विष्णुं त्रिभुवनश्रेष्ठं पूजयामास वासवः । ततो हते महावीर्ये वृत्रे देवभयङ्करे
Vāsava worshipped Viṣṇu, the best of the three worlds; after the mighty and fearsome Vṛtra was slain—
प्रववौ च शिवो वायुर्जहृषुर्देवतास्तथा । हते तस्मिन्सगन्धर्वा यक्षराक्षसकिन्नराः
Śiva's wind began to blow, and the gods rejoiced; when he was slain, the Gandharvas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, and Kinnaras also rejoiced.
इत्थं वृत्रः पराशक्तिप्रवेशयुतफेनतः । तया कृतविमोहाच्च शक्रेण सहसा हतः
Thus, Vṛtra, by the foam infused with the entry of the Supreme Power, and bewildered by her, was suddenly slain by Śakra.
ततो वृत्रनिहन्त्रीति देवी लोकेषु गीयते । शक्रेण निहतत्वाच्च शक्रेण हत उच्यते
Therefore, the Goddess is sung in the worlds as the Slayer of Vṛtra; and because he was slain by Śakra, he is said to have been killed by Śakra.
इन्द्रस्य पद्मनालप्रवेशानन्तरं नहुषस्य देवेन्द्रपदेऽभिषेकवर्णनम् व्यास उवाच अथ तं पतितं दृष्ट्वा विष्णुर्विष्णुपुरीं ययौ । मनसा शङ्कमानस्तु तस्य हत्याकृतं भयम्
Vyāsa said: Then, seeing him fallen, Viṣṇu went to Viṣṇu's city, inwardly anxious, fearing the sin of killing.
इन्द्रोऽपि भयसंत्रस्तो ययाविन्द्रपुरीं ततः । मुनयो भयसंविग्ना ह्यभवन्निहते रिपौ
Indra too, overwhelmed by fear, went to the city of Indra; and the sages, distressed with fear, were troubled at the slaying of the enemy.
किमस्माभिः कृतं पापं यदसौ वञ्चितः किल । मुनिशब्दो वृथा जातः सुरेशस्य च सङ्गमात्
What sin have we committed, that he has been deceived? The title of sage has become meaningless due to association with the lord of the gods.
अस्माकं वचनाद्वृत्रो विश्वासमगमत्किल । विश्वासघातिनः सङ्गाद्वयं विश्वासघातकाः
By our words, Vṛtra indeed placed his trust; through association with betrayers of trust, we too have become betrayers.
धिगियं ममता पापमूलमेवमनर्थकृत् । यदस्माभिश्छलं कृत्वा शपथैर्वञ्चितोऽसुरः
Fie upon this selfishness, the very root of evil, which brings misfortune; for by deceit and false oaths, we have tricked the asura.
मन्त्रकृद्बुद्धिदाता च प्रेरकः पापकारिणाम् । पापभाक्स भवेन्नूनं पक्षकर्ता तथैव च
The one who composes the mantra, gives counsel, or incites evildoers surely shares in their sin, just as one who takes their side.
विष्णुनापि कृतं पापं यत्साहाय्यमवाप्तवान् । वज्रं प्रविश्य येनासौ पातितः सत्त्वमूर्तिना
Even Viṣṇu committed sin by assisting, entering the thunderbolt by which that being of truth was slain by Viṣṇu's own form.
नूनं स्वार्थपरः प्राणी न पापात्त्रासमश्नुते । हरिणा हरिसङ्गेन सर्वथा दुष्कृतं कृतम्
Surely, a creature intent on its own gain does not fear sin; through association with Hari, Indra has certainly committed wrongdoing.
द्वावेव स्तः पदार्थानां द्वावेव निधनं गतौ । प्रथमश्च तुरीयश्च यौ त्रिलोक्यां तु दुर्लभौ
Of all things, only two reach their end: the first and the fourth, both exceedingly rare in the three worlds.
अर्थकामौ प्रशस्तौ द्वौ सर्वेषां सम्मतौ प्रियौ । धर्माधर्मेति वाग्वादो दम्भोऽयं महतामपि
The pursuit of wealth and pleasure—these two are praised, cherished by all; talk of righteousness and unrighteousness is mere pretense, even among the great.
मुनयोऽपि मनस्तापमेवं कृत्वा पुनः पुनः । जग्मुः स्वानाश्रमानेव विमनस्का हतोद्यमाः
Even the sages, tormented in mind by what they had done, again and again returned to their hermitages, dispirited and their resolve broken.
त्वष्टा तु निहतं श्रुत्वा पुत्रमिन्द्रेण भारत । रुरोद दुःखसन्तप्तो निर्वेदमगमत्पुनः
But Tvaṣṭṛ, hearing that his son had been slain by Indra, was overcome with grief and despair, and wept bitterly.
यत्रासौ पतितस्तत्र गत्वा वीक्ष्य तथागतम् । संस्कारं कारयामास विधिवत्पारलौकिकम्
He went to the place where his son had fallen, saw him lying there, and performed the proper funeral rites according to tradition.
स्नात्वास्य सलिलं दत्त्वा कृत्वा चैवौर्ध्वदैहिकम् । शशापेन्द्रं स शोकार्तः पापिष्ठं मित्रघातकम्
After bathing, offering water, and performing the final rites, Tvaṣṭṛ, stricken with sorrow, cursed Indra, the most sinful slayer of a friend.
यथा मे निहतः पुत्रः प्रलोभ्य शपथैर्भृशम् । तथेन्द्रोऽपि महद्दुःखं प्राप्नोतु विधिनिर्मितम्
Just as my son was slain by deceit and false oaths, so too may Indra suffer great sorrow, ordained by fate.
इति शप्त्वा सुरेशानं त्वष्टा तापसमन्वितः । मेरोः शिखरमास्थाय तपस्तेपे सुदुष्करम्
Having thus cursed the lord of the gods, Tvaṣṭṛ, filled with ascetic resolve, ascended the peak of Meru and undertook severe austerities.
जनमेजय उवाच हत्वा त्वाष्ट्रं सुरेशोऽथ कामवस्थामवाप्तवान् । सुखं वा दुःखमेवाग्रे तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह
Janamejaya said: After slaying Tvaṣṭṛ's son, did the lord of the gods attain pleasure or pain? Tell me, O grandsire.
व्यास उवाच किं पृच्छसि महाभाग सन्देहः कीदृशस्तव । अवश्यमेव भोक्तव्यं कृतं कर्म शुभाशुभम्
Vyāsa said: Why do you ask, O greatly fortunate one? What kind of doubt is this? One must surely experience the results of one's actions, whether good or bad.
बलिष्ठैर्दुर्बलैर्वापि स्वल्पं वा बहु वा कृतम् । सर्वथैव हि भोक्तव्यं सदेवासुरमानुषैः
Whether done by the strong or the weak, whether little or much, all actions must indeed be experienced by gods, asuras, and humans alike.
शक्रायेत्थं मतिर्दत्ता हरिणा वृत्रघातिने । प्रविष्टोऽथ पविं विष्णुः सहायः प्रत्यपद्यत
Such was the counsel given to Indra by Hari, the slayer of Vṛtra; then Viṣṇu entered the weapon and became his ally.
न चापदि सहायोऽभूद्वासुदेवः कथञ्चन । समये स्वजनः सर्वः संसारेऽस्मिन्नराधिप
And in adversity, not even Vāsudeva was ever a helper; in this world, O king, all relatives abandon one at the appointed time.
दैवे विमुखतां प्राप्ते न कोऽप्यस्ति सहायवान् । पिता माता तथा भार्या भ्राता वाथ सहोदरः
When fate turns adverse, no one remains as a helper—not father, mother, wife, brother, or even a close kinsman.
सेवको वापि मित्रं वा पुत्रश्चैव तथौरसः । प्रतिकूले गते दैवे न कोऽप्येति सहायताम्
Nor servant, nor friend, nor even a son born of one's own body; when destiny is unfavorable, no one comes to one's aid.
भोक्ता पापस्य पुण्यस्य कर्ता भवति सर्वथा । वृत्रं हत्वा गताः सर्वे निस्तेजस्कः शचीपतिः
One alone is the enjoyer of sin or merit, and the doer of all actions; having slain Vṛtra, all departed, and the lord of Śacī was left powerless.
शेपुस्तं त्रिदशाः सर्वे ब्रह्महेत्यब्रुवञ्छनैः । को नाम शपथान्कृत्वा सत्यं दत्त्वा वचः पुनः
All the gods cursed him, quietly calling him a 'Brahmin-slayer'; who, after making oaths and giving his word of truth, would then seek to kill one who trusts him?
जिघांसति सुविश्वस्तं मुनिं मित्रत्वमागतम् । देवगोष्ठ्यां सुरोद्याने गन्धर्वाणां समागमे
He sought to kill a sage who, fully trusting, had come as a friend; in the assembly of the gods, in the celestial garden, and among the gathering of Gandharvas.