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.'
लोभान्मत्तो द्वेषरतः परदुःखोत्सवान्वितः । परदारलम्पटः स पापबुद्धिः प्रतारकः
'Out of greed, intoxicated, delighting in hatred, rejoicing in others' suffering, lustful for others' wives, he is wicked-minded and a deceiver.'
रन्ध्रान्वेषी द्रोहपरो मायावी मदगर्वितः । यः प्रविश्योदरे मातुर्गर्भच्छेदं चकार ह
'Seeking a weakness, intent on betrayal, cunning, proud of his intoxication—he who, entering his mother's womb, committed the act of cutting the embryo.'
सप्तकृत्वः सप्तकृत्वः क्रन्दमानमनातुरः । तस्मात्पुत्र न कर्तव्यो विश्वासस्तु कथञ्चन
'Seven times, seven times, he cried out though not in pain. Therefore, son, one should never place trust, in any way.'
कृतपापस्य का लज्जा पुनः पुत्र प्रकुर्वतः । व्यास उवाच एवं प्रबोधितः पित्रा वचनैर्हेतुसंयुतैः
'What shame is there for one who has committed sin, when he does it again, son?' Vyāsa said: Thus instructed by his father with words full of reasoning—
न बुबोध तदा वृत्र आसन्नमरणः किल । स कदाचित्समुद्रान्ते तमपश्यन्महासुरम्
Vṛtra did not understand then, for his death was near. Once, at the ocean's edge, he saw that great asura.
सन्ध्याकाल उपावृत्ते मुहूर्तेऽतीव दारुणे । ततः सञ्चिन्त्य मघवा वरदानं महात्मनाम्
When evening approached, at a most dreadful moment, then Maghavan, recalling the boon given to the great-souled one, considered—
सन्ध्येयं वर्तते रौद्रा न रात्रिर्दिवसो न च । हन्तव्योऽयं मया चाद्य बलेनैव न संशयः
'Now this fierce twilight is present; it is neither night nor day. Today, I must slay him by force—there is no doubt.'
एकाकी विजने चात्र सम्प्राप्तः समयोचितः । एवं विचार्य मनसा सस्मार हरिमव्ययम्
'He has come here alone, in a deserted place, at the proper time.' Thus reflecting in his mind, he remembered the imperishable Hari.
तत्राजगाम भगवानदृश्यः पुरुषोत्तमः । वज्रमध्ये प्रविश्यासौ संस्थितो भगवान्हरिः
There, the Blessed Lord, the Supreme Person, appeared unseen; entering into the thunderbolt, the Lord Hari took his place within it.
इन्द्रो बुद्धिं चकाराशु तदा वृत्रवधं प्रति । इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा कथं हन्यां रिपुं रणे
Then Indra quickly turned his mind to the slaying of Vṛtra, thinking within himself: 'How might I kill my enemy in battle?'
अजेयं सर्वथा सर्वदेवैश्च दानवैस्तथा । यदि वृत्रं न हन्म्यद्य वञ्चयित्वा महाबलम्
'By all means, he is unconquerable by all the gods and likewise by the demons; if I do not kill Vṛtra today, deceiving this mighty one—'
न श्रेयो मम नूनं स्यात्सर्वथा रिपुरक्षणात् । अपां फेनं तदापश्यत्समुद्रे पर्वतोपमम्
'Surely, there will be no good for me at all if I allow the enemy to survive.' Then he saw the foam of the waters, as large as a mountain, in the ocean.
नायं शुष्को न चार्द्रोऽयं न च शस्त्रमिदं तथा । अपां फेनं तदा शक्रो जग्राह किल लीलया
'This is neither dry nor wet, nor is it a weapon.' Then Śakra, playfully, took up that foam of the waters.
परां शक्तिं च सस्मार भक्त्या परमया युतः । स्मृतमात्रा तदा देवी स्वांशं फेने न्यधापयत्
With utmost devotion, he remembered the supreme power; as soon as he was remembered, the Goddess placed her own portion into the foam.
वज्रं तदावृतं तत्र चकार हरिसंयुतम् । फेनावृतं पविं तत्र शक्रश्चिक्षेप तं प्रति
There, he made that thunderbolt enveloped with the power of Hari; Śakra hurled that foam-covered weapon at him.
सहसा निपपाताशु वज्राहत इवाचलः । वासवस्तु प्रहृष्टात्मा बभूव निहते तदा
Struck by the thunderbolt, he suddenly fell down like a mountain; and Vāsava, with his enemy slain, became filled with joy.
ऋषयश्च महेन्द्रं तमस्तुवन्विविधैः स्तवैः । हतशत्रुः प्रहृष्टात्मा वासवः सह दैवतैः
The seers praised that Mahendra with various hymns; Vāsava, his enemy slain, rejoiced together with the gods.
देवीं सम्पूजयामास यत्प्रसादाद्धतो रिपुः । प्रसादयामास तदा स्तोत्रैर्नानाविधैरपि
He worshipped the Goddess, by whose grace the enemy was slain; then he sought to please her with many kinds of hymns.
देवोद्याने पराशक्तेः प्रासादमकरोद्धरिः । पद्मरागमयीं मूर्तिं स्थापयामास वासवः
In the divine garden, Hari built a temple for the Supreme Power; Vāsava installed an image made of padmarāga stone.
त्रिकालं महतीं पूजां चक्रुः सर्वेऽपि निर्जराः । तदाप्रभृति देवानां श्रीदेवी कुलदैवतम्
From then on, all the immortals performed great worship three times a day; from that time, the Blessed Goddess became the family deity of the gods.