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.
तेषु तेष्ववकाशेषु शोभितं सुमनोरमम्। त्रिविष्टपसमप्रख्यं दधीचाश्रममागमन्
In those various delightful and beautiful spots, shining like heaven itself, they came upon the hermitage of Dadhicha.
तत्रापश्यन्दधीचं ते दिवाकरसमद्युतिम्। जाज्वल्यमानं वपुषा यथा साक्षात्पितामहम्
There they saw Dadhicha, radiant as the sun, blazing in his form like the Grandsire himself.
तस्य पादौ सुरा राजन्नभिवाद्य प्रणम्य च। अयाचन्त वरं सर्वे यथोक्तं परमेष्ठिना
O King, the gods bowed down and paid homage at his feet, and all of them requested the boon as instructed by the Lord of Creation.
ततो दधीचः परमप्रतीतः सुरोत्तमांस्तानिदमभ्युवाच। करोमि यद्वो हितमद्य देवाः स्वं चापि देहंस्वयमुत्सृजामि
Then Dadhicha, greatly pleased, spoke to those best of gods: 'Today, O gods, I shall do what is for your good, and I will willingly give up my own body.'
स एवमुक्त्वा द्विपदांवरिष्ठः प्राणान्वशी स्वान्सहसोत्ससर्ज। ततः सुरास्ते जगृहुः परासो- रस्थीनि तस्याथ यथोपदेशम्
Having spoken thus, that foremost of men, mastering his breath, at once released his life; then the gods took his bones as instructed.
प्रहृष्टरूपाश्च जयाय देवा- स्त्वष्टारमागम् तमर्थमूचुः। त्वष्टा तु तेषां वचनं निशम्य प्रहृष्टरूपः प्रयतः प्रयत्नात्
The gods, delighted in form and eager for victory, approached Tvashtar and told him their purpose; Tvashtar, hearing their words, joyfully and carefully set to work.
चकार वज्रं भृशमुग्ररूपं कृत्वा च शक्रं स उवाच हृष्टः। अनेन वज्रप्रवरेण देव भस्मीकुरुष्वाद्य सुरारिमुग्रम्
He fashioned a thunderbolt, exceedingly fierce in form, and, having made it, joyfully said to Shakra: 'With this supreme thunderbolt, O god, destroy today the terrible enemy of the gods.'
ततो हतारिः सगणः सुखं वै प्रशाधिकृत्स्नं त्रिदिवं दिविष्ठः। त्वष्ट्रा तथोक्तस्तु पुरंदरस्त- द्वज्रं प्रहृष्टः प्रयतो ह्यगृह्नात्
Then, having slain the enemy and his hosts, the wielder of the thunderbolt happily ruled the entire heaven; as Tvashtar had said, Purandara took up that thunderbolt with joy and devotion.
ततः स वज्री बलभिद्दैवतैरभिरक्षितः। आससाद ततो वृत्रं स्थितमावृत्य रोदसी
Then he, the wielder of the thunderbolt, protected by the gods, approached Vritra, who stood blocking earth and sky.
कालकेयैर्महाकायै समन्तादभिरक्षितम्। समुद्यतप्रहरणैः सशृङ्गैरिव पर्वतैः
Vritra was guarded on all sides by the mighty-bodied Kalakeyas, armed and ready, like mountains bristling with peaks.