The Transcendental Qualities of Vritrasura

Verse 1 (bhagavata.6.11.1)

श्रीशुक उवाच त एवं शंसतो धर्मं वचः पत्युरचेतसः । नैवागृह्णन्त सम्भ्रान्ताः पलायनपरा नृप ॥ 11.1 ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca ta evaṁ śaṁsato dharmaṁ vacaḥ patyur acetasaḥ naivāgṛhṇanta sambhrāntāḥ palāyana-parā nṛpa

Sri Shuka said: O King, though their lord thus proclaimed dharma to them, those bewildered demon soldiers, intent only upon fleeing, did not heed his words at all.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.6.11.2)

विशीर्यमाणां पृतनामासुरीमसुरर्षभः । कालानुकूलैस्त्रिदशैः काल्यमानामनाथवत् ॥ 11.2 ॥

viśīryamāṇāṁ pṛtanām āsurīm asurarṣabhaḥ kālānukūlais tridaśaiḥ kālyamānām anāthavat

Best of the asuras, seeing his own demon army being scattered and driven, as if leaderless, by the demigods who were favored by time,

Verse 3 (bhagavata.6.11.3)

दृष्ट्वातप्यत सङ्कुद्ध इन्द्रशत्रुरमर्षितः । तान् निवार्यौजसा राजन् निर्भर्त्स्येदमुवाच ह ॥ 11.3 ॥

dṛṣṭvātapyata saṅkruddha indra-śatrur amarṣitaḥ tān nivāryaujasā rājan nirbhartsyedam uvāca ha

— seeing this, he, called Indrashatru, grew tormented, deeply angered and unable to bear it; and, O King, having forcefully checked the demons' flight, he rebuked them with these words.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.6.11.4)

किं व उच्चरितैर्मातुर्धावद्भिः पृष्ठतो हतैः । न हि भीतवधः श्लाघ्यो न स्वर्ग्यः शूरमानिनाम् ॥ 11.4 ॥

kiṁ va uccaritair mātur dhāvadbhiḥ pṛṣṭhato hataiḥ na hi bhīta-vadhaḥ ślāghyo na svargyaḥ śūra-māninām

"What use are you — mere excrement of your mothers — fleeing and struck down from behind? Killing the frightened is neither praiseworthy nor a path to heaven for those who consider themselves heroes.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.6.11.5)

यदि वः प्रधने श्रद्धा सारं वा क्षुल्लका हृदि । अग्रे तिष्ठत मात्रं मे न चेद ग्राम्यसुखे स्पृहा ॥ 11.5 ॥

yadi vaḥ pradhane śraddhā sāraṁ vā kṣullakā hṛdi agre tiṣṭhata mātraṁ me na ced grāmya-sukhe spṛhā

O petty ones, if you truly have faith in battle, or any substance at heart, then stand before me for just a moment — that is, if you have no craving for common comforts."

Verse 6 (bhagavata.6.11.6)

एवं सुरगणान् क्रुद्धो भीषयन् वपुषा रिपून् । व्यनदत् सुमहाप्राणो येन लोका विचेतसः ॥ 11.6 ॥

evaṁ sura-gaṇān kruddho bhīṣayan vapuṣā ripūn vyanadat sumahā-prāṇo yena lokā vicetasaḥ

Thus, in anger, terrifying his enemies the demigods with his very body, that immensely powerful being roared so loudly that living beings everywhere lost their senses.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.6.11.7)

तेन देवगणाः सर्वे वृत्रविस्फोटनेन वै । निपेतुर्मूर्च्छिता भूमौ यथैवाशनिना हताः ॥ 11.7 ॥

tena deva-gaṇāḥ sarve vṛtra-visphoṭanena vai nipetur mūrcchitā bhūmau yathaivāśaninā hatāḥ

By that thunderous roar of Vritra, all the demigods fell unconscious to the ground, as though struck by a thunderbolt.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.6.11.8)

ममर्द पद्भ्यां सुरसैन्यमातुरं निमीलिताक्षं रणरङ्गदुर्मदः । गां कम्पयन्नुद्यतशूल ओजसा नालं वनं यूथपतिर्यथोन्मदः ॥ 11.8 ॥

mamarda padbhyāṁ sura-sainyam āturaṁ nimīlitākṣaṁ raṇa-raṅga-durmadaḥ gāṁ kampayann udyata-śūla ojasā nālaṁ vanaṁ yūtha-patir yathonmadaḥ

Wild with the frenzy of battle, trident raised, shaking the earth with his might, he trampled with his feet the demigod army — eyes closed, overwhelmed — just as a maddened elephant tramples a bamboo grove.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.6.11.9)

विलोक्य तं वज्रधरोऽत्यमर्षितः स्वशत्रवेऽभिद्रवते महागदाम् । चिक्षेप तामापततीं सुदुःसहां जग्राह वामेन करेण लीलया ॥ 11.9 ॥

vilokya taṁ vajra-dharo ’tyamarṣitaḥ sva-śatrave ’bhidravate mahā-gadām cikṣepa tām āpatatīṁ suduḥsahāṁ jagrāha vāmena kareṇa līlayā

Seeing him thus, the wielder of the thunderbolt, unable to bear it, hurled his great mace at his charging enemy; but Vritra caught that unbearable, oncoming mace with his left hand, effortlessly, as if in play.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.6.11.10)

स इन्द्रशत्रुः कुपितो भृशं तया महेन्द्रवाहं गदयोरुविक्रमः । जघान कुम्भस्थल उन्नदन्मृधे तत्कर्म सर्वे समपूजयन्नृप ॥ 11.10 ॥

sa indra-śatruḥ kupito bhṛśaṁ tayā mahendra-vāhaṁ gadayoru-vikramaḥ jaghāna kumbha-sthala unnadan mṛdhe tat karma sarve samapūjayan nṛpa

O King, that Indrashatru, of tremendous prowess, greatly angered, struck Mahendra's elephant on its forehead with that very mace, roaring on the battlefield; and all present, on both sides, honored that feat.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.6.11.11)

ऐरावतो वृत्रगदाभिमृष्टो विघूर्णितोऽद्रिः कुलिशाहतो यथा । अपासरद् भिन्नमुखः सहेन्द्रो मुञ्चन्नसृक् सप्तधनुर्भृशार्तः ॥ 11.11 ॥

airāvato vṛtra-gadābhimṛṣṭo vighūrṇito ’driḥ kuliśāhato yathā apāsarad bhinna-mukhaḥ sahendro muñcann asṛk sapta-dhanur bhṛśārtaḥ

Struck by Vritra's mace, the elephant Airavata reeled like a mountain struck by the thunderbolt, and, its face broken, bleeding, in great agony, staggered back seven bow-lengths, Indra still upon it.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.6.11.12)

न सन्नवाहाय विषण्णचेतसे प्रायुङ्क्त भूयः स गदां महात्मा । इन्द्रोऽमृतस्यन्दिकराभिमर्श वीतव्यथक्षतवाहोऽवतस्थे ॥ 11.12 ॥

na sanna-vāhāya viṣaṇṇa-cetase prāyuṅkta bhūyaḥ sa gadāṁ mahātmā indro ’mṛta-syandi-karābhimarśa- vīta-vyatha-kṣata-vāho ’vatasthe

That great soul did not strike again with his mace at the exhausted mount and its downcast rider; meanwhile Indra, touching his wounded carrier with his nectar-dripping hand, relieved its pain and injury, and both stood still.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.6.11.13)

स तं नृपेन्द्राहवकाम्यया रिपुं वज्रायुधं भ्रातृहणं विलोक्य । स्मरंश्च तत्कर्म नृशंसमंहः शोकेन मोहेन हसञ्जगाद ॥ 11.13 ॥

sa taṁ nṛpendrāhava-kāmyayā ripuṁ vajrāyudhaṁ bhrātṛ-haṇaṁ vilokya smaraṁś ca tat-karma nṛ-śaṁsam aṁhaḥ śokena mohena hasañ jagāda

O best of kings, seeing before him, thunderbolt in hand and eager for battle, that very enemy who had slain his brother, and recalling that cruel and sinful deed, Vritra, overcome by grief and confusion, spoke while laughing bitterly.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.6.11.14)

श्रीवृत्र उवाच दिष्ट्या भवान् मे समवस्थितो रिपु- र्यो ब्रह्महा गुरुहा भ्रातृहा च । दिष्ट्यानृणोऽद्याहमसत्तम त्वया मच्छूलनिर्भिन्नदृषद्धृदाचिरात् ॥ 11.14 ॥

śrī-vṛtra uvāca diṣṭyā bhavān me samavasthito ripur yo brahma-hā guru-hā bhrātṛ-hā ca diṣṭyānṛṇo ’dyāham asattama tvayā mac-chūla-nirbhinna-dṛṣad-dhṛdācirāt

Sri Vritra said: "By good fortune, that enemy of mine stands before me — the killer of a brahmana, the killer of a guru, and the killer of my own brother! O most vile one, by good fortune I shall soon be freed of my debt, when my trident pierces your stone-hard heart.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.6.11.15)

यो नोऽग्रजस्यात्मविदो द्विजाते- र्गुरोरपापस्य च दीक्षितस्य । विश्रभ्य खड्गेन शिरांस्यवृश्चत् पशोरिवाकरुणः स्वर्गकामः ॥ 11.15 ॥

yo no ’grajasyātma-vido dvijāter guror apāpasya ca dīkṣitasya viśrabhya khaḍgena śirāṁsy avṛścat paśor ivākaruṇaḥ svarga-kāmaḥ

You, merely desiring heaven, mercilessly struck off, with a sword and as if butchering an animal, the heads of my elder brother — a self-realized, sinless brahmana, your own initiated guru, who had trusted you completely.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.6.11.16)

श्रीह्रीदयाकीर्तिभिरुज्झितं त्वां स्वकर्मणा पुरुषादैश्च गर्ह्यम् । कृच्छ्रेण मच्छूलविभिन्नदेह- मस्पृष्टवह्निं समदन्ति गृध्राः ॥ 11.16 ॥

śrī-hrī-dayā-kīrtibhir ujjhitaṁ tvāṁ sva-karmaṇā puruṣādaiś ca garhyam kṛcchreṇa mac-chūla-vibhinna-deham aspṛṣṭa-vahniṁ samadanti gṛdhrāḥ

Bereft of glory, modesty, compassion and honor because of your own deed, condemned even by cannibals, your body — after being pierced with great effort by my trident — untouched even by fire, shall be eaten by vultures.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.6.11.17)

अन्येऽनु ये त्वेह नृशंसमज्ञा यदुद्यतास्त्राः प्रहरन्ति मह्यम् । तैर्भूतनाथान् सगणान् निशात त्रिशूलनिर्भिन्नगलैर्यजामि ॥ 11.17 ॥

anye ’nu ye tveha nṛ-śaṁsam ajñā yad udyatāstrāḥ praharanti mahyam tair bhūta-nāthān sagaṇān niśāta- triśūla-nirbhinna-galair yajāmi

Whatever other demigods, ignorant of my cruel strength, raise their weapons and strike at me — with their throats pierced by this sharpened trident, I shall offer worship to Bhutanatha and his hosts.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.6.11.18)

अथो हरे मे कुलिशेन वीर हर्ता प्रमथ्यैव शिरो यदीह । तत्रानृणो भूतबलिं विधाय मनस्विनां पादरजः प्रपत्स्ये ॥ 11.18 ॥

atho hare me kuliśena vīra hartā pramathyaiva śiro yadīha tatrānṛṇo bhūta-baliṁ vidhāya manasvināṁ pāda-rajaḥ prapatsye

But if, O hero Indra, you instead strike off and take my head with your thunderbolt in this battle, then, my debts discharged by that offering of my body to living beings, I shall attain the dust of the feet of the wise.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.6.11.19)

सुरेश कस्मान्न हिनोषि वज्रं पुरः स्थिते वैरिणि मय्यमोघम् । मा संशयिष्ठा न गदेव वज्रः स्यान्निष्फलः कृपणार्थेव याच्ञा ॥ 11.19 ॥

sureśa kasmān na hinoṣi vajraṁ puraḥ sthite vairiṇi mayy amogham mā saṁśayiṣṭhā na gadeva vajraḥ syān niṣphalaḥ kṛpaṇārtheva yācñā

O lord of the gods, why do you not release your unfailing thunderbolt, when your enemy stands right before you? Have no doubt — unlike your mace, the thunderbolt shall not prove fruitless, like a beggar's plea before a miser.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.6.11.20)

नन्वेष वज्रस्तव शक्र तेजसा हरेर्दधीचेस्तपसा च तेजितः । तेनैव शत्रुं जहि विष्णुयन्त्रितो यतो हरिर्विजयः श्रीर्गुणास्ततः ॥ 11.20 ॥

nanv eṣa vajras tava śakra tejasā harer dadhīces tapasā ca tejitaḥ tenaiva śatruṁ jahi viṣṇu-yantrito yato harir vijayaḥ śrīr guṇās tataḥ

For truly, O Shakra, this thunderbolt of yours has been charged by the power of Hari and by Dadhichi's austerity; guided by Vishnu, slay your enemy with it alone — for wherever Hari is, there is victory, prosperity, and every virtue.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.6.11.21)

अहं समाधाय मनो यथाह नः सङ्कर्षणस्तच्चरणारविन्दे । त्वद्वज्ररंहोलुलितग्राम्यपाशो गतिं मुनेर्याम्यपविद्धलोकः ॥ 11.21 ॥

ahaṁ samādhāya mano yathāha naḥ saṅkarṣaṇas tac-caraṇāravinde tvad-vajra-raṁho-lulita-grāmya-pāśo gatiṁ muner yāmy apaviddha-lokaḥ

Fixing my mind, as Lord Sankarshana Himself once instructed us, upon His lotus feet, my worldly bonds shattered by the swiftness of your thunderbolt, casting off this world, I shall attain the very destination of the sages.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.6.11.22)

पुंसां किलैकान्तधियां स्वकानां याः सम्पदो दिवि भूमौ रसायाम् । न राति यद्द्वेष उद्वेग आधि- र्मदः कलिर्व्यसनं सम्प्रयासः ॥ 11.22 ॥

puṁsāṁ kilaikānta-dhiyāṁ svakānāṁ yāḥ sampado divi bhūmau rasāyām na rāti yad dveṣa udvega ādhir madaḥ kalir vyasanaṁ samprayāsaḥ

To those of His own who are single-mindedly devoted, the Lord does not grant the kind of prosperity found in heaven, on earth, or in the netherworld — since such prosperity brings only enmity, anxiety, mental torment, pride, quarrel, misfortune, and endless exertion.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.6.11.23)

त्रैवर्गिकायासविघातमस्मत्- पतिर्विधत्ते पुरुषस्य शक्र । ततोऽनुमेयो भगवत्प्रसादो यो दुर्लभोऽकिञ्चनगोचरोऽन्यैः ॥ 11.23 ॥

trai-vargikāyāsa-vighātam asmat- patir vidhatte puruṣasya śakra tato ’numeyo bhagavat-prasādo yo durlabho ’kiñcana-gocaro ’nyaiḥ

O Shakra, our Lord obstructs even the toil spent in pursuit of the three worldly goals — dharma, artha, and kama — for His devotee; from this alone one may infer the Lord's grace, a grace hard for others to attain, accessible only to those who possess nothing.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.6.11.24)

अहं हरे तव पादैकमूल- दासानुदासो भवितास्मि भूयः । मनः स्मरेतासुपतेर्गुणांस्ते गृणीत वाक् कर्म करोतु कायः ॥ 11.24 ॥

ahaṁ hare tava pādaika-mūla- dāsānudāso bhavitāsmi bhūyaḥ manaḥ smaretāsu-pater guṇāṁs te gṛṇīta vāk karma karotu kāyaḥ

O Hari, may I again become the servant of the servants who take shelter solely at the root of Your feet — may my mind remember Your qualities, O Lord of my very life-breath, my speech proclaim them, and my body perform acts of service to You.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.6.11.25)

न नाकपृष्ठं न च पारमेष्ठ्यं न सार्वभौमं न रसाधिपत्यम् । न योगसिद्धीरपुनर्भवं वा समञ्जस त्वा विरहय्य काङ्क्षे ॥ 11.25 ॥

na nāka-pṛṣṭhaṁ na ca pārameṣṭhyaṁ na sārva-bhaumaṁ na rasādhipatyam na yoga-siddhīr apunar-bhavaṁ vā samañjasa tvā virahayya kāṅkṣe

O perfectly just Lord, I do not desire the summit of heaven, nor the position of Brahma, nor sovereignty over the whole earth, nor lordship of the netherworld, nor the perfections of yoga, nor even liberation itself, if it means being parted from You.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.6.11.26)

अजातपक्षा इव मातरं खगाः स्तन्यं यथा वत्सतराः क्षुधार्ताः । प्रियं प्रियेव व्युषितं विषण्णा मनोऽरविन्दाक्ष दिदृक्षते त्वाम् ॥ 11.26 ॥

ajāta-pakṣā iva mātaraṁ khagāḥ stanyaṁ yathā vatsatarāḥ kṣudh-ārtāḥ priyaṁ priyeva vyuṣitaṁ viṣaṇṇā mano ’ravindākṣa didṛkṣate tvām

As unfledged birds long for their mother, as hunger-stricken calves long for the milk of their mothers, as a grieving wife longs for her beloved husband away from home — so, O lotus-eyed Lord, does my mind long to see You.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.6.11.27)

ममोत्तमश्लोकजनेषु सख्यं संसारचक्रे भ्रमतः स्वकर्मभिः । त्वन्माययात्मात्मजदारगेहे- ष्वासक्तचित्तस्य न नाथ भूयात् ॥ 11.27 ॥

mamottamaśloka-janeṣu sakhyaṁ saṁsāra-cakre bhramataḥ sva-karmabhiḥ tvan-māyayātmātmaja-dāra-geheṣv āsakta-cittasya na nātha bhūyāt

As I wander in this wheel of birth and death, driven by my own deeds, may I have friendship with those devoted to Your glorious praise; and, O Lord, may my mind never again, through Your maya, become attached to this body, to children, wife, and home."