एतदेवं विजानन्वै न दास्यामि शचीमिमाम्। इन्द्राणीं विश्रुतां लोके शक्रस्य महिषीं प्रियां
Knowing this, I will not give Shachi, renowned in the world, Indra's beloved queen.
अस्या हितं भवेद्यच्च मम चापि हितं भवेत्। क्रियतां तत्सुरश्रेष्ठा नहि दास्याम्यहं शचीम्
Let what is beneficial for her and what is beneficial for me be done, O best of gods; but I will not give Shachi.
अथ देवाः सगन्धर्वा गुरुमाहुरिदं वचः। कथं सुनीतं नु भवेन्मन्त्रयस्व बृहस्पते
Then the gods together with the Gandharvas spoke to their teacher: How can this be rightly accomplished? Advise us, O Brihaspati.
नहुषं याचतां देवी किंचित्कालान्तरं शुभा। इन्द्राणि हितमेतद्धि तथाऽस्माकं भविष्यति
Let the goddess ask Nahusha for a little delay; this is for Indrani's benefit, and thus it will be for ours as well.
बहुविघ्नः सुराः कालः कालः कालं नयिष्यति। गर्वितो बलवांश्चापि नहुषो वरसंश्रयात्
Many obstacles will arise, O gods; time will carry time away. Nahusha, proud and strong, will be so by virtue of the boon.
ततस्तेन तथोक्ते तु प्रीता देवास्तथाब्रुवन्। ब्रह्मन्साध्विदमुक्तं ते हितं सर्वं दिवौकसाम्
Then, as he spoke thus, the delighted gods replied: Brahman, well said; what you have spoken is for the good of all the celestials.
एवमेतद्द्विजश्रेष्ठ देवी चेयं प्रसाद्यताम्। ततः समस्ता इन्द्राणीं देवाश्चाग्निपुरोगमाः
So let it be, O best of twice-born; let the goddess be appeased. Then all the gods, led by Agni, approached Indrani.
त्वया जगदिदं सर्वं धृतं स्थावरजङ्गमम्। एकपत्न्यसि सत्या च गच्छस्व नहुषं प्रति
By you, the entire world, movable and immovable, is sustained. You are faithful to one husband and truthful; go to Nahusha.
क्षिप्रं त्वामभिकामश्च विनशिष्यति पापकृत्। नहुषो देवि शक्रश्च सुरैश्वर्यमवाप्स्यति
Quickly, the one who desires you, O goddess, will perish, having committed evil; Nahusha and Shakra will attain lordship over the gods.
एवं विनिश्चयं कृत्वा इन्द्राणी कार्यसिद्धये। अभ्यगच्छत सव्रीडा नहुषं घोरदर्शनम्
Having thus resolved for the accomplishment of her purpose, Indrani, bashful, approached Nahusha, who appeared terrible.
दृष्ट्वा तां नहुषश्चापि वयोरूपसमन्विताम् । समहृष्यत दुष्टात्मा कामोपहतचेतनः
Seeing her, endowed with youth and beauty, Nahusha, his mind corrupted by desire, rejoiced, though wicked in heart.
अथ तामब्रवीद्दृष्ट्वा नहुषो देवराट् तदा। त्रयाणामपि लोकानामहमिन्द्रः शुचिस्मिते
Then, seeing her, Nahusha, king of the gods, spoke: Among the three worlds, I am Indra, O pure-smiling one.
भजस्व मां वरारोहे पतित्वे वरवर्णिनि। एवमुक्ता तु सा देवी नहुषेण पतिव्रता
Enjoy me, O beautiful one, as your husband, O woman of lovely complexion. Thus addressed by Nahusha, the devoted wife,
प्रावेपत भयोद्विग्ना प्रवाते कदली यथा। प्रणम्य सा हि ब्रह्माणं शिरसा तु कृताञ्जलिः
She trembled, agitated by fear, like a plantain tree in the wind; bowing to Brahma, she made reverence with her head and joined palms.
देवराजमथोवाच नहुषं घोरदर्शनम् । कालमिच्छाम्यहं लब्धुं त्वत्तः कंचित्सुरेश्वर
Then the king of the gods spoke to Nahusha, who appeared fearsome: 'O lord of the gods, I wish to obtain some time from you.'
न हि विज्ञायते शक्रः किं वा प्राप्तः क्व वा गतः। तत्त्वमेतत्तु विज्ञाय यदि न ज्ञायते प्रभो
'For it is not known where Shakra is, or what has happened to him, or where he has gone. If this cannot be known, O lord, then ascertain the truth of this matter.'
ततोऽहं त्वामुपस्थास्ये सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते। एवमुक्तः स इन्द्राण्या नहुषः प्रीतिमानभूत्
'After that, I will serve you—this I truly say to you.' Thus addressed by Indrani, Nahusha became pleased.
एवं भवतु सुश्रोणि यथा मामिह भाषसे। ज्ञात्वा चागमनं कार्यं सत्यमेतदनुस्मरेः
'So be it, O fair-hipped one, as you have spoken to me here. Having learned the reason for his coming, remember this truth.'
नहुषेण विसृष्टा च निश्चक्राम ततः शुभा। बृहस्पतिनिकेतं च सा जगाम यशस्विनी
Released by Nahusha, the auspicious lady departed from there and went to the abode of Brihaspati, she who was renowned.
तस्याः संश्रुत्य च वचो देवाश्चाग्निपुरोगमाः । चिन्तयामासुरेकाग्राः शक्रार्थं राजसत्तम
Hearing her words, the gods, with Agni at their head, became focused in thought, O best of kings, for the sake of Shakra.
देवदेवेन शङ्गम्य विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना। ऊचुश्चैनं समुद्विग्ना वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदाः
Suspecting danger, the mighty lord Vishnu, the god of gods, was addressed by them—those skilled in speech, though anxious.
ब्रह्मवध्याभिभूतो वै शक्रः सुरगणेश्वरः । गतिश्च नस्त्वं देवेश पूर्वजो जगतः प्रभुः
'Shakra, lord of the gods, is afflicted by the guilt of killing a Brahmin. You, O lord of the gods, are the ancient master of the world and our refuge.'
रक्षार्थं सर्वभूतानां विष्णुत्वमुपजग्मिवान्। त्वद्वीर्यनिहते वृत्रे वासवो ब्रह्महत्यया
'For the protection of all beings, you assumed the form of Vishnu. When Vritra was slain by your power, Vasava incurred the sin of Brahmin-killing.'
वृतः सुरगणश्रेष्ठ मोक्षं तस्य विनिर्दिश। तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा देवानां विष्णुरब्रवीत्
'O best of the gods, he has sought refuge. Show him the way to liberation.' Hearing these words of the gods, Vishnu spoke.
मामेव यजतां शक्रः पावयिष्यामि वज्रिणम्। पुण्येन हयमेधेन मामिष्ट्वा पाकशासनः
'Let Shakra worship me; I shall purify the wielder of the thunderbolt. By performing a righteous horse sacrifice and worshipping me, the lord of the gods will be cleansed.'
पुनरेष्यति देवानामिन्द्रत्वमकुतोभयः। स्वकर्मभिश्च नहुषो नाशं यास्यति दुर्मतिः
'He will regain the lordship of the gods, free from all fear. And Nahusha, of evil mind, will meet his destruction through his own actions.'
किंचित्कालमिदं देवा मर्षयध्वमतन्द्रिताः। श्रुत्वा विष्णोः शुभां सत्यां वाणीं ताममृतोपमाम्
'For a little while, O gods, endure this without sloth.' Hearing that auspicious and true speech of Vishnu, which was like nectar—
ततः सर्वे सुरगणाः सोपाध्यायाः सहर्षिभिः । यत्र शक्रो भयोद्विग्नस्तं देशमुपचक्रमुः
Then all the hosts of gods, along with their teachers and sages, went to the place where Shakra, distressed by fear, was staying.
तत्राश्वमेधः सुमहान्महेन्द्रस्य महात्मनः । ववृते पावनार्थं वै ब्रह्महत्यापहो नृप
There, a great horse sacrifice was performed for the purification of the high-souled Mahendra, O king, to remove the sin of Brahmin-killing.
विभज्य ब्रह्महत्यां तु वृक्षेषु च नदीषु च। पर्वतेषु पृथिव्यां च स्त्रीषु चैव युधिष्ठिर
The sin of Brahmin-killing was divided among trees, rivers, mountains, the earth, and women, O Yudhishthira.