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.
ततो युद्धं समभवद्देवानां दानवैः सह। मुहूर्तं भरतश्रेष्ठ लोकत्रासकरं महत्
Then a great battle took place between the gods and the asuras, O best of Bharatas, terrifying the worlds for a moment.
उद्यतप्रतिविद्धानां स्वङ्गानां वीरबाहुभिः। आसीत्सुतुमुः शब्दः शरीरेष्वभिपात्यताम्
There arose a tumultuous sound from the heroes, their limbs raised and struck, as they fell upon each other's bodies.
शिरोभिः प्रपतद्भिश्चाप्यन्तरिक्षान्महीतलम्। तालैरिव महाराज वृन्ताद्भ्रष्टैरदृश्यत
Heads fell from the sky to the earth, O great king, like palm fruits dropping from their stalks.
ते हेमकवचा भूत्वा कालेयाः परिघायुधाः। त्रिदशानभ्यवर्तन्त दावदग्धा इवाद्रयः
The Kalakeyas, clad in golden armor and wielding iron clubs, advanced against the gods like mountains scorched by wildfire.
तेषां वेगवतां वेगं सहितानां प्रधावताम्। न शेकुस्त्रिदशाः सोढुं ते भग्नाः प्राद्रवन्भयात्
The gods could not withstand the force of those united, swift warriors; broken, they fled in fear.
तान्दृष्ट्वा द्रवतो भीतान्सहस्राक्षः पुरंदरः। वृत्रे विवर्धमाने च कश्मलं महदाविशत्
Seeing his terrified companions fleeing and Vritra growing stronger, Indra, the thousand-eyed, was seized by great despair.
तं शक्तं कश्मलाविष्टं दृष्ट्वा विष्णुः सनातनः। जगाम शरणं शीघ्रं तं तु नारायणं प्रभुम्
Seeing Śakra overcome by despair, the eternal Viṣṇu swiftly sought refuge with that lord Nārāyaṇa.
तं शक्रं कश्मलाविष्टं दृष्ट्वा विष्णुः सनातनः। स्वतेजो व्यदधच्छक्रे बलमस्य विवर्धयन्
Observing Śakra enveloped in gloom, the eternal Viṣṇu infused his own energy into him, thereby increasing his strength.
विष्णुना गोपितं शक्रं दृष्ट्वादेवगणास्ततः। स्वं स्वंतेजः समादध्युस्तथा ब्रह्मर्षयोऽमलाः
When the hosts of gods saw Śakra protected by Viṣṇu, each of them, as well as the pure Brahmarṣis, imparted their own energy.
स समाप्यायितः शक्रो विष्णुना दैवतैः सह। ऋषिभिश्च महाभागैर्बलवान्समपद्यत
Thus, empowered by Viṣṇu together with the gods and the illustrious sages, Śakra became strong.