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?"
त्वया पूर्वं बलिर्बद्धः शक्रो देवाधिपः कृतः । वामनं वपुरास्थाय क्रान्तं त्रिभुवनं पदैः
By you, Bali was formerly bound, and Indra was restored as lord of the gods; assuming the form of Vāmana, you traversed the three worlds in three steps.
अमृतं त्वाहृतं विष्णो दैत्याश्च विनिपातिताः । त्वं प्रभुः सर्वदेवानां सर्वापद्विनिवारणे
You brought the nectar, O Viṣṇu, and the demons were destroyed; you are the lord of all the gods and the remover of all calamities.
विष्णुरुवाच न भेतव्यं सुरवरा वेद्म्युपायं सुसम्मतम् । तद्वधाय प्रवक्ष्यामि येन सौख्यं भविष्यति
Viṣṇu said: O best of gods, do not be afraid; I know a well-approved means. I will declare a way to kill him, by which happiness will come.
अवश्यं करणीयं मे भवतां हितमात्मना । बुद्ध्या बलेन चार्थेन येन केनच्छलेन वा
For your welfare, I must certainly act, whether by intelligence, strength, wealth, or by any kind of strategy.
उपायाः खलु चत्वारः कथितास्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः । सामादयः सुहृत्स्वेव दुर्हृदेषु विशेषतः
Indeed, four means have been taught by those who see the truth—conciliation and the rest—especially to be used with the wicked, though also with friends.
ब्रह्मणास्य वरो दत्तस्तपसाऽऽराधितेन च । दुर्जयत्वं च सम्प्राप्तं वरदानप्रभावतः
Brahmā granted him a boon, being worshipped through austerity, and by the power of that boon, he attained invincibility.
अजेयः सर्वभूतानां त्वष्ट्रा समुपपादितः । ततो बलेन वृद्धिं स प्राप्तः परपुरञ्जयः
He was made unconquerable by all beings by Tvaṣṭṛ, and thus that conqueror of enemy cities gained strength.
दुःसाध्योऽसौ सुराः शत्रुर्विना सामप्रतारणम् । प्रलोभ्य वशमानेयो हन्तव्यस्तु ततः परम्
O gods, that enemy is hard to subdue without deception through conciliation; by enticing him, he must be brought under control and then slain.
गच्छध्वं सर्वगन्धर्वा यत्रास्ति बलवत्तरः । साम तस्य प्रयुञ्जध्वं तत एनं विजेष्यथ
Go, all you Gandharvas, to where the powerful one is; use conciliation with him, and then you will defeat him.
सङ्गम्य शपथात्कृत्वा विश्वास्य समयेन हि । मित्रत्वं च समाधाय हन्तव्यः प्रबलो रिपुः
Having met him, make an oath and win his trust by agreement; establishing friendship, the powerful enemy should then be slain.
अदृश्यः सम्प्रवेक्ष्यामि वज्रमस्य वरायुधम् । साहाय्यं च करिष्यामि शक्रस्याहं सुरोत्तमाः
Unseen, I will enter and take his thunderbolt, the supreme weapon, and I will give assistance to Indra, O best of gods.
समयं च प्रतीक्षध्वं सर्वथैवायुषः क्षये । मरणं विबुधास्तस्य नान्यथा सम्भविष्यति
Wait for the right moment, when his life is at its end; only then will his death be possible for the gods, not otherwise.
गच्छध्वमृषिभिः सार्धं गन्धर्वाः कपटावृताः । इन्द्रेण सह मित्रत्वं कुरुध्वं वाक्यदानतः
Go together with the sages, O Gandharvas, disguised with deceit; make friendship with Indra by giving your word.
यथा स याति विश्वासं तथा कार्यं प्रतारणम् । गुप्तोऽहं सम्प्रवेक्ष्यामि पविं सञ्छादितं दृढम्
As he gains trust, so must the deception be carried out; hidden, I will enter, firmly concealing the weapon.
विश्वस्तं मघवा शत्रुं हनिष्यति न चान्यथा । विश्वासस्य कृते पापं कृत्वा शक्रस्तु पृष्ठतः
Only when the enemy trusts will Maghavan (Indra) kill him, not otherwise; for the sake of trust, Indra will commit the act and then withdraw.
मत्सहायोऽथ वज्रेण शातयिष्यति पापिनम् । न दोषोऽत्र शठे शत्रौ शाठ्यमेव प्रकुर्वतः
With my help, Indra will strike down the wicked one with the thunderbolt; there is no fault in using deceit against a deceitful enemy.
नान्यथा बलवान्वध्यः शूरधर्मेण जायते । वामनं रूपमाधाय मयायं वञ्चितो बलिः
Otherwise, the powerful one cannot be slain by the code of warriors; assuming the form of Vāmana, I deceived Bali.
कृत्वा च मोहिनीवेषं दैत्याः सर्वेऽपिवञ्चिताः । भवन्तः सहिताः सर्वे देवीं भगवतीं शिवाम्
And having assumed the form of Mohinī, all the demons were likewise deceived; all of you together should worship the blessed Goddess.
गच्छध्वं शरणं भावैः स्तोत्रमन्त्रैः सुरोत्तमाः । साहाय्यं सा योगमाया भवतां संविधास्यति
Go for refuge, O best of gods, with devotion, hymns, and mantras; that Yogamaya will grant you assistance.
वन्दामहे सदा देवीं सात्त्विकीं प्रकृतिं पराम् । सिद्धिदां कामदां कामां दुरापामकृतात्मभिः
We always bow to the supreme Sattvic Goddess, the highest Nature, who bestows success and fulfills desires, yet is unattainable for those whose minds are impure.