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.
इन्द्राणीहृतचित्तोऽसौ सर्पेति प्रब्रुवन्मुनिम् । तं शशाप मुनिः क्रुद्धः कशाघातमनुस्मरन्
His mind stolen by Indrani, he kept urging the sage to go quickly; recalling the blow of the whip, the sage angrily cursed him.
सर्पो भव दुराचार वने घोरवपुर्महान् । बहुवर्षसहस्राणि यत्र क्लेशो महान्भवेत्
Become a serpent, O wicked one, in the forest, with a terrible and immense form; for many thousands of years you shall endure great suffering there.
विचरिष्यसि वीर्येण पुनः स्वर्गमवाप्स्यसि । दृष्ट्वा युधिष्ठिरं नाम तव मोक्षो भविष्यति
You will wander by your strength, and then attain heaven again; when you see Yudhishthira by name, your liberation will occur.
प्रश्नानामुत्तरं श्रुत्वा धर्मपुत्रमुखात्ततः । व्यास उवाच एवं शप्तः स राजर्षिः स्तुत्वा तं मुनिसत्तमम्
Hearing the answer to his questions from the mouth of the son of Dharma, Vyasa said: Thus cursed, the royal sage praised the eminent sage.
स्वर्गात्पपात सहसा सर्परूपधरोऽभवत् । बृहस्पतिस्ततो गत्वा तरसा मानसं प्रति
He fell suddenly from heaven, assuming the form of a serpent; then Brihaspati swiftly went to Manasa.
इन्द्राय सर्ववृत्तान्तं कथयामास विस्तरात् । तच्छ्रुत्वा मघवा राज्ञः स्वर्गात्प्रच्यवनादिकम्
He narrated in detail to Indra all the events; hearing of the king's expulsion from heaven and related matters,
मुदितोऽभून्महाराज स्थितस्तत्रैव वासवः । देवाश्च मुनयो दृष्ट्वा नहुषं पतितं भुवि
The great king Vasava became joyful and remained there; the gods and sages, seeing Nahusha fallen to earth,
जग्मुः सर्वेऽपि तत्रैव यत्रेन्द्रः सरसि स्थितः । तमाश्वास्य सुराः सर्वे मुनिभिः सहितास्तदा
All went there to the place where Indra was standing by the lake; then, together with the sages, all the gods comforted him.
स्वर्गे समानयामासुर्मानपूर्वं शचीपतिम् । समागतं ततः शक्रं सर्वे ते मुनयः सुराः
With honor, they brought the lord of Shachi back to heaven; then all the sages and gods assembled around Shakra.
स्थापयित्वाऽऽसने पश्चादभिषेकं दधुः शिवम् । इन्द्रोऽपि स्वासनं प्राप्य शच्या सह सुरालये
After seating him on the throne, they performed the auspicious consecration; Indra, having regained his seat, dwelt with Shachi in the abode of the gods.
चिक्रीड नन्दने रम्ये कानने प्रेमयुक्तया । व्यास उवाच एवमिन्द्रेण सम्प्राप्तं दुःखं परमदारुणम्
He sported in the delightful Nandana grove, in the forest, united with love; Vyasa said: Thus, Indra endured the most dreadful suffering.
हत्वासुरं कामरूपं विश्वरूपं महामुनिम् । पुनर्देव्याः प्रसादेन स्वस्थानं प्राप्तवान्नृप
Having slain the asura who could assume any form, Vishvarupa, the great sage, he regained his own place, O king, by the grace of the goddess.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं वृत्रासुरवधाश्रयम् । यत्पृष्टोऽहं त्वया राजन् कथानकमनुत्तमम्
All this has been told to you, based on the killing of Vritra the asura, as you asked me, O king, for the supreme narrative.
यादृशं कुरुते कर्म तादृशं फलमाप्नुयात् । अवश्यमेव भोक्तव्यं कृतं कर्म शुभाशुभम्
Whatever action one performs, such is the result one obtains; one must inevitably experience the consequences of deeds, whether auspicious or inauspicious.
कर्मणां गहनगतिवर्णनम् जनमेजय उवाच कथितं चरितं ब्रह्मञ्छक्रस्याद्भुतकर्मणः । स्थानभ्रंशस्तथा दुःखप्राप्तिरुक्ता विशेषतः
Janamejaya said: O Brahmin, you have described the wondrous deeds of Indra, his fall from position, and the suffering he endured in detail.
यत्र देवाधिदेव्याश्च महिमातीव वर्णितः । सन्देहोऽत्र ममाप्यस्ति यच्छक्रोऽपि महातपाः
There, the great glory of the Goddess and the gods was especially recounted; yet I too have a doubt—how did even Indra, the great ascetic,
देवाधिपत्यमासाद्य दुःसहं दुःखमन्वभूत् । मखानां तु शतं कृत्वा प्राप्तं स्थानमनुत्तमम्
having attained lordship over the gods, experience unbearable suffering? After performing a hundred sacrifices, he regained his supreme position.
देवेशत्वं च सम्प्राप्य भ्रष्टः स्थानादसौ कथम् । एतत्सर्वं समाचक्ष्व कारणं करुणानिधे
Having attained the status of king of the gods, how was he then cast down from his place? O ocean of compassion, please tell me the entire reason for this.
सर्वज्ञोऽसि मुनिश्रेष्ठ पुराणानां प्रवर्तकः । नावाच्यं महतां किञ्चिच्छिष्ये च श्रद्धयान्विते
You are all-knowing, O best of sages, originator of the Purāṇas; nothing is unworthy to be spoken to a devoted disciple.
तस्मात्कुरु महाभाग मत्सन्देहापनोदनम् । सूत उवाच इति पृष्टः स राज्ञा वै तदा सत्यवतीसुतः
Therefore, O most fortunate one, dispel my doubts. Sūta said: Thus questioned by the king, the son of Satyavatī,