तत्र दिव्यं धनुर्दृष्ट्वा नरस्य भगवानपि। चिन्तयामास तच्चक्रं विष्णुर्दानवसूदनम्
There, seeing the divine bow of Nara, the blessed Lord Viṣṇu, slayer of demons, contemplated his discus.
ततोऽम्बराच्चिन्तितमात्रमागतं महाप्रभं चक्रममित्रतापनम्। विभावसोस्तुल्यमकुण्ठमण्डलं सुदर्शनं संयति भीमदर्शनम्
Then, as soon as he thought of it, the discus appeared from the sky—brilliant, tormentor of foes, its circle unbroken like the sun's, Sudarshana, dreadful to behold in battle.
तदागतं ज्वलितहुताशनप्रभं भयंकरं करिकरबाहुरच्युतः। मुमोच वै प्रबलवदुग्रवेगवा- न्महाप्रभं परनगरावदारणम्
That discus, blazing like sacrificial fire, terrifying, hurled by the mighty-armed Acyuta, was released with great force and fierce speed, shining, to destroy the cities of the enemy.
तदन्तकज्वलनसमानवर्चसं पुनःपुनर्न्यपतत वेगवत्तदा। विदारयद्दितिदनुजान्सहस्रशः करेरितं पुरुषवरेण संयुगे
That discus, equal in brilliance to the fire of destruction, fell again and again with speed, tearing asunder thousands of Diti's sons, launched in battle by the best of men.
दहत्क्वचिज्ज्वलन इवावलेलिह- त्प्रसह्य तानसुरगणान्न्यकृन्तत। प्रवेरितं वियति मुहुः क्षितौ तथा पपौ रणे रुधिरमथो पिशाचवत्
At times, like a blazing fire consuming all, he fiercely struck down those hosts of asuras; hurling them into the sky and onto the earth again and again, he drank blood on the battlefield like a ghoul.
तथाऽसुरा गिरिभिरदीनचेतसो मुहुर्मुहुः सुरगणमार्दयंस्तदा। महाबला विगलितमेघवर्चसः सहस्रशो गगनमभिप्रपद्यह
In this way, the asuras, their spirits broken, assailed the hosts of gods again and again with mountains; their great strength and brilliance dimmed like scattered clouds, they rushed by the thousands into the sky.
अथाम्बराद्भयजननाः प्रपेदिरे सपादपा बहुविधमेघरूपिणः। महाद्रयः परिगलिताग्रसानवः परस्परं द्रुतमभिहत्य सस्वनाः
Then, from the sky, terrifying mountains of many forms, with trees still upon them and resembling masses of clouds, fell down; their peaks shattered, they crashed into each other with a great roar.
ततो मही प्रविचलिता सकानना महाद्रिपाताभिहता समन्ततः। परस्परं भृशमभिगर्जतां मुहू रणाजिरे भृशमभिसंप्रवर्तिते
Thereupon, the earth, along with its forests, trembled all around, struck by the falling mountains; as the battle raged fiercely, the mountains roared at each other again and again.
नरस्ततो वरकनकाग्रभूषणै- र्महेषुभिर्गगनपथं समावृणोत्। विदारयन्गिरिशिखराणि पत्रिभि- र्महाभयेऽसुरगणविग्रहे तदा
Then a man, adorned with ornaments of finest gold, filled the sky with mighty arrows; splitting the mountain peaks with his shafts, he struck terror into the asura hosts in that great conflict.
ततो महीं लवणजलं च सागरं महासुराः प्रविविशुरर्दिताः सुरैः। वियद्गतं ज्वलितहुताशनप्रभं सुदर्शनं परिकुपितं निशाम्य ते
Then the great asuras, afflicted by the gods, entered the earth and the salt ocean; seeing the Sudarshana, blazing like kindled fire and raging in the sky, they were terrified.
ततः सुरैर्विजयमवाप्य मन्दरः स्वमेव देशं गमितः सुपूजितः। विनाद्य खं दिवमपि चैव सर्वश- स्ततो गताः सलिलधरा यथागतम्
After the gods had attained victory, Mandara was respectfully returned to his own place; resounding through the sky and the heavens, all the clouds departed as they had come.
ततोऽमृतं सुनिहितमेव चक्रिरे सुराः पुरां मुदमभिगम्य पुष्कलाम्। ददो च तं निधिममृतस्य रक्षितुं किरीटिने बलभिदथामरैः सह
Then the gods, filled with abundant joy, carefully secured the nectar; and they entrusted that treasure of amrita to the crowned one, the slayer of Bala, to guard it together with the immortals.
एतत्ते कथितं सर्वममृतं मथितं यथा। यत्र सोऽश्वः समुत्पन्नः श्रीमानतुलविक्रमः
Thus I have told you everything about how the nectar was churned, and how that glorious, peerless horse was born there.
तं निशाम्य तदा कद्रूर्विनतामिदमब्रवीत्। उच्चैःश्रवा हि किंवर्णो भद्रे प्रब्रूहि मा चिरम्
Then Kadru, seeing it, said to Vinata: 'Tell me quickly, dear one, what is the color of Uccaiḥśravas?'
श्वेत एवाश्वराजोऽयं किं वा त्वं मन्यसे शुभे। ब्रूहि वर्णं त्वमप्यस्य ततोऽत्र विपणावहे
'This king of horses is surely white—or what do you think, lovely one? Tell me its color too, and then let us make a wager on it.'
कृष्णवालमहं मन्ये हयमेनं शुचिस्मिते। एहि सार्धं मया दीव्य दासीभावाय भामिनि
'I think this horse is black-maned, O fair-smiling one. Come, let us wager together, and the loser shall become the other's servant, O beautiful lady.'
एवं ते समयं कृत्वा दासीभावाय वै मिथः। जग्मतुः स्वगृहानेव श्वो द्रक्ष्याव इति स्म ह
Thus, having made a mutual agreement to become the other's servant, they both went to their own homes, saying, 'Tomorrow we shall see.'
ततः पुत्रसहस्रं तु कद्रूर्जिह्यं चिकीर्षती। आज्ञापयामास तदा वाला भूत्वाऽञ्जनप्रभाः
Then Kadru, wishing to win, ordered her thousand sons, the snakes, to become black hairs.
आविशध्वं हयं क्षिप्रं दासी न स्यामहं यथा। नावपद्यन्त ये वाक्यं ताञ्शशाप भुजंगमान्
'Quickly enter the horse, so that I may not become a servant; those who did not obey her words, she cursed—those serpents.'
सर्पसत्रे वर्तमाने पावको वः प्रधक्ष्यति। जनमेजयस्य राजर्षेः पाण्डवेयस्य धीमतः
'During the snake-sacrifice, fire will consume you all, at the hands of Janamejaya, the wise royal sage descended from the Pandavas.'
शापमेनं तु शुश्राव स्वयमेव पितामहः। अतिक्रूरं समुत्सृष्टं कद्र्वा दैवादतीव हि
But Brahma himself heard this curse, so cruel and uttered by Kadru, and recognized it as divinely ordained.
सार्धं देवगणैः सर्वैर्वाचं तामन्वमोदत। बहुत्वं प्रेक्ष्य सर्पाणां प्रजानां हितकाम्यया
Together with all the hosts of gods, he approved that speech, wishing for the welfare of beings, seeing the multitude of serpents.
तिग्मवीर्यविषा ह्येते दन्दशूका महाबलाः। तेषां तीक्ष्णविषत्वाद्धि प्रजानां च हिताय च
These snakes, fierce in strength and venom, are mighty; because of their sharp poison, and for the welfare of living beings,
युक्तं मात्रा कृतं तेषां परपीडोपसर्पिणाम्। अन्येषामपि सत्त्वानां नित्यं दोषपरास्तु ये
a measure was set for them, who approach to harm others; and for those other creatures who are always intent on wrongdoing.
तेषां प्राणान्तिको दण्डो दैवेन विनिपात्यते। एवं संभाष्य देवस्तु पूज्य कद्रूं च तां तदा
For them, death is ordained by divine law as punishment; thus, having spoken, the god then honored Kadru at that time.
आहूय कश्यपं देव इदं वचनमब्रवीत्। यदेते दन्दशूकाश्च सर्पा जातास्त्वयानघ
The god, having summoned Kasyapa, spoke these words: 'These snakes and serpents have been born from you, O sinless one.
विषोल्बणा महाभोगा मात्रा शप्ताः परंतप। तत्र मन्युस्त्वया तात न कर्तव्यः कथंचन
Endowed with poison, possessing great power, and cursed by their mother, O scorcher of foes, you should not, dear one, harbor anger in this matter in any way.
दृष्टं पुरातनं ह्येतद्यज्ञे सर्पविनाशनम्। इत्युक्त्वा सृष्टिकृद्देवस्तं प्रसाद्य प्रजापतिम्। प्रादाद्विषहरीं विद्यां कश्यपाय महात्मने
This ancient destruction of snakes in the sacrifice has been seen; having thus spoken, the creator god, having pleased the lord of creatures, gave to the great-souled Kasyapa the knowledge that removes poison.
एवं शप्तेषु नागेषु कद्र्वातु द्विजसत्तम। अद्विग्नः शापतस्तस्याः कद्रूं कर्कोटकोऽब्रवीत्
When the serpents were thus cursed, O best of twice-born, Karkotaka, undisturbed by that curse, spoke to Kadru.
मातरं परमप्रीतस्तथा भुजगसत्तमः। आविश्य वाजिनं मुख्यं बालो भूत्वाञ्जनप्रभः
The best of serpents, greatly pleased, addressed his mother; entering the chief horse, he became a child with a body shining like collyrium.