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.
गायते सुस्वरं गीतं सर्वविश्वप्रमोहनम् । तत्र वृत्रः समायातः कामाकुलितमानसः
She sang a melodious song, enchanting the whole world; there Vṛtra arrived, his mind overcome with desire.
दोलारूढां समालोक्य रंभां चारुसुलोचनाम्
Seeing Rambha, beautiful of lovely eyes, seated on the swing.
सूत उवाच- इयं हि का गायति चारुलोचना विलासभावैः परिविश्वमेव । अतीव बाला शुशुभे मनोहरा संपूर्णभावैः परिमोहयेज्जनम्
Sūta said: Who is this charming-eyed one, singing with playful gestures, captivating all around? Extremely youthful, she shone enchantingly, her fullness of form enough to bewilder anyone.
दृष्ट्वा स रंभां कमलायताक्षीं पीनस्तनीं चर्चितकुंकुमांगीम् । पद्माननां कामगृहं ममैषा नो वा रतिश्चारुमनोहरेयम्
Seeing Rambha, lotus-eyed, full-breasted, her limbs adorned with saffron, lotus-faced, a house of desire—does she belong to me, or is she not? This lovely one is truly delightful.
संपूर्णभावां परिरूपयुक्तां कामांगशीलामतिशीलभावाम् । यास्याम्यहं वश्यमिहैव अस्या मनोभवेनाद्य इहैव प्रेषितः
Today, compelled by desire, I shall go to her, who is perfect in form, endowed with beauty, skilled in the arts of love, and of most excellent character, drawn here by the force of her mind.
इतीव दैत्यः सुविचिंतयान्वितः कामेन मुग्धो बहुकालनोदितः । समातुरस्तत्र जगाम सत्वरमुवाच तां दीनमनाः सुलोचनाम्
Thus, the demon, deeply pondering and overcome by passion long awakened, became restless and quickly approached her, speaking to the beautiful, wide-eyed maiden with a troubled heart.
कस्यासि वा सुंदरि केन प्रेषिता किं नाम ते पुण्यतमं वदस्व मे । तवैव रूपेण महातितेजसा मुग्धोस्मि बाले मम वश्यतां व्रज
Whose are you, O lovely one? By whom have you been sent? Tell me, what is your most virtuous name? I am enchanted by your beauty and great radiance, O maiden—come under my sway.
एवमुक्ता विशालाक्षी वृत्रं कामाकुलं प्रति । अहं रंभा महाभाग क्रीडार्थं वनमुत्तमम्
Thus addressed, the wide-eyed maiden replied to Vṛtra, who was overwhelmed by desire: 'I am Rambhā, O fortunate one, come to this excellent forest for sport.'
सखीसार्धं समायाता नंदनं वनमुत्तमम् । त्वं तु को वा किमर्थं हि मम पार्श्वं समागतः
'I have arrived at this splendid Nandana forest with my companions. But who are you, and for what reason have you come to my side?'
वृत्र उवाच- श्रूयतामभिधास्यामि योहं बाले समागतः । हुताशनात्समुत्पन्नः कश्यपस्य सुतः शुभे
Vṛtra said: 'Listen, O maiden, I shall tell you who I am and why I have come. I was born from the fire, O auspicious one, the son of Kaśyapa.'