Nahusha Yokes the Sages to His Car

Verse 1 (5.15.1)

एवमुक्तः स भगवाञ्शच्या तां पुनरब्रवीत् । विक्रमस्य न कालोऽयं नहुषो बलवत्तरः ॥

evamuktaḥ sa bhagavāñśacyā tāṃ punarabravīt | vikramasya na kālo'yaṃ nahuṣo balavattaraḥ

Addressed thus by Shachi, the blessed lord said to her again: "This is no time for valour; Nahusha is the stronger.

Verse 2 (5.15.2)

विवर्द्धितश्च ऋषिभिर्हव्यकव्यैश्च भामिनि । नीतिमत्र विधास्यामि देवि तां कर्तुमर्हसि ॥

vivarddhitaśca ṛṣibhirhavyakavyaiśca bhāmini | nītimatra vidhāsyāmi devi tāṃ kartumarhasi

The sages have made him strong with offerings to the gods and to the ancestors, radiant lady. I will devise a plan in this matter; you must carry it out, goddess.

Note on the text: No speaker heading in Wikisource; Indra's counsel (verses 2–4), begun in verse 1, is assigned to him.

Verse 3 (5.15.3)

गुह्यं चैतत्त्वया कार्यं नाख्यातव्यं शुभे क्वचित् । गत्वा नहुषमेकान्ते ब्रवीहि च सुमध्यमे ॥

guhyaṃ caitattvayā kāryaṃ nākhyātavyaṃ śubhe kvacit | gatvā nahuṣamekānte bravīhi ca sumadhyame

You must keep this secret; tell it to no one, fair lady. Go to Nahusha in private, slender-waisted one, and say:

Verse 4 (5.15.4)

ऋषियानेन दिव्येन मामुपैहि जगत्पते । एवं तव वशे प्रीता भविष्यामीति तं वद ॥

ṛṣiyānena divyena māmupaihi jagatpate | evaṃ tava vaśe prītā bhaviṣyāmīti taṃ vada

"Come to me, lord of the world, in a divine carriage borne by sages; then I will gladly be yours." Tell him that.

Verse 5 (5.15.5)

इत्युक्ता देवराजेन पत्नी सा कमलेक्षणा । एवमस्त्वित्यथोक्त्वा तु जगाम नहुषं प्रति ॥

ityuktā devarājena patnī sā kamalekṣaṇā | evamastvityathoktvā tu jagāma nahuṣaṃ prati

Told this by the king of the gods, his lotus-eyed wife said, "So be it," and went to Nahusha.

Verse 6 (5.15.6)

नहुषस्तां ततो दृष्ट्वा सस्मितो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । स्वागतं ते वरारोहे किं करोमि शुचिस्मिते ॥

nahuṣastāṃ tato dṛṣṭvā sasmito vākyamabravīt | svāgataṃ te varārohe kiṃ karomi śucismite

Seeing her, Nahusha smiled and said: "Welcome, fair-hipped one. What shall I do for you, sweetly smiling lady?

Verse 7 (5.15.7)

भक्तं मां भज कल्याणि किमिच्छसि मनस्विनि । तव कल्याणि यत्कार्यं तत्करिष्ये सुमध्यमे ॥

bhaktaṃ māṃ bhaja kalyāṇi kimicchasi manasvini | tava kalyāṇi yatkāryaṃ tatkariṣye sumadhyame

Accept me, who am devoted to you, lovely one. What do you desire, proud lady? Whatever you need done, fair one, I will do it, slender-waisted one.

Note on the text: No speaker heading in Wikisource; Nahusha's words (verses 7–8), begun in verse 6, are assigned to him.

Verse 8 (5.15.8)

न च व्रीडा त्वया कार्या सुश्रोणि मयि विश्वसेः । सत्येन वै शपे देवि करिष्ये वचनं तव ॥

na ca vrīḍā tvayā kāryā suśroṇi mayi viśvaseḥ | satyena vai śape devi kariṣye vacanaṃ tava

Do not be shy, lovely-hipped one; trust in me. I swear by truth, goddess: I will do as you say.

Note on the text: Corrected पशे → शपे (misprint in Wikisource; transposed aksharas; the CE reads śape).

Verse 9 (5.15.9)

यो मे कृतस्त्वया कालस्तमाकाङ्क्षे जगत्पते । ततस्त्वमेव भर्ता मे भविष्यसि सुराधिप ॥

yo me kṛtastvayā kālastamākāṅkṣe jagatpate | tatastvameva bhartā me bhaviṣyasi surādhipa

I am waiting out the time you granted me, lord of the world. After that, you alone will be my husband, ruler of the gods.

Note on the text: Corrected सुराधिम → सुराधिप (misprint in Wikisource; म for प; the CE reads surādhipa).

Verse 10 (5.15.10)

कार्यं च हृदि मे यत्तद्देवराजावधारय । वक्ष्यामि यदि मे राजन्प्रियमेतत्करिष्यसि ॥

kāryaṃ ca hṛdi me yattaddevarājāvadhāraya | vakṣyāmi yadi me rājanpriyametatkariṣyasi

And there is a wish in my heart; hear it, king of the gods. I will tell it, O king, if you will do this kindness for me —

Verse 11 (5.15.11)

वाक्यं प्रणयसंयुक्तं ततः स्यां वशगा तव । इन्द्रस्य वाजिनो वाहा हस्तिनोऽथ रथास्तथा ॥

vākyaṃ praṇayasaṃyuktaṃ tataḥ syāṃ vaśagā tava | indrasya vājino vāhā hastino'tha rathāstathā

a request made out of love; then I will be yours. Indra had horses, elephants and chariots to carry him.

Verse 12 (5.15.12)

इच्छाम्यहमथापूर्वं वाहनं ते सुराधिप । यन्न विष्णोर्न रुद्रस्य न सुराणां न रक्षसाम् ॥

icchāmyahamathāpūrvaṃ vāhanaṃ te surādhipa | yanna viṣṇorna rudrasya na surāṇāṃ na rakṣasām

I want for you a mount never seen before, lord of the gods, one that belongs neither to Vishnu nor to Rudra, neither to the gods nor to the Rakshasas.

Verse 13 (5.15.13)

वहन्तु त्वां महाभागा ऋषयः सङ्गता विभो । सर्वे शिबिकया राजन्नेतद्धि मम रोचते ॥

vahantu tvāṃ mahābhāgā ṛṣayaḥ saṅgatā vibho | sarve śibikayā rājannetaddhi mama rocate

Let the illustrious sages, all gathered together, carry you in a palanquin, my lord, O king. That is what pleases me.

Verse 14 (5.15.14)

नासुरेषु न देवेषु तुल्यो भवितुमर्हसि । सर्वेषां तेज आदत्से स्वेन वीर्येण दर्शनात् ॥

nāsureṣu na deveṣu tulyo bhavitumarhasi | sarveṣāṃ teja ādatse svena vīryeṇa darśanāt

You should not be a mere equal among the Asuras or the gods. By your own power you take away the energy of all simply by looking at them.

Verse 15 (5.15.15)

न ते प्रमुखतः स्थातुं कश्चिच्छक्नोति वीर्यवान् ॥

na te pramukhataḥ sthātuṃ kaścicchaknoti vīryavān

No one, however mighty, can stand before you.

Note on the text: Wikisource prints a शल्य उवाच heading after the first line of verse 15, so the verse is split there; this line (CE 5.15.13ef) ends Indrani's speech.

Verse 16 (5.15.16)

एवमुक्तस्तु नहुषः प्राहृष्यत तदा किल । उवाच वचनं चापि सुरेन्द्रस्तामनिन्दिताम् ॥

evamuktastu nahuṣaḥ prāhṛṣyata tadā kila | uvāca vacanaṃ cāpi surendrastāmaninditām

Spoken to in this way, Nahusha was overjoyed, they say, and the lord of the gods spoke these words to the blameless lady:

Note on the text: Second and third lines of Wikisource verse 15, after the शल्य उवाच heading printed mid-verse.

Verse 17 (5.15.17)

अपूर्वं वाहनमिदं त्वयोक्तं वरवर्णिनि । दृढं मे रुचिरं देवि त्वद्वशोऽस्मि वरानने ॥

apūrvaṃ vāhanamidaṃ tvayoktaṃ varavarṇini | dṛḍhaṃ me ruciraṃ devi tvadvaśo'smi varānane

This mount you have named has never been known before, lovely lady. It pleases me greatly, goddess; I am in your power, fair-faced one.

Verse 18 (5.15.18)

न ह्यल्पवीर्यो भवति यो वाहान्कुरुते मुनीन् । अहं तपस्वी बलवान्भूतभव्यभवत्प्रभुः ॥

na hyalpavīryo bhavati yo vāhānkurute munīn | ahaṃ tapasvī balavānbhūtabhavyabhavatprabhuḥ

No one of little power makes sages his bearers. I am an ascetic and strong, lord of what has been, what will be and what is.

Verse 19 (5.15.19)

मयि क्रुद्धे जगन्न स्यान्मयि सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् । देवदानवगन्धर्वाः किन्नरोरगराक्षसाः ॥

mayi kruddhe jaganna syānmayi sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam | devadānavagandharvāḥ kinnaroragarākṣasāḥ

If I were angered, the world would cease to be; everything rests on me. Gods, Danavas and Gandharvas, Kinnaras, serpents and Rakshasas —

Verse 20 (5.15.20)

न मे क्रुद्धस्य पर्याप्ताः सर्वे लोकाः शुचिस्मिते । चक्षुषा यं प्रपश्यामि तस्य तेजो हराम्यहम् ॥

na me kruddhasya paryāptāḥ sarve lokāḥ śucismite | cakṣuṣā yaṃ prapaśyāmi tasya tejo harāmyaham

all the worlds together are no match for me when I am angry, sweetly smiling one. Whomever I look upon with my eyes, I take away his energy.

Verse 21 (5.15.21)

अहमिन्द्रोऽस्मि देवानां लोकानां च महेश्वरः । मयि हव्यं च कव्यं च लोकाश्चैव सनातनाः । तस्मात्ते वचनं देवि करिष्यामि न संशयः ॥

ahamindro'smi devānāṃ lokānāṃ ca maheśvaraḥ | mayi havyaṃ ca kavyaṃ ca lokāścaiva sanātanāḥ | tasmātte vacanaṃ devi kariṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ

I am Indra of the gods and the great lord of the worlds. In me rest the offerings to the gods and to the ancestors, and the eternal worlds. So, goddess, I will do as you say, have no doubt of it.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (` and ') around the first two lines. Lines 1–2 are not in the critical edition's text (its apparatus has them as 5.15.18d*0105); line 3 is CE 5.15.19ab.

Verse 22 (5.15.22)

सप्तर्षयो मां वक्ष्यन्ति सर्वे ब्रह्मर्षयस्तथा । पश्य माहात्म्ययोगं मे ऋद्धिं च वरवर्णिनि ॥

saptarṣayo māṃ vakṣyanti sarve brahmarṣayastathā | paśya māhātmyayogaṃ me ṛddhiṃ ca varavarṇini

The seven sages and all the brahmin sages will carry me. Behold my greatness and my glory, lovely lady.

Verse 23 (5.15.23)

एवमुक्त्वा तु तां देवीं विसृज्य च वराननाम् । अथ संचिन्त्य नहुषो बलवीर्येण भारत ॥

evamuktvā tu tāṃ devīṃ visṛjya ca varānanām | atha saṃcintya nahuṣo balavīryeṇa bhārata

Having said this to the goddess and dismissed the lovely-faced lady, Nahusha then took thought, O Bharata, proud of his strength and valour,

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki mark (`) before the second line. Line 1 is CE 5.15.20ab; line 2 is not in the critical edition's text (its apparatus has it as 5.15.20b*0107, line 1).

Verse 24 (5.15.24)

विसृज्य सुप्रतीकं च नागमैरावतं तथा । हंसयुक्तं विमानं च हरियुक्तं तथा रथम् ॥

visṛjya supratīkaṃ ca nāgamairāvataṃ tathā | haṃsayuktaṃ vimānaṃ ca hariyuktaṃ tathā ratham

and setting aside the elephants Supratika and Airavata, the aerial car drawn by swans and the chariot drawn by bay horses,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's text; its apparatus has it as 5.15.20b*0107, lines 2–3.

Verse 25 (5.15.25)

स तु दर्पेण महता परिभूय महामुनीन् । विमाने योजयित्वा च ऋषीन्नियममास्थितान् ॥

sa tu darpeṇa mahatā paribhūya mahāmunīn | vimāne yojayitvā ca ṛṣīnniyamamāsthitān

in his great arrogance he scorned the great sages and yoked to his car the sages who kept their vows.

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki mark (') after the first line, and corrected ऋषीन्नियमामास्थितान् → ऋषीन्नियममास्थितान् (misprint in Wikisource; the CE reads niyamam āsthitān). Line 1 is not in the critical edition's text (its apparatus has it as 5.15.20b*0107, line 4); line 2 is CE 5.15.20cd (च for sa).

Verse 26 (5.15.26)

अब्रह्मण्यो बलोपेतो मत्तो मदबलेन च । कामवृत्तः स दुष्टात्मा वाहयामास तानृषीन् ॥

abrahmaṇyo balopeto matto madabalena ca | kāmavṛttaḥ sa duṣṭātmā vāhayāmāsa tānṛṣīn

Hostile to brahmins, full of strength, drunk with pride and power, a slave to desire, the wicked one made those sages carry him.

Verse 27 (5.15.27)

नहुषेण विसृष्टा च बृहस्पतिमथाब्रवीत् । समयोऽल्पावशेषो मे नहुषेणेह यः कृतः ॥

nahuṣeṇa visṛṣṭā ca bṛhaspatimathābravīt | samayo'lpāvaśeṣo me nahuṣeṇeha yaḥ kṛtaḥ

Dismissed by Nahusha, Indrani said to Brihaspati: "Little is left of the time that Nahusha set for me here.

Verse 28 (5.15.28)

शक्रं मृगय शीघ्रं त्वं भक्तायाः कुरु मे दयाम् । बाढमित्येव भगवान्बृहस्पतिरुवाच ताम् ॥

śakraṃ mṛgaya śīghraṃ tvaṃ bhaktāyāḥ kuru me dayām | bāḍhamityeva bhagavānbṛhaspatiruvāca tām

Search for Shakra quickly; have pity on me, your devotee." "Very well," the blessed Brihaspati said to her.

Verse 29 (5.15.29)

न भेतव्यं त्वया देवि नहुषाद्दुष्टचेतसः । न ह्येष स्थास्यति चिरं गत एष नराधमः ॥

na bhetavyaṃ tvayā devi nahuṣādduṣṭacetasaḥ | na hyeṣa sthāsyati ciraṃ gata eṣa narādhamaḥ

You need not fear the evil-hearted Nahusha, goddess. He will not last long; that lowest of men is as good as gone.

Note on the text: No speaker heading in Wikisource; Brihaspati's reassurance (verses 28–29 and the first line of 30), announced in verse 27, is assigned to him.

Verse 30 (5.15.30)

अधर्मज्ञो महर्षीणां वाहनाच्च हतः शुभे । इष्टिं चाहं करिष्यामि विनाशायास्य दुर्मतेः ॥

adharmajño maharṣīṇāṃ vāhanācca hataḥ śubhe | iṣṭiṃ cāhaṃ kariṣyāmi vināśāyāsya durmateḥ

Ignorant of dharma, he is already struck down, fair one, for making the great sages his bearers. And I will perform a rite for the destruction of that evil-minded one.

Verse 31 (5.15.31)

शक्रं चाधिगमिष्यामि माभैस्त्वं भद्रमस्तु ते । ततः प्रज्वाल्य विधिवज्जुहाव परमं हविः ॥

śakraṃ cādhigamiṣyāmi mābhaistvaṃ bhadramastu te | tataḥ prajvālya vidhivajjuhāva paramaṃ haviḥ

"And I will find Shakra. Do not be afraid; may all be well with you." Then, kindling the fire according to the rites, he offered the supreme oblation —

Verse 32 (5.15.32)

बृहस्पतिर्महातेजा देवराजोपलब्धये । हुत्वाऽग्निं सोऽब्रवीद्राजञ्छक्रमन्विष्यतामिति ॥

bṛhaspatirmahātejā devarājopalabdhaye | hutvā'gniṃ so'bravīdrājañchakramanviṣyatāmiti

the radiant Brihaspati, to find the king of the gods. Having made the offering into the fire, he said, O king, "Let Shakra be sought."

Note on the text: Corrected सोब्रवीद् → सोऽब्रवीद् (missing avagraha) and राजञ्छक्र अन्विष्यताम् → राजञ्छक्रमन्विष्यताम् (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped म् left an impossible hiatus; the CE apparatus reads śakram anviṣyatām). Line 1 is CE 5.15.26cd; line 2 is not in the critical edition's text (its apparatus has it as 5.15.26d*0108).

Verse 33 (5.15.33)

तस्माच्च भगवान्देवः स्वयमेव हुताशनः । स्त्रीवेषमद्भुतं कृत्वा तत्रैवान्तरधीयत ॥

tasmācca bhagavāndevaḥ svayameva hutāśanaḥ | strīveṣamadbhutaṃ kṛtvā tatraivāntaradhīyata

Out of that fire the blessed god himself, Agni the eater of oblations, took on the wondrous form of a woman and vanished on the spot.

Verse 34 (5.15.34)

स दिशः प्रदिशश्चैव पर्वतांश्च वनानि च । पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षं च विचित्याथ मनोगतिः । निमेषान्तरमात्रेण बृहस्पतिमुपागमत् ॥

sa diśaḥ pradiśaścaiva parvatāṃśca vanāni ca | pṛthivīṃ cāntarikṣaṃ ca vicityātha manogatiḥ | nimeṣāntaramātreṇa bṛhaspatimupāgamat

Swift as thought, he searched the directions and the spaces between them, the mountains and the forests, the earth and the sky, and in the space of a blink he came back to Brihaspati.

Verse 35 (5.15.35)

बृहस्पते न पश्यामि देवराजमिह क्वचित् । आपः शेषाः सदा चापः प्रवेष्टुं नोत्सहाम्यहम् ॥

bṛhaspate na paśyāmi devarājamiha kvacit | āpaḥ śeṣāḥ sadā cāpaḥ praveṣṭuṃ notsahāmyaham

Brihaspati, I do not see the king of the gods anywhere here. Only the waters remain, and the waters I can never bring myself to enter.

Verse 36 (5.15.36)

न मे तत्र गतिर्ब्रह्मन्किमन्यत्करवाणि ते । तमब्रवीद्देवगुरुरपो विश महाद्युते ॥

na me tatra gatirbrahmankimanyatkaravāṇi te | tamabravīddevagururapo viśa mahādyute

"I have no way in there, brahmin; what else can I do for you?" The preceptor of the gods said to him, "Enter the waters, radiant one."

Note on the text: The second line is narration giving Brihaspati's reply; Wikisource prints no heading for it (the critical edition prints śalya uvāca before it, as 5.15.30), so the verse is kept whole under Agni, whose heading stands above verse 34. Line 1 is CE 5.15.29ef; line 2 is CE 5.15.30ab.

Verse 37 (5.15.37)

नापः प्रवेष्टुं शक्ष्यामि क्षयो मेऽत्र भविष्यति । शरणं त्वां प्रपन्नोऽस्मि स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु महाद्युते ॥

nāpaḥ praveṣṭuṃ śakṣyāmi kṣayo me'tra bhaviṣyati | śaraṇaṃ tvāṃ prapanno'smi svasti te'stu mahādyute

I cannot enter the waters; I would be destroyed there. I have come to you for refuge; may all be well with you, radiant one.

Note on the text: Corrected तेस्तु → तेऽस्तु (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha; the CE reads te 'stu).

Verse 38 (5.15.38)

अद्भ्योऽग्निर्ब्रह्मतः क्षत्रमश्मनो लोहमुत्थितम् । तेषां सर्वत्रगं तेजः स्वासु योनिषु शाम्यति ॥

adbhyo'gnirbrahmataḥ kṣatramaśmano lohamutthitam | teṣāṃ sarvatragaṃ tejaḥ svāsu yoniṣu śāmyati

Fire arose from the waters, the Kshatriya from the Brahmin, iron from stone. Their power, which reaches everywhere, is quenched in the sources they came from.