दधीचिर् जातसंहर्षः सुरान् पूज्य पृथक् पृथक् गृहकृत्यं ततश् चक्रे सुरेभ्यो भार्यया सह
Dadhīci, filled with joy, honored the gods each individually, then performed his household duties for the gods together with his wife.
पृष्टाश् च कुशलं तेन कथाश् चक्रुः सुरा अपि दधीचिम् अब्रुवन् देवा भार्यया सुखितं पुनः
They were asked of their welfare by him, and the gods conversed with him; the gods spoke again to Dadhīci, happy with his wife.
आसीनं हृष्टमनस ऋषिं नत्वा पुनः पुनः
Seated, his mind delighted, the sage was repeatedly bowed to.
किम् अद्य दुर्लभं लोके ऋषे ऽस्माकं भविष्यति त्वादृशः सकृपो येषु मुनिर् भूकल्पपादपः
O sage, what is difficult for us to obtain in this world today, when there are compassionate sages like you, who are as wish-fulfilling trees upon the earth?
एतद् एव फलं पुंसां जीवतां मुनिसत्तम तीर्थाप्लुतिर् भूतदया दर्शनं च भवादृशाम्
This alone is the fruit for living beings, O best of sages: bathing in holy places, compassion for creatures, and the sight of those like you.
यत् स्नेहाद् उच्यते ऽस्माभिर् अवधारय तन् मुने जित्वा दैत्यान् इह प्राप्ता हत्वा राक्षसपुंगवान्
What we say to you, O sage, is spoken out of affection; having conquered the Daityas and slain the foremost Rākṣasas, we have come here.
वयं च सुखिनो ब्रह्मंस् त्वयि दृष्टे विशेषतः नायुधैः फलम् अस्माकं वोढुं नैव क्षमा वयम्
And we are happy, O Brahman, especially upon seeing you; we are not able to bear the burden of weapons, nor is it our reward.
स्थाप्यदेशं न पश्याम आयुधानां मुनीश्वर स्वर्गे सुरद्विषो ज्ञात्वा स्थापितानि हरन्ति च
O lord of sages, we do not see a place to keep our weapons; in heaven, knowing the weapons of the enemies of the gods, they are seized and taken away.
नयेयुर् आयुधानीति तथैव च रसातले तस्मात् तवाश्रमे पुण्ये स्थाप्यन्ते ऽस्त्राणि मानद
Weapons were taken below, into the netherworld; therefore, O bestower of honor, let the weapons be kept in your holy hermitage.
नैवात्र किंचिद् भयम् अस्ति विप्र न दानवेभ्यो राक्षसेभ्यश् च घोरम् त्वदाज्ञया रक्षितपुण्यदेशो न विद्यते तपसा ते समानः
Here, O Brahmin, there is no danger at all—not from the Dānavas nor from the fierce Rākṣasas; by your command, this sacred place is protected, and none can equal your austerity.
जितारयो ब्रह्मविदां वरिष्ठं वयं च पूर्वं निहता दैत्यसंघाः अस्त्रैर् अलं भारभूतैः कृतार्थैः स्थाप्यं स्थानं ते समीपे मुनीश
The enemies have been conquered, O foremost knower of Brahman; previously, the hosts of Daityas were slain by us with weapons, and now, having fulfilled their purpose, these burdensome weapons should be placed near you, O lord of sages.
दिव्यान् भोगान् कामिनीभिः समेतान् देवोद्याने नन्दने संभजामः ततो यामः कृतकार्याः सहेन्द्राः स्वं स्वं स्थानं चायुधानां च रक्षा
We enjoy divine pleasures together with desired women in the Nandana garden of the gods; then, having accomplished our task, we go, each to our own place, and the weapons are guarded.
तद्वाक्यम् आकर्ण्य दधीचिर् एवं वाक्यं जगौ विबुधान् एवम् अस्तु निवार्यमाणः प्रियशीलया स्त्रिया किं देवकार्येण विरुद्धकारिणा
Hearing those words, Dadhīci spoke thus to the gods: 'So be it.' Though restrained by his beloved wife, he said, 'Why should one act against the gods' purpose?'
ये ज्ञातशास्त्राः परमार्थनिष्ठाः संसारचेष्टासु गतानुरागाः तेषां परार्थव्यसनेन किं मुने येनात्र वामुत्र सुखं न किंचित्
Those who know the scriptures and are devoted to the highest truth, who have lost attachment to worldly activities—what concern have they, O sage, for the misfortune of others, since neither here nor hereafter do they seek any happiness?
देवद्विषो द्वेषम् अनुप्रयान्ति दत्ते स्थाने विप्रवर्य शृणुष्व नष्टे हृते चायुधानां मुनीश कुप्यन्ति देवा रिपवस् ते भवन्ति
Those who hate the gods pursue enmity; O best of Brahmins, listen: when the weapons are lost or taken from their place, the gods become angry, and those who took them become their enemies.
तस्मान् नेदं वेदविदां वरिष्ठ युक्तं द्रव्ये परकीये ममत्वम् तावच् च मैत्री द्रव्यभावश् च तावन् नष्टे हृते रिपवस् ते भवन्ति
Therefore, O foremost knower of the Veda, it is not fitting to claim ownership over the property of another; as long as there is friendship and the object remains, but when it is lost or taken, those others become your enemies.
चेद् अस्ति शक्तिर् द्रव्यदाने ततस् ते दातव्यम् एवार्थिने किं विचार्यम् नो चेत् सन्तः परकार्याणि कुर्युर् वाग्भिर् मनोभिः कृतिभिस् तथैव
If you have the power to give, then you must give to one who asks; what is there to consider? Otherwise, the virtuous serve the needs of others with words, thoughts, and deeds.
श्रुत्वेरितं पत्युर् इति प्रियायां दैवं विनान्यन् न नृणां समर्थम् तूष्णीं स्थितायां सुरसत्तमास् ते संस्थाप्य चास्त्राण्य् अतिदीप्तिमन्ति
Hearing her husband's words, the beloved wife remained silent, knowing that apart from fate, nothing else is possible for men; then the best of the gods, having deposited the radiant weapons, departed.
नत्वा मुनीन्द्रं ययुर् एव लोकान् दैत्यद्विषो न्यस्तशस्त्राः कृतार्थाः गतेषु देवेषु मुनिप्रवर्यो हृष्टो ऽवसद् भार्यया धर्मयुक्तः
Having bowed to the lord of sages, the enemies of the Daityas, their weapons laid down and their purpose accomplished, departed to their worlds; and when the gods had gone, the eminent sage, joyful and righteous, dwelt with his wife.
गते च काले ह्य् अतिविप्रयुक्ते दैवे वर्षे संख्यया वै सहस्रे न ते सुरा आयुधानां मुनीश वाचं मनश् चापि तथैव चक्रुः
When a long time had passed—indeed, a thousand divine years—the gods neither spoke nor thought about their weapons, O lord of sages, nor did they act concerning them.
दधीचिर् अप्य् आह गभस्तिम् ओजसा देवारयो मां द्विषतीह भद्रे न ते सुरा नेतुकामा भवन्ति संस्थापितान्य् अत्र वदस्व युक्तम्
Dadhīci also said to his virtuous wife: 'O gentle one, the enemies of the gods now hate me; the gods do not wish to take back the weapons they left here—tell me what is proper.'
सा चाह कान्तं विनयाद् उक्तम् एव त्वं जानीषे नाथ यद् अत्र युक्तम् दैत्या हरिष्यन्ति महाप्रवृद्धास् तपोयुक्ता बलिनः स्वायुधानि
She respectfully said to her beloved: 'You know, lord, what is proper here; the Daityas, greatly increased in power and endowed with austerity and strength, will seize the weapons.'
तदस्त्ररक्षार्थम् इदं स चक्रे मन्त्रैस् तु संक्षाल्य जलैश् च पुण्यैः तद् वारि सर्वास्त्रमयं सुपुण्यं तेजोयुक्तं तच् च पपौ दधीचिः
For the protection of those weapons, he performed a rite, sanctifying them with mantras and holy waters; that water, imbued with all the weapons and great merit and energy, Dadhīci drank.
निर्वीर्यरूपाणि तदायुधानि क्षयं जग्मुः क्रमशः कालयोगात् सुराः समागत्य दधीचिम् ऊचुर् महाभयं ह्य् आगतं शात्रवं नः
Then, by the influence of time, those weapons lost their power and gradually perished; the gods assembled and said to Dadhīci, 'A great danger has come upon us from our enemies.'
ददस्व चास्त्राणि मुनिप्रवीर यानि त्वदन्ते निहितानि देवैः दधीचिर् अप्य् आह सुरारिभीत्या अनागत्या भवतां चाचिरेण
'Give us, O eminent sage, the weapons that were entrusted to you by the gods.' Dadhīci replied, 'Out of fear of the enemies of the gods, and because you did not return soon—'
अस्त्राणि पीतानि शरीरसंस्थान्य् उक्तानि युक्तं मम तद् वदन्तु श्रुत्वा तदुक्तं वचनं तु देवाः प्रोचुस् तम् इत्थं विनयावनम्राः
'The weapons have been drunk, now residing in my body, as has been said; let them declare what is proper for me.' Hearing these words, the gods humbly spoke to him as follows.
अस्त्राणि देहीति च वक्तुम् एतच् छक्यं न वान्यत् प्रतिवक्तुं मुनीन्द्र विना च तैः परिभूयेम नित्यं पुष्टारयः क्व प्रयामो मुनीश
O best of sages, it is possible to say, 'Give us your weapons and body,' but nothing else can be said in reply. Without those weapons, we would always be overpowered by the well-nourished enemies. Where shall we go, O lord of sages?
न मर्त्यलोके न तले न नाके वासः सुराणां भविताद्य तात त्वं विप्रवर्यस् तपसा चैव युक्तो नान्यद् वक्तुं युज्यते ते पुरस्तात्
Today, O dear one, there can be no dwelling for the gods in the world of mortals, nor in the underworld, nor in heaven. You, excellent brahmin, endowed with ascetic power, are the only one fit to speak further in this matter.
विप्रस् तदोवाच मदस्थिसंस्थान्य् अस्त्राणि गृह्णन्तु न संशयो ऽत्र देवास् तम् अप्य् आहुर् अनेन किं नो ह्य् अस्त्रैर् हीनाः स्त्रीत्वम् आप्ताः सुरेन्द्राः
Then the brahmin said: Let the gods take the weapons formed from my bones—there is no doubt about this. The gods replied: What use is this to us? Deprived of weapons, O lord of gods, we have attained womanhood.
पुनस् तदा चाह मुनिप्रवीरस् त्यक्ष्ये जीवान् दैहिकान् योगयुक्तः अस्त्राणि कुर्वन्तु मदस्थिभूतान्य् अनुत्तमान्य् उत्तमरूपवन्ति
Then again, the eminent sage said: I will abandon my bodily life, united with yoga. Let the supreme weapons, possessing excellent forms, be made from my bones.