इन्द्रस्य महिषी देवी कस्मान्मां नोपतिष्ठति। अहमिन्द्रोऽस्मि देवानां लोकानां च तथेश्वरः
Why does the goddess, queen of Indra, not attend to me? I am Indra, lord of the gods and of the worlds as well.
आगच्छतु शची मह्यं क्षिप्रमद्य निवेशनम् । तच्छ्रुत्वा दुर्मना देवी बृहस्पतिमुवाच ह
Let Śacī come to my residence quickly today; hearing this, the goddess, distressed, spoke to Bṛhaspati.
रक्ष मां नहुषाद्ब्रह्मंस्त्वामस्मि शरणं गता। सर्वलक्षणसंपन्नां ब्रह्मंस्त्वं मां प्रभाषसे
Protect me from Nahusha, O Brahman; I have taken refuge in you. You, O Brahman, address me, who possesses all auspicious marks.
देवराजस्य दयितामत्यन्तं सुखभागिनीम्। अवैधव्येन युक्तां चाप्येकपत्नीं पतिव्रदाम्
The beloved of the king of the gods, supremely fortunate, joined to her husband without widowhood, devoted to one husband and faithful.
उक्तवानसि मां पूर्वमृतां तां कुरु वै गिरम्। नोक्तपूर्वं च भगवन्मृषा ते किंचिदीश्वर
You have previously promised me this; now fulfill your word. O Lord, you have never before spoken anything false.
तस्मादेतद्भवेत्सत्यं त्वयोक्तं द्विजसत्तम। बृहस्पतिरथोवाच इन्द्राणीं भयमोहिताम्
Therefore, let this come true, O best of twice-born; then Bṛhaspati spoke to Indrāṇī, who was overcome with fear.
यदुक्तासि मया देवि सत्यं तद्भविता ध्रुवम् । द्रक्ष्यसे देवराजं तमिन्द्रं शीघ्रमिहागतम्
What I have said to you, O goddess, will surely come to pass; you will soon see that king of the gods, Indra, arriving here.
न भेतव्यं च नहुषात्सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते। समानयिष्ये शक्रेण नचिराद्भवतीमहम्
You need not fear Nahusha; this is the truth I tell you. I will bring you together with Śakra without delay.
अथ शुश्राव नहुष इन्द्राणीं शरणीं गताम्। बृहस्पतेरङ्गिरसश्रुक्रोध स नृपस्तदा
Then Nahusha heard that Indrani had sought refuge with Brihaspati, the son of Angiras; at that time, the king became enraged.
क्रुद्धं तु नहुषं दृष्ट्वा देवा ऋषिपुरोगमाः। अब्रुवन्देवराजानं नहुषं घोरदर्शनम्
Seeing Nahusha angry, the gods, with the sages at their head, spoke to the king of the gods, Nahusha, who appeared terrifying.
देवराज जहि क्रोधं त्वयि क्रुद्धे जगद्विभो। त्रस्तं सासुरगन्धर्वं सकिंनरमहोरगम्
O king of the gods, abandon your anger, O lord of the world; when you are enraged, the universe—along with the asuras, gandharvas, kinnaras, and great serpents—is filled with fear.
जहि क्रोधमिमं साधो न कुप्यन्ति भवद्विधाः । परस्य पत्नी सा देवी प्रसीदस्व सुरेश्वर
Abandon this anger, O noble one; those like you do not become angry. That goddess is another's wife; be gracious, O lord of the gods.
निवर्तय मनः पापात्परदाराभिमर्शनात्। देवराजोऽसि भद्रं ते प्रजा धर्मेण पालय
Turn your mind away from the sin of coveting another's wife. You are the king of the gods—may good befall you—protect the people with righteousness.
एवमुक्तो न जग्राह तद्वचः काममोहितः । अथ देवानुवाचेदमिन्द्रं प्रति सुराधिपः
Though thus addressed, he did not accept their words, overcome by desire. Then the lord of the gods spoke these words to the gods regarding Indra.
अहल्या धर्षिता पूर्वमृषिपत्नी यशस्विनी । जीवतो भर्तुरिन्द्रेण स वः किं न निवारितः
Ahalya, the illustrious wife of a sage, was once violated by Indra while her husband was alive. Why was he not restrained by you then?
बहूनि च नृशंसानि कृतानीन्द्रेण वै पुरा । वैधर्म्याण्युपधाश्चैव स वः किं न निवारितः
And many other cruel and unrighteous deeds, as well as deceptions, were committed by Indra in the past. Why was he not restrained by you then?
उपतिष्ठतु देवी मामेतदस्या हितं परम्। युष्माकं च सदा देवाः शिवमेवं भविष्यति
Let the goddess approach me; this will be for her highest good, and for you gods as well, all will be well in this way.
इन्द्राणीमानयिष्यामो यथेच्छसि दिवस्पते। जहि क्रोधमिमं वीर प्रीतो भव सुरेश्वर
We will bring Indrani to you, O lord of heaven, as you desire. Abandon this anger, O hero, and be pleased, O lord of the gods.
इत्युक्त्वा तं तदा देवा ऋषिभिः सह भारत। तग्मुर्बृहस्पतिं वक्तुमिन्द्राणीं चाशुभं वचः
Having spoken thus, the gods together with the sages, O Bharata, went to speak to Brihaspati and to Indrani, bearing an unwelcome message.
जानीमः शरणं प्राप्तामिन्द्राणीं तव वेश्मनि। दत्ताभयां च विप्रेन्द्र त्वया देवर्षिसत्तम
We know that Indrani, having sought refuge, is in your house; and you, O foremost of brahmins, have granted her safety, O best of divine sages.
ते त्वां देवाः सगन्धर्वा ऋषयश्च महाद्युते । प्रसादयन्ति चेन्द्राणी नहुषाय प्रदीयताम्
The gods, along with the gandharvas and sages, O radiant one, entreat you: let Indrani be given to Nahusha.
इन्द्राद्विशिष्टो नहुषो देवराजो महाद्युतिः । वृणोत्विमं वरारोहा भर्तृत्वे वरवर्णिनी
Nahusha, the king of the gods, radiant and superior even to Indra, should be chosen by this noble lady of excellent complexion as her husband.
एवमुक्ते तु सा देवी बाष्पमुत्सृज्य सस्वनम् । उवाच रुदती दीना बृहस्पतिमिदं वचः
When this was said, the goddess, shedding tears with a loud sound, spoke these words to Brihaspati, weeping and distressed.
नाहमिच्छामि नहुषं पतिं देवर्षिसत्तम। शरणागतास्मि ते ब्रहंस्त्रायस्व महतो भयात्
I do not wish for Nahusha as my husband, O best of divine sages. I have sought your protection; save me from this great fear by your brahmanic power.
शरणागतं न त्यजेयमिन्द्राणि मम निश्चयः। धर्मज्ञां सत्यशीलां च न त्यजेयमनिन्दिते
I will not abandon one who has sought my protection, O Indrani; this is my resolve. I will not abandon one who knows righteousness and is truthful in conduct, O blameless one.
नाकार्यं कर्तुमिच्छामि ब्राह्मणः सन्विशेषतः । श्रुतधर्मा सत्यशीलो जानन्धर्मानुशासनम्
I do not wish to do what is improper, especially as a brahmin. One who knows the scriptures and is truthful in conduct, understanding the teaching of righteousness, should not act wrongly.
नाहमेतत्करिष्यामि गच्छध्वं वै सुरोत्तमाः । अस्मिंश्चार्थे पुरा गीतं ब्रह्मणा श्रूयतामिदम्
I will not do this; depart, O best of gods. In this matter, a song once uttered by Brahma is to be heard.
न तस्य बीजं रोहति रोहकाले न तस्य वर्षं वर्षति वर्षकाले। भीतं प्रपन्नं प्रददाति शत्रवे न स त्रातारं लभते त्राणमिच्छन्
His seed does not sprout at the time for sprouting; his rain does not fall at the time for raining. He gives to the enemy what is sought in fear, but does not find a protector when he desires protection.
मोघमन्नं विन्दति चाप्यचेताः स्वर्गाल्लोकाद्धश्यति नष्टचेष्टः। भीतं प्रपन्नं प्रददाति यो वै न तस्य हव्यं प्रतिगृह्णन्ति देवाः
He who is unmindful obtains food in vain; having lost his effort, he falls from heaven and the world. He who gives to the enemy what is sought in fear, the gods do not accept his offerings.
प्रमीयते चास्य प्रजा ह्यकाले सदा विवासं पितरोऽस्य कुर्वते। भीतं प्रपन्नं प्रददाति शत्रवे सेन्द्रा देवाः प्रहरन्त्यस्य वज्रम्
His progeny perishes untimely, and his ancestors always cause him to wander. He who gives to the enemy what is sought in fear, the gods along with Indra strike him with the thunderbolt.