इन्द्रं निद्राजितं दृष्ट्वा दीनं विष्णुरभाषत । मां त्वं प्रविश भद्रं ते नये त्वां च सुरोत्तम
Seeing Indra conquered by sleep and dejected, Viṣṇu spoke: 'Enter me, may you be safe; I will guide you, O best of gods.'
एवमुक्तस्ततो विष्णुं प्रविवेश पुरन्दरः । निर्भयो गतनिद्रश्च बभूव हरिरक्षितः
Thus addressed, Purandara entered Viṣṇu; protected by Hari, he became fearless and free from sleep.
रक्षितं हरिणा दृष्ट्वा शक्रं तत्र गतव्यथम् । काव्यमाता ततः क्रुद्धा वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्
Seeing Indra protected by Hari and restored there, Kāvya's mother, enraged, spoke these words.
मघवंस्त्वां भक्षयामि सविष्णुं वै तपोबलात् । पश्यतां सर्वदेवानामीदृशं मे तपोबलम्
'Maghavan, I will devour you together with Viṣṇu by the power of my austerity; let all the gods witness the strength of my tapas.'
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्तौ तु तया देवौ विष्ण्विन्द्रौ योगविद्यया । अभिभूतौ महात्मानौ स्तब्धौ तौ सम्बभूवतुः
Vyāsa said: Thus spoken to by her, the two gods, Viṣṇu and Indra, were subdued by her yogic power; those great souls became motionless.
विस्मितास्तु तदा देवा दृष्ट्वा तावतिबाधितौ । चक्रुः किलकिलाशब्दं ततस्ते दीनमानसाः
The gods were astonished, seeing them so afflicted; they made murmuring sounds and became dispirited.
क्रोशमानान्सुरान्दृष्ट्वा विष्णुं प्राह शचीपतिः । विशेषेणाभिभूतोऽस्मि त्वत्तोऽहं मधुसूदन
Seeing the gods crying out, Śacī's husband spoke to Viṣṇu: 'I am especially overcome by you, O Madhusūdana.'
जह्येनां तरसा विष्णो यावन्नौ न दहेत्प्रभो । तपसा दर्पितां दुष्टां मा विचारय माधव
'Viṣṇu, destroy her swiftly before she burns us; she is wicked, intoxicated by austerity—do not hesitate, O Mādhava.'
इत्युक्तो भगवान्विष्णुः शक्रेण प्रथितेन च । चक्रं सस्मार तरसा घृणां त्यक्त्वाथ माधवः
Thus addressed by renowned Śakra, Bhagavān Viṣṇu remembered his discus with force, casting aside compassion, O Mādhava.
स्मृतमात्रं तु सम्प्राप्तं चक्रं विष्णुवशानुगम् । दधार च करे क्रुद्धो वधार्थं शक्रनोदितः
As soon as it was remembered, the discus, obedient to Viṣṇu's will, arrived; enraged, he took it in his hand for killing, urged by Śakra.
गृहीत्वा तत्करे चक्रं शिरश्चिच्छेद रंहसा । हतां दृष्ट्वा तु तां शक्रो मुदितश्चाभवत्तदा
Seizing the discus in his hand, he swiftly cut off her head; seeing her slain, Indra then became joyful.
देवाश्चातीव सन्तुष्टा हरिं जय जयेति च । तुष्टुवुर्मुदिताः सर्वे सञ्जाता विगतज्वराः
The gods were exceedingly satisfied and, filled with delight and free from distress, they all praised Hari, crying, 'Victory! Victory!'
इन्द्रविष्णू तु सञ्जातौ तत्क्षणाद्धृदयव्यथौ । स्त्रीवधाच्छंकमानौ तु भृगोः शापं दुरत्ययम्
But at that very moment, Indra and Vishnu were both seized by anguish of heart, fearing the terrible curse of Bhrigu for the slaying of a woman.
जयन्त्या शुक्रसहवासवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच तं दृष्ट्वा तु वधं घोरं चुक्रोध भगवान्भृगुः । वेपमानोऽतिदुःखार्तः प्रोवाच मधुसूदनम्
Vyasa said: Seeing that dreadful killing, the venerable Bhrigu became enraged; trembling and deeply afflicted, he spoke to Madhusudana.
भृगुरुवाच अकृत्यं ते कृतं विष्णो जानन्पापं महामते । वधोऽयं विप्रजाताया मनसा कर्तुमक्षमः
Bhrigu said: O wise Vishnu, you have committed a forbidden act, knowingly doing evil; the slaying of a woman of the Brahmin class is an act unfit even to be conceived.
आख्यातस्त्वं सत्त्वगुणः स्मृतो ब्रह्मा च राजसः । तथासौ तामसः शम्भुर्विपरीतं कथं स्मृतम्
You are declared to be of the quality of sattva, Brahma is remembered as rajas, and Shiva as tamas; how then is this order reversed?
तामसस्त्वं कथं जातः कृतं कर्मातिनिन्दितम् । अवध्या स्त्री त्वया विष्णो हता कस्मान्निरागसा
How have you become tamasic, performing such a highly blameworthy deed? The woman, innocent and not to be slain, was killed by you, O Vishnu—why?
शपामि त्वां दुराचारं किमन्यत्प्रकरोमि ते । विधुरोऽहं कृतः पाप त्वयाहं शक्रकारणात्
I curse you, O evil-doer—what else should I do to you? Because of you, for Indra’s sake, I have been rendered miserable, O sinner.
न शपेऽहं तथा शक्रं शपे त्वां मधुसूदन । सदा छलपरोऽसि त्वं कीटयोनिर्दुराशयः
I do not curse Indra in the same way; I curse you, Madhusudana. You are ever deceitful, of vile intent, destined for birth among insects.
ये च त्वां सात्त्विकं प्राहुस्ते मूर्खा मुनयः किल । तामसस्त्वं दुराचारः प्रत्यक्षं मे जनार्दन
Those sages who call you sattvic are fools, indeed; you are tamasic, O evil-doer, this is evident to me, O Janardana.
अवतारा मृत्युलोके सन्तु मच्छापसम्भवाः । प्रायो गर्भभवं दुःखं भुंक्ष्व पापाज्जनार्दन
May your incarnations in the mortal world arise from my curse; mostly, endure the suffering of birth in the womb because of this sin, O Janardana.
व्यास उवाच ततस्तेनाथ शापेन नष्टे धर्मे पुनः पुनः । लोकस्य च हितार्थाय जायते मानुषेष्विह
Vyasa said: Thus, because of that curse, when righteousness was destroyed again and again, for the welfare of the world, he is born among humans here.
राजोवाच भूगुभार्या हता तत्र चक्रेणामिततेजसा । गार्हस्थ्यञ्च पुनस्तस्य कथं जातं महात्मनः
The king said: There, the wife of Bhrigu was slain by the mighty discus; how did that great soul again enter the householder’s state?
व्यास उवाच इति शप्त्वा हरिं रोषात्तदादाय शिरस्त्वरन् । काये संयोज्य तरसा भृगुः प्रोवाच कार्यवित्
Vyasa said: Having thus cursed Hari in anger, Bhrigu quickly took up her head, and, knowing what was to be done, joined it to her body with force.
अद्य त्वां विष्णुना देवि हतां सञ्जीवयाम्यहम् । यदि कृत्स्नो मया धर्मो ज्ञायते चरितोऽपि वा
Today, O Devi, slain by Vishnu, I shall revive you; if all the righteousness I have practiced is known or even exists in me.
तेन सत्येन जीवेत यदि सत्यं ब्रवीम्यहम् । पश्यन्तु देवताः सर्वा मम तेजोबलं महत्
By that truth, may she live, if I truly speak; let all the gods witness my great power and might.
अद्भिस्त्वां प्रोक्ष्य शीताभिर्जीवयामि तपोबलात् । सत्यं शौचं तथा वेदा यदि मे तपसो बलम्
Sprinkling you with cool water, I revive you by the power of my austerity; if truth, purity, and the Vedas are the strength of my penance.
व्यास उवाच अद्भिः सम्प्रोक्षिता देवी सद्यः सञ्जीविता तदा । उत्थिता परमप्रीता भृगोर्भार्या शुचिस्मिता
Vyasa said: Sprinkled with water, the goddess was immediately revived by his austerity; Bhrigu’s wife, pure-smiling, arose supremely delighted.
ततस्तां सर्वभूतानि दृष्ट्वा सुप्तोत्थितामिव । साधु साध्विति तं तां तु तुष्टुवुः सर्वतो दिशम्
Then, seeing her as if awakened from sleep, all beings from every direction praised her, exclaiming, 'Well done! Well done!'
एवं सञ्चीविता तेन भृगुणा वरवर्णिनी । विस्मयं परमं जग्मुर्देवाः सेन्द्रा विलोक्य तत्
Thus, revived by Bhrigu, the radiant lady caused the gods, along with Indra, to be filled with utmost wonder upon witnessing that.