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.
इन्द्रं तुष्टाव चेन्द्राणी विश्रुतैः पूर्वकर्मभिः। स्तूयमानस्ततो देवः शचीमाह पुरन्दरः
Then Indrani praised Indra with renowned former deeds; being thus praised, the god Purandara spoke to Shachi.
किमर्थमसि संप्राप्ता विज्ञातश्च कथं त्वहम्। ततः सा कथयामास नहुषस्य विचेष्टितम्
For what reason have you come, and how have I been discovered by you? Then she related the actions of Nahusha.
इन्द्रत्वं त्रिषु लोकेषु प्राप्य वीर्यसमन्वितः । दर्पाविष्टश्च दुष्टात्मा मामुवाच शतक्रतो
Having attained the lordship of the three worlds, endowed with power, and filled with arrogance, that wicked-souled one, O wielder of the thunderbolt, spoke to me.
उपतिष्ठेति स क्रूरः कालं च कृतवान्मम । यदि न त्रास्यसि विभो करिष्यति स मां वशे
That cruel one said to me, 'Attend upon me,' and set a time for me; 'If you do not fear, O lord, he will bring me under his control.'
एतेन चाहं संप्राप्ता द्रुतं शक्र तवान्तिकम्। जहि रौद्रं महाबाहो नहुषं पापनिश्चयम्
Because of this I have quickly come to you, O Shakra; slay the fierce Nahusha, mighty-armed one, whose intent is evil.
प्रकाशयस्व चात्मानं दैत्यदानवसूदन। तेजः समाप्नुहि विभो देवराज्यं प्रशाधि च
Reveal yourself, O slayer of Daityas and Danavas; regain your brilliance, O lord, and rule the kingdom of the gods.
एवमुक्तः स भगवाञ्शच्या तां पुनरब्रवीत्। विक्रमस्य न कालोऽयं नहुषो बलवत्तरः
Thus addressed by Shachi, the blessed one replied to her, 'This is not the time for valor; Nahusha is stronger.'
विवर्द्धितश्च ऋषिभिर्हव्यकव्यैश्च भामिनि । नीतिमत्र विधास्यामि देवि तां कर्तुमर्हसि
He has been strengthened by the seers and by offerings to ancestors, O beautiful one; I will devise a strategy here, O goddess, which you must carry out.
गुह्यं चैतत्त्वया कार्यं नाख्यातव्यं शुभे क्वचित् । गत्वा नहुषमेकान्ते ब्रवीहि च सुमध्यमे
And this must be kept secret by you, O auspicious one, and not revealed anywhere; go to Nahusha in private and say to him, O slender-waisted one,
ऋषियानेन दिव्येन मामुपैहि जगत्पते । एवं तव वशे प्रीता भविष्यामीति तं वद
'Come to me with this divine sage as your vehicle, O lord of the world; then, pleased, I will become subject to you'—say this to him.