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.
दुःखं च प्राप्तवान्घोरं भृगुशापेन भारत । तथेन्द्रोऽपि ब्रह्महत्याकृतं प्राप्य महद्भयम्
He too suffered terrible sorrow due to Bhṛgu's curse, O Bhārata; likewise, Indra, having committed Brahmin-slaying, encountered great fear.
न स्वास्थ्यं प्राप गेहेऽसौ सर्वसिद्धिसमन्विते । पौलोमी तं सभाहीनं दृष्ट्वा प्रोवाच वासवम्
He did not find peace even in his own home, though endowed with all perfections; seeing him deprived of his assembly, Paulomī spoke to Vāsava.
निःश्वसन्तं भयत्रस्तं नष्टसंज्ञं विचेतसम् । किं प्रभोऽद्य भयार्तोऽसि मृतस्ते दारुणो रिपुः
Breathing heavily, terrified, his senses lost and mind bewildered—O Lord, why are you so fearful today? Has some dreadful enemy killed you?
का चिन्ता वर्तते कान्त तव शत्रुनिषूदन । कस्माच्छोचसि लोकेश निःश्वसन्प्राकृतो यथा
What is the worry, beloved, for you, the destroyer of enemies? Why do you grieve, Lord of the world, sighing like an ordinary man?
नान्योऽस्ति बलवाञ्छत्रुर्येन चिन्तापरो भवान् । इन्द्र उवाच नारातिर्बलवान्मेऽस्ति न शान्तिर्न सुखं तथा
There is no other powerful enemy for whom you should be so anxious.
ब्रह्महत्याभयाद्राज्ञि बिभेमि सततं गृहे । न नन्दनं सुखकरं नामृतं न गृहं वनम्
Indra said: There is no enemy stronger than me, nor is there peace or happiness for me. O Queen, I am always afraid at home of the danger of Brahminicide. Neither Nandana, the pleasure-garden, nor nectar, nor home, nor forest brings me joy.
गन्धर्वाणां तथा गेयं नृत्यमप्सरसां पुनः । न त्वं सुखकरा नारी नाना च सुरयोषितः
Neither the songs of the Gandharvas, nor the dances of the Apsaras, nor you, beloved woman, nor any of the divine ladies bring me happiness.
न तथा कामधेनुश्च देववृक्षः सुखप्रदः । किं करोमि क्व गच्छामि क्व शर्म मम जायते
Not even the wish-fulfilling cow, nor the divine tree that grants pleasure, can give me happiness. What shall I do, where shall I go, where can I find peace?
इति चिन्तापरः कान्ते न लभे सुखमात्मनि । व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वा वचनं शक्रः प्रियां परमकातराम्
Thus, overwhelmed by worry, beloved, I find no happiness within myself.
निर्जगाम गृहान्मन्दो मानसं सर उत्तमम् । पद्मनाले प्रविष्टोऽसौ भयार्तः शोककर्षितः
Vyasa said: Having spoken these words, Shakra, deeply distressed, left his beloved and his home. Afflicted by fear and sorrow, he entered the finest lotus lake.