दत्त्वा भारं धनुष्कोट्यां निद्रामाप रमापतिः । श्रान्तत्वाद्दैवयोगाच्च जातस्तत्रातिनिद्रितः
Placing the weight on the tip of the bow, the Lord of Lakṣmī fell asleep; due to exhaustion and divine arrangement, he became deeply asleep there.
तदा कालेन कियता देवाः सर्वे सवासवाः । ब्रह्मेशसहिताः सर्वे यज्ञं कर्तुं समुद्यताः
Then, after some time, all the gods with Indra, along with Brahmā and Śiva, prepared to perform a sacrifice.
गताः सर्वेऽथ वैकुण्ठं द्रष्टुं देवं जनार्दनम् । देवकार्यार्थसिद्ध्यर्थं मखानामधिपं प्रभुम्
All of them went to Vaikuṇṭha to see the god Janārdana, the lord of sacrifices, for the accomplishment of the divine purpose.
अदृष्ट्वा तं तदा तत्र ज्ञानदृष्ट्या विलोक्य ते । यत्रास्ते भगवान् विष्णुर्जग्मुस्तत्र तदा सुराः
Not seeing him there, they perceived with the eye of knowledge; and, learning where the Blessed Vishnu was, the gods went there.
ददृशुस्ते तदेशानं योगनिद्रावशं गतम् । विचेतनं विभुं विष्णुं तत्रासांचक्रिरे सुराः
There they saw the Lord, overcome by yogic sleep, unconscious, the all-pervading Vishnu; and the gods stood there.
स्थितेषु सर्वदेवेषु निद्रासुप्ते जगत्पतौ । चिन्तामापुः सुराः सर्वे ब्रह्मरुद्रपुरोगमाः
While all the gods were present and the Lord of the world lay asleep, all the gods, led by Brahma and Rudra, became anxious.
तानुवाच ततः शक्रः किं कर्तव्यं सुरोत्तमाः । निद्राभङ्गः कथं कार्यश्चिन्तयन्तु सुरोत्तमाः
Then Indra spoke to them: 'What should be done, O best of gods? Let the best of gods consider how the sleep may be broken.'
तमुवाच तदा शम्भुर्निद्राभङ्गेऽस्ति दूषणम् । कार्यं चैव प्रकर्तव्यं यज्ञस्य सुरसत्तमाः
Then Shambhu said to him: 'There is a fault in breaking the sleep, yet the work of the sacrifice must be accomplished, O best of gods.'
उत्पादिता तदा वम्री ब्रह्मणा परमेष्ठिना । तया भक्षयितुं तत्र धनुषोऽग्रं धरास्थितम्
Then a termite was created by Brahma, the supreme lord; with it, the tip of the bow, which was resting on the ground, was to be eaten there.
भक्षितेऽग्रे तदा निम्नं गमिष्यति शरासनम् । तदा निद्राविमुक्तोऽसौ देवदेवो भविष्यति
When the tip is eaten, the bow will descend; then the Lord of gods will be freed from sleep.
देवकार्यं तदा सर्वं भविष्यति न संशयः । स वम्रीं संदिदेशाथ देवदेवः सनातनः
Then all the work of the gods will be accomplished, without doubt; and the eternal Lord of gods instructed the termite.
तमुवाच तदा वम्री देवदेवस्य मापतेः । निद्राभङ्गः कथं कार्यो देवस्य जगतां गुरोः
Then the termite said to the Lord of gods: 'How should the sleep of the god, the teacher of the worlds, be broken?'
निद्राभङ्गः कथाच्छेदो दम्पत्योः प्रीतिभेदनम् । शिशुमातृविभेदश्च ब्रह्महत्यासमं स्मृतम्
The breaking of sleep, the interruption of a story, the separation of a loving couple, and the division of mother and child are considered equal to the sin of killing a Brahmin.
तत्कथं देवदेवस्य करोमि सुखनाशनम् । किं फलं भक्षणाद्देव येन पापं करोम्यहम्
How, then, can I bring about the loss of happiness for the Lord of gods? What fruit will I gain from eating, for which I would commit sin?
सर्वः स्वार्थवशो लोकः कुरुते पातकं किल । तस्मादहं करिष्यामि स्वार्थमेव प्रभक्षणम्
The whole world, compelled by self-interest, indeed commits sin; therefore, I will do this act for my own sake, and I will eat.
ब्रह्मोवाच तव भागं करिष्यामो मखमध्ये यथा शृणु । तेन त्वं कुरु कार्यं नो विष्णुं बोधय माचिरम्
Brahma said: 'We will give you your share in the sacrifice—listen as I tell you. By that, do our task and quickly awaken Vishnu.'
होमकर्मणि पार्श्वे च हविर्दानात्पतिष्यति । तत्ते भागं विजानीहि कुरु कार्यं त्वरान्विता
At the side of the sacrificial rite, from the offering of oblations, your share will fall; know that as your portion, and perform the task with speed.
सूत उवाच इत्युक्ता ब्रह्मणा वम्री धनुषोऽग्रं त्वरान्विता । चखाद संस्थितं भूमौ विमुक्ता ज्या तदाभवत्
Suta said: Thus addressed by Brahma, the termite quickly ate the tip of the bow that was resting on the ground, and then the bowstring was released.
प्रत्यञ्जायां विमुक्तायां मुक्ता कोटिस्तथोत्तरा । शब्दः समभवद्घोरस्तेन त्रस्ताः सुरास्तदा
As the bowstring was released and the tip sprang upward, a terrible sound arose, and the gods were frightened by it.
ब्रह्माण्डं क्षुभितं सर्वं वसुधा कम्पिता तदा । समुद्राश्च समुद्विग्नास्त्रेसुश्च जलजन्तवः
The entire cosmic egg was shaken, the earth trembled, the oceans were agitated, and the aquatic creatures were terrified.