The Curse of Indra

Verse 1 (skanda.2.197.1)

सावर्णिरुवाच । महर्षिवारितैर्द्देवैस्त्यक्ते हिंसामये मखे । पुनः कथं संप्रवृत्ता मखाः सर्वत्र तादृशाः

sāvarṇiruvāca maharṣivāritairddevaistyakte hiṁsāmaye makhe punaḥ kathaṁ saṁpravṛttā makhāḥ sarvatra tādṛśāḥ

Savarni said: When the violent sacrifice was abandoned by the gods after being forbidden by the great sages, how did such sacrifices come to be practiced everywhere once more?

Verse 2 (skanda.2.197.2)

देवेष्वृषिषु भूपेषु प्राचीनाधुनिकेषु च । सनातनः शुद्धधर्मो विपर्यासं कथं गतः

deveṣvṛṣiṣu bhūpeṣu prācīnādhunikeṣu ca sanātanaḥ śuddhadharmo viparyāsaṁ kathaṁ gataḥ

Among gods, sages, and kings, both ancient and modern, how did the eternal, pure dharma come to be reversed?

Verse 3 (skanda.2.197.3)

अत्र मे संशयो भूयान्संजातोऽद्य षडानन । त्वं सर्वशास्त्रतत्त्वज्ञस्तमपाकर्त्तुमर्हसि

atra me saṁśayo bhūyānsaṁjāto'dya ṣaḍānana tvaṁ sarvaśāstratattvajñastamapākarttumarhasi

O six-faced one, a great doubt has arisen in me today regarding this; you, who know the truth of all scriptures, should dispel it.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.197.4)

स्कन्द उवाच । कालो बलीयान्बलिनां भिद्यन्ते तेन बुद्धयः । कामक्रोधरसास्वादलोभमानवतां मुने

skanda uvāca kālo balīyānbalināṁ bhidyante tena buddhayaḥ kāmakrodharasāsvādalobhamānavatāṁ mune

Skanda said: O sage, Time is mightier than the mighty; by it, the understanding of those subject to desire, anger, the taste for pleasure, greed, and pride is corrupted.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.197.5)

अतिक्रमेण महतां यथार्थहितभाषिणाम् । क्रोधमानवशात्पुंसां नश्यन्त्येव च सद्धियः

atikrameṇa mahatāṁ yathārthahitabhāṣiṇām krodhamānavaśātpuṁsāṁ naśyantyeva ca saddhiyaḥ

Through transgression against the great ones who speak truly for others' good, under the sway of anger and pride, men's righteous understanding is indeed destroyed.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.197.6)

अकार्यमपि ते कर्तुं तदानीं तु बुधा अपि । प्रवर्त्तन्तेऽनुतप्यन्ते बम्भ्रम्यन्तेऽथ संसृतौ

akāryamapi te kartuṁ tadānīṁ tu budhā api pravarttante'nutapyante bambhramyante'tha saṁsṛtau

Then, even the wise become inclined to do what should not be done; they repent, and then wander on in the cycle of transmigration.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.197.7)

कामादिभिर्विहीना ये सात्वताः क्षीणवासनाः । तेषां तु बुद्धिभेदाय क्वापि कालो न शक्नुते

kāmādibhirvihīnā ye sātvatāḥ kṣīṇavāsanāḥ teṣāṁ tu buddhibhedāya kvāpi kālo na śaknute

But those devotees who are free from desire and the rest, whose worldly impressions are exhausted — over them, Time is nowhere able to corrupt their understanding.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.197.8)

अनाश्रितस्तु सद्धर्मं पुमान्कश्चन कर्हिचित् । संसृतेर्म्मुच्यते नैव सत्यमेतद्वचो मम

anāśritastu saddharmaṁ pumānkaścana karhicit saṁsṛtermmucyate naiva satyametadvaco mama

But any man who has not taken refuge in true dharma is never released from transmigration — this word of mine is true.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.197.9)

प्रवृत्तिं हिंस्रयज्ञादेरथ ते द्विजसत्तम । कथयामि यथा पूर्वं मयाऽश्रावि पितुर्मुखात्

pravṛttiṁ hiṁsrayajñāderatha te dvijasattama kathayāmi yathā pūrvaṁ mayā'śrāvi piturmukhāt

O best of the twice-born, I shall now tell you of the origin of the violent sacrifice and the rest, just as I formerly heard it from the mouth of my father.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.197.10)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । नारायणस्य माहात्म्यं यत्र लक्ष्म्याश्च कीर्तितम्

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṁ purātanam nārāyaṇasya māhātmyaṁ yatra lakṣmyāśca kīrtitam

Regarding this too, they cite this ancient legend, in which the glory of Narayana, and of Lakshmi, is proclaimed.

Verse 11 (skanda.2.197.11)

मुनीनां बृहतां तेषामतिक्रमणदोषतः । इन्द्रस्यासीद्विश्वजितः सद्बुद्धिविलयो मुने

munīnāṁ bṛhatāṁ teṣāmatikramaṇadoṣataḥ indrasyāsīdviśvajitaḥ sadbuddhivilayo mune

O sage, through the fault of transgressing against those great sages, the good judgment of Indra Vishvajit came to be destroyed.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.197.12)

दुर्वासाः शंकरस्यांशस्तपस्वी मुनिरेकदा । चरन्यदृच्छया लोकान्पुष्पभद्रां नदीं ययौ

durvāsāḥ śaṁkarasyāṁśastapasvī munirekadā caranyadṛcchayā lokānpuṣpabhadrāṁ nadīṁ yayau

Durvasa, a partial incarnation of Shankara, an ascetic sage, once, wandering through the worlds at will, came to the river Pushpabhadra.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.197.13)

जलक्रीडार्थमायांतीं स्वर्गात्तत्र सखीवृताम् । विद्याधरस्य सुमतेरङ्गनां स समैक्षत

jalakrīḍārthamāyāṁtīṁ svargāttatra sakhīvṛtām vidyādharasya sumateraṅganāṁ sa samaikṣata

There he beheld the wife of the Vidyadhara Sumati, coming from heaven surrounded by her companions, for the sake of water-sport.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.197.14)

स्वर्गङ्गाहेमकमलैर्ग्रथितामतिसौरभाम् । दधतीं दक्षिणे पाणौ स्रजं मदकलाभिधाम्

svargaṅgāhemakamalairgrathitāmatisaurabhām dadhatīṁ dakṣiṇe pāṇau srajaṁ madakalābhidhām

She held in her right hand an exceedingly fragrant garland, woven of golden lotuses from the celestial Ganga, called by the name Madakala.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.197.15)

तामवेक्ष्य मुनिस्तस्याः समीपमुपगम्य सः । उन्मत्तवद्ययाचे तां स्रजं विद्याधरीधृताम्

tāmavekṣya munistasyāḥ samīpamupagamya saḥ unmattavadyayāce tāṁ srajaṁ vidyādharīdhṛtām

Seeing her, the sage approached near to her, and, as though mad, begged for that garland held by the Vidyadhara woman.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.197.16)

सापि प्रणम्य तं सद्यो माहात्म्यं तस्य जानती । तत्कंठे धारयामास मालां तां परमादरात्

sāpi praṇamya taṁ sadyo māhātmyaṁ tasya jānatī tatkaṁṭhe dhārayāmāsa mālāṁ tāṁ paramādarāt

She too, bowing to him at once, knowing his greatness, with utmost reverence placed that garland upon his neck.

Verse 17 (skanda.2.197.17)

ततः प्रीतमना गच्छन्गायन्नुन्मत्तवन्मुनिः । ददर्श पथि देवेन्द्रमायान्तं तां महानदीम्

tataḥ prītamanā gacchangāyannunmattavanmuniḥ dadarśa pathi devendramāyāntaṁ tāṁ mahānadīm

Then the sage, pleased in mind, going along singing like one mad, saw on the way Devendra coming toward that great river.

Verse 18 (skanda.2.197.18)

अप्सरोभिश्च गन्धर्वैः सतालं मधुरस्वरम् । उपगीयमानविजयमधिरूढं गजाधिपम्

apsarobhiśca gandharvaiḥ satālaṁ madhurasvaram upagīyamānavijayamadhirūḍhaṁ gajādhipam

He was mounted upon the lord of elephants, his victory being sung with rhythmic, sweet-sounding music by apsaras and gandharvas.

Verse 19 (skanda.2.197.19)

रम्भामधुरसंगीतश्रवणानन्दनिर्वृतम् । तन्मुखाब्जस्थिरदृशं छत्रचामरशोभितम्

rambhāmadhurasaṁgītaśravaṇānandanirvṛtam tanmukhābjasthiradṛśaṁ chatracāmaraśobhitam

He was rapt in the bliss of hearing the sweet singing of Rambha, his gaze fixed upon her lotus face, and adorned with the royal umbrella and chowries.

Verse 20 (skanda.2.197.20)

अनवेक्षमाणमात्मानं तं दृष्ट्वा सोऽत्रिनन्दनः । स्वकण्ठस्थां स्रजं तस्मिंश्चिक्षेपोन्मत्तवद्धसन्

anavekṣamāṇamātmānaṁ taṁ dṛṣṭvā so'trinandanaḥ svakaṇṭhasthāṁ srajaṁ tasmiṁścikṣeponmattavaddhasan

Seeing him thus paying no heed to himself, that son of Atri, laughing like a madman, threw the garland from his own neck onto him.

Verse 21 (skanda.2.197.21)

इन्द्रोप्यधर्मसर्गेण समाविष्टः पुरैव यत् । ततस्तदा कामवशस्तां न्यधाद्गजकुम्भयोः । तत्सौरभाकृष्टचेताः करीन्द्रः शुण्डयाऽकृषत्

indropyadharmasargeṇa samāviṣṭaḥ puraiva yat tatastadā kāmavaśastāṁ nyadhādgajakumbhayoḥ tatsaurabhākṛṣṭacetāḥ karīndraḥ śuṇḍayā'kṛṣat

Indra too, already possessed by a measure of adharma's influence, in his careless pride placed it between the elephant's temples; the lord of elephants, his mind drawn by its fragrance, pulled it off with his trunk.

Verse 22 (skanda.2.197.22)

करात्सा पतिता भूमौ तां च गच्छन्करी पदा । ममर्द्द पश्यतस्तस्य महर्षेस्तपसां निधेः

karātsā patitā bhūmau tāṁ ca gacchankarī padā mamardda paśyatastasya maharṣestapasāṁ nidheḥ

It fell from the trunk to the ground, and the elephant, walking on, crushed it underfoot, in full view of that great sage, that treasury of austerities.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.197.23)

ततः क्रुद्धः स दुर्वासाः प्रलयाग्न्यरुणेक्षणः । प्राहेन्द्रं मत्त दुष्टात्मन्स्तब्धोसि कामलम्पट

tataḥ kruddhaḥ sa durvāsāḥ pralayāgnyaruṇekṣaṇaḥ prāhendraṁ matta duṣṭātmanstabdhosi kāmalampaṭa

Then Durvasa, enraged, his eyes red like the fire of dissolution, said to Indra: 'O intoxicated one, wicked soul, you have grown arrogant, you slave of lust!'

Verse 24 (skanda.2.197.24)

श्रियो धाम स्रजं प्रीत्या मद्दत्तां नाभिनन्दसि । प्रणाममपि रे मूढ न करोषि त्वमुन्मदः

śriyo dhāma srajaṁ prītyā maddattāṁ nābhinandasi praṇāmamapi re mūḍha na karoṣi tvamunmadaḥ

You do not even welcome with love the garland I gave you, which is the very abode of Shri, fortune herself; you do not even bow to me, O fool, so intoxicated are you!

Verse 25 (skanda.2.197.25)

न वीक्षसे मामपि त्वं त्वादृङ्मत्तैकशिक्षकम् । त्रैलोक्यराज्यप्राप्तान्ध्यः सम्यक्त्वां शिक्षयेऽधुना

na vīkṣase māmapi tvaṁ tvādṛṅmattaikaśikṣakam trailokyarājyaprāptāndhyaḥ samyaktvāṁ śikṣaye'dhunā

You do not even look at me, though I alone am the teacher of the arrogant like you; blinded by having attained sovereignty over the three worlds — now I shall teach you properly.

Verse 26 (skanda.2.197.26)

यस्याः प्रसादात्त्रैलोक्यराज्यसौख्यं त्वमाप्तवान् । सैव श्रीः सत्रिलोकं त्वां हित्वा लीनाऽस्तु सागरे

yasyāḥ prasādāttrailokyarājyasaukhyaṁ tvamāptavān saiva śrīḥ satrilokaṁ tvāṁ hitvā līnā'stu sāgare

That very Shri, by whose grace you obtained the happiness of sovereignty over the three worlds — let her, abandoning you together with the three worlds, vanish into the ocean!

Verse 27 (skanda.2.197.27)

वज्रपातोपमं वाक्यं तन्निशम्यैव तत्क्षणम् । गजादुत्प्लुत्य विमदस्तदंघ्र्योर्न्यपतद्धरि

vajrapātopamaṁ vākyaṁ tanniśamyaiva tatkṣaṇam gajādutplutya vimadastadaṁghryornyapataddhari

Hearing that word, like the fall of a thunderbolt, that very instant Indra, his intoxication gone, leapt down from the elephant and fell at his feet.

Verse 28 (skanda.2.197.28)

प्रार्थयामास च मुहुः प्रणमंस्तं सवेपथुः । प्रसादं मयि दासे त्वं कृपालो कर्तुमर्हसि

prārthayāmāsa ca muhuḥ praṇamaṁstaṁ savepathuḥ prasādaṁ mayi dāse tvaṁ kṛpālo kartumarhasi

Trembling, he bowed again and again, entreating him: 'O compassionate one, you should show grace to me, your servant.'

Verse 29 (skanda.2.197.29)

तं प्राहाऽथ स रे शक्र नाहं वै गौतमो मुनिः । अक्षमासारसर्वस्वं दुर्वाससमवेहि माम्

taṁ prāhā'tha sa re śakra nāhaṁ vai gautamo muniḥ akṣamāsārasarvasvaṁ durvāsasamavehi mām

Then he said to him: 'O Shakra, I am not the sage Gautama, whose whole substance is patience; know me to be Durvasa!'

Verse 30 (skanda.2.197.30)

अन्ये ते मुनयो दुष्टास्तावकास्तेऽनुवर्त्तिनः । अहं तु त्वादृशान्कीटान्गणये नैव निःस्पृहः

anye te munayo duṣṭāstāvakāste'nuvarttinaḥ ahaṁ tu tvādṛśānkīṭāngaṇaye naiva niḥspṛhaḥ

Those other sages of yours are corrupted flatterers, your followers; but I, desiring nothing, do not count worms like you at all.

Verse 31 (skanda.2.197.31)

ज्वलज्जटाकलापाच्च भ्रुकुटीकुटिलेक्षणात् । को वा न बिभियान्मत्तो ब्रह्माण्डे पापकर्मकृत्

jvalajjaṭākalāpācca bhrukuṭīkuṭilekṣaṇāt ko vā na bibhiyānmatto brahmāṇḍe pāpakarmakṛt

Who indeed, among evildoers in this universe, would not be afraid of me, with my blazing matted locks and my gaze crooked with a frown?