तमाह च्यवनस्तत्र कथमेतौ रवेः सुतौ । न ग्रहार्हौ च नासत्यौ ब्रूहि सत्यं शचीपते
There Cyavana said: How are these two sons of the Sun not eligible to partake, and why are the Nāsatyas excluded? Speak the truth, O lord of Śacī.
न सङ्करौ समुत्पन्नौ धर्मपत्नीसुतौ रवेः । केन दोषेण देवेन्द्र नार्हौ सोमं भिषग्वरौ
They are not born from mixed unions, but are sons of the Sun's lawful wife. By what fault, O Indra, are the Nāsatyas, the foremost physicians, not permitted to drink Soma?
निर्णयोऽत्र मखे शक्र कर्तव्यः सर्वदैवतैः । ग्राहयिष्यामहं सोमं कृतौ तौ सोमपौ मया
A decision must be made here in the sacrifice, O Śakra, by all the gods. I will cause them to receive Soma; I have made them Soma-drinkers.
प्रेरितोऽसौ मया राजा मखाय मघवन्किल । एतदर्थं करिष्यामि सत्यं मे वचनं विभो
That king was sent by me, O Maghavan, to the sacrifice. For this purpose I will act; my word is true, O mighty one.
आभ्यामुपकृतः शक्र तथा दत्तं नवं वयः । तस्मात्प्रत्युपकारस्तु कर्तव्यः सर्वथा मया
Śakra was aided by them, and they granted him renewed youth. Therefore, I must certainly repay their kindness in every way.
इन्द्र उवाच - चिकित्सकौ कृतावेतौ नासत्यौ निन्दितौ सुरैः । उभावेतौ न सोमार्हौ मा गृहाणैतयोर्ग्रहम्
Indra said: These two, made physicians, are the Nāsatyas, despised by the gods. Neither of them is fit to drink Soma; do not let them receive the offering.
च्यवन उवाच - अहल्याजार संयच्छ कोपं चाद्य निरर्थकम् । वृत्रघ्न किं हि नासत्यौ न सोमार्हौ सुरात्मजौ
Cyavana said: Restrain your anger over Ahalyā's affair, which is pointless today. O slayer of Vṛtra, why are the Nāsatyas, sons of the gods, not eligible to drink Soma?
एवं विवादे समुपस्थिते च न कोऽपि वाचं तमुवाच भूप । ग्रहं तयोर्भार्गवतिग्मतेजाः संग्राहयामास तपोबलेन
When such a dispute arose, no one among the kings spoke. By the power of his austerity, the fiery Bhārgava caused the two to receive the Soma.
रेवतस्य रेवतीवरार्थं ब्रह्मलोकगमनवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच - दत्ते ग्रहे तु राजेन्द्र वासवः कुपितौ भृशम् । प्रोवाच च्यवनं तत्र दर्शयन्बलमात्मनः
Vyāsa said: When the offering was given, O king, Vāsava became greatly enraged and spoke to Cyavana there, displaying his own strength.
मा ब्रह्मबन्धो मर्यादामिमां त्वं कर्त्तुमर्हसि । वधिष्यामि द्विषन्तं त्वां विश्वरूपमिवाऽपरम्
Do not, O brahmin, transgress these boundaries. I will slay you, my enemy, as I did another Viśvarūpa.
च्यवन उवाच - मावमंस्था महात्मानौ रूपद्रविणवर्चसा । यौ चक्रतुर्मां मघवन् वृन्दारकमिवापरम्
Cyavana said: Do not underestimate these two great souls, endowed with beauty, wealth, and splendor, who made me, O Maghavan, like another leader among the gods.
ऋते त्वां विबुधाश्चान्ये कथं वाददते ग्रहम् । अश्विनावपि देवेन्द्र देवौ विद्धि परन्तपौ
Except for you, how could other gods object to their receiving the offering? Even the Aśvins, O Indra, are gods; know them as mighty heroes.
इन्द्र उवाच - भिषजौ नार्हतः कामं ग्रहं यज्ञे कथञ्चन । यदि दित्ससि मन्दात्मन् शिरश्छेत्स्यामि साम्प्रतम्
Indra said: Physicians are not fit to receive the offering in the sacrifice. If you persist, O foolish one, I will now sever your head.
व्यास उवाच अनादृत्य तु तद्वाक्यं वासवस्य च भार्गवः । ग्रहं तु ग्राहयामास भर्त्सयन्निव तं भृशम्
Vyāsa said: Disregarding Vāsava's words, the Bhārgava caused the offering to be received, rebuking him harshly.
सोमपात्रं यदा ताभ्यां गृहीतं तु पिपासया । समीक्ष्य बलभिद्देव इदं वचनमब्रवीत्
When the Soma vessel was taken by them out of thirst, the mighty god, seeing this, spoke these words.
आभ्यमर्थाय सोमं त्वं ग्राहयिष्यसि चेत्स्वयम् । वज्रं तु प्रहरिष्यामि विश्वरूपमिवापरम्
If you yourself cause them to receive Soma for their sake, I will strike you with the thunderbolt, as I did another Viśvarūpa.
वासवेनैवमुक्तस्तु भार्गवश्चातिगर्वितः । जग्राह विधिवत्सोममश्विभ्यामतिमन्युमान्
Thus addressed by Vāsava, the proud Bhārgava properly gave Soma to the Aśvins, full of wrath.
इन्द्रोऽपि प्राक्षिपत्कोपाद्वज्रमस्मै स्वमायुधम् । पश्यतां सर्वदेवानां सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभम्
Indra, out of anger, hurled his own weapon, the thunderbolt, at him, shining like ten million suns, before all the gods.
प्रेरितं चाशनिं प्रेक्ष्य च्यवनस्तपसा ततः । स्तम्भयामास वज्रं स शक्रस्यामिततेजसः
Seeing the thunderbolt launched, Cyavana, through his ascetic power, halted the mighty thunderbolt of Indra, whose brilliance is immeasurable.
कृत्यया स महाबाहुरिन्द्रं हन्तुमिहोद्यतः । जुहावाग्नौ श्रुतं हव्यं मन्त्रेण मुनिसत्तमः
That great-armed sage, intent on destroying Indra, offered the prescribed oblation into the fire with mantra, O best of sages.
तत्र कृत्या समुत्पन्ना च्यवनस्य तपोबलात् । प्रबलः पुरुषः क्रूरो बृहत्कायो महासुरः
There, by the power of Cyavana’s asceticism, a formidable, fierce, and gigantic asura named Kritya arose, possessing immense strength.
मदो नाम महाघोरो भयदः प्राणिनामिह । शरीरे पर्वताकारस्तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्रो मयानकः
His name was Mada, exceedingly terrifying and a source of fear for all beings here; his body was mountain-like, with sharp fangs and a dreadful appearance.
चतस्रश्चायता दंष्ट्रा योजनानां शतं शतम् । इतरे त्वस्य दशना बभूवुर्दशयोजनाः
He had four long fangs, each a hundred yojanas in length; his other teeth were ten yojanas each.
बाहू पर्वतसंकाशावायतौ क्रूरदर्शनौ । जिह्वा तु भीषणा क्रूरा लेलिहाना नभस्तलम्
His arms resembled mountains, long and fearsome to behold; his tongue was terrifying, cruel, and licked the sky itself.
ग्रीवा तु गिरिशृङ्गाभा कठिना भीषणा भृशम् । नखा व्याघ्रनखप्रख्याः केशाश्चातीवभीषणाः
His neck was like a mountain peak, exceedingly hard and dreadful; his nails were like those of a tiger, and his hair was extremely frightening.
शरीरं कज्जलाभं च तस्य चास्यं भयानकम् । नेत्रे दावानलप्रख्ये भीषणेऽतिभयानके
His body was black as soot, and his face was terrifying; his eyes blazed like forest fires, dreadful and exceedingly fearsome.
हनुरेका स्थिता तस्य भूमावेका दिवं गता । एवंविधः समुत्पन्नो मदो नाम बृहत्तनुः
One of his jaws rested on the earth, and the other reached the sky; thus arose Mada, of immense form.
तं विलोक्य सुराः सर्वे भयमाजग्मुरंहसा । इन्द्रोऽपि भयसंत्रस्तो युद्धाय न मनो दधे
Seeing him, all the gods were instantly seized by fear; even Indra, overwhelmed by terror, could not bring his mind to fight.
दैत्योऽपि वदने कामं वज्रमादाय संस्थितः । व्याप्तं नभो घोरदृष्टिर्ग्रसन्निव जगत्त्रयम्
The asura stood with his mouth open, holding the thunderbolt as he wished; his dreadful gaze filled the sky, as if he would devour the three worlds.
स भक्ष्ययिष्यन्संक्रुद्धः शतक्रतुमुपाद्रवत् । चक्रुशुश्च सुराः सर्वे हा हताः स्मेति संस्थिताः
Enraged and ready to consume, he rushed at Indra; all the gods cried out, 'Alas, we are destroyed!' and stood helpless.