व्यास उवाच धन्योऽसि राजंस्तव बुद्धिरीदृशी जाता पुराणश्रवणेऽतिसादरा । पीत्वामृतं देववरास्तु सर्वथा पाने वितृष्णाः प्रभवन्ति वै पुनः
Vyāsa said: Fortunate are you, O king, whose mind is so inclined, showing such reverence for hearing the ancient tales. Just as the best of gods, having drunk nectar, again become free from thirst in every way,
दिने दिने तेऽधिकभक्तिभावः कथासु राजन् महनीयकीर्तेः । श्रोता यदैकप्रवणः शृणोति वक्ता तदा प्रीतमना ब्रवीति
So, day by day, your devotion grows in the stories of the glorious, O king. When a listener is wholly attentive, the speaker then tells with a joyful heart.
युद्धं पुरा वासववृत्रयोर्यद् वेदे प्रसिद्धं च तथा पुराणे । दुःखं सुरेन्द्रेण तथैव लब्धं हत्वा रिपुं त्वाष्ट्रमपापमेव
The battle of Vāsava and Vṛtra, as is well known in the Veda and likewise in the Purāṇa, and the suffering obtained by the lord of the gods after slaying the sinless son of Tvaṣṭṛ—
चित्रं किमत्र नृपते हरिवज्रभृद्भ्यां यच्छद्मना विनिहतस्त्रिशिरोऽथ वृत्रः । मायाबलेन मुनयोऽपि विमोहितास्ते चक्रुश्च निन्द्यमनिशं किल पापभीताः
What wonder is there in this, O king, that Triśiras and Vṛtra were slain by deceit by Hari and the wielder of the thunderbolt? Even sages were bewildered by their power of illusion, and, out of fear of sin, constantly condemned them.
विष्णुः सदैव कपटेन जघान दैत्यान् सत्त्वात्ममूर्तिरपि मोहमवाप्य कामम् । कोऽन्योऽस्ति तां भगवतीं मनसापि जेतुं शक्तः समस्तजनमोहकरीं भवानीम्
Though Vishnu is the embodiment of sattva, he has always slain the demons through cunning, having fallen into delusion and desire; who else is capable, even in thought, of conquering that Bhagavati Bhavani, who brings delusion to all beings?
मत्स्यादियोनिषु सहस्रयुगेषु सद्यः साक्षाद्भवत्यपि यया विनियोजितोऽत्र । नारायणो नरसखो भगवाननन्तः कार्यं करोति विहिताविहितं कदाचित्
By her, Narayana himself, the eternal Lord and friend of man, is instantly assigned to various births such as fish and others, for thousands of ages, and sometimes performs both prescribed and forbidden acts.
देहं धनं गृहमिदं स्वजना मदीयं पुत्राः कलत्रमिति मोहमुपेत्य सर्वः । पुण्यं करोत्यथ च पापचयं करोति मायागुणैरतिबलैर्विकलीकृतो यत्
Everyone, overcome by delusion, thinks: 'This body, this wealth, this house, these relatives, my sons and wife are mine,' and thus, influenced by the powerful qualities of Maya, performs both virtuous and sinful deeds.
न जातु मोहं क्षपितुं नरः क्षमः कश्चिद्भवेद्भूप परावरार्थवित् । विमोहितस्तैस्त्रिभिरेव मूलतो वशीकृतात्मा जगतीतले भृशम्
O King, no one, even one who knows the highest and lowest truths, is ever able to dispel delusion; thoroughly bewildered by those three (gunas), a person becomes completely subject to them on earth.
अथ तौ मायया विष्णुवासवौ मोहितौ भृशम् । जघ्नतुश्छद्मना वृत्रं स्वार्थसाधनतत्परौ
Then, both Vishnu and Indra, greatly deluded by Maya, killed Vritra through deceit, intent on securing their own interests.
तदहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि वृत्तान्तमवनीपते । कारणं पूर्ववैरस्य वृत्रवासवयोर्मिथः
O Lord of the earth, I shall now recount the story, the cause of the former enmity between Vritra and Indra.
त्वष्टा प्रजापतिर्ह्यासीद्देवश्रेष्ठो महातपाः । देवानां कार्यकर्ता च निपुणो ब्राह्मणप्रियः
Tvashta, the lord of creatures, was the foremost of the gods, possessed of great austerity, skillful in accomplishing the gods' tasks, and beloved of the Brahmanas.
स पुत्रं वै त्रिशिरसमिन्द्रद्वेषात्किलासृजत् । विश्वरूपेति विख्यातं नाम्ना रूपेण मोहनम्
He created a son named Trishiras out of enmity toward Indra, who became renowned as Vishvarupa, wondrous in both name and form.
त्रिभिः स वदनैः श्रेष्ठैर्व्यरोचत मनोहरैः । त्रिभिर्भिन्नानि कार्याणि मुखैः समकरोन्मुनिः
With his three beautiful and excellent faces, he shone brilliantly; with each face, the sage accomplished different tasks.
वेदानेकेन सोऽधीते सुरां चैकेन सोऽपिबत् । तृतीयेन दिशः सर्वा युगपच्च निरीक्षते
With one face he studied the Vedas, with another he drank soma, and with the third he simultaneously observed all directions.
त्रिशिरा भोगमुत्सृज्य तपश्चक्रे सुदुष्करम् । तपस्वी स मृदुर्दान्तो धर्ममेव समाश्रितः
Trishiras abandoned pleasures and undertook severe austerities; he was gentle, self-controlled, and devoted solely to righteousness.
पञ्चाग्निसाधनं काले पादपाग्रे निवेशनम् । जलमध्ये निवासं च हेमन्ते शिशिरे तथा
He practiced the five-fire austerity, dwelt at the foot of trees, lived in water, and endured cold in winter and frost.
निराहारो जितात्मासौ त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः । तपश्चचार मेधावी दुष्करं मन्दबुद्धिभिः
He, wise and self-controlled, gave up all possessions and food, and performed austerities that are difficult for the dull-witted.
तं च दृष्ट्वा तपस्यन्तं खेदमाप शचीपतिः । विषादमगमत्तत्र शक्रोऽयं मास्मभूदिति
Seeing him engaged in austerities, the lord of Shachi (Indra) became distressed and fell into despair, thinking, 'May this not be my ruin.'
दृष्ट्वा तस्य तपो वीर्यं सत्यं चामिततेजसः । चिन्तां च महतीं प्राप ह्यनिशं पाकशासनः
Observing his power of austerity and truthfulness, and his immeasurable energy, Indra was seized by great anxiety day and night.
विवर्धमानस्त्रिशिरा मामयं शातयिष्यति । नोपेक्ष्यः सर्वथा शत्रुर्वर्धमानबलो बुधैः
'As Trishiras grows stronger, he will destroy me; a wise person should never ignore an enemy who is increasing in power.'
तस्मादुपायः कर्तव्यस्तपोनाशाय साम्प्रतम् । कामस्तु तपसां शत्रुः कामान्नश्यति वै तपः
Therefore, a means must now be devised to destroy his austerities; desire is the enemy of austerity, and through desires, austerity is indeed destroyed.
तथैवाद्य प्रकर्तव्यं भोगासक्तो भवेद्यथा । इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा बुद्धिमान्बलमर्दनः
Thus, today, something must be done so that he becomes attached to pleasures; having resolved this in his mind, the intelligent subduer of foes (Indra)...
आज्ञापयत्सोऽप्सरसस्त्वाष्ट्रपुत्रप्रलोभने । उर्वशीं मेनकां रम्भां घृताचीं च तिलोत्तमाम्
At his command, the Apsarases—Urvaśī, Menakā, Rambhā, Ghṛtācī, and Tilottamā—were summoned to entice the son of Tvaṣṭṛ.
समाहूयाब्रवीच्छक्रस्तास्तदा रूपगर्विताः । प्रियं कुरुध्वं मे सर्वाः कार्येऽद्य समुपस्थिते
Summoning them, Śakra then spoke to those women, proud of their beauty: "All of you, do my bidding in the task at hand today."
यत्तो मेऽद्य महाञ्छत्रुस्तपस्तपति दुर्जयः । कार्यं कुरुत गच्छध्वं प्रलोभयत माचिरम्
"Today, a great and formidable enemy of mine is engaged in severe austerities; go quickly and carry out the task—entice him without delay."
शृङ्गारवेषैर्विविधैर्हावैर्देहसमुद्भवैः । प्रलोभयत भद्रं वः शमयध्वं ज्वरं मम
"With various seductive garments and gestures arising from your bodies, allure him—may you be blessed—and relieve me of my distress."
अस्वस्थोऽहं महाभागास्तस्य ज्ञात्वा तपोबलम् । बलवानासनं मेऽद्य ग्रहीष्यत्यविलम्बितः
"I am troubled, O noble ones, knowing the power of his austerity; today, he will soon seize my position of strength."
भयं मे समुपायातं क्षिप्रं नाशयताबलाः । उपकुर्वन्तु सहिताः कार्येऽद्य समुपस्थिते
"Fear has come upon me—banish it quickly, O powerful ones; together, assist me in this urgent matter today."
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं नार्य ऊचुस्तं प्रणताः पुरः । मा भयं कुरु देवेश यतिष्यामः प्रलोभने
Hearing these words, the women bowed before him and said, "Do not fear, Lord of the gods; we will strive to seduce him."
यथा न स्याद्भयं तस्मात्तथा कार्यं महाद्युते । नृत्यगीतविहारैश्च मुनेस्तस्य प्रलोभने
"O illustrious one, we will act so that there is no danger from him, using dance, song, and amusements to entice the sage."