आजग्मुः परमोद्विग्नास्त्रिदशा मनुजेश्वर। समेत्य समहेंद्रास्तु भयान्मंत्रं प्रचक्रिरे
Then, O king of men, the gods, greatly distressed, assembled together with Indra and, out of fear, held a council.
नारायणं पुरस्कृत्य वैकुंठमपराजितम्। ततो देवास्समेतास्ते तदोचुर्मधुसूदनम्
Placing Nārāyaṇa, the unconquered one of Vaikuṇṭha, at the forefront, the assembled gods then addressed Madhusūdana.
त्वं नः स्रष्टा च गोप्ता च भर्ता च जगतः प्रभो। त्वया सृष्टं जगत्सर्वं यच्चेंगं यच्च नेङ्गति
You are our creator, protector, and sustainer, O Lord of the world; all that moves and does not move has been created by you.
त्वया भूमिः पुरा नष्टा समुद्रात्पुष्करेक्षण। वाराहं रूपमास्थाय जगदर्थे समुद्धृता
Once, O lotus-eyed one, when the earth was lost in the ocean, you assumed the form of a boar and raised her up for the sake of the world.
आदिदैत्यो महावीर्यो हिरण्यकशिपुः पुरा। नारसिंहं वपुः कृत्वा सूदितः पुरुषोत्तम
Long ago, the first and mighty demon Hiraṇyakaśipu was slain by you, O Supreme Person, after you took the form of Narasiṃha.
अवध्यः सर्वभूतानां बलिश्चापि महासुरः। वामनं वपुरास्थाय त्रैलोक्याद्भ्रंशितस्त्वया
Bali, the great asura, invincible to all beings, was cast down from the three worlds by you, assuming the form of Vāmana.
असुरः सुमहेष्वासो जंभ इत्यभिविश्रुतः। यज्ञक्षोभकरः क्रूरस्त्वमरैर्विनिपातितः
The asura Jambha, famed as a mighty archer and cruel disturber of sacrifices, was struck down by you, O enemy of Madhu, together with the gods.
एवमादीनि कर्माणि येषां संख्या न विद्यते। अस्माकं भयभीतानां त्वं गतिर्मधुसूदन
Such deeds of yours are countless; for us, who are terrified, you are the refuge, O slayer of Madhu.
तस्मात्त्वां देवदेवेश लोकार्थं ज्ञापयामहे। रक्ष लोकांश्च देवांश्च शक्रं च महतो भयात्
Therefore, O Lord of gods, we entreat you for the sake of the worlds: protect the worlds, the gods, and Indra from this great danger.
भवत्प्रसादाद्वर्तंते प्रजास्सर्वाश्चतुर्विधाः। स्वस्था भवंति मनुजा हव्यकव्यैर्दिवौकसः
By your grace, all four kinds of beings flourish; humans remain well, and the celestials are satisfied with offerings of oblations and ancestral rites.
लोका ह्येवं प्रवर्तंते अन्योन्यं च समाश्रिताः। त्वत्प्रभावान्निरुद्विग्नास्त्वयैव परिरक्षिताः
Indeed, the worlds function in this way, mutually dependent; by your power, they are free from distress and are protected by you alone.
इदं च समनुप्राप्तं लोकानां भयमुत्तम्। जानीमो न च केनैते वध्यंते ब्राह्मणा निशि
Now, this supreme fear has come upon the worlds; we know not by whom these Brāhmaṇas are slain at night.
ब्राह्मणेषु च क्षीणेषु पृथिवी क्षयमेष्यति। त्वत्प्रसादान्महाबाहो लोकास्सर्वे जगत्पते
If the Brāhmaṇas are destroyed, the earth will come to ruin; by your favor, O mighty-armed Lord of the world, all beings are preserved.
विनाशं नाधिगच्छेयुस्त्वया वै परिरक्षिताः। विष्णु उवाच। विदितं मे सुरास्सर्वं प्रजायाः क्षयकारणम्
Protected by you, they will not meet destruction; but if not, they will perish. Viṣṇu said: O gods, I know well the cause of the destruction of beings.
भवतां चापि वक्ष्यामि शृणुध्वं विगतज्वराः। कालकेया इति ख्याता गणाः परमदारुणाः
I will tell you also; listen without anxiety. There are fierce groups known as Kālakeyas.
ते वृत्रं निहतं दृष्ट्वा सहस्राक्षेण धीमता। जीवितं परिरक्षन्तः प्रविष्टा वरुणालयम्
When they saw Vṛtra slain by the wise thousand-eyed one, they preserved their lives and entered Varuṇa’s abode.
ते प्रविश्योदधिं घोरं नानाग्राहसमाकुलम्। उत्सादनार्थं लोकस्य रात्रौ घ्नंति मुनीनिह
Entering the dreadful ocean, teeming with many sea-creatures, they kill sages here at night to destroy the world.
न तु शक्याः क्षयं नेतुं समुद्रांतर्हिता हि ते। समुद्रस्य क्षये बुद्धिर्भवद्भिः परिचिंत्यताम्
But they cannot be destroyed, for they are hidden within the ocean; consider carefully, among yourselves, how the ocean might be dried up.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो देवा विष्णुना समुदाहृतम्। परमेष्ठिनमासाद्य अगस्त्यस्याश्रमं ययुः
Hearing these words spoken by Viṣṇu, the gods approached the supreme Brahmā and went to Agastya’s hermitage.
तत्रापश्यन्महात्मानं वारुणं दीप्ततेजसम्। उपास्यमानमृषिभिर्द्देवैरिव पितामहम्
There they saw the great-souled son of Varuṇa, blazing with splendor, being revered by sages as the gods revere the Grandsire.
तेभिगम्य महात्मानं मैत्रावरुणिमुत्तमम्। अप्रमत्तं तपोराशिं कर्मभिः स्वैरनुष्ठितैः
Approaching that great-souled, illustrious son of Mitra and Varuṇa, steadfast and a treasury of austerity, engaged in his own rites,
देवा ऊचुः। नहुषेणाभितप्तानां लोकानां त्वं गतिः पुरा। भ्रंशितश्च सुरैश्वर्याल्लोकार्थं लोककंटकः
The gods said: In former times, when the worlds were afflicted by Nahusha, you were their refuge; and for the sake of the worlds, you relinquished the sovereignty of the gods, O remover of the world’s affliction.
क्रोधात्प्रवृद्धः स महान्भास्करस्य नगोत्तमः। वचस्तवानतिक्रामन्विन्ध्यः शैलो न वर्धते
That great mountain Vindhya, swelled with anger, ceased to grow, having transgressed your command, O radiant one, and defied the sun.
तमसाच्छादिते लोके मृत्युनाभ्यर्दिताः प्रजाः। त्वामेव नाथमागम्य निर्वृतिं परमां गताः
When the world was shrouded in darkness and beings were oppressed by death, they came to you as their protector and attained supreme peace.
अस्माकं भयभीतानां नित्यमेव भवान्गतिः। ततस्त्वद्य प्रयाचामस्त्वां वरं वरदो ह्यसि
For us, who are always fearful, you are ever the refuge; therefore, today we beg you for a boon, for you are indeed the granter of boons.
भीष्म उवाच। किमर्थं सहसा विंध्यः प्रवृद्धः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः। एतदिच्छाम्यहं श्रोतुं विस्तरेण महामुने
Bhīṣma said: For what reason did Vindhya suddenly swell, overcome by wrath? This I wish to hear in detail, O great sage.
पुलस्त्य उवाच। अद्रिराजं महाशैलं मेरुं कनकपर्वतम्। उदयेऽस्तमये भानुः प्रदक्षिणमवर्तत
Pulastya said: The sun circled Meru, the great mountain, the king of peaks, the golden mountain, at its rising and setting.
तं दृष्ट्वा तु तदा विंध्यः शैलः सूर्यमथाब्रवीत्। यथा हि मेरुर्भवता नित्यशः परिगम्यते
Then, seeing this, Vindhya, the mountain, spoke to the sun: 'Just as Meru is always encircled by you—'
प्रदक्षिणं च क्रियते मामेवं कुरु भास्कर। एवमुक्तस्ततः सूर्यः शैलेंद्रं प्रत्यभाषत
'—and you perform circumambulation, do the same for me, O Bhāskara.' Thus addressed, the sun replied to the lord of mountains.
नाहमात्मेच्छया शैलं करोम्येनं प्रदक्षिणम्। एष मार्गः प्रदिष्टो मे येनेदं निर्मितं जगत्
'I do not circumambulate this mountain by my own will. This path has been assigned to me, by which this world is created.'