तं गत्वा प्रार्थयाशु त्वं स्वान्यस्थीनि प्रदास्यति
Go quickly to him and ask; he will give you his own bones.
ततः शक्रः सुरैः सार्धं गत्वा तस्य तदाश्रमम्
Then Śakra, together with the gods, went to his hermitage.
स प्रणम्य सहस्राक्षं तथान्यानपि सन्मुनिः ६.८.
That great sage, having bowed to the thousand-eyed one and the others as well,
ततः प्रोवाच हृष्टात्मा विनयावनतः स्थितः
Then, standing there with a joyful heart and humble demeanor, he spoke.
दधीचिरुवाच किमर्थमागता देवाः कृत्यं चाशु निवेद्यताम्
Dadhīci said: For what purpose have the gods come? Quickly tell me what must be done.
स वध्यो नहि शस्त्राणां सर्वेषां वरपुष्टितः
He cannot be slain by any weapons, for he is protected by a boon.
सोऽस्थिसंभववज्रस्य वध्यः स्यादब्रवीद्धरिः
But Hari said: He can be killed by a thunderbolt made from bone.
त्वां मुक्त्वा ब्राह्मणश्रेष्ठ तस्मादस्थीनि यच्छ नः
O best of Brāhmaṇas, except for you, therefore give us your bones.
कुरु कृत्यं द्विजश्रेष्ठ देवानामार्तिनाशनम्
O foremost of twice-born, do this deed that will remove the gods’ distress.
तच्छ्रुत्वा संप्रहृष्टात्मा दधीचिर्भगवान्मुनिः
Hearing this, the venerable sage Dadhīci was filled with joy.
ततो देवाः प्रहृष्टास्ते गृहीत्वास्थीनि कृत्स्नशः
Then the delighted gods took all his bones.
अथ शक्रस्तदादाय नैमिषाभिमुखो ययौ
Then Śakra, taking them, set out towards Naimiṣa.
तत्र ध्यानस्थितं वृत्रं दूरस्थस्त्रिदशाधिपः ६.८.
There, the lord of the gods saw Vṛtra, absorbed in meditation, from a distance.
सोऽपि वजप्रहारेण भस्मसात्सम पद्यत
He too was reduced to ashes by the blow of the thunderbolt.
शक्रोऽपि भयसंत्रस्तो गत्वा सागरमध्यगम्
Śakra, terrified with fear, went to the middle of the ocean.
न जानाति हतं वृत्रं वज्रघातेन तेन तम्
He did not know that Vṛtra had been killed by that strike of the thunderbolt.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे देवाः संप्रहृष्टतनूरुहाः । सूत्रं विनिहतं दृष्ट्वा तुष्टुवुस्त्रिदशाधिपम्
Meanwhile, the gods, their bodies thrilled with joy, seeing the demon slain, praised the lord of the gods.
न जानंति भयान्नष्टं तस्मिन्सागरपर्वते । अन्विष्य चिरकालेन कृच्छ्रात्संप्राप्य तं ततः
Out of fear, they did not know he was lost on that ocean mountain; after searching for a long time with difficulty, they found him there.
वीक्षांचक्रुः समासीनं विषमे गिरिगह्वरे
They beheld him seated in a rugged mountain cave.
गात्रदुर्गंधितासंगैः पूरयन्तं दिशो दश
Filling the ten directions with the foul odor clinging to his body.
अथोवाच चतुर्वक्त्रो दृष्ट्वा शक्रं तथाविधम्
Then the Four-Faced One, seeing Indra in such a state, spoke.
शक्रोऽयं विबुधश्रेष्ठा ब्रह्महत्यापरिप्लुतः । तस्मातत्त्याज्यः सुदूरेण नो चेत्पापमवाप्स्यथ
This is Indra, best of the gods, overwhelmed by the sin of Brahmin-slaying; therefore, he must be shunned from afar, otherwise you too will incur sin.
पश्यध्वं सर्वलिंगानि ब्रह्महत्यान्वितानि च ६.८.
Behold all the signs, accompanied by the taint of Brahmin-slaying.
पितामहमुखान्दृष्ट्वा देवान्प्राप्तान्सुराधिपः । ततः प्रोवाच संभ्रांतः किमिदं गम्यते सुराः
Seeing the gods led by the Grandfather approach, the lord of the gods, agitated, spoke: 'Why have you come here, O gods?'
कच्चित्स निहतस्तेन मम वज्रेण दानवः
Has that demon been slain by my thunderbolt?
गतो मृत्युवशं पापो न भयं कर्तुमर्हसि
The wicked one has fallen under the power of death; you need not fear.
परं तस्य वधाज्जाता ब्रह्महत्या सुगर्हिता
Yet, from his killing, the grave sin of Brahmin-slaying has arisen.
ब्रह्महत्या न संजाता मम हत्याधुना कथम्
No sin of Brahmin-slaying has come to me from this killing—how can it be so now?
विशुद्धा दानवाः सर्वे तेन जातं न पातकम्
All the demons were pure; therefore, no sin was incurred.
एष यज्ञोपवीताढ्यो विशेषात्तपसि स्थितः। छलेन निहतः शक्र तेन त्वं पापसंयुतः
This one, adorned with the sacred thread, was steadfast in austerity; slain by you through deceit, Indra, you are thus beset by sin.