असृजन्त महासत्त्वां जृम्भिकां रिपुनाशिनीम् । ततो विजृम्भमाणः स व्यावृतास्यो बभूव ह
They created a mighty being, the yawn, destroyer of enemies; then, as Vritra yawned, his mouth opened wide.
विजृम्भमाणस्य ततो वृत्रस्यास्यादवापतत् । स्वान्यङ्गान्यपि संक्षिप्य निष्क्रान्तो बलसूदनः
As Vritra yawned, the slayer of Bala contracted his own limbs and escaped from the enemy’s mouth.
ततः प्रभृति लोकेषु जृम्भिका प्राणिसंस्थिता । जहृषुश्च सुराः सर्वे शक्रं दृष्ट्वा विनिर्गतम्
From that time onward, yawning has remained among living beings in the worlds; and all the gods rejoiced upon seeing Indra emerge.
ततः प्रववृते युद्धं तयोर्लोकभयप्रदम् । वर्षाणामयुतं यावद्दारुणं लोमहर्षणम्
Then a battle began between the two, terrifying the worlds, fierce and hair-raising, lasting for ten thousand years.
एकतश्च सुराः सर्वे युद्धाय समुपस्थिताः । एकतो बलवांस्त्वाष्ट्रः संग्रामे समवर्तत
On one side all the gods assembled for battle; on the other, the mighty son of Tvaṣṭṛ stood ready for war.
यदा व्यवर्धत रणे वृत्रो वरमदावृतः । पराजितस्तदा शक्रस्तेजसा तस्य धर्षितः
When Vritra, protected by a boon, grew stronger in battle, Indra was defeated, his brilliance subdued by Vritra’s power.
विव्यथे मघवा युद्धे ततः प्राप्य पराजयम् । विषादमगमन्देवा दृष्ट्वा शक्रं पराजितम्
Maghavan was distressed in battle, having suffered defeat; seeing Indra vanquished, the gods fell into despair.
जग्मुस्त्यक्त्वा रणं सर्वे देवा इन्द्रपुरोगमाः । गृहीतं देवसदनं वृत्रेणागत्य रंहसा
All the gods, led by Indra, abandoned the battle and departed; Vritra swiftly seized the abode of the gods.
देवोद्यानानिसर्वाणि भुङ्क्तेऽसौ दानवो बलात् । ऐरावतोऽपि दैत्येन गृहीतोऽसौ गजोत्तमः
That powerful demon forcibly enjoyed all the divine gardens; even Airavata, the best of elephants, was seized by the demon.
विमानानि च सर्वाणि गृहीतानि विशाम्पते । उच्चैःश्रवा हयवरो जातस्तस्य वशे तदा
All the celestial palaces were taken, O lord of men; Ucchaihśravas, the best of horses, also came under his control.
कामधेनुः पारिजातो गणश्चाप्सरसां तथा । गृहीतं रत्नमात्रं तु तेन त्वष्ट्टसुतेन ह
Kāmadhenu, the Pārijāta tree, and the host of Apsarases—all the precious treasures were seized by the son of Tvaṣṭṛ.
स्थानभ्रष्टाः सुराः सर्वे गिरिदुर्गेषु संस्थिताः । दुःखमापुः परिभ्रष्टा यज्ञभागात्सुरालयात्
All the gods, cast from their stations, took refuge in mountain strongholds; deprived of their share of sacrifices and their celestial abode, they suffered greatly.
वृत्रः सुरपदं प्राप्य बभूव मदगर्वितः । त्वष्टातीव सुखं प्राप्य मुमोद सुतसंयुतः
Vṛtra, having attained the position of the gods, became intoxicated with pride; having received great happiness from Tvaṣṭṛ, he rejoiced together with his son.
अमन्त्रयन्हितं देवा मुनिभिः सह भारत । किं कर्तव्यमिति प्राप्ते विचिन्त्य भयमोहिताः
The gods, together with the sages, consulted among themselves, O Bhārata, bewildered by fear, pondering what should be done at this juncture.
जग्मुः कैलासमचलं सुराः शक्रसमन्विताः । महादेवं प्रणम्योचुः प्रह्वाः प्राञ्जलयो भृशम्
The gods, accompanied by Śakra, went to Mount Kailāsa; bowing deeply with joined palms, they addressed Mahādeva.
देवदेव महादेव कृपासिन्धो महेश्वर । रक्षास्मान्भयभीतांस्तु वृत्रेणातिपराजितान्
"O God of gods, great Lord, ocean of compassion, Maheśvara, protect us who are terrified and defeated by Vṛtra."
गृहीतं देवसदनं तेन देव बलीयसा । किं कर्तव्यमतः शम्भो ब्रूहि सत्यं शिवाद्य नः
"That powerful being has seized the abode of the gods; O Śambhu, tell us truly today, O auspicious one, what should be done now."
किं कुर्मः क्व च गच्छामः स्थानभ्रष्टा महेश्वर । दुःखस्य नाधिगच्छामो विनाशोपायमीश्वर
"What shall we do, where shall we go, O great Lord, now that we have lost our place? O Lord, we do not see any means of ending this suffering except destruction."
साहाय्यं कुरु भूतेश व्यथिताः स्म कृपानिधे । वृत्रं जहि मदोत्सिक्तं वरदानबलाद्विभो
"Help us, Lord of beings, we are distressed, O ocean of mercy; destroy Vṛtra, who is swollen with pride by the power of boons, O mighty one."
शिव उवाच ब्रह्माणं पुरतः कृत्वा वयं सर्वे हरेः क्षयम् । गत्वा समेत्य तं विष्णुं चिन्तयामो वधोद्यमम्
Śiva said: "Let us all, with Brahmā at the forefront, go to the abode of Hari; there, meeting Viṣṇu, we shall deliberate on the means of slaying him."
स शक्तश्च छलज्ञश्च बलवान्बुद्धिमत्तरः । शरण्यश्च दयाब्धिश्च वासुदेवो जनार्दनः
"That Vāsudeva, Janārdana, is capable, skilled in stratagems, powerful, and most intelligent; he is a refuge, an ocean of compassion."
विना तं देवदेवेशं नार्थसिद्धिर्भविष्यति । तस्मात्तत्र च गन्तव्यं सर्वकार्यार्थसिद्धये
"Without him, the Lord of gods, success in our purpose will not be achieved; therefore, we must go there for the accomplishment of all our aims."
व्यास उवाच इति सञ्चिन्त्य ते सर्वे ब्रह्मा शक्रः सशङ्करः । जग्मुर्विष्णोः क्षयं देवाः शरण्यं भक्तवत्सलम्
Vyāsa said: "Having thus resolved, all of them—Brahmā, Śakra, and Śaṅkara—went together with the gods to the abode of Viṣṇu, the refuge and beloved of devotees."
गत्वा विष्णुपदं देवास्तुष्टुवुः परमेश्वरम् । हरिं पुरुषसूक्तेन वेदोक्तेन जगद्गुरुम्
Having reached Viṣṇu's abode, the gods praised the supreme Lord Hari, the teacher of the world, with the Puruṣa Sūkta as taught in the Vedas.
प्रत्यक्षोऽभूज्जगन्नाथस्तेषां स कमलापतिः । सम्मान्य च सुरान्सर्वानित्युवाच पुरःस्थितः
The Lord of the universe, the husband of Lakṣmī, appeared before them; honoring all the gods, he spoke to them as they stood before him.
किमागताः स्म लोकेशा हरब्रह्मसमन्विताः । कारणं कथयध्वं वः सर्वेषां सुरसत्तमाः
"Why have you come, O lords of the worlds, accompanied by Hara and Brahmā? O best of gods, tell me the reason for which you all have come."
व्यास उवाच इति श्रुत्वा हरेर्वाक्यं नोचुर्देवा रमापतिम् । चिन्ताविष्टाः स्थिताः प्रायः सर्वेप्राञ्जलयस्तथा
Vyāsa said: "Hearing these words of Hari, the gods did not reply to the husband of Lakṣmī; most of them stood, absorbed in anxiety, with joined palms."
देवीसमाराधनाय देवकृतस्तुतिवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच तथा चिन्तातुरान्वीक्ष्य सर्वान्मर्वार्थतत्त्ववित् । प्राह प्रेमभरोद्भ्रान्तान्माधवो मेदिनीपते
Vyāsa said: "Then, seeing all of them afflicted by anxiety, Mādhava, who knows the true nature of all beings, spoke to them, his heart overflowing with love, O King."
विष्णुरुवाच किं मौनमाश्रिता यूयं ब्रुवन्तु कारणं सुराः । सदसद्वापि यच्छ्रुत्वा यतिष्ये तन्निवारणे
Viṣṇu said: "Why have you taken refuge in silence? Let the gods speak the reason; whether it is good or bad, having heard it, I will strive to remove it."
देवा ऊचुः किमज्ञातं तव विभो त्रिषु लोकेषु वर्तते । सर्वं वेद भवान्कार्यं किं पृच्छसि पुनः पुनः
The gods said: "O Lord, what is unknown to you in the three worlds? You know all that must be done; why do you ask again and again?"