अधैर्याद्यादृशं दुःखं न तु धैर्येऽस्ति तादृशम् । दुर्लभं सहनत्वं वै समये सुखदुःखयोः
The suffering caused by lack of fortitude is not found in fortitude itself. Endurance in times of pleasure and pain is rare.
हर्षशोकोद्भवो यत्र न भवेद् बुद्धिनिश्चयात् । किं दुःखं कस्य वा दुःखं निर्गुणोऽहं सदाव्ययः
Where joy and sorrow do not arise due to firm understanding, what suffering is there, and whose suffering? I am always without qualities and imperishable.
चतुर्विंशातिरिक्तोऽस्मि किं मे दुःखं सुखं च किम् । प्राणस्य क्षुत्पिपासे द्वे मनसः शोकमूर्छने
I am beyond the twenty-four elements; what is pain to me, or what is pleasure? Hunger and thirst belong to the vital breath; grief and fainting belong to the mind.
जरामृत्यू शरीरस्य षडूर्मिरहितः शिवः । शोकमोहौ शरीरस्य गणौ किं मेऽत्र चिन्तने
Old age and death pertain to the body; I am Shiva, free from the six waves. Grief and delusion are attributes of the body; what concern have I with them?
शरीरं नाहमथवा तत्सम्बन्धी न चाप्यहम् । सप्तैकषोडशादिभ्यो विभिन्नोऽहं सदा सुखी
I am not the body, nor am I its associate. I am always distinct from the seven, one, sixteen, and other elements, and ever blissful.
प्रकृतिर्विकृतिर्नाहं किं मे दुःखं सदा पुनः । इति मत्वा सुरेश त्वं मनसा भव निर्ममः
I am neither nature nor its modifications; what pain is there for me, ever again? Thinking thus, O lord of gods, be free from possessiveness in mind.
उपायः प्रथमोऽयं ते दुःखनाशे शतक्रतो । ममता परमं दुःखं निर्ममत्वं परं सुखम्
This is your first means for the destruction of suffering, O Indra. Attachment is the greatest pain; non-attachment is the highest happiness.
सन्तोषादपरं नास्ति सुखस्थानं शचीपते । अथवा यदि न ज्ञानं ममत्वनाशने किल
There is no other place of happiness than contentment, O lord of Shachi. Or, if there is no knowledge for the destruction of attachment,
ततो विवेकः कर्तव्यो भवितव्ये सुराधिप । प्रारब्धकर्मणां नाशो नाभोगाल्लक्ष्यते किल
Then discrimination should be cultivated regarding what is destined, O lord of gods. The destruction of actions begun is not seen through enjoyment.
यद्भावि तद्भवत्येव का चिन्ता सुखदुःखयोः । सुरैः सर्वैः सहायैर्वा बुद्ध्या वा तव सत्तम
Whatever is to happen, happens; why worry about pleasure or pain? Whether with all the gods as allies, or by your own intellect, O noble one.
सुखं क्षयाय पुण्यस्य दुःखं पापस्य मारिष । तस्मात्सुखक्षये हर्षः कर्तव्यः सर्वथा बुधैः
Pleasure is the result of merit; pain is the result of sin, O sage. Therefore, when pleasure ends, wise people should always rejoice.
अथवा मन्त्रयित्वाद्य कुरु यत्नं यथाविधि । कृते यत्ने महाराज भवितव्यं भविष्यति
Or, after consulting today, act according to proper method. When effort is made, O great king, what is destined will come to pass.
दैत्यसैन्यपराजयः व्यास उवाच इति श्रुत्वा सहस्राक्षः पुनराह बृहस्पतिम् । युद्धोद्योगं करिष्यामि हयारेर्नाशनाय वै
Defeat of the demon army Vyasa said: Having heard thus, Indra again spoke to Brihaspati: I will undertake preparations for battle, to destroy the horse-sacrifice.
नोद्यमेन विना राज्यं न सुखं न च वै यशः । निरुद्यमं न शंसन्ति कातरा न च सोद्यमाः
Without effort, there is neither kingdom, nor happiness, nor fame. Those without effort are not praised; nor are the timid, but only those who exert themselves.
यतीनां भूषणं ज्ञानं सन्तोषो हि द्विजन्मनाम् । उद्यमः शत्रुहननं भूषणं भूतिमिच्छताम्
For ascetics, knowledge is an ornament; for twice-born, contentment; for those who seek prosperity, effort is the ornament that destroys enemies.
उद्यमेन हतस्त्वाष्ट्रो नमुचिर्बल एव च । तथैनं निहनिष्यामि महिषं मुनिसत्तम
By effort, Tvaṣṭra and Namuci were slain, both powerful; in the same way, O best of sages, I shall slay Mahisha.
बलं देवगुरुस्त्वं मे वज्रमायुधमुत्तमम् । सहायस्तु हरिर्नूनं तथोमापतिरव्ययः
O preceptor of the gods, strength is mine; the thunderbolt is my supreme weapon; Hari is certainly my ally, and so too is the unfailing Lord Shiva.
रक्षोघ्नान्पठ मे साधो करोम्यद्य समुद्यमम् । स्वसैन्याभिनिवेशञ्च महिषं प्रति मानद
Recite for me the hymns that destroy demons, O holy one; today I undertake a great effort, and I shall deploy my army against Mahisha, O giver of honor.
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्तो देवराजेन वाचस्पतिरुवाच ह । सुरेन्द्रं युद्धसंरक्तं स्मितपूर्वं वचस्तदा
Vyasa said: Thus addressed by the king of the gods, Brihaspati spoke, smiling first, to Indra, who was eager for battle.
बृहस्पतिरुवाच प्रेरयामि न चाहं त्वां न च निर्वारयाम्यहम् । सन्दिग्धेऽत्र जये कामं युध्यतश्च पराजये
Brihaspati said: I do not urge you, nor do I restrain you; in this uncertain outcome, whether victory or defeat, fight as you wish.
न तेऽत्र दूषणं किञ्चिद्भवितव्ये शचीपते । सुखं वा यदि वा दुःखं विहितं च भविष्यति
There is no fault in you here, O lord of Shachi; whether happiness or sorrow comes, it will be as ordained.
न मया तत्परिज्ञातं भावि दुःखं सुखं तथा । यद्भार्याहरणे प्राप्तं पुरा वासव वेत्सि हि
I did not know beforehand the happiness or sorrow that would come, just as you know what befell when your wife was taken, O Vasava.
शशिना मे हृता भार्या मित्रेणामित्रकर्शन । स्वाश्रमस्थेन सम्प्राप्तं दुःखं सर्वसुखापहम्
My wife was taken by the moon, O tormentor of enemies, while he was in his own hermitage; sorrow came to me, taking away all happiness.
बुद्धिमान्सर्वलोकेषु विदितोऽहं सुराधिप । क्व मे गता तदा वुद्धिर्यदा भार्या हृता बलात्
I am known as wise in all worlds, O lord of the gods; but where did my wisdom go when my wife was forcibly taken?
तस्मादुपायः कर्तव्यो बुद्धिमद्भिः सदा नरैः । कार्यसिद्धिः सदा नूनं दैवाधीना सुराधिप
Therefore, wise men should always devise a means; yet the accomplishment of any task is always dependent on fate, O lord of the gods.
व्यास उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं सत्यं गुरोः सार्थं शचीपतिः । ब्रह्माणं शरणं गत्वा नत्वा वचनमब्रवीत्
Vyasa said: Hearing the true and meaningful words of the guru, the lord of Shachi, having bowed, went to Brahma for refuge and spoke.
पितामह सुराध्यक्ष दैत्यो महिषसंज्ञकः । ग्रहीतुकामः स्वर्गं मे बलोद्योगं करोत्यलम्
O grandsire, lord of the gods, the demon named Mahisha desires to seize my heaven and is making great efforts.
अन्ये च दानवाः सर्वे तत्सैन्यं समुपस्थिताः । योद्धुकामा महावीर्याः सर्वे युद्धविशारदाः
And all the other Danavas have assembled with his army; all are eager to fight, mighty, and skilled in battle.
तेनाहं भीतभीतोऽस्मि त्वत्सकाशमिहागतः । सर्वज्ञोऽसि महाप्राज्ञ साहाय्यं कर्तुमर्हसि
Therefore, I am terrified and have come to you; you are all-knowing and greatly wise, you ought to grant your assistance.
ब्रह्मोवाच गच्छामः सर्व एवाद्य कैलासं त्वरिता वयम् । शङ्करं पुरतः कृत्वा विष्णुं च बलिनां वरम्
Brahma said: Let us all go today, swiftly, to Kailasa, placing Shiva in front and Vishnu, the best among the strong.