रक्ताम्बरपरीधाना रक्तचन्दनचर्चिता । प्रसादसुमुखी देवी करुणारससागरा
She was dressed in red garments, anointed with red sandalwood; the Goddess had a pleasant face and was an ocean of compassion.
सर्वशृङ्गारवेषाढ्या सर्वद्वैतारणिः परा । सर्वज्ञा सर्वकर्त्री च सर्वाधिष्ठानरूपिणी
She was adorned in all ornaments of beauty, the supreme destroyer of all duality, omniscient, the doer of all, and the embodiment of all abodes.
सर्ववेदान्तसंसिद्धा सच्चिदानन्दरूपिणी । प्रणेमुस्तां समालोक्य सुरा देवीं पुरःस्थिताम्
Perfected in all Vedānta, she was the embodiment of existence, consciousness, and bliss; seeing the Goddess standing before them, the gods bowed to her.
तानाह प्रणतानम्बा किं वः कार्यं ब्रुवन्तु माम् । देवा ऊचुः मोहयैनं रिपुं वृत्रं देवानामतिदुःखदम्
Mother spoke to those who had bowed: 'What is your purpose? Let them tell me.' The gods said: 'Delude this enemy Vṛtra, who causes great suffering to the gods.'
यथा विश्वसते देवांस्तथा कुरु विमोहितम् । आयुधे च बलं देहि हतः स्याद्येन वा रिपुः
Just as you trust in the gods, so cause delusion; grant power to the weapon, so that the enemy may be slain by it.
व्यास उवाच तथेत्युक्त्वा भगवती तत्रैवान्तरधीयत । स्वानि स्वानि निकेतानि जग्मुर्देवा मुदान्विताः
Vyasa said: Having spoken thus, the Goddess vanished right there; the gods, filled with joy, returned each to their own abode.
छद्मेनेन्द्रेण फेनद्वारा पराशक्तिस्मरणपूर्वकं वृत्रहननवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच एवं प्राप्तवरा देवा ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः । (जग्मुः सर्वे च सम्मन्त्र्य वृत्रस्याश्रममुत्तमम् ।) ददृशुस्तत्र तं वृत्रं ज्वलन्तमिव तेजसा
Vyasa said: Thus, the gods who had received their boons, and the ascetic sages, all consulted together and went to Vritra’s excellent hermitage; there they saw Vritra, blazing like fire with his radiance.
धक्ष्यन्तमिव लोकांस्त्रीन्ग्रसन्तमिव चामरान् । ऋषयोऽथ ततोऽभ्येत्य वृत्रमूचुः प्रियं वचः
He seemed as if he would burn the three worlds, and as if he would devour all beings; then the sages approached and spoke gentle words to Vritra.
देवकार्यार्थसिद्ध्यर्थं सामयुक्तं रसात्मकम् । ऋषय ऊचुः वृत्र वृत्र महाभाग सर्वलोकभयङ्कर
For the accomplishment of the gods’ purpose, with agreement and affection, the sages said: Vritra, Vritra, O greatly fortunate one, terror of all worlds,
व्याप्तं त्वयैतत्सकलं ब्रह्माण्डमखिलं किल । शक्रेण तव वैरं यत्तत्तु सौख्यविघातकम्
This entire universe is pervaded by you, indeed; your enmity with Shakra is the cause of distress and obstruction to happiness.
युवयोर्दुःखदं कामं चिन्तावृद्धिकरं परम् । न त्वं स्वपिषि सन्तुष्टो न चापि मघवा तथा
Between you two, it brings suffering and greatly increases anxiety; neither you sleep contentedly, nor does Maghavan (Indra) likewise.
सुखं स्वपिति चिन्तार्तो द्वयोर्यद्वैरिजं भयम् । युवयोर्युध्यतोः कालो व्यतीतस्तु महानिह
One who is troubled by anxiety sleeps, but not happily; the fear arising from your mutual enmity persists; the time of your conflict has passed here.
पीड्यन्ते च प्रजाः सर्वाः सदेवासुरमानवाः । संसारेऽत्र सुखं ग्राह्यं दुःखं हेयमिति स्थितिः
All creatures, including gods, demons, and humans, are afflicted; in this world, happiness should be embraced, and suffering abandoned—such is the rule.
न सुखं कृतवैरस्य भवतीति विनिर्णयः । संग्रामरसिकाः शूराः प्रशंसन्ति न पण्डिताः
It is determined that happiness does not arise for one who has made enmity; warriors who delight in battle praise it, but not the wise.
युद्धं शृङ्गारचतुरा इन्द्रियार्थविघातकम् । पुष्पैरपि न योद्धव्यं किं पुनर्निशितैः शरैः
Battle, skilled in passion, obstructs the objects of the senses; one should not fight even with flowers—how much less with sharp arrows.
युद्धे विजयसन्देहो निश्चयं बाणताडनम् । दैवाधीनमिदं विश्वं तथा जयपराजयौ
In battle, victory is uncertain, but the certainty is being struck by arrows; this whole world is dependent on fate, as are victory and defeat.
दैवाधीनाविति ज्ञात्वा न योद्धव्यं कदाचन । कालेऽथ भोजनं स्नानं शय्यायां शयनं तथा
Knowing that both are subject to fate, one should never fight; at the proper time, one should eat, bathe, and rest upon the bed.
परिचर्यापरा भार्या संसारे सुखसाधनम् । किं सुखं युध्यतः संख्ये बाणवृष्टिभयङ्करे
A wife devoted to service is the means to happiness in this world; what happiness is there for one who fights in battle, amid the terror of showers of arrows?
खड्गपातातिरौद्रे च तथारातिसुखप्रदे । संग्रामे मरणात्स्वर्गसुखप्राप्तिरिति स्फुटम्
From the fierce blow of the sword, and the pleasure of the enemy, it is said clearly that death in battle brings the happiness of heaven.
प्रलोभनपरं वाक्यं नोदनार्थं निरर्थकम् । छित्त्वा देहं व्यथां प्राप्य शृगालकरटादिभिः
Such words are meant to entice, not to urge, and are meaningless; after the body is cut and pain is suffered, it is given to jackals and vultures.
पश्चात्स्वर्गसुखावाप्तिं को वा वाञ्छति मन्दधीः । सख्यं भवतु ते वृत्र शक्रेण सह नित्यदा
Who, with dull understanding, would desire heavenly happiness after such suffering? Let there be friendship between you, Vritra, and Shakra, always.
अवाप्स्यसि सुखं त्वं च शक्रश्चापि निरन्तरम् । वयं च तापसाः सर्वे गन्धर्वाश्च निजाश्रमे
You will attain happiness, and Shakra too, continually; and we ascetics, and all the Gandharvas, in our own hermitages.
सुखवासं गमिष्यामः शान्ते वैरेऽधुनैव वाम् । संग्रामे युवयोर्धीर वर्तमाने दिवानिशम्
Let us go to a place of happiness, with enmity now calmed between you both; for, while this battle between you continues day and night,
पीड्यन्ते मुनयः सर्वे गन्धर्वाः किन्नरा नराः । सर्वेषां शान्तिकामानां सख्यमिच्छामहे वयम्
all the sages, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, and humans are afflicted; desiring peace for all, we wish for friendship.
मुनयस्त्वं च शक्रश्च प्राप्नुवन्तु सुखं किल । मध्यस्थाश्च वयं वृत्र युवयोः सख्यकारणे
May the sages, you, and Indra truly attain happiness; and we, remaining impartial, Vritra, seek your friendship with him.
शपथं कारयित्वात्र योजयामो मिथः प्रियम् । शक्रस्तु शपथान्कृत्वा यथोक्तांश्च तवाग्रतः
Let us have you both take an oath here, and then unite you in friendship; and let Indra, in your presence, take the oaths as stated.
चित्तं ते प्रीतिसंयुक्तं करिष्यति तु साम्प्रतम् । सत्याधारा धरा नूनं सत्येन च दिवाकरः
Then your mind, filled with affection, will act accordingly; for truly, the earth stands upon truth, and the sun shines by truth.
तपत्ययं यथाकालं वायुः सत्येन वात्यथ । उदन्वानपि मर्यादां सत्येनैव न मुञ्चति
This sun burns at the proper time by truth, and the wind blows by truth; even the ocean does not cross its bounds except by truth.
तस्मात्सत्येन सख्यं वा भवत्वद्य यथासुखम् । एकत्र शयनं क्रीडा जलकेलिं सुखासनम्
Therefore, let friendship today be established by truth, as you both desire; sharing the same bed, play, water-sport, and seat of comfort.
युवाभ्यां सर्वथा कार्यं कर्तव्यं सख्यमेत्य च । व्यास उवाच महर्षिवचनं श्रुत्वा तानुवाच महामतिः
You both must always act in this way, having become friends; Vyasa said: Hearing the words of the great sages, the wise one replied to them: