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.
पर्वते देवतायुक्तो वाचस्पतिपुरःसरः । तत्राभूद्दारुणं युद्धं वृत्रवासवयोस्तदा
On the mountain, accompanied by the gods and led by Brihaspati, there arose then a fierce battle between Vritra and Indra.
गदासिपरिघैः पाशैर्बाणैः शक्तिपरश्वधैः । मानुषेण प्रमाणेन संग्रामः शरदां शतम्
With maces, swords, iron clubs, nooses, arrows, spears, and axes—using weapons of human size—the battle continued for a hundred autumns.
बभूव भयदो नॄणामृषीणां भावितात्मनाम् । वरुणः प्रथमं भग्नस्ततो वायुगणः किल
That battle, terrifying to men and to sages of purified minds, saw Varuna defeated first, then indeed the host of Vayu.
यमो विभावसुः शक्रः सर्वे ते निर्गता रणात् । पलायनपरान् दृष्ट्वा देवानिन्द्रपुरोगमान्
Yama, Agni, and Indra—all of them left the battlefield; seeing the gods led by Indra fleeing, intent only on escape,
वृत्रोऽपि पितरं प्रागादाश्रमस्थं मुदान्वितम् । प्रणम्य प्राह त्वष्टारं पितः कार्यं मया कृतम्
Vritra too went to his father, who was dwelling in his hermitage, filled with joy; bowing, he said to Tvashta, 'Father, I have accomplished the task.'
देवा विनिर्जिताः सर्वे सेन्द्राः समरसंस्थिताः । विद्रुतास्ते गताः स्थानं यथा सिंहान्मृगा गजाः
'All the gods, along with Indra, who stood firm in battle, have been defeated; they have fled to their abodes like deer and elephants from a lion.'
इन्द्रः पदातिरगमन्मयानीतो गजोत्तमः । ऐरावतोऽयं भगवन् गृहाण द्विरदोत्तमम्
'Indra has fled on foot, and I have brought this excellent elephant; this is Airavata, O blessed one, accept this best of elephants.'
न हतास्ते मया यस्मादयुक्तं भीतमारणम् । आज्ञापय पुनस्तात किं करोमि तवेप्सितम्
'Because I did not kill them, the battlefield was not filled with corpses; command me again, father—what do you wish me to do?
निर्जरा निर्गताः सर्वे भयभीता श्रमातुराः । इन्द्रोऽप्यैरावतं त्यक्त्वा भयभीतः पलायितः
All the immortals have departed, terrified and exhausted; even Indra, abandoning Airavata, has fled in fear.'
व्यास उवाच इति पुत्रवचः श्रुत्वा त्वष्टा प्राह मुदान्वितः । पुत्रवानद्य जातोऽस्मि सफलं मम जीवितम्
Vyasa said: Hearing these words of his son, Tvashta, filled with joy, replied, 'Today I am truly a father; my life has borne fruit.'