यस्तु सर्वाणि भूतानि त्वया सह विजेष्यति। स हि मे भविता भर्ता ब्रह्मण्यः कीर्तिवर्धनः
He who, together with you, will conquer all beings—he will be my husband, devoted to Brahman and increaser of fame.
इन्द्रस्तस्या वचः श्रुत्वा दुःखितोऽचिन्तयद्भृशम्। अस्या देव्याः पतिर्नास्ति यादृशं संप्रभाषते
Hearing her words, Indra was deeply troubled and thought: This goddess has no husband such as she describes.
अथापश्यत्स उदये भास्करं भास्करद्युतिः। सोमं चैव महाभागं प्रविशन्तं दिवाकरम्
Then he beheld at the sunrise the radiant Sun, and the illustrious Soma entering into the orb of the day.
अमावास्यां प्रवृत्तायां मुहूर्ते रौद्र एव तु। देवासुरं च संग्रामं सोऽपश्यदुदये गिरौ
As the new moon commenced, at a fierce moment, he saw the battle between gods and asuras on the mountain at dawn.
लोहितैश्च घनैर्युक्तां पूर्वां संध्यां शतक्रतुः। अपश्यल्लोहितोदं च मघवान्वरुणालयम्
Indra saw the eastern twilight filled with red clouds, and the ocean with red waters, the abode of Varuna.
भृगुभिश्चाङ्गिरोभ्यश्च हुतं मन्त्रैः पृथग्विधैः। हव्यं गृहीत्वा वह्निं च प्रविशन्तं दिवाकरम्
He saw the Bhṛgus and the Angiras offering oblations with various mantras, and Agni, having received the offering, entering into the Sun.
पर्व चैव चतुर्विंशं तदा सूर्यमुपस्थितम्। तथा सूर्यं वह्निगतं सोमं सूर्यगतं च तम्
Then, on the twenty-fourth lunar day, the Sun appeared; thus, Agni entered the Sun, and Soma entered the Sun as well.
समालोक्यैकतामेव शशिनो भास्करस्य च। समवायं तु तं रौद्रं दृष्ट्वा शक्रोऽन्वचिन्तयत्
Seeing the union of the Moon and the Sun as one, and witnessing that fierce conjunction, Indra reflected.
सूर्याचन्द्रमसोर्घोरं दृश्यते परिवेषणम्। एतस्मिन्नेव रात्र्यन्ते महद्युद्धं तु शंसति
A dreadful halo is seen around the Sun and Moon; at this very end of night, it foretells a great battle.
सरित्सिन्धुरपीयं तु प्रत्यसृग्वाहिनी भृशम्। शृगालिनयग्निवक्रा च प्रत्यादित्यं विराविणी
The river Sindhu flowed backward with force, and the jackal with a fiery mouth howled loudly facing the Sun.
एष रौद्रश्चसंघातो महान्युक्तश्च तेजसा। सोमस्य वह्निसूर्याभ्यामद्भुतोऽयं समागमः
This is a fierce conjunction, great and endowed with energy; the wondrous union of Soma, Agni, and the Sun.
जनयेद्यं सुतं सोमः सोऽस्या देव्याः पतिर्भवेत्। अथानेकैर्गुणैश्चाग्निरग्निः सर्वाश्च देवताः
If Soma generates a son, he will become the husband of this goddess; and Agni, with many virtues, and all the deities—
एष चेञ्जनयेद्गर्भं सोऽस्या देव्याः पतिर्भवेत्। एवं संचिन्त्य भगवान्ब्रह्मलोकं तदा गतः
If this one should generate an embryo, he will become the husband of this goddess; thus contemplating, the Blessed One then went to the world of Brahma.
गृहीत्वा देवसेनां तां ववन्दे स पितामहम्। उवाच चास्या देव्यास्त्वं साधु शूरं पतिं दिशा
Having taken Devasenā, he paid homage to the Grandsire and said, 'For this goddess, grant a worthy and heroic husband.'
यथैतच्चिन्तितंकार्यं त्वया दानवसूदन। तथा स भविता गर्भो बलवानुरुविक्रमः
As you have conceived this matter, O slayer of Dānavas, so shall the child be—strong and of great prowess.
स विष्यति सेनानीस्त्वया सह शतक्रतो। अस्या देव्याः पतिश्चैव स भविष्यति वीर्यवान्
He will become the commander of the army together with you, O Indra; and he will be the valiant husband of this goddess.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा नमस्तस्मै कृत्वाऽसौ मह कन्यया। तत्राभ्यगच्छद्देवेन्द्रो यत्र सप्तर्षयोऽभवन्
Hearing this, offering obeisance, he, with the great maiden, went to where the Seven Sages were.
वसिष्ठप्रमुखा मुख्या विप्रेन्द्राः सुमहाप्रभाः। भागार्थं तपसोपात्तं तेषां सोमं तथाऽध्वरे
The foremost among the twice-born, led by Vasiṣṭha, of great brilliance, had obtained Soma for the sake of their share in the sacrifice.
पिपासवो ययुर्देवाः शतक्रतुपुरोगमाः। इष्टिं कृत्वयतान्यायं सुसमिद्धे हुताशने
The gods, led by Indra, who were thirsty, went there; having performed the proper sacrifice in the well-kindled fire.
जुहुवुस्ते महात्मानो हव्यं सर्वदिवौकसाम्। समाहूतो हुतवहःसोऽद्भुतः सूर्यमण्डलात्
Those great souls offered oblations for all the dwellers in heaven; then, wondrously summoned, Agni came from the solar orb.
विनिःसृत्य ययौ वह्निः पार्श्वतो विधिवत्प्रभुः। आगम्याहवनीयं वै तैर्द्विजैर्मन्त्रतो हुतम्
The Fire, emerging properly from the side, approached the sacrificial altar, and, as prescribed, received the offerings that were chanted over by those twice-born men.
सतत्र विविधं हव्यं प्रतिगृह्यहुताशनः। ऋषिभ्यो भरतश्रेष्ठ प्रायच्छत दिवौकसाम्
There, O best of Bharatas, the eater of oblations accepted the various offerings and presented them to the gods on behalf of the sages.
निष्क्रामंश्चाप्यपश्यत्स पत्नीस्तेषां महात्मनाम्। स्वेष्वासतेषूपविष्टाः स्नायन्तीश्च यथासुस्वम्
As he was departing, he saw the wives of those great-souled sages, seated on their own seats and bathing as was proper for them.
रुक्मवेदिनिभास्तास्तु चन्द्रलेखा इवामलाः। हुताशनार्चिःप्रतिमाः सर्वास्तारा इवाद्भुताः
They were all shining like golden altars, spotless as moonbeams, resembling the flames of the sacrificial fire, and wondrous like stars.
स तत्रतेन मनसा बभूव क्षुभितेन्द्रियः। पत्नीर्दृष्ट्वा द्विजेन्द्राणां वह्निः कामवशं ययौ
Thereupon, his mind was disturbed; seeing the wives of the foremost Brahmins, Fire was overcome by desire.
भूयः संचिन्तयामास न न्याय्यं क्षुभितो ह्यहम्। साध्व्यः पत्न्यो द्विजेन्द्राणामकामा कामयाम्यहम्
He thought again: 'It is not right that I, agitated as I am, should desire the virtuous wives of the foremost Brahmins, who themselves are without desire.'
नैताः शक्या मया द्रष्टुं स्प्रष्टुं वाऽप्यनिमित्ततः। गार्हपत्यं समाविश्य तस्मात्पश्याम्यभीक्ष्णशः
'It is not proper for me to see or touch them without cause; therefore, I repeatedly look at them while entering the household fire.'
संस्पृशन्निव सर्वास्ताः शिखाभिः काञ्चनप्रभाः। पश्यमानश्च मुमुदे गार्हपत्यं समाश्रितः
As if touching them all with his golden flames, and gazing upon them, he took delight while abiding in the household fire.
निरुध्य तत्रसुचिरमेवं वह्निर्वनं गतः। मनस्तासु विनिक्षिप्य कामयानो वराङ्गनाः
Restraining himself there for a long time, Fire went to the forest, having fixed his mind on those women and longing for those excellent ladies.
कामसंतप्तहृदयो देहत्यागे विनिश्चितः। अलाभे ब्राह्मणस्त्रीणामग्निर्वनमुपागमत्
His heart scorched by desire, resolved to abandon his body, and unable to obtain the Brahmin women, Fire entered the forest.