Rambha's Seduction of Vritra and His Treacherous Slaying

Verse 1 (padma.2.25.1)

सूत उवाच- इयं हि का गायति चारुलोचना विलासभावैः परिविश्वमेव । अतीव बाला शुशुभे मनोहरा संपूर्णभावैः परिमोहयेज्जनम्

sūta uvāca- iyaṁ hi kā gāyati cārulocanā vilāsabhāvaiḥ pariviśvameva atīva bālā śuśubhe manoharā saṁpūrṇabhāvaiḥ parimohayejjanam

Suta said: Vritra thought: 'Who indeed is this lovely-eyed one, singing, filling the whole world with her playful charm? Exceedingly young, she shines forth enchanting; with her every gesture she could bewitch all people.'

Verse 2 (padma.2.25.2)

दृष्ट्वा स रंभां कमलायताक्षीं पीनस्तनीं चर्चितकुंकुमांगीम् । पद्माननां कामगृहं ममैषा नो वा रतिश्चारुमनोहरेयम्

dṛṣṭvā sa raṁbhāṁ kamalāyatākṣīṁ pīnastanīṁ carcitakuṁkumāṁgīm padmānanāṁ kāmagṛhaṁ mamaiṣā no vā ratiścārumanohareyam

Seeing Rambha, her eyes wide as lotus petals, full-breasted, her limbs anointed with saffron, lotus-faced, he thought: 'Is she the very abode of desire for me, or is she Rati herself, lovely and enchanting?'

Verse 3 (padma.2.25.3)

संपूर्णभावां परिरूपयुक्तां कामांगशीलामतिशीलभावाम् । यास्याम्यहं वश्यमिहैव अस्या मनोभवेनाद्य इहैव प्रेषितः

saṁpūrṇabhāvāṁ parirūpayuktāṁ kāmāṁgaśīlāmatiśīlabhāvām yāsyāmyahaṁ vaśyamihaiva asyā manobhavenādya ihaiva preṣitaḥ

'Complete in every charm, endowed with every beauty, her very limbs the nature of desire, of most virtuous bearing — I shall go here and now under her sway; this very day, sent here by the god of love himself—'

Verse 4 (padma.2.25.4)

इतीव दैत्यः सुविचिंतयान्वितः कामेन मुग्धो बहुकालनोदितः । समातुरस्तत्र जगाम सत्वरमुवाच तां दीनमनाः सुलोचनाम्

itīva daityaḥ suviciṁtayānvitaḥ kāmena mugdho bahukālanoditaḥ samāturastatra jagāma satvaramuvāca tāṁ dīnamanāḥ sulocanām

—thus reflecting, that daitya, bewildered by desire long pent up, distressed, went there quickly and spoke, his mind wretched, to that fine-eyed one:

Verse 5 (padma.2.25.5)

कस्यासि वा सुंदरि केन प्रेषिता किं नाम ते पुण्यतमं वदस्व मे । तवैव रूपेण महातितेजसा मुग्धोस्मि बाले मम वश्यतां व्रज

kasyāsi vā suṁdari kena preṣitā kiṁ nāma te puṇyatamaṁ vadasva me tavaiva rūpeṇa mahātitejasā mugdhosmi bāle mama vaśyatāṁ vraja

'Whose are you, O beautiful one, and by whom sent? Tell me your most auspicious name. By your very form, of surpassing splendor, I am bewildered, O maiden; come under my sway.'

Verse 6 (padma.2.25.6)

एवमुक्ता विशालाक्षी वृत्रं कामाकुलं प्रति । अहं रंभा महाभाग क्रीडार्थं वनमुत्तमम्

evamuktā viśālākṣī vṛtraṁ kāmākulaṁ prati ahaṁ raṁbhā mahābhāga krīḍārthaṁ vanamuttamam

Thus addressed, that wide-eyed one replied to Vritra, agitated with desire: 'I am Rambha, O greatly fortunate one; for the sake of play, to this excellent forest—'

Verse 7 (padma.2.25.7)

सखीसार्धं समायाता नंदनं वनमुत्तमम् । त्वं तु को वा किमर्थं हि मम पार्श्वं समागतः

sakhīsārdhaṁ samāyātā naṁdanaṁ vanamuttamam tvaṁ tu ko vā kimarthaṁ hi mama pārśvaṁ samāgataḥ

—'I have come together with my companions, to this excellent Nandana forest. But who are you, and for what reason have you come to my side?'

Verse 8 (padma.2.25.8)

वृत्र उवाच- श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि योहं बाले समागतः । हुताशनात्समुत्पन्नः कश्यपस्य सुतः शुभे

vṛtra uvāca- śrūyatāmabhidhāsyāmi yohaṁ bāle samāgataḥ hutāśanātsamutpannaḥ kaśyapasya sutaḥ śubhe

Vritra said: 'Listen, I shall tell you who I am, having come, O maiden. I arose from the sacrificial fire, the son of Kashyapa, O auspicious one.'

Verse 9 (padma.2.25.9)

सखाहं देवदेवस्य इंद्र स्यापि वरानने । ऐंद्रं पदं वरारोहे अर्धं मे भुक्तिमागतम्

sakhāhaṁ devadevasya iṁdra syāpi varānane aiṁdraṁ padaṁ varārohe ardhaṁ me bhuktimāgatam

'I am the friend of the god of gods, of Indra himself, O fair-faced one; the station of Indra, O lovely one — half of it has come to me for enjoyment.'

Verse 10 (padma.2.25.10)

अहं वृत्रः कथं देवि मामेवं न तु विंदसि । त्रैलोक्यं वशमायातं यस्यैव वरवर्णिनि

ahaṁ vṛtraḥ kathaṁ devi māmevaṁ na tu viṁdasi trailokyaṁ vaśamāyātaṁ yasyaiva varavarṇini

'I am Vritra — how is it, O goddess, that you do not recognize me thus? The three worlds have come under the sway of him alone, O fair one—'

Verse 11 (padma.2.25.11)

अहं शरणमायातः कामाद्रक्ष वरानने । भजस्व मां विशालाक्षि कामेनाकुलितं प्रिये

ahaṁ śaraṇamāyātaḥ kāmādrakṣa varānane bhajasva māṁ viśālākṣi kāmenākulitaṁ priye

—'and I have come here for refuge, from desire; protect me, O fair-faced one. Accept me, O wide-eyed one, agitated with desire as I am, my dear.'

Verse 12 (padma.2.25.12)

रंभोवाच- वशगा हं तवैवाद्य भविष्यामि न संशयः । यं यं वदाम्यहं वीर तं तं कार्यं त्वयैव हि

raṁbhovāca- vaśagā haṁ tavaivādya bhaviṣyāmi na saṁśayaḥ yaṁ yaṁ vadāmyahaṁ vīra taṁ taṁ kāryaṁ tvayaiva hi

Rambha said: 'I shall indeed become subject to you this very day, no doubt of it; but whatever I ask of you, O hero, that must indeed be done by you.'

Verse 13 (padma.2.25.13)

एवमस्तु महाभागे तं तं सर्वं करोम्यहम् । एवं संबंधकं कृत्वा तया सह महाबलः

evamastu mahābhāge taṁ taṁ sarvaṁ karomyaham evaṁ saṁbaṁdhakaṁ kṛtvā tayā saha mahābalaḥ

'So be it, O greatly fortunate one; I shall do all of it.' Having thus made this bond with her, that mighty one—

Verse 14 (padma.2.25.14)

तस्मिन्वने महापुण्ये रेमे दानवसत्तमः । तस्या गीतेन नृत्येन हास्येन ललितेन च

tasminvane mahāpuṇye reme dānavasattamaḥ tasyā gītena nṛtyena hāsyena lalitena ca

—that worthy danava sported in that greatly meritorious forest, delighting in her song, her dance, her laughter, and her sweet charm.

Verse 15 (padma.2.25.15)

अतिमुग्धो महादैत्यः स तस्याः सुरतेन च । तमुवाच महाभागं वृत्रं दानवसत्तमम्

atimugdho mahādaityaḥ sa tasyāḥ suratena ca tamuvāca mahābhāgaṁ vṛtraṁ dānavasattamam

That great daitya, utterly bewildered by union with her, was then addressed by her; she said to that greatly fortunate Vritra, worthy of the danavas:

Verse 16 (padma.2.25.16)

सुरापानं कुरुष्वेह पिबस्व मधुमाधवीम् । तामुवाच विशालाक्षीं रंभां शशिनिभाननाम्

surāpānaṁ kuruṣveha pibasva madhumādhavīm tāmuvāca viśālākṣīṁ raṁbhāṁ śaśinibhānanām

—'Drink wine here; drink the sweet madhavi liquor.' He said to that wide-eyed Rambha, moon-faced:

Verse 17 (padma.2.25.17)

पुत्रोहं ब्राह्मणस्यापि वेदवेदांगपारगः । सुरापानं कथं भद्रे करिष्यमि विनिंदितम्

putrohaṁ brāhmaṇasyāpi vedavedāṁgapāragaḥ surāpānaṁ kathaṁ bhadre kariṣyami viniṁditam

'I am the son of a brahmin, versed in the Veda and its auxiliary sciences; how, O gracious one, could I do this disgraceful thing, the drinking of wine?'

Verse 18 (padma.2.25.18)

तया तु रंभया देव्या प्रीत्या दत्ता सुरा हठात् । तस्या दाक्षिण्यभावेन सुरापानं कृतं तदा

tayā tu raṁbhayā devyā prītyā dattā surā haṭhāt tasyā dākṣiṇyabhāvena surāpānaṁ kṛtaṁ tadā

But by that goddess-like Rambha, out of affection, the wine was forced upon him; and out of courtesy toward her, the drinking of wine was then done.

Verse 19 (padma.2.25.19)

अतीवमुग्धं सुरया ज्ञानभ्रष्टो यदाभवत् । तदंतरे सुरेंद्रेण वज्रेण निहतस्तदा

atīvamugdhaṁ surayā jñānabhraṣṭo yadābhavat tadaṁtare sureṁdreṇa vajreṇa nihatastadā

When, utterly bewildered by the wine, he had fallen from all awareness, in that very moment he was struck down by the lord of the gods with the thunderbolt.

Verse 20 (padma.2.25.20)

ब्रह्महत्यादिकैः पापैः स लिप्तो वृत्रहा ततः । ब्राह्मणास्तु ततः प्रोचुरिंद्र पापं कृतं त्वया

brahmahatyādikaiḥ pāpaiḥ sa lipto vṛtrahā tataḥ brāhmaṇāstu tataḥ procuriṁdra pāpaṁ kṛtaṁ tvayā

That slayer of Vritra thus became tainted with the sin of brahmin-slaughter and the rest. Then the brahmins said: 'Indra, a sin has been committed by you—'

Verse 21 (padma.2.25.21)

अस्माद्वाक्यात्तु विश्वस्तो वृत्रो नाम महाबलः । हतो विश्वासभावेन एवं पापं त्वया कृतम्

asmādvākyāttu viśvasto vṛtro nāma mahābalaḥ hato viśvāsabhāvena evaṁ pāpaṁ tvayā kṛtam

—'trusting in this very word of assurance, that mighty one named Vritra was slain in his very trust; thus has this sin been committed by you.'

Verse 22 (padma.2.25.22)

इंद्र उवाच- येन केनाप्युपायेन हंतव्योरिः सदैव हि । देवब्राह्मणहंतारं यज्ञानां धर्मकंटकम्

iṁdra uvāca- yena kenāpyupāyena haṁtavyoriḥ sadaiva hi devabrāhmaṇahaṁtāraṁ yajñānāṁ dharmakaṁṭakam

Indra said: 'By whatever means, an enemy must always indeed be slain. The slayer of gods and brahmins, the destroyer of sacrifices, the thorn of dharma—'

Verse 23 (padma.2.25.23)

निहतं दानवं दुष्टं त्रैलोक्यस्यापि नायकम् । तदर्थं कुपिता यूयमेतन्न्यायस्य लक्षणम्

nihataṁ dānavaṁ duṣṭaṁ trailokyasyāpi nāyakam tadarthaṁ kupitā yūyametannyāyasya lakṣaṇam

—'that wicked danava, even the would-be leader of the three worlds, has been slain. Is it for this that you are angry with me? Is this the true mark of justice?'

Verse 24 (padma.2.25.24)

विचारमेवं कर्त्तव्यं भवद्भिर्द्विजसत्तमाः । पश्चात्कोपं प्रकर्त्तव्यमन्यायं मम चिंत्यताम्

vicāramevaṁ karttavyaṁ bhavadbhirdvijasattamāḥ paścātkopaṁ prakarttavyamanyāyaṁ mama ciṁtyatām

'Such consideration should be made by you, O worthy brahmins; anger should come only afterward — consider first whether any injustice was truly done by me.'

Verse 25 (padma.2.25.25)

एवं संबोधिता विप्रा इंद्रेणापि महात्मना । ब्रह्मादिभिः सुरैः सर्वैर्बोधितास्ते च सत्तमाः

evaṁ saṁbodhitā viprā iṁdreṇāpi mahātmanā brahmādibhiḥ suraiḥ sarvairbodhitāste ca sattamāḥ

Thus instructed by that great soul Indra, and further persuaded by Brahma and all the other gods, those worthy brahmins—

Verse 26 (padma.2.25.26)

जग्मुः स्वस्थानमेवं हि निहते धर्मकंटके

jagmuḥ svasthānamevaṁ hi nihate dharmakaṁṭake

—went then to their own abodes, that thorn of dharma having thus been slain.