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.
सरटानां च जालानि प्रभवन्ति गृहे गृहे । अङ्गप्रस्फुरणादीनि दुर्निमित्तानि सर्वशः
Cobwebs appear in every house, and evil omens such as twitching of limbs are manifest everywhere.
व्यास उवाच इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा चिन्तामाप सुरेश्वरः । बृहस्पतिं समाहूय पप्रच्छ च मनोगतम्
Vyāsa said: Hearing these words, the lord of the gods became anxious; summoning Bṛhaspati, he asked what was on his mind.
इन्द्र उवाच ब्रह्मन् किमुत घोराणि निमित्तानि भवन्ति वै । वाताश्च दारुणा वान्ति प्रपतन्त्युलकाः खतः
Indra said: O Brahman, why are these terrible omens appearing? Fierce winds are blowing, and meteors are falling from the sky.
सर्वज्ञोऽसि महाभाग समर्थो विघ्ननाशने । बुद्धिमाञ्छास्त्रतत्त्वज्ञो देवतानां गुरुस्तथा
You are all-knowing, O highly fortunate one, capable of removing obstacles, wise, versed in the essence of scriptures, and the guru of the gods.
कुरु शान्तिं विधानज्ञ शत्रुक्षयविधायिनीम् । यथा मे न भवेद्दुःखं तथा कार्यं विधीयताम्
O knower of rites, perform a pacifying act that brings the destruction of enemies, so that I may not suffer—let such action be undertaken.
बृहस्पतिरुवाच किं करोमि सहस्राक्ष त्वयाद्य दुष्कृतं कृतम् । अनागसं मुनिं हत्वा किं फलं समुपार्जितम्
Bṛhaspati said: O thousand-eyed one, what can I do now? You have committed a wrongful act today. By killing an innocent sage, what result have you gained?
अत्युग्रं पुण्यपापानां फलं भवति सत्वरम् । विचार्य खलु कर्तव्यं कार्यं तद्भूतिमिच्छता
The result of good and evil deeds, whether intense or mild, comes swiftly. One must carefully consider before acting, if one desires well-being.
परोपतापनं कर्म न कर्तव्यं कदाचन । न सुखं विन्दते प्राणी परपीडापरायणः
One should never perform actions that harm others. A being devoted to causing pain to others does not find happiness.
मोहाल्लोभाद्ब्रह्महत्या कृता शक्र त्वयाधुना । तस्य पापस्य सहसा फलमेतदुपागतम्
Out of delusion and greed, you have now committed the killing of a Brāhmaṇa, O Śakra. The fruit of that sin has quickly come upon you.
अवध्यः सर्वदेवानां जातोऽसौ वृत्रसंज्ञकः । हन्तुं त्वां स समायाति दानवैर्बहुभिर्वृतः
He who is called Vṛtra has been born invulnerable to all the gods. Surrounded by many Dānavas, he is coming to slay you.
आयुधानि च सर्वाणि वज्रतुल्यानि वासव । त्वष्ट्रा दत्तानि दिव्यानि गृहीत्वा समुपस्थितः
O Vāsava, having received all divine weapons from Tvaṣṭṛ, equal to the thunderbolt, he has now arrived, bearing them.
समागच्छति दुर्धर्षो रथारूढः प्रतापवान् । देवेन्द्र प्रलयं कुर्वन्नास्य मृत्युर्भविष्यति
That formidable and mighty one, mounted on a chariot, is advancing. O king of the gods, he will bring destruction, and death will not touch him.
कोलाहलस्तदा जातस्तथा ब्रुवति वाक्पतौ । गन्धर्वाः किन्नरा यक्षा मुनयश्च तपोधनाः
Then, as the lord of speech spoke thus, a great uproar arose. Gandharvas, Kinnaras, Yakṣas, and ascetic sages—
सदनानि विहायैवामराः सर्वे पलायिताः । तद्दृष्ट्वा महदाश्चर्यं शक्रश्चिन्तापरायणः
—all the immortals abandoned their abodes and fled. Seeing that great wonder, Śakra was overcome by anxiety.
आज्ञापयामास तदा सेनोद्योगाय सेवकान् । आनयध्वं वसून् रुद्रानश्विनौ च दिवाकरान्
At that time, he ordered his attendants to prepare for war: 'Bring the Vasus, Rudras, Aśvins, and the Ādityas.'
पूषणं च भगं वायुं कुबेरं वरुणं यमम् । विमानेषु समारुह्य सायुधाः सुरसत्तमाः
'Also bring Pūṣan, Bhaga, Vāyu, Kubera, Varuṇa, and Yama. Let the best of the gods, armed, mount their aerial chariots.'
समागच्छन्तु तरसा शत्रुरायाति साम्प्रतम् । इत्याज्ञाप्य सुरपतिः समारुह्य गजोत्तमम्
'Let them all come swiftly, for the enemy is now approaching.' Thus commanded, the lord of the gods mounted his noble elephant.
बृहस्पतिं पुरोधाय निर्गतो निजमन्दिरात् । तथैव त्रिदशाः सर्वे स्वं स्वं वाहनमास्थिताः
Appointing Bṛhaspati as priest, he departed from his own palace; likewise, all the gods mounted their respective vehicles.
युद्धाय कृतसंकल्पा निर्ययुः शस्त्रपाणयः । वृत्रोऽथ दानवैर्युक्तः सम्प्राप्तो मानसोत्तरम्
Resolved to fight, they set out with weapons in hand. Then Vṛtra, accompanied by Dānavas, arrived at Lake Mānasa.
पर्वतं देवतावासं रम्यं पादपशोभितम् । इन्द्रोऽप्यागत्य संग्रामं चकार मानसोत्तरे
That mountain, the beautiful abode of the gods, adorned with trees—Indra too arrived there and engaged in battle at Lake Mānasa.