कुरु मे नामकं नाथ कार्यं कथय सुव्रत । चिन्तातुरोऽसि कस्मात्त्वं ब्रूहि मे शोककारणम्
'O Lord, give me a name and tell me my task, O steadfast one. Why are you so anxious? Tell me the cause of your sorrow.'
नाशयाम्यद्य ते शोकमिति मे व्रतमाहितम् । तेन जातेन किं भूयः पिता भवति दुःखितः
'It is my vow to destroy your sorrow today. Why, though I am born, does my father remain afflicted?'
पिबामि सागरं सद्यश्चूर्णयामि धराधरान् । उद्यन्तं वारयाम्यद्य तरणिं तिग्मतेजसम्
'I will drink the ocean at once, crush the mountains to powder, or today I will stop the rising sun with its fierce rays.'
हन्मीन्द्रं ससुरं सद्यो यमं वा देवतान्तरम् । क्षिपामि सागरे सर्वान्समुत्पाट्य च मेदिनीम्
'I will slay Indra along with the gods, or Yama, or any other deity at once; I will uproot the earth and hurl all into the ocean.'
इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य त्वष्टा पुत्रस्य पेशलम् । प्रत्युवाचातिमुदितस्तं सुतं पर्वतोपमम्
Hearing these powerful words of his son, Tvaṣṭṛ, greatly delighted, replied to him, who was mountain-like in form.
वृजिनात्त्रातुमधुना यस्माच्छक्तोऽसि पुत्रक । तस्माद्वृत्र इति ख्यातं तव नाम भविष्यति
'Because you are now able, my son, to rescue from misfortune, therefore your name shall be known as Vṛtra.'
भ्राता तव महाभाग त्रिशिरा नाम तापसः । त्रीणि तस्य च शीर्षाणि ह्यभवन्वीर्यवन्ति च
'Your brother, O illustrious one, is the ascetic named Triśiras; he had three heads, each endowed with great power.'
वेदवेदाङ्गतत्त्वज्ञः सर्वविद्याविशारदः । संस्थितस्तपसि प्रायस्त्रिलोकीविस्मयप्रदे
'He was learned in the Vedas and their branches, master of all knowledge, steadfast in austerity, and a source of wonder to the three worlds.'
शक्रेण तु हतः सोऽद्य वज्रघातेन साम्प्रतम् । विनापराधं सहसा छिन्नानि मस्तकानि च
'But today he has been slain by Indra with the thunderbolt; his heads were suddenly cut off without any fault.'
तस्मात्त्वं पुरुषव्याघ्र जहि शक्रं कृतागसम् । ब्रह्महत्यायुतं पापं निस्त्रपं दुर्मतिं शठम्
'Therefore, O tiger among men, slay Indra, who has committed this crime, sinful with the guilt of Brahmin-slaying, shameless, wicked, and deceitful.'
इत्युक्त्वा च तदा त्वष्टा पुत्रशोकसमाकुलः । आयुधानि च दिव्यानि चकार विविधानि च
Having spoken thus, Tvaṣṭṛ, overwhelmed with grief for his son, fashioned various divine weapons.
ददावस्मै सहस्राक्षवधाय प्रबलानि च । खड्गशूलगदाशक्तितोमरप्रमुखानि वै
He gave him mighty weapons for the slaying of the thousand-eyed one: sword, spear, mace, dart, and foremost among tomaras.
शार्ङ्ग धनुस्तथा बाणं परिघं पट्टिशं तथा । चक्रं दिव्यं सहस्रारं सुदर्शनसमप्रभम्
He gave the Śārṅga bow, an arrow, a club, a pattiśa, and a divine discus with a thousand spokes, equal in brilliance to Sudarśana.
तूणीरौ चाक्षयौ दिव्यौ कवचं चातिसुन्दरम् । रथं मेघप्रतीकाशं दृढं भारसहं जवम्
He gave two inexhaustible quivers, a most beautiful armor, and a chariot resembling a cloud, strong, swift, and able to bear great weight.
युद्धोपकरणं सर्वं कृत्वा पुत्राय पार्थिव । दत्त्वासौ प्रेरयामास त्वष्टा क्रोधसमन्वितः
Having prepared all the weapons for battle, Tvaṣṭṛ, filled with anger, gave them to his son, O King, and sent him forth.
ब्रह्मणः समाराधनाय त्वष्ट्रा वृत्रोपदेशवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच कृतस्वस्त्ययनो वृत्रो ब्राह्मणैर्वेदपारगैः । निर्जगाम रथारूढो हन्तुं शक्रं महाबलः
To propitiate Brahmā, Tvaṣṭṛ instructed Vṛtra in the proper rites. Vyāsa said: Vṛtra, having performed the auspicious rites with learned Brāhmaṇas, mounted his chariot, mighty in strength, and set out to slay Indra.
तदैव राक्षसाः क्रूराः पुरा देवपराजिताः । समाजग्मुश्च सेवार्थं वृत्रं ज्ञात्वा महाबलम्
At that very moment, the fierce Rākṣasas, who had previously been defeated by the gods, came together, having learned of Vṛtra's great power, to serve him.
इन्द्रदूतास्तु तं दृष्ट्वा युद्धाय तु समागतम् । वेगादागत्य वृत्तान्तं शशंसुस्तस्य चेष्टितम्
When Indra's messengers saw him advancing for battle, they quickly went and reported all that had occurred and his actions.
दूता ऊचुः स्वामिञ्छीघ्रमिहायाति वृत्रो नाम रिपुस्तव । बलवान्स्यन्दने रूढस्त्वष्ट्रा चोत्पादितः किल
The messengers said: Lord, your enemy named Vṛtra is swiftly approaching here, powerful and mounted on a chariot, said to have been created by Tvaṣṭṛ.
अविचारेण नाशार्थं तव क्रोधान्वितेन वै । पुत्रघाताभितप्तेन दुःसहो राक्षसैर्युतः
Without reflection, and driven by anger for the sake of your destruction, tormented by the killing of his son, he comes, intolerable and surrounded by Rākṣasas.
यत्नं कुरु महाभाग शीघ्रमायाति साम्प्रतम् । मेरुमन्दरसंकाशो घोरशब्दोऽतिदारुणः
Take action, O greatly fortunate one! He is coming quickly now, resembling Meru or Mandara, with a terrible and dreadful roar.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे तत्र भीता देवगणा भृशम् । आगत्योचुः सुरपतिं शृण्वन्तं दूतभाषितम्
Meanwhile, the hosts of gods, greatly afraid, came there and spoke to the lord of the gods, who was listening to the words of the messengers.
गणाः ऊचुः मघवन् दुर्निमित्तानि भवन्ति त्रिदशालये । बहूनि भयशंसीनि पक्षिणां विरुतानि च
The hosts said: O Maghavan, evil omens are appearing in the abode of the gods; many signs foretelling danger, and the cries of birds as well.
काकगृध्रास्तथा श्येनाः कङ्काद्या दारुणाः खगाः । रुदन्ति विकृतैः शब्दैरुत्कारैर्भवनोपरि
Crows, vultures, hawks, cranes, and other dreadful birds are crying out with harsh sounds and shrieks above the houses.
चीचीकूचीति निनदान् कुर्वन्ति विहगा भृशम् । वाहनानां च नेत्रेभ्यो जलधाराः पतन्त्यधः
The birds are making incessant cries like 'cīcī' and 'kūcī'; from the eyes of the animals, streams of water are falling downward.
श्रूयतेऽतिमहाञ्छब्दो रुदतीनां निशासु च । राक्षसीनां महाभाग भवनोपरि दारुणः
A very great and dreadful sound is heard at night, O greatly fortunate one, of Rākṣasīs weeping above the houses.
प्रपतन्ति ध्वजास्तूर्णं विना वातेन मानद । प्रभवन्ति महोत्पाता दिवि भूम्यन्तरिक्षजाः
Banners fall swiftly without wind, O giver of honor, and great portents arise in the sky, on earth, and in the atmosphere.
कृष्णाम्बरधरा नार्यो भ्रमन्ति च गृहे गृहे । यान्तु यान्तु गृहात्तूर्णं कुर्वन्त्यो विकृताननाः
Women dressed in black garments wander from house to house, making distorted faces and urging people to leave their homes at once.
रात्रौ स्वप्नेषु कान्तानां सुप्तानां निजमन्दिरे । केशाँल्लुनन्ति राक्षस्यो भीषयन्त्यो भृशातुराः
At night, in the dreams of beloved ones sleeping in their own houses, Rākṣasīs, terrifying and greatly agitated, pull out their hair.
एवंविधानि देवेश भूकम्पोल्कादयस्तथा । गोमायवो रुदन्ति स्म निशायां भवनाङ्गणे
Such are the signs, O lord of the gods; earthquakes and meteors as well. Jackals howl at night in the courtyards of houses.