings, did he come to know it?

Verse 3 (12.287.3)

भवता कथितं ह्येतच्छ्रद्दधे चाहमच्युत । भूयश्च मे समुत्पन्ना बुद्धिरव्यक्तदर्शना ॥

bhavatā kathitaṃ hyetacchraddadhe cāhamacyuta | bhūyaśca me samutpannā buddhiravyaktadarśanā

I believe what you have told me, O Achyuta; yet a further question has arisen in my mind, and its answer I cannot clearly see.

Verse 4 (12.287.4)

कथं विनिहतो वृत्रः शक्रेण भरतर्षभ । धार्मिको विष्णुभक्तश्च तत्त्वज्ञश्च तदन्वये ॥

kathaṃ vinihato vṛtraḥ śakreṇa bharatarṣabha | dhārmiko viṣṇubhaktaśca tattvajñaśca tadanvaye

How, O best of the Bharatas, was Vritra slain by Shakra, he who was righteous, a devotee of Vishnu, and a knower of the truth in his lineage?

Verse 5 (12.287.5)

एतन्मे संशयं ब्रूहि पृच्छते भरतर्षभ । वृत्रः स राजशार्दूल यथा शक्रेण निर्जितः ॥

etanme saṃśayaṃ brūhi pṛcchate bharatarṣabha | vṛtraḥ sa rājaśārdūla yathā śakreṇa nirjitaḥ

Resolve this doubt of mine as I ask you, O best of the Bharatas: how was that Vritra, O tiger among kings, defeated by Shakra?

Verse 6 (12.287.6)

यथा चैवाभवद्युद्धं तच्चाचक्ष्व पितामह । विस्तरेण महाबाहो परं कौतूहलं हि मे ॥

yathā caivābhavadyuddhaṃ taccācakṣva pitāmaha | vistareṇa mahābāho paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi me

And tell me, grandfather, how the battle went, in full detail, O mighty-armed one; my curiosity is very great.

Verse 7 (12.287.7)

रथेनेन्द्रः प्रयातो वै सार्धं सुरगणैः पुरा । ददर्शाथाग्रतो वृत्रं विष्ठितं पर्वतोपमम् ॥

rathenendraḥ prayāto vai sārdhaṃ suragaṇaiḥ purā | dadarśāthāgrato vṛtraṃ viṣṭhitaṃ parvatopamam

Long ago Indra set out on his chariot together with the hosts of gods, and saw Vritra standing before him like a mountain.

Note on the text: Corrected धिष्ठितं → विष्ठितं (misprint in Wikisource; धिष्ठित is not a word in this sense; CE 12.272.7 reads विष्ठितम्).

Verse 8 (12.287.8)

योजनानां शतान्यूर्ध्वं पञ्चोच्छ्रितमरिंदम । शतानि विस्तरेणाथ त्रीणि चाभ्यधिकानि वै ॥

yojanānāṃ śatānyūrdhvaṃ pañcocchritamariṃdama | śatāni vistareṇātha trīṇi cābhyadhikāni vai

He stood five hundred yojanas high, O scourge of your foes, and three hundred yojanas more in breadth.

Note on the text: Corrected पञ्चोन्छ्रितमरिंदम् → पञ्चोच्छ्रितमरिंदम (misprint in Wikisource; न्छ् is not a valid conjunct and the final halant of the vocative is spurious; CE 12.272.8 reads पञ्चोच्छ्रितम् … अरिंदम).

Verse 9 (12.287.9)

तत्प्रेक्ष्य तादृशं रूपं त्रैलोक्येनापि दुर्जयम् । वृत्रस्य देवाः संत्रस्ता न शान्तिमुपलेभिरे ॥

tatprekṣya tādṛśaṃ rūpaṃ trailokyenāpi durjayam | vṛtrasya devāḥ saṃtrastā na śāntimupalebhire

Seeing that form of Vritra, unconquerable even by the three worlds, the terrified gods found no peace.

Verse 10 (12.287.10)

शक्रस्य तु तदा राजन्नूरुस्तम्भो व्यजायत । भयाद्वृत्रस्य सहसा दृष्ट्वा तद्रूपमुत्तमम् ॥

śakrasya tu tadā rājannūrustambho vyajāyata | bhayādvṛtrasya sahasā dṛṣṭvā tadrūpamuttamam

And then, O king, Shakra's thighs became stiff, from sudden fear of Vritra when he saw that mighty form.

Verse 11 (12.287.11)

ततो नादः समभवद्वादित्राणां च निःस्वनः । देवासुराणां सर्वेषां तस्मिन्युद्धे ह्युपस्थिते ॥

tato nādaḥ samabhavadvāditrāṇāṃ ca niḥsvanaḥ | devāsurāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ tasminyuddhe hyupasthite

Then, as the battle drew near, a clamour arose and the sound of musical instruments, from all the gods and asuras.

Verse 12 (12.287.12)

अथ वृत्रस्य कौरव्य दृष्ट्वा शक्रमवस्थितम् । न संभ्रमो न भीः काचिदास्था वा समजायत ॥

atha vṛtrasya kauravya dṛṣṭvā śakramavasthitam | na saṃbhramo na bhīḥ kācidāsthā vā samajāyata

But when Vritra, O Kaurava, saw Shakra standing before him, he felt no confusion, no fear, and no anxiety at all.

Verse 13 (12.287.13)

ततः समभवद्युद्धं त्रैलोक्यस्य भयंकरम् । शक्रस्य च सुरेन्द्रस्य वृत्रस्य च महात्मनः ॥

tataḥ samabhavadyuddhaṃ trailokyasya bhayaṃkaram | śakrasya ca surendrasya vṛtrasya ca mahātmanaḥ

Then began a battle terrifying to the three worlds, between Shakra, lord of the gods, and the great-souled Vritra.

Verse 14 (12.287.14)

असिभिः पट्टसैः शूलैः शक्तितोमरमुद्गरैः । शिलाभिर्विविधाभिश्च कार्मुकैश्च महास्वनैः ॥

asibhiḥ paṭṭasaiḥ śūlaiḥ śaktitomaramudgaraiḥ | śilābhirvividhābhiśca kārmukaiśca mahāsvanaiḥ

With swords, pikes, spears, javelins, tomaras and maces, with boulders of many kinds and with loud-twanging bows,

Note on the text: Corrected शक्तितोमरम्रुद्गरैः → शक्तितोमरमुद्गरैः (misprint in Wikisource; म्रु is a broken conjunct; CE 12.272.14 reads मुद्गरैः).

Verse 15 (12.287.15)

अस्त्रैश्च विविधैर्दिव्यैः पावकोल्काभिरेव च । देवासुरैस्ततः सैन्यैः सर्वमासीत्समाकुलम् ॥

astraiśca vividhairdivyaiḥ pāvakolkābhireva ca | devāsuraistataḥ sainyaiḥ sarvamāsītsamākulam

with divine missiles of many kinds and with fiery meteors too, everything was thrown into turmoil by the armies of the gods and asuras.

Note on the text: Corrected विविर्धौर्दिव्यैः → विविधैर्दिव्यैः (misprint in Wikisource; letters scrambled; CE 12.272.15 reads विविधैर्दिव्यैः).

Verse 16 (12.287.16)

पितामहपुरोगाश्च सर्वे देवगणास्तदा । ऋषयश्च महाभागास्तद्युद्धं द्रष्टुमागमन् ॥

pitāmahapurogāśca sarve devagaṇāstadā | ṛṣayaśca mahābhāgāstadyuddhaṃ draṣṭumāgaman

All the hosts of gods, with the grandsire at their head, and the greatly blessed sages came then to watch that battle.

Verse 17 (12.287.17)

विमानाग्र्यैर्महाराज सिद्धाश्च भरतर्षभ । गन्धर्वाश्च विमानाग्रैरप्सरोभिः समागमन् ॥

vimānāgryairmahārāja siddhāśca bharatarṣabha | gandharvāśca vimānāgrairapsarobhiḥ samāgaman

The Siddhas came in splendid aerial cars, O great king, O best of the Bharatas; and the Gandharvas came, with the Apsarases, in their fine cars.

Verse 18 (12.287.18)

ततोऽन्तरिक्षमावृत्य वृत्रो धर्मभृतां वरः । अश्मवर्षेण देवेन्द्रं सर्वतः समवाकिरत् ॥

tato'ntarikṣamāvṛtya vṛtro dharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ | aśmavarṣeṇa devendraṃ sarvataḥ samavākirat

Then Vritra, the best of those who uphold dharma, filling the sky, covered the lord of the gods on every side with a rain of stones.

Note on the text: Corrected धर्मभूतां → धर्मभृतां (misprint in Wikisource; भूताम् is not the word meant; CE 12.272.18 reads धर्मभृताम्).

Verse 19 (12.287.19)

ततो देवगणाः क्रुद्धाः सर्वतः शरवृष्टिभिः । अश्मवर्षमपोहन्त वृत्रप्रेरितमाहवे ॥

tato devagaṇāḥ kruddhāḥ sarvataḥ śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ | aśmavarṣamapohanta vṛtrapreritamāhave

Then the angry hosts of gods, with showers of arrows on every side, warded off in the battle the rain of stones that Vritra had sent.

Verse 20 (12.287.20)

वृत्रस्तु कुरुशार्दूल महामायो महाबलः । मोहयामास देवेन्द्रं मायायुद्धेन सर्वशः ॥

vṛtrastu kuruśārdūla mahāmāyo mahābalaḥ | mohayāmāsa devendraṃ māyāyuddhena sarvaśaḥ

But Vritra, O tiger of the Kurus, mighty in illusion and in strength, bewildered the lord of the gods on every side with a battle of magic.

Verse 21 (12.287.21)

तस्य वृत्रार्दितस्याथ मोह आसीच्छतक्रतोः । रथन्तरेण तं तत्र वसिष्ठः समबोधयत् ॥

tasya vṛtrārditasyātha moha āsīcchatakratoḥ | rathantareṇa taṃ tatra vasiṣṭhaḥ samabodhayat

Afflicted by Vritra, the lord of a hundred sacrifices fell into stupor; and there Vasishtha roused him with the Rathantara chant.

Verse 22 (12.287.22)

देवश्रेष्ठोऽसि देवेन्द्र दैत्यासुरनिबर्हण । त्रैलोक्यबलसंयुक्तः कस्माच्छक्र विषीदसि ॥

devaśreṣṭho'si devendra daityāsuranibarhaṇa | trailokyabalasaṃyuktaḥ kasmācchakra viṣīdasi

'You are the foremost of the gods, O Indra, destroyer of the Daityas and asuras; endowed with the strength of the three worlds, why, O Shakra, do you despair?'

Note on the text: Corrected देवश्रेष्ठोऽस्ति → देवश्रेष्ठोऽसि (misprint in Wikisource; अस्ति (third person) does not agree with the address to Indra; CE 12.272.22 reads असि). Also a recension variant: Wikisource दैत्यासुरनिबर्हण where CE reads सुरारिविनिबर्हण; kept.

Verse 23 (12.287.23)

एष ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च शिवश्चैव जगत्पतिः । सोमश्च भगवान्देवः सर्वे च परमर्षयः ॥

eṣa brahmā ca viṣṇuśca śivaścaiva jagatpatiḥ | somaśca bhagavāndevaḥ sarve ca paramarṣayaḥ

'Here are Brahma and Vishnu, and Shiva, lord of the world, and the divine Soma, and all the supreme sages.'

Verse 24 (12.287.24)

समुद्विग्नं समीक्ष्य त्वां स्वस्तीत्यूचुर्जयाय ते । मा कार्षीः कश्मलं शक्र कश्चिदेवेतरो यथा । आर्यां युद्धे मतिं कृत्वा जहि शत्रून्सुराधिप ॥

samudvignaṃ samīkṣya tvāṃ svastītyūcurjayāya te | mā kārṣīḥ kaśmalaṃ śakra kaścidevetaro yathā | āryāṃ yuddhe matiṃ kṛtvā jahi śatrūnsurādhipa

'Seeing you distressed, they have said, "May it go well, for your victory." Do not fall into dejection, Shakra, like some ordinary man. Resolving on the noble course in battle, slay your enemies, O lord of the gods.'

Note on the text: Removed the stray backtick and quote mark (and the danda inside the quote) from line 1. Line 1 is the CE star line 12.272.23d*0730_01 (printed in the apparatus after 12.272.23: समुद्विग्नं समीक्ष्य त्वां स्वस्तीत्यूचुर्जयाय ते); lines 2–3 = CE 12.272.24a and 24c (CE 24c: जहि शत्रुं सुरेश्वर; Wikisource: जहि शत्रून्सुराधिप).

Verse 25 (12.287.25)

एष लोकगुरुस्त्र्यक्षः सर्वलोकनमस्कृतः । निरीक्षते त्वां भगवांस्त्यज मोहं सुराधिप ॥

eṣa lokagurustryakṣaḥ sarvalokanamaskṛtaḥ | nirīkṣate tvāṃ bhagavāṃstyaja mohaṃ surādhipa

'Here is the teacher of the worlds, the three-eyed one, bowed to by all the worlds; the blessed lord watches you. Cast off your stupor, lord of the gods.'

Verse 26 (12.287.26)

एते ब्रह्मर्षयश्चैव बृहस्पतिपुरोगमाः । स्तवेन शक्र दिव्येन स्तुवन्ति त्वां जयाय वै ॥

ete brahmarṣayaścaiva bṛhaspatipurogamāḥ | stavena śakra divyena stuvanti tvāṃ jayāya vai

'And here are the brahmin sages, with Brihaspati at their head; they praise you, Shakra, with divine hymns, for your victory.'

Verse 27 (12.287.27)

एवं संबोध्यमानस्य वसिष्ठेन महात्मना । अतीव वासवस्यासीद्बलमुत्तमतेजसः ॥

evaṃ saṃbodhyamānasya vasiṣṭhena mahātmanā | atīva vāsavasyāsīdbalamuttamatejasaḥ

As the great-souled Vasishtha thus roused him, the strength of Vasava, of surpassing splendour, grew exceedingly.

Verse 28 (12.287.28)

ततो बुद्धिमुपागम्य भगवान्पाकशासनः । योगेन महता युक्तस्तां मायां व्यपकर्षत ॥

tato buddhimupāgamya bhagavānpākaśāsanaḥ | yogena mahatā yuktastāṃ māyāṃ vyapakarṣata

Then the blessed Pakashasana, regaining his understanding and endowed with great yoga, drew that illusion away.

Verse 29 (12.287.29)

ततोऽङ्गिरः सुतः श्रीमांस्ते चैव सुमहर्षयः । दृष्ट्वा वृत्रस्य विक्रान्तमुपागम्य महेश्वरम् ॥

tato'ṅgiraḥ sutaḥ śrīmāṃste caiva sumaharṣayaḥ | dṛṣṭvā vṛtrasya vikrāntamupāgamya maheśvaram

Then the glorious son of Angiras and those great sages, having seen Vritra's prowess, approached Maheshvara

Note on the text: Corrected विक्रान्तुमुपागम्य → विक्रान्तमुपागम्य (misprint in Wikisource; विक्रान्तुम् is not a valid form; CE 12.272.29 reads विक्रान्तम्). Lines = CE 12.272.29a and 29c.

Verse 30 (12.287.30)

ऊचुर्वृत्रविनाशार्थं लोकानां हितकाम्यया । ततो भगवतस्तेजो ज्वरो भूत्वा जगत्पतेः ॥

ūcurvṛtravināśārthaṃ lokānāṃ hitakāmyayā | tato bhagavatastejo jvaro bhūtvā jagatpateḥ

and spoke, for the destruction of Vritra and from a wish for the good of the worlds. Then the energy of the blessed lord of the world became a fever

Note on the text: Lines = CE 12.272.29e and 30a.

Verse 31 (12.287.31)

समाविशत्तदा रौद्रं वृत्रं लोकपतिं तदा । विष्णुश्च भगवान्देवः सर्वलोकाभिपूजितः ॥

samāviśattadā raudraṃ vṛtraṃ lokapatiṃ tadā | viṣṇuśca bhagavāndevaḥ sarvalokābhipūjitaḥ

and entered the dreadful Vritra, who was then lord of the worlds. And the blessed god Vishnu, honoured by all the worlds,

Note on the text: Lines = CE 12.272.30c and 31a (CE 30c reads समाविशन्महारौद्रं वृत्रं दैत्यवरं तदा; Wikisource: समाविशत्तदा रौद्रं वृत्रं लोकपतिं तदा).

Verse 32 (12.287.32)

ऐन्द्रं समाविशद्वज्रं लोकसंरक्षणे रतः । ततो बृहस्पतिर्धीमानुपागम्य शतक्रतुम् । वसिष्ठश्च महातेजाः सर्वे च परमर्षयः ॥

aindraṃ samāviśadvajraṃ lokasaṃrakṣaṇe rataḥ | tato bṛhaspatirdhīmānupāgamya śatakratum | vasiṣṭhaśca mahātejāḥ sarve ca paramarṣayaḥ

intent on protecting the worlds, entered Indra's thunderbolt. Then wise Brihaspati approached Shatakratu, and so did the greatly radiant Vasishtha and all the supreme sages,

Note on the text: Corrected समाविशुद्वज्रं → समाविशद्वज्रं (misprint in Wikisource; broken sandhi; CE 12.272.31 reads समाविशद् वज्रम्). Three-line verse = CE 12.272.31c, 32a and 32c.

Verse 33 (12.287.33)

ते समासाद्य वरदं वासवं लोकपूजितम् । ऊचुरेकाग्रमनसो जहि वृत्रमिति प्रभो ॥

te samāsādya varadaṃ vāsavaṃ lokapūjitam | ūcurekāgramanaso jahi vṛtramiti prabho

and, coming to Vasava, the giver of boons, honoured by the world, said with one-pointed minds, 'Slay Vritra, lord!'

Verse 34 (12.287.34)

एष वृत्रो महाञ्शक्र बलेन महता वृतः । विश्वात्मा सर्वगश्चैव बहुमायश्च विश्रुतः ॥

eṣa vṛtro mahāñśakra balena mahatā vṛtaḥ | viśvātmā sarvagaścaiva bahumāyaśca viśrutaḥ

'This Vritra, O Shakra, is surrounded by great strength; he is the soul of the universe, all-pervading, and renowned for his many illusions.'

Note on the text: Corrected महाञ्शक्रे → महाञ्शक्र (misprint in Wikisource; शक्रे (locative) gives no sense with वृतः; CE 12.272.34 reads महाञ् शक्र, the vocative).

Verse 35 (12.287.35)

तदेनमसुरश्रेष्ठं त्रैलोक्येनापि दुर्जयम् । जहि त्वं योगमास्थाय मावमंस्थाः सुरेश्वर ॥

tadenamasuraśreṣṭhaṃ trailokyenāpi durjayam | jahi tvaṃ yogamāsthāya māvamaṃsthāḥ sureśvara

'So take to yoga and slay this foremost of asuras, unconquerable even by the three worlds; do not despise him, lord of the gods.'

Verse 36 (12.287.36)

अनेन हि तपस्तप्तं बलार्थममराधिप । षष्टिं वर्षसहस्राणि ब्रह्मा चास्मै वरं ददौ ॥

anena hi tapastaptaṃ balārthamamarādhipa | ṣaṣṭiṃ varṣasahasrāṇi brahmā cāsmai varaṃ dadau

'For he practised austerity for strength, O lord of the immortals, for sixty thousand years, and Brahma gave him a boon:'

Verse 37 (12.287.37)

महत्त्वं योगिनां चैव महामायत्वमेव च । महाबलत्वं च तथा तेजश्चाग्र्यं सुरेश्वर ॥

mahattvaṃ yogināṃ caiva mahāmāyatvameva ca | mahābalatvaṃ ca tathā tejaścāgryaṃ sureśvara

'greatness among yogins, great power of illusion, great strength, and supreme radiance, O lord of the gods.'

Verse 38 (12.287.38)

एतत्त्वां मामकं तेजः समाविशति वासव । वृत्रमेवं त्ववध्यं तं वज्रेण जहि दानवम् ॥

etattvāṃ māmakaṃ tejaḥ samāviśati vāsava | vṛtramevaṃ tvavadhyaṃ taṃ vajreṇa jahi dānavam

'This energy of mine enters you, Vasava. So, though Vritra cannot otherwise be slain, slay that Danava with your thunderbolt.'

Note on the text: Recension variant of CE 12.272.38 (CE: एतद् वै मामकं तेजः समाविशति वासव । वृत्रम् एनं त्वम् अपि एवं जहि वज्रेण दानवम्); Wikisource reading kept.

Verse 39 (12.287.39)

भगवंस्त्वत्प्रसादेन दितिजं सुदुरासदम् । वज्रेण निहनिष्यामि पश्यतस्ते सुरर्षभ ॥

bhagavaṃstvatprasādena ditijaṃ sudurāsadam | vajreṇa nihaniṣyāmi paśyataste surarṣabha

'Blessed one, by your grace I shall slay with my thunderbolt this Daitya, so hard to approach, while you look on, O bull among the gods.'

Verse 40 (12.287.40)

आविश्यमाने दैत्ये तु ज्वरेणाथ महासुरे । देवतानामृषीणां च हर्षान्नादो महानभूत् ॥

āviśyamāne daitye tu jvareṇātha mahāsure | devatānāmṛṣīṇāṃ ca harṣānnādo mahānabhūt

When the great asura, the Daitya, was being entered by the fever, a great shout of joy went up from the gods and the sages.

Verse 41 (12.287.41)

ततो दुन्दुभयश्चैव शङ्खाश्च सुमहास्वनाः । मुरजा डिण्डिभाश्चैव प्रावाद्यन्त सहस्रशः ॥

tato dundubhayaścaiva śaṅkhāśca sumahāsvanāḥ | murajā ḍiṇḍibhāścaiva prāvādyanta sahasraśaḥ

Then kettledrums and conches of mighty sound, murajas and dindimas, were sounded in their thousands.

Note on the text: Corrected शङ्ख्याश्च → शङ्खाश्च (misprint in Wikisource; शङ्ख्याः is not a word here; CE 12.272.41 reads शङ्खाः).

Verse 42 (12.287.42)

असुराणां तु सर्वेषां स्मृतिलोपो महानभूत् । मायानाशश्च बलवान्क्षणेन समपद्यत ॥

asurāṇāṃ tu sarveṣāṃ smṛtilopo mahānabhūt | māyānāśaśca balavānkṣaṇena samapadyata

Among all the asuras there was a great loss of memory, and in an instant their powerful illusion was destroyed.

Note on the text: Recension variant of CE 12.272.42 (CE: स्मृतिलोपोऽभवन्महान् । प्रज्ञानाशश्च बलवान्); Wikisource reading kept (the page's apparatus also notes धृतिलोपः as a variant).

Verse 43 (12.287.43)

तमाविष्टमथो ज्ञात्वा ऋषयो देवतास्तथा । स्तुवन्तः शक्रमीशानं तथा प्राचोदयन्नपि ॥

tamāviṣṭamatho jñātvā ṛṣayo devatāstathā | stuvantaḥ śakramīśānaṃ tathā prācodayannapi

Then, knowing that Vritra had been entered, the sages and the gods praised Shakra, the lord, and urged him on.

Note on the text: Corrected शक्नमीशानं → शक्रमीशानं (misprint in Wikisource; न for र; CE 12.272.43 reads शक्रम् ईशानम्).

Verse 44 (12.287.44)

रथस्थस्य हि शक्रस्य युद्धकाले महात्मनः । ऋषिभिः स्तूयमानस्य रूपमासीन्सुदुर्दृशम् ॥

rathasthasya hi śakrasya yuddhakāle mahātmanaḥ | ṛṣibhiḥ stūyamānasya rūpamāsīnsudurdṛśam

As the great-souled Shakra stood on his chariot at the time of battle, praised by the sages, his form was very hard to look upon.