सुशंखस्ताडितो विप्रा मृत्योश्चैव हि कन्यया । ततः क्रुद्धो महातेजाः शशाप तनुमध्यमाम्
O Brahmins, Sushankha was struck by Death's daughter; then, enraged and full of great energy, he cursed the slender-waisted maiden.
निर्दोषो हि यतो दुष्टे त्वयैव परिताडितः । अहमत्र वने संस्थस्तस्माच्छापं ददाम्यहम्
'Since you, though wicked, have struck me who am without fault and dwelling in the forest, therefore I lay a curse upon you here.'
गार्हस्थ्यं च समास्थाय सह भर्त्रा यदा शृणु । पापाचारमयः पुत्रो देवब्राह्मणनिंदकः
'When you enter household life with your husband, listen: a son will be born to you, full of sinful conduct, a reviler of gods and Brahmins.'
सर्वपापरतो दुष्टे तव गर्भे भविष्यति । एवं शप्त्वा गतः सोपि तप एव समाश्रितः
'Devoted to all evil, O wicked one, he will be in your womb.' Having thus cursed her, he too departed, taking up austerities.
गते तस्मिन्महाभागे सा सुनीथा गृहं गता । समाचष्ट महात्मानं पितरं तप्तमानसा
When that great-souled one had departed, Sunitha went home, her mind troubled, and reported everything to her noble father.
यथा शप्ता तदा तेन गंधर्वतनयेन सा । तत्सर्वं संश्रुतं तेन मृत्युना परिभाषितम्
She told her father all that had happened, how she had been cursed by the Gandharva's son, and all that Death had said.
कस्मात्कृतस्त्वयाघातस्तपति दोषवर्जिते । युक्तं नैव कृतं पुत्रि सत्यस्यैव हि ताडनम्
'Why did you strike the ascetic, who was free from fault? O daughter, it was not right to strike one who is truthful.'
एवमाभाष्य धर्मात्मा मृत्युः परमदुःखितः । बभूव स हि तत्तस्यादिष्टमेवं विचिंतयन्
Having spoken thus, the righteous-souled Death became deeply distressed, pondering over what had thus been ordained for her.
सूत उवाच- अत्रिपुत्रो महातेजा अंगो नाम प्रतापवान् । एकदा तु गतो विप्रा नंदनं प्रति स द्विजः
The Sūta said: The mighty and illustrious son of Atri, named Anga, once went, O Brahmins, towards Nandana.
तत्र दृष्ट्वा देवराजं तमिंद्रं पाकशासनम् । अप्सरसां गणैर्युक्तं गंधर्वैः किन्नरैस्तथा
There he saw the king of the gods, Indra, the slayer of Vritra, surrounded by hosts of Apsarases, Gandharvas, and Kinnaras.
गीयमानं गीतगैश्च सुस्वरैः सप्तकैस्तथा । वीज्यमानं सुगंधैश्च व्यजनैः सर्व एव सः
He saw him being sung to by singers with sweet voices in seven notes, and fanned by all with fragrant fans.
योषिद्भी रूपयुक्ताभिश्चामरैर्हंसगामिभिः । छत्रेण हंसवर्णेन चंद्रबिंबानुकारिणा
By women endowed with beauty, with chowries borne by swans, and with a parasol white as a swan and resembling the disc of the moon.
राजमानं सहस्राक्षं सर्वाभरणभूषितम् । कामक्रीडागतं देवं दृष्टवानमितौजसम्
He beheld the thousand-eyed king, adorned with every ornament, the god radiant with immeasurable energy, engaged in pleasures of love.
तस्य पार्श्वे महाभागां पौलोमीं चारुमंगलाम् । रूपेण तेजसा चैव तपसा च यशस्विनीम्
At his side was the illustrious Paulomī, auspicious and beautiful, renowned for her beauty, brilliance, austerity, and fame.
सौभाग्येन विराजंतीं पातिव्रत्येन तां सतीम् । तया सह सहस्राक्षः स रेमे नंदने वने
She shone with good fortune and fidelity, a devoted wife; with her, the thousand-eyed one delighted in the Nandana grove.
तस्य लीलां समालोक्य अंगश्चैव द्विजोत्तमः । धन्यो वै देवराजोऽयमीदृशैः परिवारितः
Observing his play, O best of twice-born, Aṅga thought: 'Truly blessed is the king of the gods, surrounded by such splendor.'
अहोऽस्य तपसो वीर्यं येन प्राप्तं महत्पदम् । यदा ममेदृशः पुत्रः सर्वलोकप्रधारकः
Ah, such is the power of his austerity, by which he attained this exalted state! If only I had such a son, the sustainer of all worlds.
भवेत्तदा महत्सौख्यं प्राप्स्यामीह न संशयः । इति चिंतापरो भूत्वा त्वरमाणो गृहागतः
Then I would surely attain great happiness here—of this there is no doubt. Immersed in such thoughts, he hurried home.
सूत उवाच- अथ त्वंगो महातेजा दृष्ट्वा इंद्रस्य संपदम् । भोगं चैव विलासं च लीलां तस्य महात्मनः
Sūta said: Then Aṅga, of great brilliance, having seen Indra's prosperity, his enjoyment, his pleasures, and the play of that great soul—
कथं मे इंद्र सदृशः पुत्रः स्याद्धर्मसंयुतः । चिंतयित्वा क्षणं चैव अंगो धर्मभृतां वरः
He thought for a moment: 'How might I have a son like Indra, endowed with righteousness?' Thus pondered Aṅga, foremost among the virtuous.
स्वकं गेहं समायातः स त्वंगः सत्यतत्परः । अत्रिं पप्रच्छ पितरं प्रणतो नम्रकंधरः
Aṅga, intent on truth, returned to his own house and, bowing with head bent, questioned his father Atri.
कोऽयं पुण्यः समाचारैरिंद्रत्वं भुंजते महत् । कस्य पुण्यस्य वै पुष्टिः किं कृतं कर्म कीदृशम्
'What is that meritorious conduct by which one enjoys the great station of Indra? Whose merit is this, what deed was done, and of what kind?'
कीदृशं तप एतस्य कमाराधितवान्पुरा । एतन्मे विस्तरेण त्वं ब्रूहि सत्यवतां वर
'What sort of austerity did he perform, whom did he worship in former times? Tell me all this in detail, O best of the truthful.'
अत्रिरुवाच- साधुसाधु महाभाग यद्येवं पृच्छसे मयि । चरित्रमिंद्रस्य वत्स तन्मे निगदतः शृणु
Atri said: 'Well asked, O greatly fortunate one, since you inquire of me thus. Listen as I recount to you the deeds of Indra, my child.'
सुव्रतो नाम मेधावी पुरा ब्राह्मणसत्तमः । तेन कृष्णो हृषीकेशस्तपसा चैव तोषितः
'Once there was a wise and virtuous brāhmaṇa named Suvrata. By his austerity, he pleased Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the senses.'
पुण्यगर्भं पुनः प्राप्तो ह्यदित्याः कश्यपात्किल । विष्णोश्चैव प्रसादेन सुरराजो बभूव ह
'He was again born from Kaśyapa and Aditi, filled with merit; and by Viṣṇu's grace, he became king of the gods.'
अंग उवाच- कथमिंद्रसमः पुत्रो मम स्यात्पुत्रवत्सल । तदुपायं समाचक्ष्व भवाञ्ज्ञानवतां वरः
Aṅga said: 'How might I have a son equal to Indra, O compassionate one? Please tell me the means, O best among the wise.'
अत्रिरुवाच- समासेनैव तस्यैव सुव्रतस्य महात्मनः । चरित्रमखिलं पुण्यं निशामय महामते
Atri said: 'In brief, listen to the entire meritorious life of that great-souled Suvrata, O highly intelligent one.'
यथा सुव्रत मेधावी पुराराधितवान्हरिम् । तस्य भावं च भक्तिं च ध्यानं चैव महात्मनः
'How Suvrata, wise and steadfast, worshipped Hari in former times—his disposition, his devotion, and his meditation, O great-souled one—'
समालोक्य जगन्नाथो दत्तवान्वै महत्पदम् । स ऐंद्रं सर्वभोगाढ्यं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्
'Beholding all this, the Lord of the universe granted him the supreme state; he attained the station of Indra, enjoying all pleasures in the three worlds, with all that moves and is unmoving.'