ऋषयो वालखिल्याश्च ब्र्हमभूताः सनातनाः। देवर्षयश्च कार्त्स्न्येन समुद्राः पर्वतास्तथा
He saw the sages, the Vālakhilyas, the eternal beings born of Brahman, all the divine seers, the oceans, and the mountains.
वेदाश्च सोपनिषदो वषट्कारैः सहाध्वरैः। चेतोमन्ति च सामानि धनुर्वेदश्च भारत। मेघवृन्दानि वर्षाणि विद्युतश्च युधिष्ठिर
He saw the Vedas with the Upaniṣads, the sacrificial exclamations and rites, the Sāman hymns endowed with consciousness, the science of archery, O Bhārata, clouds, rains, and lightning, O Yudhiṣṭhira.
ततः स भगवान्विष्णुस्तं वै बाणं मुमोच ह। शुष्काशनिसमाकीर्णं महोल्काभिश्च भारत
Then the blessed Viṣṇu released that arrow, O Bhārata, which was wreathed with dry thunderbolts and blazing meteors.
पांसुवर्षेण महता मेघवर्षैश्च भूतलम्। भूमिकम्पैश्च निर्घातैर्नादैश्च विपुलैरपि
With a great shower of dust and torrents of rain upon the earth, with earthquakes, thunderclaps, and mighty sounds.
स रामं विह्वलं कृत्वा तेजश्चाक्षिप्य केवलम्। आगच्छज्ज्वलितो बाणो रामबाहुप्रचोदितः
That arrow, driven by Rāma's arm, robbed Rāma Jāmadagnya of his brilliance, left him bewildered, and came blazing onward.
स तु विह्वलतां गत्वा प्रतिलभ्य च चेतनाम्। रामः प्रत्यागतप्राणः प्राणमद्विष्णुतेजसम्
Having fallen into confusion but regaining his senses, Rāma Jāmadagnya recovered his life, which had been overwhelmed by Viṣṇu's power.
विष्णुना सोभ्यनुज्ञातो महेन्द्रमगमत्पुनः। भीतस्तु तत्रन्यवसद्ब्रीडितस्तु महातपाः
Permitted by Viṣṇu, he went again to Mahendra mountain, but, fearful and ashamed, the great ascetic dwelt there.
ततः संवत्सरेऽतीते हृतौजसमवस्थितम्। निर्मदं दुःखितं दृष्ट्वा पितरो राममब्रुवन्
Then, after a year had passed, seeing Rāma bereft of strength, humbled and sorrowful, the ancestors spoke to him.
न वै सम्यगिदं पुत्र विष्णुमासाद्य वैकृतम्। स हि पूज्यश्च मान्यश्च त्रिषु लोकेषु सर्वदा
'This is not right, son, to be so changed after meeting Viṣṇu; for he is always to be honored and revered in all three worlds.'
गच्छ पुत्रनदीं पुण्यां वधूसरकृताह्वयाम्। तत्रोपस्पृश्य तीर्थेषु पुनर्वपुरवाप्स्यसि
'Go, son, to the holy river called Vadhūsarā; there, after bathing at the sacred fords, you will regain your form.'
दीप्तोदं नाम तत्तीर्थं यत्रते प्रतितामहः। भृगुर्देवयुगे राम तप्तवानुत्तमं तपः
There is a holy place called Dīptoda, O descendant of Bharata, where in the age of the gods, Bhṛgu performed supreme austerities.
तत्तथा कृतवान्रामः कौन्तेय वचनात्पितुः। प्राप्तवांश्च पुनस्तेजस्तीर्थेऽस्मिन्पाण्डुनन्दन
There, O son of Kunti, Rāma did likewise, following his father's command, and again obtained great energy at this very tīrtha, O joy of the Pāṇḍus.
एतदीदृशकं तात रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा। प्राप्तमासीन्महाराज विष्णुमासाद्य वै पुरा
Such was the merit, O dear one, that the sinless Rāma acquired here long ago, after approaching Viṣṇu, O great king.
भूय एवाहमिच्छामि महर्षेस्तस्य धीमतः। कर्मणां विस्तरं श्रोतुमगस्त्यस्य द्विजात्तम
Once more I wish to hear in detail the deeds of that wise sage, Agastya, O best of the twice-born.
शृणु राजन्कथां दिव्यामद्भुतामतिमानुषीम्। अगस्त्यस्य महाराज प्रभावममितौजसः
Hear, O king, the wondrous and divine tale of Agastya, whose power is immeasurable, O great king.
आसन्कृतयुगे घोरा दानवा युद्धदुर्मदाः। कालकेया इतिख्याता गणाः परमदारुणाः
In the Kṛta age, there were fierce and war-mad Dānavas, known as the Kālakeyas, a most terrible group.
ते तु वृत्रं समाश्रित्य नानाप्रहरणोद्यताः। समन्तात्पर्यधावन्त महेन्द्रप्रमुखान्सुरान्
Taking refuge with Vṛtra and armed with various weapons, they attacked the gods led by Mahendra from all sides.
ततो वृत्रवधे यत्नमकुर्वंस्त्रिदशाः पुरा। पुरंदरं पुरस्कृत्य ब्रह्माणमुपतस्थिरे
Then, in order to slay Vṛtra, the gods made efforts of old, and, led by Purandara, approached Brahmā.
कृताञ्जलींस्तु तान्सर्वान्परमेष्ठीत्युवाच ह। विदितं मे सुराः सर्वं यद्वः कार्यं चिकीर्षितम्
With joined palms, all those gods were addressed by the supreme lord: 'I know all that you wish to accomplish, O gods.'
तमुपायं प्रवक्ष्यामि यथा वृत्रं वधिष्यथ। दधीच इतिविख्यातो महानृषिरुदारधीः
'I will tell you the means by which you will slay Vṛtra. There is a great sage, renowned as Dadhīca, noble in mind.'
तं गत्वा सहिताः सर्वेवरं वै संप्रयाचत। स वो दास्यति धर्मात्मा सुप्रीतेनान्तरात्मना
'Go to him together and ask that best of men. He, righteous at heart and well-pleased, will surely grant you your request.'
स वाच्यः सहितैः सर्वैर्भवद्भिर्जयकाङ्क्षिभिः। स्वान्यस्थीनि प्रयच्छेति त्रैलोक्यस् हिताय वै
'All of you, desiring victory, must ask him together to give his own bones for the good of the three worlds.'
स शरीरं समुत्सृज्य स्वान्यस्थीनि प्रदास्यति। तस्यास्थिभिर्महाघोरं वज्रं संस्क्रियतां दृढम्
'He will abandon his body and give you his own bones. With those bones, let a mighty and terrible thunderbolt be fashioned.'
महच्छत्रुहणं घोरं ष़डश्चं भीमनिःस्वनम्। तेन वज्रेण वै वृत्रं वधिष्यति शतक्रतुः
'A great, foe-destroying, dreadful, six-edged, fearsome-sounding weapon— with that thunderbolt, Śatakratu will slay Vṛtra.'
एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं तस्माच्छीघ्रं विधीयताम्। एवमुक्तास्ततो देवा अनुज्ञाप्य पितामहम्
'All this I have told you; therefore, let it be done quickly.' Thus addressed, the gods, having taken leave of the grandsire,
नारायणं पुरस्कृत्य दधीचस्याश्रमं ययुः। सरस्वत्याः परे पारे नानाद्रुमलतावृतम्
set out for Dadhīca's hermitage, led by Nārāyaṇa, to the far shore of the Sarasvatī, covered with many trees and vines.
षट्पदोद्गीतनिनदैर्विघुष्टं सामगैरिव। पुंस्कोकिलरवोन्मिश्रं जीवंजीवकनादितम्
There, the place resounded with the humming of bees like the chanting of Sāma songs, mingled with the calls of male cuckoos and the cries of jīva-jīvaka birds.
महिषैश्च वराहैश्च सृमरैश्चमरैरपि। तत्र तत्रानुचरितं शार्दूलभयवर्जितैः
It was frequented here and there by buffaloes, boars, deer, and antelopes, untroubled by the fear of tigers.
करेणुभिर्वारणैश्च प्रभिन्नकरटामुखैः। सरोवगाढैः क्रीडद्भिः समन्तादनुनादितम्
The lake resounded on all sides with elephants, their trunks and mouths broken in play, plunging into the water and stirring up the mud.
सिंहव्याघ्रैर्महानादान्नदद्भिरनुनादितम्। अपरैश्चापि संलीनैर्गुहाकन्दरशायिभिः
It echoed with the mighty roars of lions and tigers, some hidden away, lying in caves and mountain hollows.