Vritrasura's Glorious Death

Verse 1 (bhagavata.6.12.1)

श्रीऋषिरुवाच एवं जिहासुर्नृप देहमाजौ मृत्युं वरं विजयान्मन्यमानः । शूलं प्रगृह्याभ्यपतत् सुरेन्द्रं यथा महापुरुषं कैटभोऽप्सु ॥ 12.1 ॥

śrī-ṛṣir uvāca evaṁ jihāsur nṛpa deham ājau mṛtyuṁ varaṁ vijayān manyamānaḥ śūlaṁ pragṛhyābhyapatat surendraṁ yathā mahā-puruṣaṁ kaiṭabho ’psu

The sage said: O King, thus wishing to give up his body, considering death preferable to victory, Vritra seized his trident and rushed upon the lord of the gods, just as Kaitabha once rushed upon the Supreme Person in the primeval waters.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.6.12.2)

ततो युगान्ताग्निकठोरजिह्व- माविध्य शूलं तरसासुरेन्द्रः । क्षिप्त्वा महेन्द्राय विनद्य वीरो हतोऽसि पापेति रुषा जगाद ॥ 12.2 ॥

tato yugāntāgni-kaṭhora-jihvam āvidhya śūlaṁ tarasāsurendraḥ kṣiptvā mahendrāya vinadya vīro hato ’si pāpeti ruṣā jagāda

Then the lord of the demons, swinging his trident, whose tongues of flame were as fierce as the fire that ends the ages, hurled it swiftly at Mahendra, and that hero roared out in anger, "You are slain, O sinner!"

Verse 3 (bhagavata.6.12.3)

ख आपतत्तद्विचलद्ग्रहोल्कव- न्निरीक्ष्य दुष्प्रेक्ष्यमजातविक्लवः । वज्रेण वज्री शतपर्वणाच्छिनद् भुजं च तस्योरगराजभोगम् ॥ 12.3 ॥

kha āpatat tad vicalad graholkavan nirīkṣya duṣprekṣyam ajāta-viklavaḥ vajreṇa vajrī śata-parvaṇācchinad bhujaṁ ca tasyoraga-rāja-bhogam

Seeing it fly through the sky like a wandering meteor, terrible to behold, the wielder of the thunderbolt, unshaken, shattered it with his hundred-jointed thunderbolt — and at the same moment severed Vritra's arm, thick as the hood of the king of serpents.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.6.12.4)

छिन्नैकबाहुः परिघेण वृत्रः संरब्ध आसाद्य गृहीतवज्रम् । हनौ तताडेन्द्रमथामरेभं वज्रं च हस्तान्न्यपतन्मघोनः ॥ 12.4 ॥

chinnaika-bāhuḥ parigheṇa vṛtraḥ saṁrabdha āsādya gṛhīta-vajram hanau tatāḍendram athāmarebhaṁ vajraṁ ca hastān nyapatan maghonaḥ

Even with one arm severed, Vritra, enraged, closed upon thunderbolt-wielding Indra and struck him on the jaw with an iron club, and struck the elephant of the gods as well — so that the thunderbolt fell from Maghavan's hand.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.6.12.5)

वृत्रस्य कर्मातिमहाद्भुतं तत् सुरासुराश्चारणसिद्धसङ्घाः । अपूजयंस्तत् पुरुहूतसङ्कटं निरीक्ष्य हा हेति विचुक्रुशुर्भृशम् ॥ 12.5 ॥

vṛtrasya karmāti-mahādbhutaṁ tat surāsurāś cāraṇa-siddha-saṅghāḥ apūjayaṁs tat puruhūta-saṅkaṭaṁ nirīkṣya hā heti vicukruśur bhṛśam

The demigods, demons, and hosts of Charanas and Siddhas all praised Vritra's astonishing feat; yet seeing Indra thus in danger, they cried out again and again in anguish, "Alas! Alas!"

Verse 6 (bhagavata.6.12.6)

इन्द्रो न वज्रं जगृहे विलज्जित- श्च्युतं स्वहस्तादरिसन्निधौ पुनः । तमाह वृत्रो हर आत्तवज्रो जहि स्वशत्रुं न विषादकालः ॥ 12.6 ॥

indro na vajraṁ jagṛhe vilajjitaś cyutaṁ sva-hastād ari-sannidhau punaḥ tam āha vṛtro hara ātta-vajro jahi sva-śatruṁ na viṣāda-kālaḥ

Ashamed that the thunderbolt had fallen from his own hand in his enemy's presence, Indra did not pick it up again; but Vritra himself said to him, "O Hara, take up your thunderbolt and slay your enemy — this is no time for despair.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.6.12.7)

युयुत्सतां कुत्रचिदाततायिनां जयः सदैकत्र न वै परात्मनाम् । विनैकमुत्पत्तिलयस्थितीश्वरं सर्वज्ञमाद्यं पुरुषं सनातनम् ॥ 12.7 ॥

yuyutsatāṁ kutracid ātatāyināṁ jayaḥ sadaikatra na vai parātmanām vinaikam utpatti-laya-sthitīśvaraṁ sarvajñam ādyaṁ puruṣaṁ sanātanam

For those who take up arms to fight, victory does not always rest with one side alone — save for that one alone, the eternal, all-knowing, primeval Person, the Lord of creation, dissolution and maintenance, who has no other self to rely upon.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.6.12.8)

लोकाः सपाला यस्येमे श्वसन्ति विवशा वशे । द्विजा इव शिचा बद्धाः स काल इह कारणम् ॥ 12.8 ॥

lokāḥ sapālā yasyeme śvasanti vivaśā vaśe dvijā iva śicā baddhāḥ sa kāla iha kāraṇam

All these worlds together with their rulers breathe helplessly under the control of that same Time, bound like birds caught in a snare — He alone is the true cause here.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.6.12.9)

ओजः सहो बलं प्राणममृतं मृत्युमेव च । तमज्ञाय जनो हेतुमात्मानं मन्यते जडम् ॥ 12.9 ॥

ojaḥ saho balaṁ prāṇam amṛtaṁ mṛtyum eva ca tam ajñāya jano hetum ātmānaṁ manyate jaḍam

Not knowing Him to be the cause of our vigor, endurance, strength, life-breath, immortality, and death itself, foolish people consider this inert body to be the doer.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.6.12.10)

यथा दारुमयी नारी यथा पत्रमयो मृगः । एवं भूतानि मघवन्नीशतन्त्राणि विद्धि भोः ॥ 12.10 ॥

yathā dārumayī nārī yathā patramayo mṛgaḥ evaṁ bhūtāni maghavann īśa-tantrāṇi viddhi bhoḥ

Just as a wooden puppet shaped like a woman, or a deer made of leaves, moves only as it is worked — know, O Maghavan, that all beings likewise move only as controlled by the Lord.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.6.12.11)

पुरुषः प्रकृतिर्व्यक्तमात्मा भूतेन्द्रियाशयाः । शक्नुवन्त्यस्य सर्गादौ न विना यदनुग्रहात् ॥ 12.11 ॥

puruṣaḥ prakṛtir vyaktam ātmā bhūtendriyāśayāḥ śaknuvanty asya sargādau na vinā yad-anugrahāt

The purushas, primordial nature, the manifest creation, the individual self, the elements, the senses, and the mind — none of these are capable of acting, even at the beginning of creation, without His grace.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.6.12.12)

अविद्वानेवमात्मानं मन्यतेऽनीशमीश्वरम् । भूतैः सृजति भूतानि ग्रसते तानि तैः स्वयम् ॥ 12.12 ॥

avidvān evam ātmānaṁ manyate ’nīśam īśvaram bhūtaiḥ sṛjati bhūtāni grasate tāni taiḥ svayam

The ignorant person mistakenly considers this dependent self to be the independent controller; but it is the Lord Himself who, through one being, creates other beings, and through them, again, devours them.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.6.12.13)

आयुः श्रीः कीर्तिरैश्वर्यमाशिषः पुरुषस्य याः । भवन्त्येव हि तत्काले यथानिच्छोर्विपर्ययाः ॥ 12.13 ॥

āyuḥ śrīḥ kīrtir aiśvaryam āśiṣaḥ puruṣasya yāḥ bhavanty eva hi tat-kāle yathānicchor viparyayāḥ

A man's lifespan, prosperity, fame, and power, and whatever else he desires, come to him only at their appointed time — even against his will, just as their opposites also come, unwanted.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.6.12.14)

तस्मादकीर्तियशसोर्जयापजययोरपि । समः स्यात्सुखदुःखाभ्यां मृत्युजीवितयोस्तथा ॥ 12.14 ॥

tasmād akīrti-yaśasor jayāpajayayor api samaḥ syāt sukha-duḥkhābhyāṁ mṛtyu-jīvitayos tathā

Therefore one should remain equal-minded amid disgrace and fame, victory and defeat, happiness and sorrow, and likewise amid death and life.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.6.12.15)

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति प्रकृतेर्नात्मनो गुणाः । तत्र साक्षिणमात्मानं यो वेद स न बध्यते ॥ 12.15 ॥

sattvaṁ rajas tama iti prakṛter nātmano guṇāḥ tatra sākṣiṇam ātmānaṁ yo veda sa na badhyate

Goodness, passion, and ignorance are qualities of material nature, not of the self; one who knows the self to be merely the witness of these qualities is never bound by them.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.6.12.16)

पश्य मां निर्जितं शत्रु वृक्णायुधभुजं मृधे । घटमानं यथाशक्ति तव प्राणजिहीर्षया ॥ 12.16 ॥

paśya māṁ nirjitaṁ śatru vṛkṇāyudha-bhujaṁ mṛdhe ghaṭamānaṁ yathā-śakti tava prāṇa-jihīrṣayā

Behold me, O enemy — already vanquished in this battle, my weapon and arm both cut away — yet still striving with whatever strength remains to take your life.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.6.12.17)

प्राणग्लहोऽयं समर इष्वक्षो वाहनासनः । अत्र न ज्ञायतेऽमुष्य जयोऽमुष्य पराजयः ॥ 12.17 ॥

prāṇa-glaho ’yaṁ samara iṣv-akṣo vāhanāsanaḥ atra na jñāyate ’muṣya jayo ’muṣya parājayaḥ

This battle is a game of dice in which our very lives are the stakes, our arrows the dice, and our mounts the gaming board; here one cannot know whose victory or whose defeat it shall be."

Verse 18 (bhagavata.6.12.18)

श्रीशुक उवाच इन्द्रो वृत्रवचः श्रुत्वा गतालीकमपूजयत् । गृहीतवज्रः प्रहसंस्तमाह गतविस्मयः ॥ 12.18 ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca indro vṛtra-vacaḥ śrutvā gatālīkam apūjayat gṛhīta-vajraḥ prahasaṁs tam āha gata-vismayaḥ

Sri Shuka said: Hearing Vritra's sincere and honest words, Indra honored him for them; taking up the thunderbolt once more, free now of his earlier bewilderment, he smiled and spoke to him.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.6.12.19)

इन्द्र उवाच अहो दानव सिद्धोऽसि यस्य ते मतिरीदृशी । भक्तः सर्वात्मनात्मानं सुहृदं जगदीश्वरम् ॥ 12.19 ॥

indra uvāca aho dānava siddho ’si yasya te matir īdṛśī bhaktaḥ sarvātmanātmānaṁ suhṛdaṁ jagad-īśvaram

Indra said: O demon, you are indeed perfected, since your mind is fixed in this way — you are a devotee, with your whole being, of the Lord of the universe, who is the very self and the true friend of all.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.6.12.20)

भवानतार्षीन्मायां वै वैष्णवीं जनमोहिनीम् । यद् विहायासुरं भावं महापुरुषतां गतः ॥ 12.20 ॥

bhavān atārṣīn māyāṁ vai vaiṣṇavīṁ jana-mohinīm yad vihāyāsuraṁ bhāvaṁ mahā-puruṣatāṁ gataḥ

You have indeed crossed over Vishnu's own illusory power, which bewilders all people — for you have cast off the demonic nature and attained the state of a truly great soul.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.6.12.21)

खल्विदं महदाश्चर्यं यद् रजःप्रकृतेस्तव । वासुदेवे भगवति सत्त्वात्मनि दृढा मतिः ॥ 12.21 ॥

khalv idaṁ mahad āścaryaṁ yad rajaḥ-prakṛtes tava vāsudeve bhagavati sattvātmani dṛḍhā matiḥ

This is indeed a great wonder — that you, whose nature is governed by passion, should possess such firm devotion toward the illustrious Vasudeva, whose very being is pure goodness.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.6.12.22)

यस्य भक्तिर्भगवति हरौ निःश्रेयसेश्वरे । विक्रीडतोऽमृताम्भोधौ किं क्षुद्रैः खातकोदकैः ॥ 12.22 ॥

yasya bhaktir bhagavati harau niḥśreyaseśvare vikrīḍato ’mṛtāmbhodhau kiṁ kṣudraiḥ khātakodakaiḥ

One whose devotion is fixed on the Lord Hari, the master of the highest good, sports in the ocean of nectar itself — what use has he for the meager water of a small ditch?

Verse 23 (bhagavata.6.12.23)

श्रीशुक उवाच इति ब्रुवाणावन्योन्यं धर्मजिज्ञासया नृप । युयुधाते महावीर्याविन्द्रवृत्रौ युधाम्पती ॥ 12.23 ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca iti bruvāṇāv anyonyaṁ dharma-jijñāsayā nṛpa yuyudhāte mahā-vīryāv indra-vṛtrau yudhām patī

Sri Shuka said: O King, having thus spoken to each other out of a mutual desire to understand dharma, those two mighty warriors, Indra and Vritra, both lords among fighters, resumed their battle.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.6.12.24)

आविध्य परिघं वृत्रः कार्ष्णायसमरिन्दमः । इन्द्राय प्राहिणोद् घोरं वामहस्तेन मारिष ॥ 12.24 ॥

āvidhya parighaṁ vṛtraḥ kārṣṇāyasam arindamaḥ indrāya prāhiṇod ghoraṁ vāma-hastena māriṣa

O worthy King, Vritra, subduer of foes, whirling his terrible club of black iron, hurled it at Indra with his left hand.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.6.12.25)

स तु वृत्रस्य परिघं करं च करभोपमम् । चिच्छेद युगपद्देवो वज्रेण शतपर्वणा ॥ 12.25 ॥

sa tu vṛtrasya parighaṁ karaṁ ca karabhopamam ciccheda yugapad devo vajreṇa śata-parvaṇā

But that god, with his hundred-jointed thunderbolt, simultaneously shattered both Vritra's club and his remaining arm, thick as an elephant's trunk.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.6.12.26)

दोर्भ्यामुत्कृत्तमूलाभ्यां बभौ रक्तस्रवोऽसुरः । छिन्नपक्षो यथा गोत्रः खाद्भ्रष्टो वज्रिणा हतः ॥ 12.26 ॥

dorbhyām utkṛtta-mūlābhyāṁ babhau rakta-sravo ’suraḥ chinna-pakṣo yathā gotraḥ khād bhraṣṭo vajriṇā hataḥ

With both arms severed at their very roots, blood flowing, the demon appeared like a great flying mountain whose wings had been cut away and cast down from the sky by Indra's thunderbolt.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.6.12.27)

महाप्राणो महावीर्यो महासर्प इव द्विपम् । कृत्वाधरां हनुं भूमौ दैत्यो दिव्युत्तरां हनुम् । नभोगम्भीरवक्त्रेण लेलिहोल्बणजिह्वया ॥ 12.27 ॥

mahā-prāṇo mahā-vīryo mahā-sarpa iva dvipam kṛtvādharāṁ hanuṁ bhūmau daityo divy uttarāṁ hanum nabho-gambhīra-vaktreṇa leliholbaṇa-jihvayā

That demon of immense might and vigor — like a great serpent about to swallow an elephant — set his lower jaw upon the earth and his upper jaw against the sky, his mouth deep as the heavens themselves, licking with his monstrous tongue,

Verse 28 (bhagavata.6.12.28)

दंष्ट्राभिः कालकल्पाभिर्ग्रसन्निव जगत्त्रयम् । अतिमात्रमहाकाय आक्षिपंस्तरसा गिरीन् ॥ 12.28 ॥

daṁṣṭrābhiḥ kāla-kalpābhir grasann iva jagat-trayam atimātra-mahā-kāya ākṣipaṁs tarasā girīn

with fangs like death itself, as if to devour the three worlds whole — that being of enormous size flung aside mountains with sheer force,

Verse 29 (bhagavata.6.12.29)

गिरिराट् पादचारीव पद्भ्यां निर्जरयन् महीम् । जग्रास स समासाद्य वज्रिणं सहवाहनम् ॥ 12.29 ॥

giri-rāṭ pāda-cārīva padbhyāṁ nirjarayan mahīm jagrāsa sa samāsādya vajriṇaṁ saha-vāhanam

crushing the earth beneath his feet like a walking king of mountains — and closing in, he swallowed the thunderbolt-bearer Indra together with his very mount.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.6.12.30)

वृत्रग्रस्तं तमालोक्य सप्रजापतयः सुराः । हा कष्टमिति निर्विण्णाश्चुक्रुशुः समहर्षयः ॥ 12.30 ॥

vṛtra-grastaṁ tam ālokya saprajāpatayaḥ surāḥ hā kaṣṭam iti nirviṇṇāś cukruśuḥ samaharṣayaḥ

Seeing him swallowed by Vritra, the demigods together with the Prajapatis, and the great sages with them, cried out in utter despair, "Alas, what a calamity!"

Verse 31 (bhagavata.6.12.31)

निगीर्णोऽप्यसुरेन्द्रेण न ममारोदरं गतः । महापुरुषसन्नद्धो योगमायाबलेन च ॥ 12.31 ॥

nigīrṇo ’py asurendreṇa na mamārodaraṁ gataḥ mahāpuruṣa-sannaddho yoga-māyā-balena ca

Yet though swallowed by the lord of the demons, Indra did not perish within his belly, being armored by the Supreme Person Himself and protected also by the power of mystic yoga.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.6.12.32)

भित्त्वा वज्रेण तत्कुक्षिं निष्क्रम्य बलभिद् विभुः । उच्चकर्त शिरः शत्रोर्गिरिशृङ्गमिवौजसा ॥ 12.32 ॥

bhittvā vajreṇa tat-kukṣiṁ niṣkramya bala-bhid vibhuḥ uccakarta śiraḥ śatror giri-śṛṅgam ivaujasā

Piercing through his belly with the thunderbolt, the mighty slayer of Bala emerged, and with his own strength severed the head of his enemy, huge as a mountain peak.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.6.12.33)

वज्रस्तु तत्कन्धरमाशुवेगः कृन्तन् समन्तात् परिवर्तमानः । न्यपातयत् तावदहर्गणेन यो ज्योतिषामयने वार्त्रहत्ये ॥ 12.33 ॥

vajras tu tat-kandharam āśu-vegaḥ kṛntan samantāt parivartamānaḥ nyapātayat tāvad ahar-gaṇena yo jyotiṣām ayane vārtra-hatye

But the swift thunderbolt, whirling around and cutting into his neck from every side, took as long to fell him — during that slaying of Vritra — as the full cycle of days through which the sun and stars complete their northward and southward course.

Verse 34 (bhagavata.6.12.34)

तदा च खे दुन्दुभयो विनेदु- र्गन्धर्वसिद्धाः समहर्षिसङ्घाः । वार्त्रघ्नलिङ्गैस्तमभिष्टुवाना मन्त्रैर्मुदा कुसुमैरभ्यवर्षन् ॥ 12.34 ॥

tadā ca khe dundubhayo vinedur gandharva-siddhāḥ samaharṣi-saṅghāḥ vārtra-ghna-liṅgais tam abhiṣṭuvānā mantrair mudā kusumair abhyavarṣan

Then in the sky the kettledrums resounded, and the Gandharvas, Siddhas, and hosts of great sages together praised him with hymns marking the slaying of Vritra, joyfully showering him with flowers.

Verse 35 (bhagavata.6.12.35)

वृत्रस्य देहान्निष्क्रान्तमात्मज्योतिररिन्दम । पश्यतां सर्वदेवानामलोकं समपद्यत ॥ 12.35 ॥

vṛtrasya dehān niṣkrāntam ātma-jyotir arindama paśyatāṁ sarva-devānām alokaṁ samapadyata

O subduer of enemies, that inner light departed from Vritra's body, and, before the eyes of all the demigods, attained that realm beyond this world.