अर्धमैंद्रं पदं वीर सत्वं भुंक्ष्व सुखेन वै । वर्तंत्वर्द्धेन इंद्रस्तु असुरा देवतास्तथा
O hero, enjoy half of Indra's position with happiness; let Indra, the Asuras, and the gods each maintain their own half.
सुखं वर्तंतु ते सर्वे वैरं चैव विसृज्य वै । वृत्र उवाच- यदि सत्येन देवेंद्रो मैत्रमिच्छति सत्तमः
Let all of them live happily, abandoning enmity; Vṛtra said: If Indra, the foremost of gods, truly desires friendship,
सत्यमाश्रित्य चैवाहं करिष्ये नात्र संशयः । छद्म चैवं पुरस्कृत्य इंद्रो द्रोहं समाचरेत्
Then, relying on truth, I shall do so; there is no doubt. But if Indra acts deceitfully, putting forth a false front,
तदा किं क्रियते विप्रा इत्यर्थे प्रत्ययं हि किम् । ऋषयस्त्विंद्रमाचख्युरित्यर्थं प्रत्ययं वद
Then what should be done, O sages, in such a case? What assurance is there? The sages replied, 'Tell Indra for assurance in this matter.'
तन्नस्त्वं सत्यतां ब्रूहि यदि सख्यमिहेच्छसि । इंद्र उवाच- यद्यऽसत्येन वर्तामि भवद्भिः सह छद्मना
Tell us your truth if you desire friendship here; Indra said: If I act falsely with you, by deceit,
ब्रह्महत्यादिकैः पापैर्लिप्येहं नात्र संशयः । छद्म चैवं पुरस्कृत्य इंद्रो द्रोहं समाचरेत्
I shall be stained with sins such as killing a Brahmin; there is no doubt. If Indra acts deceitfully, putting forth a false front,
ब्रह्महत्यादिकैः पापैर्लिप्येहं नात्र संशयः । इत्युवाच महाप्राज्ञ त्वामेवं स पुरंदरः
I shall be stained with sins such as killing a Brahmin; there is no doubt. Thus spoke the greatly wise Purandara to you.
एतेन प्रत्ययेनापि सख्यं कुरु महामते । वृत्र उवाच- भवतां शिष्टमार्गेण सत्येनानेन तस्य च
With this assurance, make friendship, O wise one; Vṛtra said: By your noble path and this truth,
मैत्रमेवं करिष्यामि तेन सार्द्धं द्विजोत्तमाः । वृत्रमिंद्रस्यसंस्थानं नीतं ब्राह्मणपुङ्गवैः
I shall make friendship in this way with him, O best of twice-born; Vṛtra was brought to Indra's presence by eminent Brahmins.
इन्द्रस्तमागतं दृष्ट्वा वृत्रं मित्रार्थमुद्यतः । सिंहासनात्समुत्थाय अर्घमादाय सत्वरः
When Indra saw Vṛtra arrive, intent on friendship, he rose quickly from his throne and took the offering.
ददौ तस्मै स धर्मात्मा वृत्राय द्विजसत्तम । अर्धं भुंक्ष्व महाप्राज्ञ ऐंद्रमेतन्महत्पदम्
He, righteous in soul, gave it to Vṛtra, O best of Brahmins; 'Enjoy half, O greatly wise one, this great Indra's position.'
वर्तितव्यं सुखेनापि आवाभ्यां दैत्यसत्तम । एवं विश्वासयन्दैत्यं वृत्र मैत्रेण वै तदा
Let us both live happily, O best of Daityas; thus Indra reassured the Daitya Vṛtra with friendship.
गतेषु तेषु विप्रेषु स्वस्थानं द्विजसत्तम । छिद्रं पश्यति दुष्टात्मा वृत्रस्यापि सदैव हि
When the Brahmins departed, each to their own place, O best of Brahmins, the wicked-hearted always sought a flaw in Vṛtra.
सावधानत्वमिंद्रोपि दिवारात्रौ प्रचिंतयेत् । तस्यच्छिद्रं न पश्येत वृत्रस्यापि महात्मनः
Indra, too, remained alert, pondering day and night; but he could not find a flaw in the great-souled Vṛtra.
उपायं चिंतयामास तस्यैव वधहेतवे । रंभा संप्रेषिता तेन मोहयस्व महासुरम्
He devised a means for Vṛtra's destruction; Rambhā was sent by him: 'Delude the great Asura.'
येनकेनाप्युपायेन यथा हत्वा लभे सुखम् । तथा कुरुष्व कल्याणि संमोहाय सुरद्विषः
By whatever means, so that after slaying him I may gain happiness; do so, O auspicious one, to bewilder the enemy of the gods.
वनं पुण्यं महादिव्यं पुण्यपादपसेवितम् । बहुवृक्षफलोपेतं मृगपक्षिसमाकुलम्
A holy and supremely divine forest, frequented by sacred trees, abundant with many kinds of fruit-bearing trees, and teeming with deer and birds.
विमानमंदिरैर्दिव्यैः सर्वत्र परिशोभितम् । दिव्यगंधर्वसंगीतं भ्रमराकुलितं सदा
Everywhere adorned with celestial mansions and palaces, resounding always with the music of heavenly Gandharvas, and filled with the hum of bees.
कोकिलानां रुतैः पुण्यैः सर्वत्र मधुरायतैः । शिखिसारंगनादैश्च सर्वत्र सुसमाकुलम्
Everywhere pervaded by the auspicious, sweet, and extended calls of cuckoos, and thoroughly filled with the cries of peacocks and cranes.
दिव्यैस्तु चंदनैर्वृक्षैः सर्वत्र समलंकृतम् । वापीकुंडतडागैश्च जलपूर्णैर्मनोहरैः
Everywhere beautifully decorated with divine sandalwood trees, and with delightful ponds, pools, and lakes filled with water.
कमलैः शतपत्रैश्च पुष्पितैः समलंकृतम् । देवगंधर्वसंसिद्धैश्चारणैश्चैव किन्नरैः
Adorned with blooming lotuses of a hundred petals, and graced by gods, Gandharvas, Siddhas, Charanas, and Kinnaras.
मुनिभिः शुशुभे दिव्यैर्दिव्योद्यानवरेण च । अप्सरोगणसंकीर्णं नानाकौतुकमंगलैः
It shone with divine sages and the best of celestial gardens, crowded with hosts of Apsarases and filled with various wonders and auspicious things.
हेमप्रासादसंबाधं दंडच्छत्रैश्च चामरैः । कलशैश्च पताकाभिः सर्वत्रसमलंकृतम्
Densely packed with golden palaces, adorned everywhere with staffs, parasols, fly-whisks, pitchers, and banners.
वेदध्वनिसमाकीर्णं गीतध्वनिसमाकुलम् । एवं नंदनमासाद्य सा रंभा चारुहासिनी
Filled with the sounds of Vedic recitation and the music of songs; thus, Rambha of the lovely smile arrived at Nandana.
अप्सरोभिः समं तत्र क्रीडत्येवं विलासिनी । सूत उवाच- एकदा तु स वृत्रो वै कालाकृष्टो गतो वनम्
There, that playful beauty sported together with the Apsarases; Sūta said: Once, Vṛtra, drawn by fate, went to the forest.
कतिभिर्दानवैः सार्द्धं मुदया परया युतः । अलक्ष्ये भ्रमते पार्श्वं तस्यैव च महात्मनः
Accompanied by a few Dānavas and filled with great joy, he wandered unseen near that great soul.
देवराजोपि विप्रेंद्रश्छिद्रान्वेषी द्विषां किल । स हि वृत्रो महाप्राज्ञो विश्वस्तः सर्वकर्मसु
Even the king of the gods, O best of Brāhmins, was seeking faults among his enemies; for Vṛtra, wise and skilled in all actions, was completely confident.
इंद्रं मित्रं परं जानन्भयं चक्रे न तस्य सः । भ्रममाणो वनं पश्येत्सर्वत्र परमं शुभम्
Knowing Indra as his supreme friend, he felt no fear of him; as he wandered, he saw the forest everywhere supremely auspicious.
सुरम्यं कौतुकवनं वनितागणसंकुलम् । चंदनस्यापि वृक्षस्य छायां शीतां सुपुण्यदाम्
A most delightful and wondrous grove, crowded with groups of women, and the cool, supremely holy shade of a sandalwood tree.
समाश्रित्य विशालाक्षी रंभा तत्र प्रदीव्यति । सखीभिस्तु महाभागा दोलारूढा यशस्विनी
There, Rambha of wide eyes rejoiced, taking shelter in that shade, mounted on a swing with her noble companions.