सुतापतिं हिरण्यसुतं विक्रान्तं तं महाशनिम् अतिसंमानितस् तेन जामात्रा वरुणः प्रभुः
Varuṇa, greatly honored by his brother-in-law, approached Mahāśani, the mighty son of Hiraṇya, the lord of demons.
पप्रच्छागमनं दैत्यो विनयाच् छ्वशुरं तदा वरुणः प्राह तं दैत्यं यद् आगमनकारणम्
Then the demon respectfully asked his father-in-law the reason for his coming; and Varuṇa told the demon the cause of his arrival.
इन्द्रं देहि महाबाहो यस् त्वया निर्जितः पुरा बद्धं रसातलस्थं तं देवानाम् अधिपं सखे
'Give me Indra, O mighty-armed one, whom you once defeated and bound in the netherworld, that lord of the gods, my friend.'
अस्माकं सर्वदा मान्यं देहि त्वं मम शत्रुहन् बद्ध्वा विमोक्षणं शत्रोर् महते यशसे सताम्
'Give to us always the one who is honored by all, O slayer of my enemy; having bound and released the enemy, you will gain great fame among the virtuous.'
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा कथंचित् स दैत्येशो वरुणाय तम् प्रादाद् इन्द्रं शचीकान्तं वारणेन समन्वितम्
Saying 'So be it,' the lord of demons, with some reluctance, gave Indra, Śacī's beloved, bound with the elephant, to Varuṇa.
स दैत्यमध्ये ऽतिविराजमानो हरिं तदोवाच जलेशसंनिधौ संपूज्य चैवाथ महोपचारैर् महाशनिर् मघवन्तं बभाषे
There, shining greatly among the demons, Mahāśani, after honoring Hari with great offerings in the presence of the lord of waters, addressed Maghavan.
केन त्वम् इन्द्रो ऽद्य कृतो ऽसि केन वीर्यं तवेदृग् बहु भाषसे च त्वं संगरे शत्रुभिर् बाध्यसे च तथापि चेन्द्रो भवसीति चित्रम्
'By whom have you been made Indra today? By what power do you speak so much in battle, and though oppressed by enemies, you still become Indra? This is strange.'
अथापि बद्धा पुरुषेण काचित् तस्याः पतिस् तां मोचयतीति युक्तम् स्त्रियो ऽस्वतन्त्राः पुरुषप्रधानास् त्वं वै पुमान् भविता शक्र साधो
'Yet, if a woman is bound by a man, her husband should release her—this is proper. Women are not independent; men are foremost. You, O Śakra, will indeed become a man, O noble one.'
बद्धो मया संगरे वाहनेन क्वाप्य् अस्त्रं ते वज्रम् उद्दामशक्ति चिन्तारत्नं नन्दनं योषितस् ता यशो बलं देवराजोपभोग्यम्
Bound by me in battle, your vehicle, your weapon—the thunderbolt of immense power, the wish-fulfilling jewel, the Nandana garden, those celestial women, your fame and strength—all these are for the enjoyment of the king of the gods.
तज् जीवनं यत् तु यशोनिधानं स एव मृत्युर् यशसो यद् विरोधि एवं जानञ् शक्र कथं जलेशान् मुक्तिं प्राप्तो नैव लज्जां भजेथाः
That which is life, which is the treasure of fame, is itself death when it opposes fame. Knowing this, O Śakra, how have you, having gained release from the lords of the waters, not felt any shame?
त्रिविष्टपस्थः परिवेष्टितः सन् सर्वैः सुरैः कान्तया वीज्यमानः संस्तूयमानश् च तथाप्सरोभिर् नूनं लज्जा ते बिभेतीति मन्ये
Dwelling in heaven, surrounded by all the gods, fanned by your beloved, praised likewise by the Apsarases—surely, I think, shame is afraid of you.
त्वं वृत्रहा नमुचेश् चापि हन्ता पुरां भेत्ता गोत्रभिद् वज्रबाहुः एवं सुरास् त्वां परिपूजयन्तीत्य् अतो जिष्णो सर्वम् एतत् त्यजस्व
You are the slayer of Vṛtra and Namuci, the destroyer of cities, the breaker of enclosures, wielder of the thunderbolt. Thus the gods honor you—therefore, O conqueror, renounce all this.
विकारम् आप्याप्य् अहितोद्भवं ये जीवन्ति लोकान् अनुसंविशन्ति भवादृशां दुश्च्यवनाब्जजन्मा कथं न हृद्भेदम् अवाप कर्ता
Those who, having undergone a transformation born of enmity, continue to live and move among the worlds—how could one born from a lotus, like you, not feel a breaking of the heart at such disgrace?
एवम् उक्त्वा तु दैत्येशो वरुणाय महात्मने प्रादाद् इन्द्रं पुनश् चेदं वचनं तद् अभाषत
Having spoken thus, the lord of the Daityas gave mighty Varuṇa back to Indra, and then addressed these words to him.
अद्य प्रभृत्य् असौ शिष्य इन्द्रः स्याद् वरुणो गुरुः श्वशुरो मम येन त्वं मुक्तिम् आप्तो ऽसि वासव
From this day forward, Indra shall be the disciple, and Varuṇa the teacher—my father-in-law—by whom, O Vāsava, you have obtained your release.
तथा त्वं भृत्यभावेन वर्तेथा वरुणं प्रति नो चेद् बद्ध्वा पुनस् त्वां वै क्षेप्स्ये चैव रसातलम्
Thus, you must conduct yourself as a servant toward Varuṇa; if not, I will bind you again and cast you down to the netherworld.
एवं निर्भर्त्स्य तं शक्रं हसंश् चापि पुनः पुनः अब्रवीद् गच्छ गच्छेति वरुणं चानुमन्य तु
Thus rebuking Śakra, laughing again and again, he said, 'Go, go,' and gave his consent to Varuṇa.
स तु प्राप्तः स्वनिलयं लज्जया कलुषीकृतः पौलोम्यां प्राह तत् सर्वं यत् तच् छत्रुपराभवम्
He then returned to his own abode, his mind tainted with shame, and told Paulomī all that had happened, including his defeat by the enemy.
एवम् उक्तः कृतश् चैव शत्रुणाहं वरानने निर्वापयामि येन स्वम् आत्मानं सुभगे वद
Thus addressed and treated by the enemy, he said, 'O fair-faced one, tell me by what means I may restore myself.'
दानवानाम् अथोद्भूतिं शक्र मायां पराभवम् वरदानं तथा मृत्युं जाने ऽहं बलसूदन
I know, O destroyer of strength, the origin of the Dānavas, their magic, their defeat, the boon they received, and their death.
तस्माद् यस्मात् तस्य मृत्युर् अथवापि पराभवः जायेत शृणु तत् सर्वं वक्ष्ये ऽहं प्रीतये तव
Therefore, listen as I tell you everything by which his death or defeat might occur, for your satisfaction.
हिरण्यस्य सुतो वीरः पितृव्यस्य सुतो बली तस्मान् मम स्यात् स भ्राता वरदानाच् च दर्पितः
A hero, son of Hiraṇya, and also the son of his uncle, powerful—thus he is my brother, made arrogant by the boon he received.
ब्रह्माणं तोषयाम् आस तपसा नियमेन च ईदृशं बलम् आपन्नं तपसा किं न सिध्यति
He pleased Brahmā through austerity and discipline; having attained such power through austerity, what cannot be accomplished?
तस्मात् त्वया चित्तरागो विस्मयो वा कथंचन न कार्यः शृणु तत्रेदं कार्यं यत् तु क्रमागतम्
Therefore, you should not allow attachment or amazement to arise in your mind in any way. Listen now to what must be done, as it comes in order.
एवम् उक्त्वा तु पौलोमी प्राहेन्द्रं विनयान्विता
Having spoken thus, Paulomī addressed Indra with humility.
नासाध्यम् अस्ति तपसो नासाध्यं यज्ञकर्मणः नासाध्यं लोकनाथस्य विष्णोर् भक्त्या हरस्य च
Nothing is unattainable through austerity, nothing is unattainable through sacrificial acts, nothing is unattainable for Viṣṇu, the lord of the worlds, or for Hara, through devotion.
पुनश् चेदं मया कान्त श्रुतम् अस्त्य् अतिशोभनम् स्त्रीणां स्वभावं जानन्ति स्त्रिय एव सुराधिप
Once again, my dear, I have heard something most excellent: only women themselves know the nature of women, O lord of the gods.
तस्माद् भूमेस् तथा चापां नासाध्यं विद्यते प्रभो तपो वा यज्ञकर्मादि ताभ्याम् एव यतो भवेत्
Therefore, O master, nothing is unattainable for the earth and for women; whether through austerity, sacrificial rites, or other actions, it is from them that these arise.
तत्रापि तीर्थभूता तु या भूमिस् तां व्रजेद् भवान् तत्र विष्णुं शिवं पूज्य सर्वान् कामान् अवाप्स्यसि
Among these, the earth that is a sacred place should be visited by you; there, by worshipping Vishnu and Shiva, you will obtain all desires.
श्रुतम् अस्ति पुनश् चेदं स्त्रियो याश् च पतिव्रताः ता एव सर्वं जानन्ति धृतं ताभिश् चराचरम्
Again, I have heard this: those women who are devoted to their husbands alone know everything, all that is held by them, both moving and unmoving.