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.'
श्रमार्ताश्च वहन्तस्तं नहुषं पापकारिणम् । देवर्षयो महाभागास्तथा ब्रह्मर्षयोऽमलाः
Weary from carrying the sinful Nahusha, the great and pure devarṣis and brahmarṣis were afflicted.
पप्रच्छुर्नहुषं देवं संशयं जयतां वर। य इमे ब्रह्मणा प्रोक्ता मन्त्रा वै प्रोक्षणे गवाम्
Those best among the victorious, the sages, questioned Nahusha, the god, about a doubt: 'Are these mantras, declared by Brahmā for the sprinkling of cows, authoritative for you?'
एते प्रमाणं भवत उताहो नेति वासव। नहुषो नेति तानाह तमसा मूढचेतनः
'Are these authoritative for you or not, O Vāsava?' To them, Nahusha, his mind deluded by darkness, replied, 'They are not.'
अधर्मे संप्रवृत्तस्त्वं धर्मं न प्रतिपद्यसे। प्रमाणमेतदस्माकं पूर्वं प्रोक्तं महर्षिभिः
'You have turned to unrighteousness; you do not adhere to righteousness. This was declared by the great sages of old as our authority.'
ततो विवदमानः स मुनिभिः सह वासव । अथ मामस्पृशन्मूर्ध्नि पादेनाधर्मपीडितः
Then, as he argued with the sages, Indra, afflicted by unrighteousness, touched my head with his foot.
तेनाभूद्धततेजाश्च निःश्रीकश्च महीपतिः । ततस्तं तमसा विग्नमवोचं भृशपीडितम्
Because of this, the king lost his brilliance and fortune; then, seeing him troubled by darkness and greatly tormented, I spoke to him.
यस्मात्पूर्वैः कृतं राजन्ब्रह्मर्षिभिरनुष्ठितम् । अदृष्टं दूषयसि मे यच्च मूर्ध्य्रस्पृशः पदा
O king, since you have defiled what was established by the ancient Brahmarshis and, unseen by me, touched my head with your foot—
यच्चापि त्वमृषीन्मूढ ब्रह्मकल्पान्दुरासदान्
And because you, deluded one, have treated the sages—who are as unapproachable as Brahma—
वाहान्कृत्व्रा वाहयसि तेन स्वर्गाद्धतप्रभः । ध्वंस पाप परिभ्रष्टः क्षीणपुण्यो महीतले
—as if they were beasts of burden, making them carry you, your brilliance is destroyed and you are cast down from heaven; perish, sinner, fallen and bereft of merit, on the earth.
दशवर्षसहस्राणि सर्परूपधरो महान्। विचरिष्यसि पूर्णेषु पुनः स्वर्गमवाप्स्यसि
For ten thousand years you shall wander the earth in the form of a great serpent; when that time is fulfilled, you shall regain heaven.
दृष्ट्वा युधिष्ठिरं नाम तव वंशसमुद्भवम्। निहतो ब्रह्मशापेन प्रपद्यस्व त्रिविष्टपम्
When you see Yudhishthira by name, born in your lineage, and are slain by the curse of a Brahmana, then attain the realm of the gods.
एवं भ्रष्टो दुरात्मा स देवराज्यादरिन्दम। दिष्ट्या वर्धामहे शक्र हतो ब्रह्मर्षिकण्टकः
Thus that evil-minded one was cast down from the kingdom of the gods, O destroyer of foes; by fortune, O Shakra, we rejoice that the thorn of the Brahmarshis has been destroyed.
त्रिविष्टपं प्रपद्यस्व पाहि लोकाञ्शचीपते। जितेन्द्रियो जितामित्रः स्तूयमानो महर्षिभिः
Attain the realm of the gods, O lord of Shachi, protect the worlds; self-controlled and victorious over your enemies, praised by the great sages.
ततो देवा भृशं तुष्टा महर्षिगणसंवृताः। पितरश्चैव यक्षाश्च भुजगा राक्षसास्तथा
Then the gods, greatly pleased and surrounded by hosts of great sages, as well as the Pitrs, Yakshas, serpents, and Rakshasas—
गन्धर्वा देवकन्याश्च सर्वे चाप्सरसां गणाः। सरांसि सरितः शैलाः सागराश्च विशांपते
—the Gandharvas, divine maidens, and all the hosts of Apsaras, together with the lakes, rivers, mountains, and oceans, O lord of men—
उपागम्याब्रुवन्सर्वे दिष्ट्या वर्धसि शक्रुहन् । हतश्च नहुषः पापो दिष्ट्यागस्त्येन धीमता। दिष्ट्या पापसमाचारः कृतः सर्पो महीतले
—all approached and said, 'By fortune you thrive, O Shakra, and the sinful Nahusha has been slain by the wise Agastya; by fortune, the evil-doer has become a serpent on earth.'
ततः शक्रः स्तूयमानो गन्धर्वाप्सरसां गणैः। ऐरावतं समारुह्य द्विपेन्द्रं लक्षणैर्युतम्
Then Shakra, praised by the hosts of Gandharvas and Apsaras, mounted Airavata, the lord of elephants, adorned with auspicious marks.
पावकः सुमहातेजा महर्षिश्च बृहस्पतिः। यमश्च वरुणश्चैव कुबेरश्च धनेश्वरः
The radiant Agni, the great sage Brihaspati, Yama, Varuna, and Kubera, the lord of wealth—
सर्वैर्देवैः परिवृतः शक्रो वृत्रनिषूदनः । गन्धर्वैरप्सरोभिश्च यातस्त्रिभुवनं प्रभुः
—with all the gods surrounding Shakra, the slayer of Vritra, along with Gandharvas and Apsaras, the lord set out for the three worlds.
स समेत्य महेन्द्राण्या देवराजः शतक्रतुः। मुदा परमया युक्तः पालयामास देवराट्
Having arrived, the king of the gods, Shatakratu, united with Mahendra's queen, joyfully began to rule the gods.