एवमुक्तस्तु नहुषः प्राहृष्यत तदा किल। उवाच वचनं चापि सुरेन्द्रस्तामनिन्दिताम्
Thus addressed, Nahusha was greatly delighted at that time, and the lord of the gods spoke these words to her, who was beyond reproach.
अपूर्वं वाहनमिदं त्वयोक्तं वरवर्णिनि। दृढं मे रुचिरं देवि त्वद्वशोऽस्मि वरानने
O fair-complexioned one, you have spoken of a vehicle never before conceived; it is firm and pleasing to me, O goddess with lovely face, I am under your sway.
न ह्यल्पवीर्यो भवति यो वाहान्कुरुते मुनीन् । अहं तपस्वी बलवान्भूतभव्यभवत्प्रभुः
He who makes sages his bearers is not of little strength; I am an ascetic, powerful, lord of past, future, and present.
मयि क्रुद्धे जगन्न स्यान्मयि सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्। देवदानवगन्धर्वाः किन्नरोरगराक्षसाः
If I am angered, the world would not exist; all is established in me—the gods, demons, gandharvas, kinnaras, serpents, and rākṣasas.
न मे क्रुद्धस्य पर्याप्ताः सर्वे लोकाः शुचिस्मिते। चक्षुषा यं प्रपश्यामि तस्य तेजो हराम्यहम्
O gentle-smiling one, all the worlds are not sufficient for me when I am enraged; whoever I look upon, I take away his brilliance.
अहमिन्द्रोऽस्मि देवानां लोकानां च महेश्वरः। मयि हव्यं च कव्यं च लोकाश्चैव सनातनाः ।' तस्मात्ते वचनं देवि करिष्यामि न संशयः
I am Indra among the gods, the great lord of the worlds; in me are the offerings to gods and ancestors, and the eternal worlds. Therefore, O goddess, I will do as you have said, without doubt.
सप्तर्षयो मां वक्ष्यन्ति सर्वे ब्रह्मर्षयस्तथा । पश्य माहात्म्ययोगं मे ऋद्धिं च वरवर्णिनि
The Seven Sages and all the Brahmarṣis will carry me; behold my greatness and prosperity, O fair-complexioned one.
एवमुक्त्वा तु तां देवीं विसृज्य च वराननाम् । ` अथ संचिन्त्य नहुषो बलवीर्येण भारत
Having thus spoken to the goddess with the lovely face and dismissing her, Nahusha, O Bhārata, reflected on his own strength and power.
विसृज्य सुप्रतीकं च नागमैरावतं तथा। हंसयुक्तं विमानं च हरियुक्तं तथा रथम्
He dismissed the splendid elephant Supratika, as well as Airavata, and the chariot yoked with swans, and the chariot yoked with horses.
स तु दर्पेण महता परिभूय महामुनीन्।' विमाने योजयित्वा च ऋषीन्नियमामास्थितान्
Then, out of great pride, he disregarded the great sages, and, having yoked the restrained sages to his vehicle, he mounted it.
अब्रह्मण्यो बलोपेतो मत्तो मदबलेन च। कामवृत्तः स दुष्टात्मा वाहयामास तानृषीन्
Devoid of righteousness, possessed by strength, intoxicated by the power of his might, driven by desire, that wicked-souled one made those sages bear him.
नहुषेण विसृष्टा च बृहस्पतिमथाब्रवीत्। समयोऽल्पावशेषो मे नहुषेणेह यः कृतः
Dismissed by Nahusha, she then spoke to Bṛhaspati: 'The time granted to me by Nahusha here is almost spent.'
शक्रं मृगय शीघ्रं त्वं भक्तायाः कुरु मे दयाम्। बाढमित्येव भगवान्बृहस्पतिरुवाच ताम्
'Seek out Śakra quickly and show compassion to your devotee.' The blessed Bṛhaspati replied to her, 'So be it.'
न भेतव्यं त्वया देवि नहुषाद्दुष्टचेतसः । न ह्येष स्थास्यति चिरं गत एष नराधमः
O goddess, you need not fear Nahusha of evil mind; for this base man will not remain long—he is already lost.
अधर्मज्ञो महर्षीणां वाहनाच्च हतः शुभे । इष्टिं चाहं करिष्यामि विनाशायास्य दुर्मतेः
He, ignorant of righteousness, is doomed by making the great sages his bearers, O auspicious one; I will perform a sacrifice for the destruction of this evil-minded one.
शक्रं चाधिगमिष्यामि माभैस्त्वं भद्रमस्तु ते। ततः प्रज्वाल्य विधिवज्जुहाव परमं हविः
I will find Śakra; do not fear, may good befall you. Then, having duly kindled the fire, he offered the supreme oblation.
बृहस्पतिर्महातेजा देवराजोपलब्धये। हुत्वाऽग्निं सोब्रवीद्राजञ्छक्र अन्विष्यतामिति
Bṛhaspati, of great brilliance, performed a sacrifice to the fire for the sake of finding the king of the gods, and then said, 'O King, seek out Śakra.'
तस्माच्च भगवान्देवः स्वयमेव हुताशनः । स्त्रीवेषमद्भुतं कृत्वा तत्रैवान्तरधीयत
Then the divine Lord Agni himself, having assumed a wondrous form as a woman, vanished right there.
स दिशः प्रदिशश्चैव पर्वतांश्च वनानि च। पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षं च विचित्याथ मनोगतिः। निमेषान्तरमात्रेण बृहस्पतिमुपागमत्
He, moving with the speed of thought, searched the directions and intermediate quarters, the mountains, the forests, the earth, and the sky, and in the blink of an eye, approached Bṛhaspati.
बृहस्पते न पश्यामि देवराजमिह क्वचित्। आपः शेषाः सदा चापः प्रवेष्टुं नोत्सहाम्यहम्
'O Bṛhaspati, I do not see the king of the gods anywhere here; only waters remain, always waters, and I am unable to enter them.'
न मे तत्र गतिर्ब्रह्मन्किमन्यत्करवाणि ते। तमब्रवीद्देवगुरुरपो विश महाद्युते
'O Brāhman, I have no way there; what else shall I do for you?' The preceptor of the gods said to him, 'Enter the waters, O greatly radiant one.'
नापः प्रवेष्टुं शक्ष्यामि क्षयो मेऽत्र भविष्यति। शरणं त्वां प्रपन्नोऽस्मि स्वस्ति तेस्तु महाद्युते
'I cannot enter the waters; I would perish there. I take refuge in you; may it be well with you, O greatly radiant one.'
अद्भ्योऽग्निर्ब्रह्मतः क्षत्रमश्मनो लोहमुत्थितम् । तेषां सर्वत्रगं तेजः स्वासु योनिषु शाम्यति
From water comes fire, from Brāhman comes kṣatriya, from stone arises iron; the energy of all these, though pervading everywhere, subsides in their own sources.
अथ संचिन्तयानस्य देवराजस्य धीमतः। नहुषस्य वधोपायं लोकपालैः सदैवतैः
Then, as the wise king of the gods was pondering the means for Nahusha's destruction, the guardians of the worlds and the gods deliberated together.
तपस्वी तत्र भगवानगस्त्यः प्रत्यदृश्यत। सोऽब्रवीदर्च्य देवेन्द्रं दिष्ट्या वै वर्धते भवान्
There, the venerable sage Agastya, devoted to austerity, appeared; he respectfully addressed Indra, 'By fortune, you are prospering, O lord of the gods.'
विश्वरूपविनाशेन वृत्रासुरवधेन च। दिष्ट्याद्य नहुषो भ्रष्टो देवराज्यात्पुरन्दर
By the destruction of Viśvarūpa and the slaying of Vṛtrāsura, by fortune today, Nahusha has fallen from the kingdom of the gods, O Purandara.
स्वागतं ते महर्षेऽस्तु प्रीतोऽहं दर्शनात्तत। पाद्यमाचमनीयं च गामर्घ्यं च प्रतीच्छ मे
'Welcome to you, great sage; I am pleased by this meeting. Accept from me water for washing the feet, water for sipping, and the cow for hospitality.'
पूजितं चोपविष्टं तमासेन मुनिसत्तमम्। पर्यपृच्छत देवेशः प्रहृष्टो ब्राह्मणर्षभम्
Having honored and seated that foremost of sages, the lord of the gods, delighted, inquired after the welfare of the best of Brāhmaṇas.
श्रोतुमिच्छामि भगवन्कथ्यमानं द्विजोत्तम। परिभ्रष्टः कथं स्वर्गान्नहुषः पापनिश्चयः
'I wish to hear, O venerable one, as it is told, how Nahusha, intent on evil, fell from heaven, O best of twice-born.'
श्रृणु शक्र प्रियं वाक्यं यथा राजा दुरात्मवान् । स्वर्गाद्भ्रष्टो दुराचारो नहुषो बलदर्पितः
'Hear, O Śakra, these pleasing words: how the wicked king Nahusha, filled with arrogance, fell from heaven due to his evil conduct.'