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.
न प्राज्ञायत देवेन्द्रस्त्वभिभूतश्च कल्मषैः । प्रतिच्छन्नो वसत्यप्सु चेष्टमान इवोरगः
Devendra, overpowered by sin, could not be recognized. Concealed, he dwelled in the waters, like a serpent in hiding.
असहायस्तुराषाडैच्चिन्तार्तो विकलेन्द्रियः । ततः प्रनष्टे देवेन्द्रे ब्रह्महत्याभयार्दिते
Helpless, tormented by anxiety, his senses disturbed, Turashada remained. Then, with Devendra lost and afflicted by the fear of Brahminicide—
सुराश्चिन्तातुराश्चासन्नुत्पाताश्चाभवन्नथ । ऋषयः सिद्धगन्धर्वा भयार्ताश्चाभवन्भृशम्
The gods became anxious and troubled, and calamities arose. The sages, Siddhas, and Gandharvas were all greatly afraid.
अराजकं जगत्सर्वमभिभूतमुपद्रवैः । अवर्षणं तदा जातं पृथिवी क्षीणवैभवा
The whole world, without a ruler, was overcome by disasters. Then, drought came, and the earth lost its prosperity.
विच्छिन्नस्रोतसो नद्यः सरांस्यनुदकानि वै । एवं त्वराजके जाते देवता मुनयस्तथा
The rivers lost their streams, and the lakes became dry. Thus, when there was no ruler, the gods and sages—
विचार्य नहुषं चक्रुः शक्रं सर्वे दिवौकसः । सम्प्राप्य नहुषो राजा धर्मिष्ठोऽपि रजोबलात्
—considered and appointed Nahusha as Shakra, all the dwellers of heaven together. Nahusha, though righteous, became attached to pleasure due to the force of passion.
बभूव विषयासक्तः पञ्चबाणशराहतः । अप्सरोभिर्वृतः क्रीडन्देवोद्यानेषु भारत
Struck by the arrows of the god of love, he became absorbed in sensual pleasures, surrounded by Apsaras, playing in the gardens of the gods, O Bharata.
शक्रपत्नीगुणाञ्छ्रुत्वा चकमे तां स पार्थिवः । ऋषीनाह किमिन्द्राणी नोपगच्छति मां किल
Hearing of the virtues of Shakra’s wife, that king desired her. He said to the sages, 'Why does Indrani not come to me?'
भवद्भिश्चामरैः सर्वैः कृतोऽहं वासवस्त्विह । प्रेषयध्वं सुराः कामं सेवार्थं मम वै शचीम्
'You all, with the immortals, have made me Indra here. Send Shachi, O gods, to serve me as I wish.'
प्रियं चेन्मम कर्तव्यं सर्वथा मुनयोऽमराः । अहमिन्द्रोऽद्य देवानां लोकानां च तथेश्वरः
'If you sages and gods truly wish to please me, then today I am Indra, the lord of the gods and the worlds.'