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:
अवश्यं भगवन्तो मे माननीयास्तपस्विनः । भवन्तो मुनयः क्वापि न मिथ्यावादिनो भृशम्
Certainly, venerable ones, you ascetics are to be honored by me; you sages are never, anywhere, speakers of falsehood.
सदाचाराः सुशान्ताश्च न विदुश्छलकारणम् । कृतवैरे शठे स्तब्धे कामुके च गतत्विषि
You are of good conduct and peaceful, and do not know deceit; but with one who is hostile, deceitful, arrogant, lustful, and has lost his splendor,
निर्लज्जे नैव कर्तव्यं सख्यं मतिमता सदा । निर्लज्जोऽयं दुराचारो ब्रह्महा लम्पटः शठः
with a shameless one, friendship should never be made by the wise; this one is shameless, of bad conduct, a Brahmin-killer, lecherous, and deceitful.
न विश्वासस्तु कर्तव्यः सर्वथैवेदृशे जने । भवन्तो निपुणाः सर्वे न द्रोहमतयः सदा
One should never place trust in such a person under any circumstances; you are all skilled and never inclined to betrayal.
अनभिज्ञास्तु शान्तत्वाच्चित्तानामतिवादिनाम् । मुनय ऊचुः जन्तुः कृतस्य भोक्ता वै शुभस्य त्वशुभस्य च
But, due to their peacefulness, you are unaware of the minds of those who speak excessively; the sages said: A being is the enjoyer of what he has done, whether good or bad.
द्रोहं कृत्वा कुतः शान्तिमाप्नुयान्नष्टचेतनः । विश्वासघातकर्तारो नरकं यान्ति निश्चयम्
How could one who has committed betrayal ever attain peace, having lost his senses? Those who betray trust certainly go to hell.
दुःखं च समवाप्नोति नूनं विश्वासघातकः । निष्कृतिर्ब्रह्महन्तॄणां सुरापानां च निष्कृतिः
Indeed, the betrayer of trust surely attains suffering; there is atonement for Brahmin-killers and for drinkers of wine,
विश्वासघातिनां नैव मित्रद्रोहकृतामपि । समयं ब्रूहि सर्वज्ञ यथा ते चेतसि ध्रुवम्
but for betrayers of trust and those who betray friends, there is none; O all-knowing one, state the agreement that is firmly in your mind.
तेनैव समयेनाद्य सन्धिः स्यादुभयोः किल । वृत्र उवाच न शुष्केण न चार्द्रेण नाश्मना न च दारुणा
By that very agreement, today, let there be a treaty between you both; Vritra said: Not by something dry, nor by something wet, nor by stone, nor by wood,
न वज्रेण महाभाग न दिवा निशि नैव च । वध्यो भवेयं विप्रेन्द्राः शक्रस्य सह दैवतैः
nor by thunderbolt, O most fortunate ones, nor by day, nor by night, may I be slain by Indra together with the gods.
एवं मे रोचते सन्धिः शक्रेण सह नान्यथा । व्यास उवाच ऋषयस्तं तदा प्राहुर्बाढमित्येव चादृताः
Thus, this alliance with Śakra pleases me; not otherwise. Vyāsa said: The sages then respectfully replied to him, 'So be it.'
समयं श्रावयामासुस्तत्रानीय सुरेश्वरम् । इन्द्रोऽपि शपथांस्तत्र चकार विगतज्वरः
They summoned the lord of the gods there and made him hear the agreement. Indra too, now free of anxiety, took the oaths there.
साक्षिणं पावकं कृत्वा मुनीनां सन्निधौ किल । वृत्रस्तु वचनैस्तस्य विश्वासमगमत्तदा
Making Fire the witness, indeed, in the presence of the sages, Vṛtra then gained trust in his words.
बभूव मित्रवच्छक्रे सहचर्यापरायणः । कदाचिन्नन्दने चोभौ कदाचिद्गन्धमादने
He became friendly with Śakra, devoted to companionship; sometimes both wandered in Nandana, sometimes in Gandhamādana.
कदाचिदुदधेस्तीरे मोदमानौ विचेरतुः । एवं कृते च सन्धाने वृत्रः प्रमुदितोऽभवत्
Sometimes, rejoicing, they roamed along the ocean's shore. Thus, with the alliance made, Vṛtra became delighted.
शक्रोऽपि वधकामस्तु तदुपायानचिन्तयत् । रन्ध्रान्वेषी समुद्विग्नस्तदासीन्मघवा भृशम्
But Śakra, desiring to kill, began to consider means for that; Maghavan, searching for a loophole, was greatly disturbed at that time.
एवं चिन्तयतस्तस्य कालः समभिवर्तत । विश्वासं परमं प्राप वृत्रः शक्रेऽतिदारुणे
As he was thinking thus, time passed. Vṛtra placed utmost trust in the exceedingly harsh Śakra.
एवं कतिचिदब्दानि गतानि समये कृते । वृत्रस्य मरणोपायान्मनसीन्द्रोऽप्यचिन्तयत्
Thus, several years passed after the agreement was made. Indra too pondered in his mind the means for Vṛtra's death.
त्वष्टैकदा सुतं प्राह विश्वस्तं पाकशासने । पुत्र वृत्र महाभाग शृणु मे वचनं हितम्
Once, Tvaṣṭṛ spoke to his son, who trusted the lord of the gods: 'Son Vṛtra, greatly fortunate, listen to my beneficial words.'
न विश्वासस्तु कर्तव्यः कृतवैरे कथञ्चन । मघवा कृतवैरस्ते सदासूयापरः परैः
'One should never place trust in an enemy, in any way. Maghavan, having enmity, is always jealous of others.'