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.
सर्वत्रैव कथा तस्य विस्तारमगमत्किल । किं कृतं दुष्कृतं कर्म शक्रेणाद्य जिघांसता
Everywhere, indeed, the story of his deed spread widely: 'What wicked act has Śakra done today, seeking to kill by deceit?'
वृत्रं छलेन विश्वस्तं मुनिभिश्च प्रतारितम् । वेदप्रमाणमुत्सृज्य स्वीकृतं सौगतं मतम्
Vṛtra, trusting and deceived by the sages, was slain by trickery; abandoning the authority of the Vedas, the doctrine of the Buddhists was accepted.
यदयं निहतः शनुर्वञ्चयित्वातिसाहसात् । को नाम वचनं दत्त्वा विपरीतमथाचरेत्
This one, Śakra, killed by deception and excessive daring; who, after giving his word, would then act in the opposite way?
विना शक्रं हरिं वापि यथायं विनिपातितः । एवंविधाः कथाश्चान्याः समाजेष्वभवन्भृशम्
Without Śakra or even Hari, he was cast down; such stories, and others like them, were spoken much in assemblies.
शुश्रावेन्द्रोऽपि विविधाः स्वकीर्तेर्हानिकारकाः । यस्य कीर्तिर्हता लोके धिक्तस्यैव कुजीवितम्
Indra too heard many tales that harmed his own fame; for one whose reputation is destroyed in the world, shame on such a wretched life.
यं दृष्ट्वा पथि गच्छन्तं शत्रुः स्मेरमुखो भवेत् । इन्द्रद्युम्नोऽपि राजर्षिः पतितः कीर्तिसंक्षयात्
Seeing such a one walking on the road, even an enemy would smile; even Indradyumna, the royal sage, fell due to loss of reputation.
स्वर्गादकृतपापोऽसौ पापकृत्किं न पात्यते । स्वल्पेऽपराधेऽपि नृपो ययातिः पतितः किल
Though he had committed no sin, that king fell from heaven; why would a sinner not fall? Even for a small offense, King Yayāti is said to have fallen.
नृपः कर्कटतां प्राप्तो युगानष्टादशैव तु । भृगुपत्नीशिरश्छेदाद्भगवान्हरिरच्युतः
A king became a crab for eighteen ages; and the blessed Hari, due to cutting off the head of Bhṛgu's wife—
ब्रह्मशापात्पशोर्योनौ सञ्जातो मकरादिषु । विष्णुश्च वामनो भूत्वा याचनार्थं बलेर्गृहे
By Brahmā's curse, he was born in the womb of animals, such as a crocodile; and Viṣṇu, becoming Vāmana, went to the house of Bali to beg.
गतः किमपरं दुःखं प्राप्नोति दुष्कृती नरः । रामोऽपि वनवासेषु सीताविरहजं बहु
What greater suffering does a wicked man not obtain? Even Rāma, in exile, endured much grief from separation with Sītā.