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.
संविभज्य च भूतेषु विसृज्य च सुरेश्वरः। विज्वरो धूतपाप्मा च वासवोऽभवदात्मवान्
Having distributed it among beings and released it, the lord of the gods, Vasava, became free from fever, purified of sin, and self-possessed.
अकम्प्यं नहुषं स्थानाद्दृष्ट्वा बलनिषूदनः। तेजोघ्नं सर्वभूतानां वरदानाच्च दुःसहम्
Seeing Nahusha, unshakable from his position, a destroyer of the strength of all beings, and intolerable because of the boon he had received, the subduer of foes—
ततः शचीपतिर्देवः पुनरेव व्यनश्यत। अदृश्यः सर्वभूतानां कालाकाङ्क्षी चचार ह
Then the god, husband of Shachi, vanished once more; becoming invisible to all beings, he wandered, awaiting the right time.
प्रनष्टे तु ततः शक्रे शची शोकसमन्विता । हा शक्रेति तदा देवी विललाप सुदुःखिता
When Shakra had disappeared, Shachi, filled with sorrow, cried out in great distress, 'Alas, Shakra!'
यदि दत्तं यदि हुतं गुरवस्तोषिता यदि। एकभर्तृत्वमेवास्तु सत्यं यद्यस्ति वा मयि
If I have given, if I have offered oblations, if I have pleased my elders, let me have only one husband—if there is truth in me.
पुण्यां चेमामहं दिव्यां प्रवृत्तामुत्तरायणे। देवीं रात्रिं नमस्यामि सिध्यतां मे मनोरथः
And to this sacred, divine night now begun in the northern course, I bow; may my wish be fulfilled.
प्रयता च निशां देवीमुपातिष्ठत तत्र सा। पतिव्रतात्वात्सत्येन सोपश्रुतिमथाकरोत्
With devotion, she worshipped the goddess of night there; because of her fidelity and truth, she invoked Upashruti.
यत्रास्ते देवराजोऽसौ तं देशं दर्शयस्व मे। इत्याहोपश्रुतिं देवीं सत्यं सत्येन दृश्यताम्
'Show me the place where the king of the gods dwells,' she said to the goddess Upashruti. 'Let the truth be seen by truth.'
अथैनां रूपिणी साध्वीमुपातिष्ठदुपश्रुतिः। तां वयोरूपसंपन्नां दृष्ट्वा देवीमुपस्थिताम्
Then Upashruti, taking form, approached that virtuous lady; seeing the goddess, endowed with youth and beauty, standing before her—
इन्द्राणी संप्रहृष्टात्मा संपूज्यैनामथाब्रवीत्। इच्छामि त्वामहं ज्ञातुं का त्वं ब्रूहि वरानने
Indrani, her heart gladdened, honored her and said: 'I wish to know who you are. Tell me, O beautiful-faced one.'
उपश्रुतिरहं देवि तवान्तिकमुपागता। दर्शनं चैव संप्राप्ता तव सत्येन भामिनि
'I am Upashruti, O goddess, come to you; by your truth, I have attained your presence and sight, O noble lady.'
पतिव्रता च युक्ता च यमेन नियमेन च। दर्शयिष्यामि ते शक्रं देवं वृत्रनिषूदनम्
'You are devoted to your husband, disciplined by restraint and vow; I will show you Shakra, the god, slayer of Vritra.'
क्षिप्रमन्वेहि भद्रं ते द्रक्ष्यसे सुरसत्तमम्। ततस्तां प्रस्थितां देवीमिन्द्राणी सा समन्वगात्
'Quickly follow—good fortune to you—you will see the best of the gods.' Then, as she set out, Indrani followed her.
देवारण्यान्यतिक्रम्य पर्वतांश्च बहूंस्ततः । हिमवन्तमतिक्रम्य उत्तरं पार्श्वमागमत्
Passing through divine forests and many mountains, they crossed the Himalaya and reached its northern side.
समुद्रं च समासाद्य बहुयोजनविस्तृतम्। आससाद महाद्वीपं नानाद्रुमलतावृतम्
Coming to a vast ocean, many yojanas wide, they reached a great island covered with various trees and vines.
तत्रापश्यत्सरो दिव्यं नानाशकुनिभिर्वृतम्। शतयोजनविस्तीर्णं तावदेवायतं शुभम्
There they saw a divine lake, filled with many kinds of birds, a hundred yojanas wide and just as long, auspicious in appearance.
तत्र दिव्यानि पद्मानि पञ्चवर्णानि भारत । षट्पदैरुपगीतानि प्रफुल्लानि सहस्रशः
In that place were divine lotuses of five colors, O Bharata, blooming in thousands, sung to by bees.
सरसस्तस्य मध्ये तु पद्मिनी महती शुभा । गौरेणोन्नतनालेन पद्मेन महता वृता
In the middle of that lake was a great and beautiful lotus pond, adorned with a large, white, tall-stemmed lotus.
पद्मस्य भित्त्वा नालं च विवेश सहिता तया। बिसतन्तुप्रविष्टं च तत्रापश्यच्छतक्रतुम्
Breaking through the stem of the lotus, together they entered, and within the network of lotus fibers, they saw Shatakratu.
तं दृष्ट्वा च सुसूक्ष्मेण रूपेणावस्थितं प्रभुम् । सूक्ष्मरूपधरा देवी बभूवोपश्रुतिश्च सा
Seeing the lord there, abiding in a most subtle form, the goddess and Upashruti themselves assumed subtle forms.