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."
कटाक्षैरङ्गभेदैश्च मोहयित्वा मुनिं विभो । लोलुपं वशमस्माकं करिष्यामो नियन्त्रितम्
"With sidelong glances and bodily movements, we will bewilder the sage, O Lord, and make the passionate one subject to our control."
व्यास उवाच इत्याभाष्य हरिं नार्यो ययुस्त्रिशिरसोऽन्तिकम् । कुर्वन्त्यो विविधान्भावान्कामशास्त्रोचितानपि
Vyāsa said: Having spoken thus to Hari, the women went to Triśiras, displaying various moods as prescribed in the science of love.
गायन्त्यस्तालभेदैस्ता नृत्यन्त्यः पुरतो मुनेः । तं प्रलोभयितुं चक्रुर्नानाभावान्वराङ्गनाः
Singing with different rhythms and dancing before the sage, those excellent women employed many charms to seduce him.
नापश्यत्स तपोराशिरङ्गनानां विडम्बनम् । इन्द्रियाणि वशे कृत्वा मूकान्धबधिरः स्थितः
But the sage, a reservoir of austerity, did not notice the women's display; having subdued his senses, he stood as if mute, blind, and deaf.
दिनानि कतिचित्तस्थुर्नार्यस्तस्याश्रमे वरे । कुर्वन्त्यो गाननृत्यादिप्रपञ्चानतिमोहदान्
For several days, the women remained at the sage's hermitage, performing songs, dances, and various enchanting acts.
न चचाल यदा कामं ध्यानाच्च त्रिशिरा मुनिः । परावृत्य तदा देव्यः पुनः शक्रमुपस्थिताः
When Triśiras the sage was not moved by desire or distracted from his meditation, the goddesses turned back and returned to Śakra.
कृताञ्जलिपुटाः सर्वा देवराजमथाब्रुवन् । श्रान्ता दीना भयत्रस्ता विवर्णवदना भृशम्
With hands joined in reverence, all the women addressed the king of the gods, exhausted, dispirited, terrified, and their faces pale.
देवदेव महाराज यत्नश्च परमः कृतः । न स शक्यो दुराधर्षो धैर्याच्चालयितुं विभो
"O god of gods, great king, we have made every effort; but that unassailable one cannot be shaken from his resolve, O Lord."
उपायोऽन्यः प्रकर्तव्यः सर्वथा पाकशासन । नास्माकं बलमेतस्मिंस्तापसे विजितेन्द्रिये
"Another means must be devised in every way, O slayer of Vṛtra; our strength is of no use against this sage who has conquered his senses."
दिष्ट्या वयं न शप्ताः स्म यदनेन महात्मना । मुनिना वह्नितुल्येन तपसा द्योतितेन हि
"By good fortune, we were not cursed by that great soul, the sage, blazing with austerity and like fire itself."
विसृज्याप्सरसः शक्रश्चिन्तयामास मन्दधीः । तस्यैव च वधोपायं पापबुद्धिरसाम्प्रतम्
Having dismissed the celestial nymphs, Indra, of dull mind, began to ponder; and with wicked intent, he considered means for his destruction.
विसृज्य लोकलज्जां स तथा पापभयं भृशम् । चकार पापबुद्धिं तु तद्वधाय महीपते
Casting aside concern for public shame and a great fear of sin, he, with evil purpose, undertook to kill him, O King.
त्रिशिरवधानन्तरं वृत्रोत्पत्तिवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच अथ स लोभमुपेत्य सुराधिपः समधिगम्य गजासनसंस्थितः । त्रिशिरसं प्रति दुष्टमतिस्तदा मुनिमपश्यदमेयपराक्रमम्
Vyāsa said: Then, seized by greed, the lord of the gods, seated upon his elephant throne, approached Triśiras with wicked intent, and beheld the sage of immeasurable valor.
तमभिवीक्ष्य दृढासनसंस्थितं जितगिरं सुसमाधिवशं गतम् । रविविभावसुसन्निभमोजसा सुरपतिः परमापदमभ्यगात्
Seeing him firmly seated, victorious in speech, absorbed in deep meditation, and radiant with the brilliance of the sun and fire, the lord of the gods was struck by great distress.
कथमसौ विनिहन्तुमहो मया मुनिरपापमतिः किल सम्मतः । रिपुरयं सुसमिद्धतपोबलः कथमुपेक्ष्य इहासनकामुकः
How can I kill this sage, who is innocent and esteemed? He is my enemy, blazing with the power of austerity—how can I ignore him, who covets my seat?
इति विचिन्त्य पविं परमायुधं प्रति मुमोच मुनिं तपसि स्थितम् । शशिदिवाकरसन्निभमाशुगं त्रिशिरसं सुरसङ्घपतिः स्वयम्
Thus pondering, the lord of the gods himself hurled his thunderbolt, the supreme weapon, at the sage absorbed in austerity, swift and shining like the moon and sun, at Triśiras.
तदभिघातहतः स धरातले किल पपात ममार च तापसः । शिखरिणः शिखरं कुलिशार्दितं निपतितं भुवि चाद्भुतदर्शनम्
Struck down by that blow, the ascetic fell to the ground and died; like a mountain peak struck by the thunderbolt, he lay fallen upon the earth, a wondrous sight.
तं निहत्य मुदमाप सुरेश- श्चुक्रुशुश्च मुनयस्तु संस्थिताः । हा हतेति भृशमार्तनिःस्वनाः किं कृतं शतमखेन पापिना
Having slain him, the lord of the gods rejoiced, but the assembled sages cried out in distress, 'Alas, he is slain! What has this sinful Indra done?'
विनापराधं तपसां निधिर्हतः शचीपतिः पापमतिर्दुरात्मा । फलं किलायं तरसा कृतस्य प्राप्नोतु पापी हननोद्भवस्य
'Without fault, the treasure of austerity has been slain; the lord of Śacī, evil-minded and wicked, has done this. Surely, may he swiftly reap the fruit of this sinful deed, born of killing.'
तं निहत्य तरसा सुरराजो निर्जगाम निजमन्दिरमाशु । स हतोऽपि विरराज महात्मा जीवमान इव तेजसां निधिः
Having swiftly slain him, the king of the gods returned to his own abode; yet, though slain, the great soul shone as if alive, a treasury of brilliance.