गच्छध्वं सर्षिगन्धर्वा यत्रासौ विश्वरूपधृक्। साम तस्य प्रयुञ्जध्वं तत एनं विजेष्यथ
Go, together with the sages and Gandharvas, to where he, the one assuming all forms, is; employ the Sāman against him, and then you will defeat him.
भविष्यति जयो देवाः शक्रस्य मम तेजसा । अदृश्यश्च प्रवेक्ष्यामि वज्रे ह्यस्यायुधोत्तमे
Victory will be yours, O gods, for Śakra, by my energy; I will enter invisibly into this supreme weapon, the thunderbolt.
गच्छध्वमृषिभिः सार्धं गन्धर्वैश्च सुरोत्तमाः । वृत्रस्य सह शक्रेण सन्धिं कुरुत माचिरम्
Go with the sages and the best of Gandharvas, O best of gods; quickly make peace between Vṛtra and Śakra.
एवमुक्ते तु देवेन ऋषयस्त्रिदशास्तथा । ययुः समेत्य सहिताः शक्रं कृत्वा पुरःसरम्
When the god had spoken thus, the sages and the celestials likewise, having assembled together, went with Śakra at their head.
समीपमेत्य च यदा सर्व एव महौजसः। तं तेजसा प्रज्वलितं प्रतपन्तं दिशो दश
When all those of great energy approached, they saw him blazing with radiance, scorching the ten directions.
ग्रसन्तमिव लोकांस्त्रीन्सूर्याचन्द्रमसौ यथा। ददृशुस्ते ततो वृत्रं शक्रेण सह देवताः
As if swallowing the three worlds, like the sun and moon, the gods then beheld Vṛtra together with Śakra.
ऋषयोऽथ ततोऽभ्येत्य वृत्रमूचुः प्रियं वचः। व्याप्तं जगदिदं सर्वं तेजसा तव दुर्जय
Then the sages approached and spoke gentle words to Vṛtra: 'This whole world is pervaded by your unconquerable energy.'
न च शक्नोषि निर्जेषुं वासवं बलिनां वर। युध्यतोश्चापि वां कालो व्यतीतः सुमहानिह
But you are unable to defeat Vāsava, O best of the strong; and the time for your battle with him has already passed, here, greatly.
पीड्यन्ते च प्रजाः सर्वाः सदेवासुरमानुषाः । सख्यं भवतु ते वृत्र शक्रेण सह नित्यदा
All beings, including gods, asuras, and humans, are afflicted; let there be eternal friendship between you, Vṛtra, and Śakra.
अवाप्स्यसि सुखं त्वं च शक्रलोकांश्च शाश्वतान्। ऋषिवाक्यं निशम्याथ वृत्रःस तु महाबलः
You will attain happiness and the eternal realms of Śakra; hearing the words of the sages, Vṛtra, of great might, then—
उवाच तानृषीन्सर्वान्प्रणम्य शिरसाऽसुरः । सर्वे यूयं महाभागा गन्धर्वाश्चैव सर्वशः
The Asura, bowing his head, spoke to all the sages: 'You are all greatly fortunate, as are all the Gandharvas.'
यद्ब्रूथ तच्छ्रुतं सर्वं ममापि श्रृणुतानघाः। सन्धिः कथं वै भविता मम शक्रस्य चोभयोः । तेजसोर्हि द्वयोर्देवाः सख्यं वै भविता कथम्
'I have heard all that you have said; now, O sinless ones, listen to me as well. How will peace be established between me and Śakra? For how can there be friendship between us two, O gods, when our energies are opposed?'
सकृत्सतां सङ्गतमीप्सितव्यं ततः परं भविता भव्यमेव। नातिक्रामेत्सत्पुरुषेण सङ्गतं तस्मात्सतां संगतमीप्सितव्यम्
The association of the virtuous is always to be desired; thereafter, what is destined will surely come to pass. One should not violate the company of the good; therefore, the association of the virtuous is to be sought.
दृढं सतां सङ्गतं चापि नित्यं ब्रूयाच्चार्थं ह्यर्थकृच्छ्रेषु धीराः । महार्थवत्सत्पुरुषेण सङ्गतं तस्मात्सन्तं न जिघांसेत धीरः
The association of the virtuous is always firm; the wise should speak purposefully in times of difficulty. The company of the good is of great value; therefore, the wise should not wish harm upon the virtuous.
इन्द्रः सतां संमतश्च निवासश्च महात्मनाम्। सत्यवादी ह्यनिन्द्यश्च धर्मवित्सूक्ष्मनिश्चयः
Indra is esteemed among the virtuous and is the refuge of great souls; he speaks the truth, is blameless, knows righteousness, and is precise in subtle matters.
तेन ते सह शक्रेण सन्धिर्भवतु नित्यदा। एवं विश्वासमागच्छ मा ते भूद्बुद्धिरन्यथा
Therefore, let there always be peace between you and Shakra; come to trust in this way, and do not let your mind turn otherwise.
महर्षिवचनं श्रुत्वा तानुवाच महाद्युतिः। अवश्यं भगवन्तो मे माननीयास्तपस्विनः
Hearing the words of the great sage, the radiant one replied to them: 'Certainly, the venerable ascetics are always to be honored by me.'
ब्रवीमि यदहं देवास्तत्सर्वं क्रियते यदि। ततः सर्वं करिष्यामि यदूचुर्मां दिवौकसः
Whatever I, as a god, declare—if all that is done—then I will do everything the dwellers of heaven have spoken to me.
न शुष्केण न चाद्रेण नाश्मना न च दारुणा । न शस्त्रेण न चास्त्रेण न दिवा न तथा निशि
Not by something dry, nor by something wet, nor by stone, nor by wood, nor by weapon, nor by missile, neither by day nor by night—
वध्यो भवेयं विप्रेन्द्राः शक्रस्य सह दैवतैः । एवं मे रोचते सन्धिः शक्रेण सह नित्यदा
—may I be slain, O best of Brahmins, by Shakra together with the gods; thus, I am pleased with an everlasting peace with Shakra.
बाढमित्येव ऋषयस्तमूचुर्भरतर्षभ। एवं वृत्ते तु सन्धाने वृत्रः प्रमुदितोऽभवत्
The sages replied, 'So be it,' O bull among the Bharatas; with the agreement thus established, Vritra became delighted.
ततः सन्धिं मिथः कृत्वा ऋषयो दीप्ततेजसः। शक्रस्य सह वृत्रेण पुनर्जग्मुर्यथागतम्
Then, having made the pact with each other, the sages of blazing energy departed as they had come, after reconciling Shakra and Vritra.
युक्तः सदाऽभवच्चापि शक्रो हर्षसमन्वितः। वृत्रस्य वधसंयुक्तानुपायानन्वचिन्तयत्
Shakra was always alert and filled with joy, yet he pondered means connected to the slaying of Vritra.
अभिसन्धिर्महेन्द्रस्य सन्धिकर्मणि यः कृतः। ऋषिभिस्त्वीरितं यच्च महेन्द्रस्तदनुस्मरन्
The intention that Mahendra formed in making the pact, and what the sages had declared—Mahendra kept recalling that.
छिद्रान्वेषी समुद्विग्नः सदा वसति देवराट्। स कदाचिन्समुद्रान्ते समपश्यन्महासुरम्
Ever searching for a loophole, anxious, the king of the gods dwelled; once, at the edge of the ocean, he saw the great asura.
सन्ध्याकाल उपावृत्ते मुहूर्ते चातिदारुणे। ततः संचिन्त्य भगवान्वरदानं महात्मनः
When twilight had come, at that most dreadful moment, the blessed one remembered the boon granted to the great-souled one.
सन्ध्येयं वर्तते रौद्रा न रात्रिर्दिवसं न च। वृत्रश्चावश्यवध्योऽयं मम सर्वहरो रिपुः
Now twilight prevails, fierce—neither night nor day; and Vritra, the all-consuming foe, must certainly be slain by me.
यदि वृत्रं न हन्म्यद्य वञ्चयित्वा महासुरम्। महाबलं महाकायं न मे श्रेयो भविष्यति
If I do not slay Vritra today, deceiving the great asura of immense strength and body, no good will come to me.
एवं संचिन्तयन्नेव शक्रो विष्णुमनुस्मरन्। अथ फेनं तदाऽपश्यत् समुद्रे पर्वतोपमप्
Thus reflecting, Shakra, remembering Vishnu, then saw a mass of foam in the ocean, resembling a mountain.
नायं युष्को न चाद्रोऽयं न च शस्त्रमिदं तथा। एनं क्षेप्स्यामि वृत्रस्य क्षणादेव नशिष्यति
This is not dry, nor is it wet, nor is it stone, nor is it a weapon; with this I shall strike Vritra, and in an instant he will perish.