एषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा पद्मयोनिः सनातनः। उवाच परमप्रीतस्त्रिदशानर्थवद्वचः
Hearing those words, the eternal Lotus-born, greatly pleased, spoke to the gods words full of meaning.
विदितं मे सुराः सर्वे दानवानां विवेष्टितम्। मनुष्यादेश्च निधनं कालेयैः कालचोदितैः
I know well, O gods, all the actions of the Dānavas, and the destruction of men by the Kāleyas, impelled by time.
क्षयस्तेपामनुप्राप्तः कालेनोपहताश्च ये। उपायं संप्रवक्ष्यामि समुद्रस्य विशोषणे
Their ruin has come upon them, struck down by time; I will declare to you the means for drying up the ocean.
अगस्त्य इतिविग्व्यातो वारुणिः सुसमाहितः। तमुपागम्य सहिता इममर्थं प्रयाचत
Agastya, renowned and steadfast, born of Varuṇa, approach him together and request this matter.
स हि शक्तो महातेजाः क्षणात्पातुं महोदधिम्'। अगस्त्येन विना को हि शक्तोऽन्योऽर्णवशोपणे
For he, possessed of great energy, is able to drink up the great ocean in a moment; apart from Agastya, who else is capable of drying up the sea?
अन्यथा हि न शक्यास्ते विना सागरशोपणम्। समुद्रे च क्षयं नीते कालेयान्निहनिष्यथ
Otherwise, it is not possible to destroy them without drying up the ocean; when the sea is emptied, you will slay the Kāleyas.
एवं श्रुत्वा वचो देवा ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः। परमेष्ठिनमाज्ञाप्यअगस्त्यस्याश्रमं ययुः
Thus, hearing the word of Brahmā, the supreme lord, the gods, having received his command, went to Agastya’s hermitage.
तत्रापश्यन्महात्मानं वारुणिं दीप्ततेजसम्। उपास्यमानमृपिभिर्देवैरिव पितामहम्
There they saw the great-souled son of Varuṇa, blazing in brilliance, being served by kings as the gods serve the Grandsire.
तेऽभिगम्य महात्मानं मैत्रावरुणिमच्युतम्। आश्रमश्थं तपोराशिं कर्मभिः स्वैस्तु तुष्टुवुः
Approaching the steadfast sage, the son of Mitra and Varuṇa, a treasury of austerity, dwelling in his hermitage, they praised him with their own deeds.
नहुपेणाभितप्तानां त्वं लोकानां गतिः पुरा। भ्रंशितश्च सुरैश्वर्याल्लोकार्थं लोककण्टकः
You were once the refuge of the worlds, tormented by Nahusha; for the sake of the worlds, you cast down the thorn of the gods from sovereignty.
क्रोधात्प्रवृद्धस्तरणं भास्करस्य नभोगतः। वचस्तवानतिक्रामन्विन्ध्यः शैलो न वर्धते
When the Vindhya mountain, grown proud with anger, rose up to the sky, it ceased to grow, obeying your word, and did not surpass the sun’s path.
तमसा चावृतेलोके मृत्युनाऽभ्यर्दिताः प्रजाः। त्वामेव नाथमासाद्य निर्वृतिं परमां गताः
When the world was covered in darkness and creatures were oppressed by death, they found you as their lord and attained supreme peace.
अस्माकं भयभीतानां नित्यशो भगवान्गतिः। ततस्त्वार्ताः प्रयाचामो वरं त्वां वरदो ह्यसि
For us, always fearful and anxious, you, O blessed one, are the refuge; therefore, distressed, we beg you for a boon, for you are the bestower of boons.
किमर्थं सहसा विन्ध्यः प्रवृद्धः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः। एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं विस्तरेण महामुने
For what reason did the Vindhya suddenly swell, seized by wrath? This I wish to hear from you in detail, great sage.
अद्रिराजं महाघोरं रमेरुं कनकपर्वतम्। उदयास्तमने भानुः प्रदक्षिणमवर्तत
The sun, circling Mount Meru, the great and terrible king of mountains, the golden mountain, moves around it at sunrise and sunset.
तं तु दृष्ट्वा तथा विन्ध्य शैलः सूर्यमथाब्रवीत्। यथा हि मेरुर्भवता नित्यशः परिगम्यते
Seeing this, the Vindhya mountain spoke to the sun: ‘Just as you always circle Meru, so circle me as well, O Bhāskara.’
प्रदक्षिणश्च क्रियते मामेवं करु भास्कर। एवमुक्तस्ततः सूर्यः शैलेन्द्रं प्रत्यभापत
Thus addressed, the sun replied to the lord of mountains: ‘I do not make this circuit of my own will, O mountain.’
नाहमात्मेच्छया शैल करोम्येनं प्रदक्षिणम्। एष मार्गः प्रदिष्टो मे येनेदं निर्मितं जगत्
‘This path has been assigned to me by which this world was created.’
एवमुक्तस्ततः क्रोधात्प्रवृद्धः सहसाऽचलः। सूर्याचन्द्रमसोर्मार्गं रोद्धुमिच्छन्परंतप
Thus addressed, then, Acalā, inflamed with anger, suddenly sought to block the path of the sun and the moon, scorcher of foes.
ततो देवाः सहिताः सर्व एव। सेन्द्राः समागम्य महाद्रिराजम्। निवारयामासुरुपायतस्तं न च स्म तेषां वचनं चकार
Then all the gods together, with Indra at their head, assembled before the great mountain king and tried to dissuade him by various means, but he did not heed their words.
अथाभिजग्मुर्मुनिमाश्रमस्थं तपस्विनं धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठम्। अगस्त्यमत्यद्भुतवीर्यदीप्तं तं चार्थमूचुः सहिताः सुरास्ते
Thereafter, the gods approached the sage dwelling in his hermitage, the ascetic foremost among upholders of righteousness, Agastya, blazing with extraordinary power, and together they spoke to him of their purpose.
सूर्याचन्दर्मसोर्मार्गं नक्षत्राणां गतिं तथा। शैलराजो वृणोत्येप विन्ध्यः क्रोधवशानुगः
The king of mountains, Vindhya, overcome by anger, is obstructing the path of the sun and moon, and likewise the course of the stars.
तं निवारयितुं शक्तो नान्यः कश्चिद्द्विजोत्तम। ऋते त्वां हि महाभाग तस्मादेनं निवारय
No one else, O best of twice-born, is able to restrain him; except for you, O highly fortunate one, therefore restrain him.
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं विप्रः सुराणां शैलमभ्यगात्। सोभिगम्याब्रवीद्विन्ध्यं सदारः समुपस्थितः
Hearing the words of the gods, the sage approached the mountain, and, having come near with his wife, addressed Vindhya.
मार्गमिच्छाम्यहं दत्तं भवता पर्वतोत्तम। दक्षिणामभिगन्तास्मि दिशे कार्येण केनचित्
O best of mountains, I desire a path to be given by you; I wish to go southward for a certain purpose.
यावदागमनं मह्यं तावत्त्वं प्रतिपालय। निवृत्ते मयि शैलेन्द्र ततो वर्धस्व कामतः
Until my return, you must remain as you are; when I have come back, O lord of mountains, then you may grow as you wish.
एवं स समयं कृत्वाविन्ध्येनामित्रकर्शन। अद्यापि दक्षिणाद्देशाद्वारुणिर्न निवर्तते
Thus having made this agreement with Vindhya, O subduer of foes, even today the sage of the Varuna lineage has not returned from the southern region.
विन्ध्योऽपितद्भयाद्राजन्कुञ्चिताङ्गो न वर्धते। अगस्त्यस्य प्रभावेण यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि
Vindhya too, out of fear, does not grow, his form bent, by the power of Agastya—this you have asked me.
कालेयास्तु यथा राजन्सुरैः सर्वैर्निषूदिताः। अगस्त्याद्वरमासाद्य तन्मे निगदतः शृणु
Just as the Kāleyas were destroyed by all the gods, O king, having obtained a boon from Agastya, hear that from me as I recount it.
त्रिदशानां वचः श्रुत्वा मैत्रावरुणिरब्रवीत्। किमर्थमभियाता स्थ वरं मत्तः कमिच्छथ
Hearing the words of the gods, the son of Mitra and Varuṇa spoke: 'For what purpose have you come? What boon do you desire from me?'