Indra's Expiation and Shachi's Prayer to Night

Verse 1 (5.13.1)

अथ तामब्रवीद्दृष्ट्वा नहुषो देवराट् तदा । त्रयाणामपि लोकानामहमिन्द्रः शुचिस्मिते ॥

atha tāmabravīddṛṣṭvā nahuṣo devarāṭ tadā | trayāṇāmapi lokānāmahamindraḥ śucismite

Then, seeing her, Nahusha, the king of the gods, said to her: "Sweetly smiling one, I am Indra of all three worlds.

Verse 2 (5.13.2)

भजस्व मां वरारोहे पतित्वे वरवर्णिनि । एवमुक्ता तु सा देवी नहुषेण पतिव्रता ॥

bhajasva māṃ varārohe patitve varavarṇini | evamuktā tu sā devī nahuṣeṇa pativratā

Take me for your husband, fair-hipped and lovely lady." Spoken to thus by Nahusha, the goddess, faithful to her husband,

Verse 3 (5.13.3)

प्रावेपत भयोद्विग्ना प्रवाते कदली यथा । प्रणम्य सा हि ब्रह्माणं शिरसा तु कृताञ्जलिः ॥

prāvepata bhayodvignā pravāte kadalī yathā | praṇamya sā hi brahmāṇaṃ śirasā tu kṛtāñjaliḥ

trembled, shaken with fear, like a plantain tree in a gale. Bowing her head to Brahma, her palms joined,

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 5.13.2cd; line 2 is a variant of CE 5.13.3ab (प्रणम्य … शिरसा तु कृताञ्जलिः for namasya … kṛtvā śirasi cāñjalim).

Verse 4 (5.13.4)

देवराजमथोवाच नहुषं घोरदर्शनम् । कालमिच्छाम्यहं लब्धुं त्वत्तः कंचित्सुरेश्वर ॥

devarājamathovāca nahuṣaṃ ghoradarśanam | kālamicchāmyahaṃ labdhuṃ tvattaḥ kaṃcitsureśvara

she said to Nahusha, the king of the gods, terrible to behold: "I wish to have some time from you, lord of the gods.

Verse 5 (5.13.5)

न हि विज्ञायते शक्रः किं वा प्राप्तः क्व वा गतः । तत्त्वमेतत्तु विज्ञाय यदि न ज्ञायते प्रभो ॥

na hi vijñāyate śakraḥ kiṃ vā prāptaḥ kva vā gataḥ | tattvametattu vijñāya yadi na jñāyate prabho

No one knows what has become of Shakra, or where he has gone. If, when I have looked into the truth of this, he still cannot be found, my lord,

Note on the text: No speaker heading in Wikisource; Indrani's words, begun in verse 4, fill this verse and are assigned to her.

Verse 6 (5.13.6)

ततोऽहं त्वामुपस्थास्ये सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते । एवमुक्तः स इन्द्राण्या नहुषः प्रीतिमानभूत् ॥

tato'haṃ tvāmupasthāsye satyametadbravīmi te | evamuktaḥ sa indrāṇyā nahuṣaḥ prītimānabhūt

then I will come to you; I tell you this truly." Addressed thus by Indrani, Nahusha was pleased.

Verse 7 (5.13.7)

एवं भवतु सुश्रोणि यथा मामिह भाषसे । ज्ञात्वा चागमनं कार्यं सत्यमेतदनुस्मरेः ॥

evaṃ bhavatu suśroṇi yathā māmiha bhāṣase | jñātvā cāgamanaṃ kāryaṃ satyametadanusmareḥ

Let it be as you tell me here, lovely-hipped one. When you have found out, you must come; remember this promise.

Verse 8 (5.13.8)

नहुषेण विसृष्टा च निश्चक्राम ततः शुभा । बृहस्पतिनिकेतं च सा जगाम यशस्विनी ॥

nahuṣeṇa visṛṣṭā ca niścakrāma tataḥ śubhā | bṛhaspatiniketaṃ ca sā jagāma yaśasvinī

Dismissed by Nahusha, the fair lady went out from there, and the illustrious one went to Brihaspati's house.

Note on the text: The input carried the नहुष heading of verse 7 on through the rest of the adhyaya; from here the verses are narration and are given to Shalya (the CE prints śalya uvāca before this verse).

Verse 9 (5.13.9)

तस्याः संश्रुत्य च वचो देवाश्चाग्निपुरोगमाः । चिन्तयामासुरेकाग्राः शक्रार्थं राजसत्तम ॥

tasyāḥ saṃśrutya ca vaco devāścāgnipurogamāḥ | cintayāmāsurekāgrāḥ śakrārthaṃ rājasattama

Hearing her account, the gods, with Agni at their head, took thought with one mind on Shakra's behalf, O best of kings.

Verse 10 (5.13.10)

देवदेवेन संगम्य विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना । ऊचुश्चैनं समुद्विग्ना वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदाः ॥

devadevena saṃgamya viṣṇunā prabhaviṣṇunā | ūcuścainaṃ samudvignā vākyaṃ vākyaviśāradāḥ

Going to Vishnu, the god of gods, the mighty one, the gods, skilled in speech, spoke to him in their distress:

Note on the text: Corrected शङ्गम्य → संगम्य (misprint in Wikisource; श for स; the CE reads saṃgamya).

Verse 11 (5.13.11)

ब्रह्मवध्याभिभूतो वै शक्रः सुरगणेश्वरः । गतिश्च नस्त्वं देवेश पूर्वजो जगतः प्रभुः ॥

brahmavadhyābhibhūto vai śakraḥ suragaṇeśvaraḥ | gatiśca nastvaṃ deveśa pūrvajo jagataḥ prabhuḥ

Shakra, lord of the hosts of gods, is overcome by the guilt of slaying a brahmin. You are our refuge, lord of the gods, the first-born, master of the world.

Note on the text: No speaker heading in Wikisource; the gods' words to Vishnu (verses 11–12 and the first line of 13), announced in verse 10, are assigned to them. Line 1 is CE 5.13.10ab; line 2 is CE 5.13.10cd.

Verse 12 (5.13.12)

रक्षार्थं सर्वभूतानां विष्णुत्वमुपजग्मिवान् । त्वद्वीर्यनिहते वृत्रे वासवो ब्रह्महत्यया ॥

rakṣārthaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ viṣṇutvamupajagmivān | tvadvīryanihate vṛtre vāsavo brahmahatyayā

For the protection of all beings you took on the form of Vishnu. When Vritra was slain by your power, Vasava was seized by the guilt of brahmin-slaying,

Verse 13 (5.13.13)

वृतः सुरगणश्रेष्ठ मोक्षं तस्य विनिर्दिश । तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा देवानां विष्णुरब्रवीत् ॥

vṛtaḥ suragaṇaśreṣṭha mokṣaṃ tasya vinirdiśa | teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā devānāṃ viṣṇurabravīt

and it holds him fast. Show him the way to release, best of the gods." Hearing these words of the gods, Vishnu said:

Verse 14 (5.13.14)

मामेव यजतां शक्रः पावयिष्यामि वज्रिणम् । पुण्येन हयमेधेन मामिष्ट्वा पाकशासनः ॥

māmeva yajatāṃ śakraḥ pāvayiṣyāmi vajriṇam | puṇyena hayamedhena māmiṣṭvā pākaśāsanaḥ

Let Shakra worship me alone, and I will purify the wielder of the thunderbolt. Having worshipped me with the holy horse sacrifice, the chastiser of Paka

Note on the text: No speaker heading in Wikisource; Vishnu's answer (verses 14–15 and the first line of 16), announced in verse 13, is assigned to him.

Verse 15 (5.13.15)

पुनरेष्यति देवानामिन्द्रत्वमकुतोभयः । स्वकर्मभिश्च नहुषो नाशं यास्यति दुर्मतिः ॥

punareṣyati devānāmindratvamakutobhayaḥ | svakarmabhiśca nahuṣo nāśaṃ yāsyati durmatiḥ

will return to the lordship of the gods, fearing nothing from any side. And the evil-minded Nahusha will perish through his own deeds.

Verse 16 (5.13.16)

किंचित्कालमिदं देवा मर्षयध्वमतन्द्रिताः । श्रुत्वा विष्णोः शुभां सत्यां वाणीं ताममृतोपमाम् ॥

kiṃcitkālamidaṃ devā marṣayadhvamatandritāḥ | śrutvā viṣṇoḥ śubhāṃ satyāṃ vāṇīṃ tāmamṛtopamām

"Bear with this for a while, gods, and stay watchful." Hearing Vishnu's words, auspicious, true and like nectar,

Verse 17 (5.13.17)

ततः सर्वे सुरगणाः सोपाध्यायाः सहर्षिभिः । यत्र शक्रो भयोद्विग्नस्तं देशमुपचक्रमुः ॥

tataḥ sarve suragaṇāḥ sopādhyāyāḥ saharṣibhiḥ | yatra śakro bhayodvignastaṃ deśamupacakramuḥ

all the hosts of gods, with their preceptor and the sages, went to the place where Shakra lay hidden in fear.

Verse 18 (5.13.18)

तत्राश्वमेधः सुमहान्महेन्द्रस्य महात्मनः । ववृते पावनार्थं वै ब्रह्महत्यापहो नृप ॥

tatrāśvamedhaḥ sumahānmahendrasya mahātmanaḥ | vavṛte pāvanārthaṃ vai brahmahatyāpaho nṛpa

There a great horse sacrifice was performed to purify the great-souled Mahendra, one that takes away the guilt of slaying a brahmin, O king.

Verse 19 (5.13.19)

विभज्य ब्रह्महत्यां तु वृक्षेषु च नदीषु च । पर्वतेषु पृथिव्यां च स्त्रीषु चैव युधिष्ठिर ॥

vibhajya brahmahatyāṃ tu vṛkṣeṣu ca nadīṣu ca | parvateṣu pṛthivyāṃ ca strīṣu caiva yudhiṣṭhira

Dividing the guilt of brahmin-slaying among the trees and the rivers, the mountains and the earth, and among women, Yudhishthira,

Verse 20 (5.13.20)

संविभज्य च भूतेषु विसृज्य च सुरेश्वरः । विज्वरो धूतपाप्मा च वासवोऽभवदात्मवान् ॥

saṃvibhajya ca bhūteṣu visṛjya ca sureśvaraḥ | vijvaro dhūtapāpmā ca vāsavo'bhavadātmavān

sharing it out among beings and casting it off, Vasava, lord of the gods, was freed from his fever, his sin shaken off, master of himself once more.

Verse 21 (5.13.21)

अकम्प्यं नहुषं स्थानाद्दृष्ट्वा बलनिषूदनः । तेजोघ्नं सर्वभूतानां वरदानाच्च दुःसहम् ॥

akampyaṃ nahuṣaṃ sthānāddṛṣṭvā balaniṣūdanaḥ | tejoghnaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ varadānācca duḥsaham

But the slayer of Bala saw that Nahusha could not be shaken from his place: he drew away the energy of all beings, and his boon made him unbearable.

Verse 22 (5.13.22)

ततः शचीपतिर्देवः पुनरेव व्यनश्यत । अदृश्यः सर्वभूतानां कालाकाङ्क्षी चचार ह ॥

tataḥ śacīpatirdevaḥ punareva vyanaśyata | adṛśyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ kālākāṅkṣī cacāra ha

So the god, Shachi's lord, vanished once more and went about unseen by any being, waiting for his time.

Verse 23 (5.13.23)

प्रनष्टे तु ततः शक्रे शची शोकसमन्विता । हा शक्रेति तदा देवी विललाप सुदुःखिता ॥

pranaṣṭe tu tataḥ śakre śacī śokasamanvitā | hā śakreti tadā devī vilalāpa suduḥkhitā

When Shakra had vanished again, Shachi, overcome with grief, lamented in deep sorrow, crying, "Alas, Shakra!"

Verse 24 (5.13.24)

यदि दत्तं यदि हुतं गुरवस्तोषिता यदि । एकभर्तृत्वमेवास्तु सत्यं यद्यस्ति वा मयि ॥

yadi dattaṃ yadi hutaṃ guravastoṣitā yadi | ekabhartṛtvamevāstu satyaṃ yadyasti vā mayi

If I have given gifts, if I have made offerings, if I have pleased my elders, if there is any truth in me, then let me remain the wife of one husband alone.

Note on the text: No speaker heading in Wikisource; Shachi's lament and prayer (verses 24–25), announced in verse 23, are assigned to her.

Verse 25 (5.13.25)

पुण्यां चेमामहं दिव्यां प्रवृत्तामुत्तरायणे । देवीं रात्रिं नमस्यामि सिध्यतां मे मनोरथः ॥

puṇyāṃ cemāmahaṃ divyāṃ pravṛttāmuttarāyaṇe | devīṃ rātriṃ namasyāmi sidhyatāṃ me manorathaḥ

I bow to this holy, divine goddess, the Night, now begun in the sun's northern course. May my wish be fulfilled.

Verse 26 (5.13.26)

प्रयता च निशां देवीमुपातिष्ठत तत्र सा । पतिव्रतात्वात्सत्येन सोपश्रुतिमथाकरोत् ॥

prayatā ca niśāṃ devīmupātiṣṭhata tatra sā | pativratātvātsatyena sopaśrutimathākarot

Pure and self-restrained, she worshipped the goddess Night there, and by the truth of her devotion to her husband she called upon Upashruti.

Verse 27 (5.13.27)

यत्रास्ते देवराजोऽसौ तं देशं दर्शयस्व मे । इत्याहोपश्रुतिं देवीं सत्यं सत्येन दृश्यताम् ॥

yatrāste devarājo'sau taṃ deśaṃ darśayasva me | ityāhopaśrutiṃ devīṃ satyaṃ satyena dṛśyatām

"Show me the place where the king of the gods is," she said to the goddess Upashruti. "Let truth be seen by truth."