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.
सवज्रमथ फेनं तं क्षिप्रं वृत्रे निसृष्टवान्। प्रविश्य फेनं तं विष्णुरथ वृत्रं व्यनाशयत्
Then, with his thunderbolt, he swiftly hurled that foam at Vritra; Vishnu entered that foam and destroyed Vritra.
निहते तु ततो वृत्रे दिशो वितिमिराऽभवन्। प्रववौ च शिवो वायुः प्रजाश्च जहृषुस्तथा
When Vritra was slain, the quarters became free of darkness; the auspicious wind blew, and the people rejoiced likewise.
ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वा यक्षरक्षोमहोरगाः । ऋषयश्च महेन्द्रं तमस्तुवन्विविधैः स्तवैः
Then the gods, together with the Gandharvas, Yakshas, Rakshasas, great serpents, and sages, praised that Mahendra with various hymns.
नमस्कृतः सर्वभूतैः सर्वभूतान्यसान्त्वयत्। हत्वा शत्रुं प्रहृष्टात्मा वासवः सह दैवतैः
Having been saluted by all beings, he comforted all creatures; after slaying his enemy, Vasava, joyful in spirit, rejoiced with the gods.
विष्णुं त्रिभुवनश्रेष्ठं पूजयामास धर्मवित्। ततो हते महावीर्ये वृत्रे देवभयङ्करे
The righteous one worshipped Vishnu, the best of the three worlds; then, when the mighty and terrifying Vritra, who frightened the gods, was slain—
अनृतेनाभिभूतोऽभूच्छक्रः परमदुर्मनाः । त्रैशीर्षयाऽभिभूतश्च स पूर्वं ब्रह्महत्यया
The wielder of the discus was overcome by falsehood and became deeply troubled; previously, he had been afflicted by the three-headed one and by the sin of Brahmin-slaying.
महादेवस्य भूतैश्च स पुनर्ब्रह्महा इति। आक्रुष्टो निर्भयैर्भूयो व्रीडितो बलवृत्रहा
Again, the beings of Mahadeva called him a Brahmin-slayer; thus, the slayer of Vritra was shamed and reproached by the fearless ones.
सोऽन्तमाश्रित्य लोकानां नष्टसंज्ञो विचेतनः। न प्राज्ञायत देवेन्द्रस्त्वभिभूतः स्वकर्मभिः
He, having reached the end of the worlds, lost awareness and consciousness; Indra, overpowered by his own actions, was no longer recognized.
प्रतिच्छन्नोऽवसच्चाप्सु चेष्टमान इवोरगः । ततः प्रनष्टे देवेन्द्रे ब्रह्महत्या भयार्दिते
Concealed, he dwelled in the waters, moving like a serpent; then, when Indra had vanished, stricken by fear of Brahmin-slaying—
भूमिः प्रध्वस्तसंकाशा निर्वृक्षा शुष्ककानना । विच्छिन्नस्रोतसो नद्यः सरांस्यनुदकानि च
The earth lost its luster, became treeless, and its forests dried up; the rivers lost their streams, and the lakes were without water.
संक्षोभश्चापि सत्वानामनावृष्टिकृतोऽभवत्। देवाश्चापि भृशं त्रस्तास्तथा सर्वे महर्षयः
There arose a disturbance among beings, caused by the absence of rain; the gods and all the great sages were greatly afraid.
अराजकं जगत्सर्वमभिभूतमुपद्रवैः। ततो भीताऽभवन्देवाः को नो राजा भवेदिति
The whole world, without a king, was afflicted by calamities; then the gods became fearful, wondering, 'Who shall be our king?'
दिवि देवर्षयश्चापि देवराजविनाकृताः। न स्म कश्चन देवानां राज्ये वै कुरुते मतिम्
In heaven, the divine sages, bereft of their king, did not consider anyone among the gods fit to rule.
ऋषयोऽथाब्रुवन्सर्वे देवाश्च त्रिदिवेश्वराः। अयं वै नहुपः श्रीमान्देवराज्येऽभिषिच्यताम्
Then all the sages and the gods, lords of the three worlds, said: 'Let this illustrious Nahusha be anointed as king of the gods.'
तेजस्वी च यशस्वी च धार्मिकश्चैव नित्यदा। ते गत्वा त्वब्रुवन्सर्वे राजा नो भव पार्थिव
He is powerful, renowned, and always righteous; so they all went and said, 'Be our king, O ruler among men.'
स तानुवाच नहुषो देवानृपिगणांस्तथा । पितृभिः सहितान्राजन्परिप्सन्हितमात्मनः
Nahusha replied to them—the gods, the groups of kings, and those with their ancestors—desiring what was beneficial for himself:
दुर्बलोऽहं न मे शक्तिर्भवतां परिपालने। बलवाञ्ज्ञायतां कश्चिद्बलं शक्रे हि नित्यदा
'I am weak and have no strength to protect you; let someone strong be appointed, for Indra always possessed strength.'
तमब्रुवन्पुनः सर्वे देवा ऋषिपुरोगमाः । अस्माकं तपसा युक्तः पाहि राज्यं त्रिविष्टपे
Then all the gods, led by the sages, said to him again: 'Endowed with our austerities, rule the kingdom of heaven.'
परस्परभयं घोरमस्माकं हि न संशयः । अभिषिच्यस्व राजेन्द्र भव राजा त्रिविष्टपे
'There is no doubt that we have terrible mutual fear; be anointed, O king, and become the ruler of heaven.'
देवदानवयक्षाणामृषीणां रक्षसां तथा। पितृगन्धर्वभूतानां चक्षुर्विषयवर्तिनाम्
'Of the gods, demons, yakshas, sages, rakshasas, ancestors, gandharvas, and spirits—of all beings who dwell in the realm of the senses—'