स्वागतं सत्यवचनैस्त्वदधीनोऽस्मि कामिनि । दासोऽहं तव सत्येन पालितं वचनं त्वया
Welcome! By your truthful words I am under your control, O lovely one; by your truth I am your servant, and your word is upheld by you.
यदागता समीपे मे तुष्टोऽस्मि मितभाषिणि । न च व्रीडा त्वया कार्या भक्तं मां भज सुस्मिते
Now that you have come near me, I am pleased, O one of measured speech; you need not feel any shame—accept me, O smiling one, as your devotee.
कार्यं वद विशालाक्षि करिष्यामि तव प्रियम् । शच्युवाच सर्वं कृतं त्वया कार्यं मम कृत्रिमवासव
Tell me, wide-eyed one, what you wish; I will do what pleases you. Shachi said: All that I desired has been done by you, O false Indra.
मनोरथोऽस्ति मे देव शृणु चित्तेऽधुना विभो । वाञ्छितं कुरु कल्याण त्वद्वशाहमतः परम्
I have a wish, O lord; listen now with your mind, O mighty one. Fulfill my desire, O auspicious one; from now on, I am under your power.
ब्रवीमि मानसोत्साहं त्वं तं कर्तुमिहार्हसि । नहुष उवाच कार्यं त्वं ब्रूहि चन्द्रास्ये करोमि तव वाञ्छितम्
I will speak my heartfelt wish; you ought to do that here. Nahusha said: State your desire, moon-faced one; I will fulfill what you wish.
अलभ्यमपि दास्यामि तुभ्यं सुभ्रु वदस्व माम् । शच्युवाच कथं ब्रवीमि राजेन्द्र प्रत्ययो नास्ति मे तव
Even if it is unattainable, I will give it to you, beautiful-browed one; tell me. Shachi said: How can I speak, O king of kings? I have no trust in you.
शपथं कुरु राजेन्द्र यत्करोमि प्रियं तव । राजानः सत्यवचसो दुर्लभा एव भूतले
Swear an oath, O king of kings, that you will do what pleases me; kings who speak the truth are indeed rare on earth.
पश्चाद्ब्रवीम्यहं राजन् ज्ञात्वा सत्येन यन्त्रितम् । कृते चेद्वाञ्छिते भूप सदा ते वशवर्तिनी
Afterwards, I will tell you, O king, knowing you are bound by truth; if my wish is fulfilled, I will always remain under your control.
भविष्यामि तुराषाड् वै सत्यमेतद्वचो मम । नहुष उवाच अवश्यमेव कर्तव्यं वचनं तव सुन्दरि
I shall indeed become the king of the Turaṣkas; this word of mine is true. Nahusha said: Your command must certainly be carried out, O beautiful one.
शपामि सुकृतेनाहं यज्ञदानकृतेन वै । शच्युवाच इन्द्रस्य हरयो वाहा गजश्चैव रथस्तथा
I curse you, by the merit of my good deeds, by the power of sacrifice and charity. Shachi said: The steeds of Indra, the elephant, and the chariot as well,
गरुडो वासुदेवस्य यमस्य महिषस्तथा । वृषभः शङ्करस्यापि ब्रह्मणो वरटापतिः
Garuda is the vehicle of Vasudeva, the buffalo for Yama, the bull for Shankara, and the swan for Brahma.
मयूरः कार्तिकेयस्य गजास्यस्य तु मूषकः । इच्छाम्यहमपूर्वं वै वाहनं ते सुराधिप
The peacock is Kartikeya’s mount, and the mouse for the one with the elephant head; I desire for you, O lord of the gods, a vehicle never before seen.
यन्न विष्णोर्न रुद्रस्य नासुराणां न रक्षसाम् । वहन्तु त्वां महाराज मुनयः संशितव्रताः
That which belongs neither to Vishnu nor to Rudra, nor to the asuras nor to the rakshasas—let the great sages, steadfast in their vows, carry you, O great king.
सर्वे शिबिकया राजन्नेतद्धि मम वाञ्छितम् । सर्वदेवाधिकं त्वां वै जानामि वसुधाधिप
Let all of them bear you in a palanquin, O king; this is my wish. I know you to be superior to all the gods, O lord of the earth.
तेन ते तेजसो वृद्धिं वाञ्छाम्यहमतन्द्रिता । व्यास उवाच तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रहस्य ज्ञानदुर्बलः
Therefore, I earnestly desire the increase of your splendor. Vyasa said: Hearing her words, he laughed, his wisdom clouded,
मोहितस्तु महादेव्या कृतमोहेन तत्क्षणम् । उवाच वचनं भूपः संस्तुवन्वासवप्रियाम्
Deluded at that moment by the great goddess’s enchantment, the king, praising the beloved of Vasava, spoke these words:
नहुष उवाच सत्यमुक्तं त्वया तन्वि वाहनं रुचिरं मम । करिष्यामि सुकेशान्ते वचनं तव सर्वथा
Nahusha said: What you have spoken is true, slender-waisted one; such a splendid vehicle is fitting for me. I will certainly fulfill your command, O lovely-haired one.
न ह्यल्पवीर्यो भवति यो वाहान्कुरुते मुनीन् । अहमारुह्य यानेन त्वामेष्यामि शुचिस्मिते
For he who makes sages his vehicle is not of little power. Mounting the conveyance, I shall come to you, O pure-smiling one.
सप्तर्षयो मां वक्ष्यन्ति सर्वे देवर्षयस्तथा । समर्थं त्रिषु लोकेषु ज्ञात्वा मां तपसाधिकम्
The seven sages will carry me, and all the divine seers as well, knowing me to be supreme in austerity and capable in all the three worlds.
व्यास उवाच इत्युक्त्वा तां सुसन्तुष्टो विससर्ज हरिप्रियाम् । मुनीनाहूय सर्वास्तानित्युवाच स्मरान्वितः
Vyasa said: Having spoken thus, well pleased, he dismissed the beloved of Hari, and, summoning all the sages, spoke to them, his mind filled with desire.
नहुष उवाच अहमिन्द्रोऽद्य भो विप्राः सर्वशक्तिसमन्वितः । कार्यमत्र प्रकुर्वन्तु भवन्तो विगतस्मयाः
Nahusha said: I am Indra today, O brahmins, endowed with all power. Let your honors, free from pride, accomplish this task here.
इन्द्रासनं मया प्राप्तं नेन्द्राणी मामुपैति च । आकारिता च मां सूते प्रेमपूर्वमिदं वचः
I have obtained the throne of Indra, and Indrani comes to me. She has summoned me with these words, spoken with affection.
मुनियानेन देवेन्द्र मामुपैहि सुराधिप । देवदेव महाराज मत्प्रियं कुरु मानद
O king of the gods, O lord of lords, come to me, O Indra, with the sages’ conveyance. O bestower of honor, do what pleases me.
एतत्कार्यं मुनिश्रेष्ठा ममात्यन्तं दुरासदम् । भवद्भिस्तु प्रकर्तव्यं सर्वथैव दयालुभिः
This task, O best of sages, is exceedingly difficult for me to attain. Yet it must be accomplished by you all, who are compassionate, in every way.
मनो दहति मे कामः शक्रपत्न्यां प्रवर्तितम् । भवन्तः शरणं मेऽद्य कुरुध्वं कार्यमद्भुतम्
My mind burns with desire for Shachi, the wife of Shakra. Today, you are my refuge; perform this wondrous deed.
अगस्तिप्रमुखास्तस्य श्रुत्वा वाक्यमसत्करम् । अङ्गीचक्रुश्च भावित्वात्कृपया परमर्षयः
Hearing his improper words, the great sages, led by Agastya, consented out of compassion and reflection.
अङ्गीकृतेऽथ तद्वाक्ये मुनिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः । मुदं प्राप नृपः कामं पौलोमीकृतमानसः
Then, when the words were accepted by the sages who perceive the truth, the king, whose mind was captivated by Paulomi, attained joy as he wished.
आरुह्य शिबिकां रम्यां संस्थितस्त्वरयान्वितः । वाहान्कृत्वा मुनीन्दिव्यान्सर्प सर्पेति चाब्रवीत्
Ascending a beautiful palanquin, he settled in it, filled with urgency, and commanded the eminent sages to serve as bearers, saying, 'Go quickly, go!'
कामार्तः सोऽस्पृशन्मूढः पादेन मुनिमस्तकम् । अगस्तिं तापसश्रेष्ठं लोपामुद्रापतिं तदा
Overcome by desire and bewildered, he touched with his foot the head of the sage Agastya, the foremost ascetic and husband of Lopamudra.
वातापिभक्षकर्तारं समुद्रस्यापि शोषकम् । कशया ताडयामास पञ्चबाणशराहतः
He struck with a whip the one who consumed Vātāpi and dried up the ocean, wounded as if pierced by the arrows of the god of love.