त्वया हि नित्यशः साह्यं कृतमेषां महात्मनाम् । असह्यमिदमन्येषामगतीनां गतिर्भवान् ।। ७.८४.
For you have always aided these great souls; this is unbearable for others, and you are the refuge for those without recourse.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे चतुरशीतितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the eighty-fourth sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the ancient and revered Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki.
लक्ष्मणस्य तु तद्वाक्यं श्रुत्वा शत्रुनिबर्हणः । वृत्रघातमशेषेण कथयेत्याह सुव्रत ।। ७.८५.
Hearing those words of Lakṣmaṇa, the destroyer of enemies, Suvrata said, 'Tell in full the story of Vṛtra's slaying.'
राघवेणैवमुक्तस्तु सुमित्रानन्दवर्धनः । भूय एव कथां दिव्यां कथयामास सुव्रतः ।। ७.८५.
Thus addressed by Rāghava, the joy of Sumitrā, Suvrata again began to narrate the divine tale.
सहस्राक्षवचः श्रुत्वा सर्वेषां च दिवौकसाम् । विष्णुर्देवानुवाचेदं सर्वानिन्द्रपुरोगमान् ।। ७.८५.
Having heard the words of the thousand-eyed one and all the gods, Viṣṇu spoke these words to all the gods, with Indra at their head.
पूर्वं सौहृदबद्धो ऽस्मि वृत्रस्य ह महात्मनः । तेन युष्मत्प्रियार्थं हि नाहं हन्मि महासुरम् ।। ७.८५.
Formerly, I was bound by friendship with the great-souled Vṛtra; therefore, for your sake, I do not slay the great asura.
अवश्यं करणीयं च भवतां सुखमुत्तमम् । तस्मादुपायमाख्यास्ये येन वृत्रो निहन्यते ।। ७.८५.
But your supreme happiness must certainly be accomplished; therefore, I will declare a means by which Vṛtra will be slain.
त्रिधाभूतं करिष्यामि ह्यात्मानं सुरसत्तमाः । तेन वृत्रं सहस्राक्षो वधिष्यति न संशयः ।। ७.८५.
I shall divide myself into three parts, O best of gods; by that, the thousand-eyed one will slay Vṛtra, without doubt.
एकांशो वासवं यातु द्वितीयो वज्रमेव तु । तृतीयो भूतलं शक्रस्तदा वृत्रं वधिष्यति ।। ७.८५.
One part will enter Vāsava, the second will become the thunderbolt, and the third the earth; then Śakra will slay Vṛtra.
तथा ब्रुवति देवेशे देवा वाक्यमथाब्रुवन् । एवमेतन्न सन्देहो यथा वदसि दैत्यहन् ।। ७.८५.
As the lord of gods spoke thus, the gods replied, 'So it shall be, there is no doubt, just as you say, O slayer of demons.'
भद्रं ते ऽस्तु गमिष्यामो वृत्रासुरवधैषिणः । भजस्व परमोदार वासवं स्वेन तेजसा ।। ७.८५.
'May good fortune be yours! We shall go, desiring the slaying of Vṛtra the asura. O exceedingly generous one, impart your own energy to Vāsava.'
ततः सर्वे महात्मानः सहस्राक्षपुरोगमाः । तदारण्यमुपाक्रामन्यत्र वृत्रो महासुरः ।। ७.८५.
Then all the great-souled ones, led by the thousand-eyed one, proceeded to the forest where the great asura Vṛtra was.
ते पश्यंस्तेजसा भूतं तप्यन्तमसुरोत्तमम् । पिबन्तमिव लोकांस्त्रीन्निर्दहन्तमिवाम्बरम् ।। ७.८५.
There they saw the foremost of asuras, blazing with energy, as if consuming the three worlds and burning up the sky.
दृष्ट्वैव चासुरश्रेष्ठं देवास्त्रासमुपागमन् । कथमेनं वधिष्यामः कथं न स्यात्पराजयः ।। ७.८५.
Upon seeing that foremost of asuras, the gods were seized with fear: 'How shall we slay him? How shall we avoid defeat?'
तेषां चिन्तयतां तत्र सहस्राक्षः पुरन्दरः । वज्रं प्रगृह्य पाणिभ्यां प्राहिणोद्वृत्रमूर्धनि ।। ७.८५.
As they pondered thus, Indra, the thousand-eyed lord, grasped his thunderbolt in both hands and hurled it at Vṛtra's head.
कालाग्निनेव घोरेण तप्तेनैव महार्चिषा । पतता वृत्रशिरसा जगत्ऺत्रासमुपागमत् ।। ७.८५.
As that blazing, dreadful, and red-hot thunderbolt fell upon Vṛtra's head, it was like the fire of destruction, and the world was overcome with terror.
असम्भाव्यं वधं तस्य वृत्रस्य विबुधाधिपः । चिन्तयानो जगामाशु लोकस्यान्तं महायशाः ।। ७.८५.
Considering the slaying of Vṛtra impossible, the illustrious lord of the gods swiftly departed, contemplating the end of the world.
तमिन्द्रं ब्रह्महत्या ऽ ऽशु गच्छन्तमनुगच्छति । अपतच्चास्य गात्रेषु तमिन्द्रं दुःखमाविशत् ।। ७.८५.
As Indra, afflicted by the sin of killing a brahmin, hastened away, that sin followed him and fell upon his body, plunging Indra into suffering.
हतारयः प्रनष्टेन्द्रा देवाः साग्निपुरोगमाः । विष्णुं त्रिभुवनेशानं मुहुर्मुहुरपूजयन् ।। ७.८५.
With their enemy slain and Indra vanished, the gods, led by Agni, repeatedly worshipped Viṣṇu, the lord of the three worlds.
त्वं गतिः परमेशान पूर्वजो जगतः पिता । रक्षार्थं सर्वभूतानां विष्णुत्वमुपजग्मिवान् ।। ७.८५.
You are the refuge, O Supreme Lord, the progenitor and father of the world; for the protection of all beings, you have assumed the form of Viṣṇu.
हतश्चायं त्वया वृत्रो ब्रह्महत्या च वासवम् । बाधते सुरशार्दूल मोक्षं तस्या विनिर्दिश ।। ७.८५.
Vṛtra has been slain by you, and now brahmahatyā afflicts Vāsava; O tiger among gods, show the way for his liberation from it.
तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा देवानां विष्णुरब्रवीत् । मामेव यजतां शक्रः पावयिष्यामि वज्रिणम् ।। ७.८५.
Hearing these words of the gods, Viṣṇu replied: 'Let Śakra worship me; I shall purify the wielder of the thunderbolt.'
पुण्येन हयमेधेन मामिष्ट्वा पाकशासनः । पुनरेष्यति देवानामिन्द्रत्वमकुतोभयम् ।। ७.८५.
By worshipping me with a meritorious horse sacrifice, Pākaśāsana will regain the office of Indra among the gods, free from all fear.
एवं सन्दिश्य तां वाणीं देवानाममृतोपमाम् । जगाम विष्णुर्देवेशः स्तूयमानस्त्रिविष्टपम् ।। ७.८५.
Having thus spoken these nectar-like words to the gods, Viṣṇu, the lord of the gods, departed to heaven, praised by all.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चाशीतितमः सर्गः
Thus ends the eighty-fifth sarga in the glorious Uttarakāṇḍa of the ancient and revered Rāmāyaṇa composed by sage Vālmīki.
तदा वृत्रवधं सर्वमखिलेन स लक्ष्मणः । कथयित्वा नरश्रेष्ठः कथाशेषं प्रचक्रमे ।। ७.८६.
Then, having recounted in full the slaying of Vṛtra, that best of men, together with Lakṣmaṇa, began to narrate the remainder of the tale.
ततो हते महावीर्ये वृत्रे देवभयङ्करे । ब्रह्महत्यावृतः शक्रः सञ्ज्ञां लेभे न वृत्रहा ।। ७.८६.
After the mighty and fearsome Vṛtra was slain, Indra, enveloped by the sin of brahmin-killing, lost consciousness and could not regain his senses.
सो ऽन्तमाश्रित्य लोकानां नष्टसञ्ज्ञो विचेतनः । कालं तत्रावसत्कञ्चिद्वेष्टमान इवोरगः ।। ७.८६.
He, bereft of awareness and sensibility, withdrew to the ends of the worlds and dwelt there for some time, like a serpent coiled up.
अथ नष्टे सहस्राक्षे उद्विग्नमभवज्जगत् । भूमिश्च ध्वस्तसङ्काशा निःस्नेहा शुष्ककानना ।। ७.८६.
Then, with the thousand-eyed one lost, the world became troubled; the earth lost its luster, and the forests dried up, devoid of sap.
निःस्रोतसश्च ते सर्वे तु ह्रदाश्च सरितस्तथा । सङ्क्षोभश्चैव सत्त्वानामनावृष्टिकृतो ऽभवत् ।। ७.८६.
All the lakes and rivers lost their streams, and a disturbance arose among living beings, caused by the absence of rain.