अथापि सर्वसिद्धित्वं सर्वैश्वर्य सुदुर्लभम् । मुक्तिं वा हरिभक्तिं वा तपसा या सुदुर्लभा
Or even complete attainment, the most rare sovereignty over all, or liberation, or devotion to Hari, which is difficult to obtain even by austerity—
किमीप्सितं ते हे वत्स ब्रूहि नः सांप्रतं मुदा । सर्व तुम्यं प्रदायैव यास्यामस्तपसे मुदा
What do you desire, dear one? Tell us now with joy. Having granted you everything, we will gladly return to our austerities.
युगलक्षसमं यच्च क्षणं कृष्णार्चनं विना । तद्दिनं दुर्दिनं यत्तद्ध्यानसेवनवर्जितम्
Any moment, even as brief as a yuga, spent without worshipping Krishna, is a wretched day—one devoid of meditation and service.
विना तत्सेवनं यो हि विषयान्यं च वाञ्छति । विषमत्ति प्रणाशाय विहायामृतमीप्सितम्
Whoever, forsaking that service, desires other objects, consumes poison for their own destruction, abandoning the nectar they should seek.
ब्रह्मा शिवश्च धर्मश्च विष्णुश्चापि महान्विराट् । गणेशश्च दिनेशश्च शषेश्च सनकादयः
Brahma, Shiva, Dharma, the great and vast Vishnu, Ganesha, the Sun, the Moon, and Sanaka and the others—
एते यच्चरणम्भोजं ध्यायन्तेऽहर्निशं मुदा । जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिहरं तन्निरता वयम्
All these, day and night, joyfully meditate upon those lotus feet which remove birth, death, old age, and disease; we too are devoted to them.
तेषां च वचनं श्रृत्वा तानुवाच नृपेश्वरः । स लज्जितो नम्रवक्त्र मायामोहितमानसः
Hearing their words, the lord of kings replied to them, his face lowered in shame, his mind bewildered by illusion and delusion.
नहष उवाच सर्व दातुं समर्थाश्च यूयं च भक्तवत्सलाः । अधुना देहि (दत्त) मे तूर्णं शचीदानमभीप्सितम्
Nahuṣa said: You are all capable of granting everything, and you are devoted to your devotees; now, quickly grant me the gift of Śacī that I desire.
सप्तर्षिवाहनं कान्तं शचीच्छति महासती । एतदेव मम वरं निष्पन्नं कुरुताचिनम्
The great and virtuous Śacī desires the beloved vehicle of the Seven Sages; let this alone be my boon—make it come to pass for me.
नहुषस्य वचः श्रुत्वा मुनयश्च परस्परम् । मत्युच्चैर्जहसुः सर्वे कौतुकेन च नारद
Hearing the words of Nahuṣa, the sages all laughed loudly among themselves, O Nārada, amused by the situation.
राजानं मोहितं मत्वा वेष्टितं विष्णुमायया । चक्रुः प्रतिज्ञां तं वोढुं कृपया दीनवत्सलाः
Recognizing the king as deluded, entangled by Viṣṇu's illusion, they, compassionate to the distressed, resolved to carry out his request.
चक्रुः स्कनधे तच्छिविकां मुक्तामाणिक्यभूषिताम् । राजा ययौ सुवेषश्च रत्नभूषणभूषितः
They placed the palanquin, adorned with pearls and jewels, on their shoulders; the king, splendidly attired and decorated with gem ornaments, set out.
दृष्ट्वा चातिविलम्बं च भर्त्सयामास तान्नृपः । क्रुधा शाशाप दुर्वासाश्चाग्रगामी च वर्त्मनि
Seeing their excessive delay, the king rebuked them; in anger, he cursed Durvāsā, who was leading the way.
महानजगनरो भूत्वा पत वै मूढमानस । दर्शनाद्धर्मपुत्रस्य तव मोक्षो भविष्यति
Become a great serpent, O foolish-minded one! You shall fall; by the sight of Dharmaputra, your liberation will come.
रत्नयानेन वैकुण्ठं गत्वा वैकुण्ठसेवनम् । करिष्यसि महाराज न कर्म निष्फलं भवेत्
Traveling to Vaikuṇṭha in a chariot of jewels, you will serve in Vaikuṇṭha, O great king; your actions will not be fruitless.
इत्युक्त्वा प्रययुः सर्वे प्रहस्य मुनिसत्तमाः । राजा पपात तच्छापात्सर्पों भूत्वा महामुने
Having spoken thus, all the eminent sages departed, laughing; by that curse, the king fell and became a serpent, O great sage.
शची चगाम त्तच्छ्रृत्वा गुरुं नत्वाऽमरावतीम् । ययौ बृहस्पतिः शीघ्रं यत्रेन्द्रः पद्मतन्तुषु
Hearing this, Śacī departed, bowed to her teacher, and went to Amarāvatī; Bṛhaspati quickly went to where Indra was among the lotus fibers.
गत्वा सनोवराम्याशमाजुहाव सुरेश्वरम् । अतिप्रसन्नवदनः कृपया च कृपानिधिः
Arriving at the beautiful grove, he called out to the lord of the gods, his face beaming with great joy, full of compassion and mercy.
बृहस्पतिरुवाच अयिवत्सत्वमागाच्छ भयं किं ते मयि स्थिते । त्यज भीतिमिहागच्छ गुरुस्तेहं बृहस्पतिः
Bṛhaspati said: O dear one, come forth! What fear is there for you while I am here? Abandon your fear and come here; I am your teacher, Bṛhaspati.
स्वगुरोश्च स्वरं श्रुत्वा महेन्द्रो हृष्टमानसः । रूपं विहाय सूक्ष्मं च स्वरूपेण समाययौ
Hearing the voice of his own teacher, Mahendra, his heart filled with joy, left his subtle form and came forth in his own true form.
पपात दण्डवन्मूर्ध्ना भक्त्या चरणयोर्गुरोः । तं रुदन्तं महाभीतं मुदोरसि चकार सः
He fell prostrate, with his head at the feet of his teacher, in devotion; seeing him weeping and greatly afraid, Bṛhaspati embraced him with affection.
कारयित्वा सोमयागं प्रगयश्चित्ताथंमेव च । रत्नसिंहासने रम्ये वासयामास तं गुरुः
Having performed the Soma sacrifice and the proper rites of atonement, the teacher seated him on a beautiful jeweled throne.
प्रददौ परमैश्वर्य पूर्वस्माच्च चतुर्गुणम् । आगत्य सर्वदेवाश्च चकुः सेवां मुदाऽन्विता
He granted him supreme sovereignty, four times greater than before; and all the gods, having arrived, joyfully rendered their service.
इत्येवं कथितं वत्स महेन्द्रदर्पभञ्जनम् । शचीसतीत्वरक्षा च किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि
Thus, O dear one, has been told the breaking of Mahendra's pride and the protection of the virtuous Śacī; what more would you wish to hear?
नारद उवाच सोमयागविधानं च ब्रूहि मां मुनिसत्तम । कथं तं कारयामास गुरुश्च किं फलं परम्
Nārada said: O best of sages, please tell me the procedure of the Soma sacrifice. How was it performed, and what supreme result did the guru obtain from it?
नारायण उवाच ब्रह्महत्याप्रशमनं सोमयागफलं मुने । वर्ष सोमलतापानं यजमानः करोति च
Nārāyaṇa said: O sage, the fruit of the Soma sacrifice is the removal of the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa. The sacrificer drinks the Soma for a year as part of the rite.
वर्षमेकं फलं भुङक्ते वर्षमेकं जलं मुदा । त्रैवार्षिकं व्रतमिदं सर्वपापप्रणाशनम्
He enjoys the fruit for one year, and for one year he drinks water with joy. This three-year vow destroys all sins.
यस्य त्रैवाषिकं धान्यं निहितं भूतवृद्धये । अधिकं वाऽपि विद्येत स सोमं पातुमर्हति
Whoever has grain stored for three years for the sake of nourishing beings, or even more, is eligible to drink Soma.
महाराजश्च देपो वा यागं कर्तुमलं मुने । न सर्वमाध्यो यज्ञोऽयं बह्वन्नो बहुदक्षिणः
A great king or a wealthy person, O sage, is able to perform this sacrifice. This sacrifice is not for everyone; it requires much food and many gifts.
इति श्रीब्रह्मo महाo श्रीकृष्णजन्मखo उत्तo नारदनाo शक्रदर्पभङ्गप्रकरणे शक्रमोक्षकथनं नाम षष्टितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the sixtieth chapter, named 'The Account of Indra's Liberation,' in the section on the breaking of Indra's pride, in the great Śrī Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa, concerning the birth of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, as narrated by Nārada.