कर्णार्जुनाभ्यां संप्राप्ते द्वैरथे राजसत्तम । कर्णस्य भवता कार्यं सारथ्यं नात्र संशयः
When Karna and Arjuna meet in single combat, O foremost of kings, you must act as Karna's charioteer; there is no doubt about this.
तत्र पाल्योऽर्जुनो राजन्यदि मत्प्रियमिच्छसि। तेजोवधश्च ते कार्यः सौतेरस्मञ्जयावह्नः । अकर्तव्यमपि ह्येतत्कर्मुमर्हसि मातुल
There, you must protect Arjuna, O king, if you wish to please me; you must also ensure the defeat of his energy and the burning of his chariot; even if it is not to be done, you should accomplish this, O uncle.
श्रृणु पाण्डव भद्रं ते यद्ब्रवीषि महात्मनः । तेजोवधनिमित्तं मां सूतपुत्रस्य सङ्गमे
Hear, O Pandava, blessed one, what you say, O great-souled; I am to be present for the purpose of diminishing the energy at the meeting of the son of the charioteer.
अहं तस्य भविष्यामि सङ्घ्रामे सारथिर्ध्रुवम्। वासुदेवेन हि समं नित्यं मां सोऽभिमन्यतो
I will surely be his charioteer in battle; for he always regards me as equal to Vasudeva.
तस्याहं कुरुशार्दूल प्रतीपमहितं वचः। ध्रुवं संकथयिष्यामि योद्धुकामस्य संयुगे
O tiger among Kurus, I will certainly speak words contrary to his interest to him, when he desires to fight in battle.
यथा स हृतदर्पश्च हृततेजाश्च पाण्डव । भविष्यति सुखं हन्तुं सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
Thus, when his pride and energy are taken away, O Pandava, he will become easy to slay; I speak this truth to you.
एवमेतत्करिष्यामि यथा तात त्वमात्थ माम्। यच्चान्यदपि शक्ष्यामि तत्करिष्यामि ते प्रियम्
I will do exactly as you have told me, O father; and whatever else I am able, I will do that also for your pleasure.
यच्च दुःखं त्वया प्राप्तं द्यूते वै कृष्णया सह। परुषाणि च वाक्यानि सूतपुत्रकृतानि वै
And the suffering you endured in the game of dice with Krishna, and the harsh words spoken by the son of the charioteer,
जटासुरात्परिक्लेशः कीचकाच्च महाद्युते। द्रौपद्याऽधिगतं सर्वं दमयन्त्या यथाऽशुभम्
The distress from Jatasura, from Kichaka, and the great game of dice; all that Draupadi suffered, just as Damayanti endured misfortune,
सर्वं दुःखमिदं वीर सुखोदर्कं भविष्यति। नात्र मन्युस्त्वया कार्यो विधिर्हि बलवत्तरः
All this suffering, O hero, will end in happiness; you should not be angry, for destiny is stronger.
दुःखानि हि महात्मानः प्राप्नुवन्ति युधिष्ठिर। देवैरपि हि दुःखानि प्राप्तानि जगतीपते
Even great souls, O Yudhishthira, experience suffering; even the gods, O lord of the earth, have suffered.
इन्द्रेण श्रूयते राजन्सभार्येण महात्मना । अनुभूतं महद्दुःखं देवराजेन भारत
It is heard, O king, that Indra, the great-souled, together with his wife, endured great suffering, O Bharata.
कथमिन्द्रेण राजेन्द्र सभार्येण महात्मना । दुःखं प्राप्तं परं घोरमेतदिच्छामि वेदितुम्
How did Indra, O king, the great-souled, together with his wife, suffer such terrible distress? I wish to know this.
शृणु राजन्पुरावृत्तमितिहासं पुरातनम्। सभार्येण यथा प्राप्तं दुःखमिन्द्रेण भारत
Hear, O king, the ancient story of old; how Indra, together with his wife, suffered, O Bharata.
त्वष्टा प्रजापतिर्ह्यासीद्देवश्रेष्ठो महातपाः । स पुत्रं वै त्रिशिरसमिन्द्रद्रोहात्किलासृजत्
Tvaṣṭṛ, the lord of creatures, was a foremost god of great austerity; he begot a son, Triśiras, because of enmity with Indra.
ऐन्द्रं स प्रार्थयत्स्थानं विश्वरूपो महाद्युतिः । तैस्त्रिभिर्वदनैर्घोरैः सूर्येन्दुज्वलनोपमैः
That radiant Viśvarūpa sought the position of Indra, and had three terrifying faces, shining like the sun, moon, and fire.
वेदानेकेन सोऽधीते सुरामेकेन चापिबत्। एकेन च दिशः सर्वाः पिबन्निव निरीक्षते
With one face he recited the Vedas, with another he drank soma, and with the third he gazed upon all the directions as if consuming them.
स तपस्वी मुदुर्दान्तो धर्मे तपसि चोद्यतः । तपस्तस्य महत्तीव्रं सुदुश्चरमरिन्दम
He was an ascetic, gentle and self-controlled, devoted to righteousness and austerity; his penance was immense, intense, and extremely difficult to perform, O subduer of foes.
तस्य दृष्ट्वा तपोवीर्यं सत्यं चामिततेजसः । विषादमगमच्छक्र इन्द्रोऽयं मा भवेदिति
Seeing the power of his austerity and the truthfulness of that one of immeasurable energy, Indra became anxious, thinking, 'May he not become Indra.'
कथं सज्जेच्च भोगेषु न च तप्येन्महत्तपः । विवर्धमानस्त्रिशिराः सर्वं हि भुवनं ग्रसेत्
How might he become attached to pleasures and not practice such great austerity? If Triśiras continues to grow, he might consume the entire world.
इति संचिन्त्य बहुधा बुद्धिमान्भरतर्षभ । आज्ञापयत्सोऽप्सरसस्त्वष्टृपुत्रप्रलोभने
Thinking in many ways, that wise one, O bull among the Bharatas, commanded the Apsarases to seduce the son of Tvaṣṭṛ.
यथा स सज्जेत्रिशिराः कामभोगेषु वै भृशम् । क्षिप्रं कुरुत गच्छध्वं प्रलोभयत माचिरम्
Make sure that Triśiras becomes deeply attached to sensual pleasures; go quickly and seduce him without delay.
शृङ्गारवेषाः सुश्रोण्यो हारैर्युक्ता मनोहरैः । हावभावसमायुक्ताः सर्वाः सौन्दर्यशोभिताः
Adorn yourselves in alluring attire, with beautiful hips, decked in enchanting necklaces, displaying gestures and expressions, all resplendent in beauty.
प्रलोभयत भद्रं वः शमयध्वं भयं मम। अस्वस्थं ह्यात्मनात्मानं लक्षयामि वराङ्गनाः
Go and seduce him, may you fare well; dispel my fear. O noble ladies, I perceive my own self is unsettled within.
तथा यत्नं करिष्यामः शक्र तस्य प्रलोभने। यथा नावाप्स्यसि भयं तस्माद्बलनिषूदन
We will make every effort, O Śakra, to seduce him, so that you will not have to fear him, O destroyer of force.
निर्दहन्निव चक्षुर्भ्यां योऽसावास्ते तपोनिधिः। तं प्रलोयितुं देव गच्छामः सहिता वयम्
He who sits there, a treasure of austerity, with eyes as if burning everything—together, we will go to entice that god.
इन्द्रेण तास्त्वनुज्ञाता जग्मुस्त्रिशिरसोऽन्तिकम्। तत्र ता विविधैर्भावैर्लोभयन्त्यो वराङ्गनाः
Permitted by Indra, they went to Triśiras; there, those noble ladies tried to seduce him with various charms.
नृत्तं संदर्शयामासुस्तथैवाङ्गेषु सौष्ठवम्। नाभ्यगच्छत्प्रहर्षं ताः स पश्यन्सुमहातपाः
They displayed dancing and grace in their limbs, but seeing them, that great ascetic felt no delight.
इन्द्रियाणि वशे कृत्वा पूर्णसागरसन्निभः। तास्तु यत्नं परं कृत्वा पुनः शक्रमुपस्थिताः
Having mastered his senses, like the full ocean, those women, after making every effort, returned again to Śakra.
कृताञ्जलिपुटाः सर्वा देवराजमथाब्रुवन्। न स शक्यः सुदुर्धर्षो धैर्याच्चालयितुं प्रभो
With hands joined in reverence, they addressed the king of the gods: 'He cannot be shaken, O lord, so difficult to disturb due to his steadfastness.'