आश्रमानपि ते वच्मि शृणुष्वैकमना नृप। अगस्त्येन कृतश्चात्र आश्रमो देवसंमितः
I will also tell you about the hermitages—listen attentively, O king; here, Agastya established a hermitage, esteemed as equal to the gods.
सप्तर्षीणां पुरा चात्र आश्रमो देवसम्मतः। ब्रह्मर्षीणां तथा चात्र मनूनां परमस्तथा
Long ago, here too was the hermitage of the Seven Sages, honored by the gods, as well as the supreme hermitage of the Brahmarṣis and Manus.
नागानां च पुरी रम्या यज्ञपर्वतरोधसि। अगस्त्यस्य महाराज प्रभावममितात्मनः
There is also a delightful city of the nāgas at the foot of the sacrificial mountain, O great king, and the wondrous power of Agastya, whose soul is immeasurable.
कथयामि समासेन शृणु त्वं सुसमाहितः। पूर्वं कृतयुगे भीष्म दानवा युद्धदुर्मदाः
I will briefly recount his story—listen with full attention; formerly, in the Kṛta Yuga, O Bhīṣma, the Dānavas, intoxicated by war, arose.
कालेया इति विख्याता गणाः परमदारुणाः। ते तु वृत्रं समाश्रित्य देवान्हंतुं समुद्यताः
There were hosts known as the Kāleyas, exceedingly fierce; they, taking refuge in Vṛtra, prepared to destroy the gods.
ततो देवाः समुद्विग्ना ब्रह्माणमुपतस्थिरे। कृतांजलींस्तु तान्सर्वान्परमेष्ठीत्युवाच ह
Then the gods, greatly troubled, approached Brahmā; with hands joined in reverence, they stood before the Supreme Lord, who spoke to them.
विदितं मे सुराः सर्वं यद्वः कार्यं चिकीर्षितं। तमुपायं प्रवक्ष्यामि यथा वृत्रं वधिष्यथ
"I know all, O gods, and what you wish to accomplish; I will tell you the means by which you shall slay Vṛtra."
दधीचिरिति विख्यातो महानृषिरुदारधीः। तं गत्वा सहितास्सर्वे वरं च प्रतियाचत
"There is a great sage named Dadhīci, renowned for his noble mind; go to him together and ask him for a boon."
स वो दास्यति धर्मात्मा सुप्रीतेनांतरात्मना। स वाच्यः सहितैः सर्वैर्भवद्भिर्जयकांक्षिभिः
"That righteous soul will grant it to you with a pleased heart; he should be addressed by all of you, who desire victory."
स्वान्यस्थीनि प्रयच्छस्व त्रैलोक्यहितकांक्षया। स शरीरं समुत्सृज्य स्वान्यस्थीनि प्रदास्यति
"For the welfare of the three worlds, ask him to give his own bones; he will abandon his body and bestow his bones."
तस्यास्थिभिर्महाघोरं वज्रं संक्रियतां दृढं। महच्छत्रुहनं दिव्यं तदस्त्रमशनिः स्मृतं
"From his bones, let a mighty and terrible thunderbolt be fashioned, firm and divine, a weapon famed as the lightning bolt, destroyer of great enemies."
तेन वज्रेण वै वृत्रं वधिष्यति शतक्रतुः। एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं तस्मात्सर्वं विधीयतां
"With that thunderbolt, Śatakratu will slay Vṛtra; all this I have told you—therefore, let everything be done accordingly."
एवमुक्तास्ततो देवा अनुज्ञाप्य पितामहं। शतक्रतुं पुरस्कृत्य दधीचेराश्रमं ययुः
Thus addressed, the gods, having taken leave of the Grandfather, set out for Dadhīci's hermitage, led by Śatakratu.
सरस्वत्याः परे पारे नानाद्रुमलतावृतं। षट्पदोद्गीतनिनदैरुद्घुष्टं सामगैरिव
On the far shore of the Sarasvatī, covered with various trees and creepers, resounded with the buzzing of bees, as if filled with the chants of Sāma singers.
पुंस्कोकिलरवोन्मिश्रं जीवं जीवकनादितम्। महिषैश्च वराहैश्च सृमरैश्चमरैरपि
The living beings, whose cries mingled with the calls of male cuckoos and jīvaka birds, together with buffaloes, boars, deer, and antelopes—
तत्रतत्रानुचरितैः शार्दूलभयवर्जितैः। करेणुभिर्वारणैश्च प्रभिन्नकरटामुखैः
Here and there, elephants and tuskers, unafraid of tigers, wandered about, their trunks and mouths wide open.
स्वरोद्गारैश्च क्रीडद्भिः समंतादनुनादितं। सिंहव्याघ्रैर्महानादं नदद्भिरनुनादितं
The area resounded all around with the calls of playful animals and the mighty roars of lions and tigers.
मयूरैश्चापि संलीनैर्गुहाकंदरवासिभिः। तेषु तेषु च कुंजेषु नादितं सुमनोरमं
Peacocks, too, hidden in caves and mountain hollows, filled those groves with their most delightful cries.
त्रिविष्टपसमप्रख्यं दधीच्याश्रममागमन्। तत्रापश्यन्दधीचिं तं दिवाकरसमप्रभम्
Arriving at the hermitage of Dadhīci, which was as splendid as heaven itself, they saw Dadhīci shining like the sun.
जाज्वल्यमानं वपुषा यथा लक्ष्म्या चतुर्भुजम्। तस्य पादौ सुरा राजन्नभिवंद्य प्रणम्य च। अयाचंत वरं सर्वे यथोक्तं परमेष्ठिना
Blazing with radiance, four-armed like Lakṣmī, the gods, O King, bowed at his feet and, after prostrating, each requested the boon as instructed by Brahmā.
ततो दधीचिः परमप्रतीतः सुरोत्तमांस्तानिदमित्युवाच। करोमि यद्वो हितमद्य देवाः स्वं वापि देहं त्वहमुत्सृजामि
Then Dadhīci, greatly pleased, spoke to those foremost gods: 'Today, O gods, I shall do what is for your good, or else I shall relinquish my own body.'
तानेवमुक्त्वा द्विपदां वरिष्ठः प्राणांस्ततोऽसौ सहसोत्ससर्ज। सुरास्तदस्थीनि सवासवास्ते यथोपयोगं जगृहुः स्म तस्य
Having spoken thus to them, the best of men at once gave up his life; the gods, along with Indra, took his bones for their intended purpose.
प्रहृष्टरूपाश्च जयाय देवास्त्वष्टारमासाद्य तमर्थमूचुः। त्वष्टा तु तेषां वचनं निशम्य प्रहृष्टरूपः प्रयतः प्रयत्नात्
The gods, their forms radiant with joy, approached Tvaṣṭṛ for victory and spoke their request; Tvaṣṭṛ, hearing their words, gladly and diligently—
चकार वज्रं भृशमुग्रवीर्यं कृत्वा च शस्त्रं तमुवाच हृष्टः। अनेन शस्त्रप्रवरेण देव भस्मीकुरुष्वाद्य सुरारिमुग्रं
Made a thunderbolt of immense and fierce power, and, delighted, said: 'With this supreme weapon, O god, destroy today the terrible enemy of the gods.'
ततो हतारिः सगणः सुखं त्वं प्रशाधि कृत्स्नं त्रिदिवं दिविष्ठः। त्वष्ट्रा तथोक्तस्तु पुरंदरश्च वज्रं प्रहृष्टः प्रयतो ह्यगृह्णात्
'Then, having slain the foe and his host, rule happily over all of heaven, O Indra.' Thus addressed by Tvaṣṭṛ, Purandara joyfully and with devotion accepted the thunderbolt.
ततः स वज्रेणयुतो दैवतैरभिपूजितः। आससाद ततो वृत्रं स्थितमावृत्य रोदसी
Then, armed with the thunderbolt and honored by the gods, he approached Vṛtra, who stood blocking the heavens and the earth.
कालकेयैर्महाकायैस्समंतादभिरक्षितं। समुद्यत प्रहरणैः सशृंगैरिव पर्वतैः
Guarded on all sides by the mighty-bodied Kālakeyas, who were armed and raised like mountains with horns.
ततो युद्धं समभवद्देवानां सह दानवैः। मुहूर्तं भरतश्रेष्ठ लोकत्रासकरं महत्
Then a great battle arose between the gods and the demons, O best of Bharatas, terrifying the worlds for a moment.
उद्यतैः प्रतिसृष्टानां खड्गानां वीरबाहुभिः। आसीत्सुतुमुलः शब्दः शरीरैरभिपाटितैः
With swords raised and hurled by heroic arms, there arose a tumultuous sound as bodies were struck down.
शिरोभिः प्रपतद्भिश्चाप्यंतरिक्षान्महीतलं। तालैरिव महीपाल वृतं तैरेव दृश्यते
Heads fell from the sky to the earth, O king, and the ground appeared covered with them, like palm trees.