इन्द्र उवाच सर्वं व्याप्तमिदं देवा वृत्रेण जगदव्ययम्। न ह्यस्य सदृशं किंचित् प्रतिघाताय यद् भवेत्॥
Shakra said The whole of this indestructible universe has been pervaded, O gods, by Vritra. There is nothing equal to opposing him.
समर्थो ह्यभवं पूर्वमसमर्थोऽस्मि साम्प्रतम्। कथं नु कार्यं भद्रं वो दुर्धर्षः स हि मे मतः॥
I was before this capable of (doing this) but at present I am incapable. I wish you well. What can I do? I think he is hard to vanquish.
तेजस्वी च महात्मा च युद्धे चामितविक्रमः। ग्रसेत् त्रिभुवन् सर्वं सदेवासुरमानुषम्॥
He is spirited large minded and of unparalleled prowess in battle and he will absorb all the three worlds with all their gods, Asuras and men.
तस्माद् विनिश्चयमिमं शृणुध्वं त्रिदिवौकसः। विष्णोः क्षयमुपागम्य समेत्य च महात्मना। तेन सम्मन्त्र्य वेत्स्यामो वधोपायं दुरात्मनः॥
Therefore O you denizens of the heaven, this is certain that by going to the abode of Vishnu and joining with that large-minded one and consulting with him we shall know the means of slaying the vicious one.
शल्य उवाच एवमुक्ते मघवता देवाः सर्षिगणास्तदा। शरण्यं शरणं देवं जग्मुर्विष्णुं महाबलम्॥
Shalya said The gods being thus spoken to by Maghavan the group of Rishis placed themselves under the protection of the god Vishnu of great influence and competent to be a protector.
ऊचुश्च सर्वे देवेशं विष्णुं वृत्रभयार्दिताः। त्रयो लोकास्त्वया क्रान्तास्त्रिभिर्विक्रमणैः पुरा॥
And they, distressed with the fear of Vritra, spoke thus to Vishnu the lord of all gods-In days of yore did you cover the three worlds with three steps.
अमृतं चाहृतं विष्णो दैत्याच निहता रणे। बलिं बद्ध्वा महादैत्यं शक्रो देवाधिपः कृतः॥
And O Vishnu, robbed it of nectar and killed in battle all the Daityas and after slaying Vali the great Daityas appointed Shakra, as the lord of the gods.
त्वं प्रभुः सर्वदेवानां त्वया सर्वमिदं ततम्। त्वं हि देवो महादेव सर्वलोकनमस्कृतः॥
You are the Supreme Lord of all the gods and the whole (of this world) is pervaded by you; you, O Lord, are the supreme Lord revered by all the worlds.
गतिर्भव त्वं देवानां सेन्द्राणाममरोत्तम। जगद् व्याप्तमिदं सर्वं वृत्रेणासुरसूदन॥
O you best among the immortals, be the means of salvation of the gods including Indra. O you slayer of Asuras, the entire world is pervaded by Vritra.
विष्णुरुवाच अवश्यं करणीयं मे भवतां हितमुत्तमम्। तस्मादुपायं वक्ष्यामि यथाऽसौ न भविष्यति॥
Vishnu said Doing your good is my imperative duty; therefore am I speaking of the means by which he shall cease to exist.
गच्छध्वं सर्षिगन्धर्वा यत्रासौ विश्वरूपधृक्। साम तस्य प्रयुञ्जध्वं तत एनं विजेष्यथ॥
In company with the Rishis and the Gandharvas you go to the place where that holder of the universal from is staying; make use of conciliatory policy towards him; then shall you win victory over him.
भविष्यति जयो देवाः शक्रस्य मम तेजसा। अदृश्यश्च प्रवेक्ष्यामि वज्रे ह्यस्यायुधोत्तमे॥
O gods, through my influence, victory will be on the side of Shakra. Being invisible shall I enter the thunder bolt-that excellent weapons of his.
गच्छध्वमृषिभिः सार्धं गन्धर्वैश्च सुरोत्तमाः। वृत्रस्य सह शक्रेण सन्धिं कुरुत मा चिरम्॥
O you best among the gods, go in company with the Rishis and the Gandharvas. Effect a truce without delay between Shakra and Vritra.
शल्य उवाच एवमुक्ते तु देवेन ऋषयस्त्रिदशास्तथा। ययुः समेत्य सहिताः शक्रं कृत्वा पुरःसरम्॥
Shalya said The Rishis and the dwellers, of the third heaven being thus spoken to by that god, went together, with Shakra at their head.
समीपमेत्य च यदा सर्व एव महौजसः। तं तेजसा प्रज्वलितं प्रतपन्तं दिशो दश॥
Then all those mighty ones came near him, through whose influence the ten cardinal points were on fire and being scorched.
ग्रसन्तमिव लोकांस्त्रीन् सूर्याचन्द्रमसौ यथा। ददृशुस्ते ततो वृत्रं शक्रेण सह देवताः॥
Those gods, with Indra, then saw Vritra who seemed as if swallowing the three worlds and looking as the sun or the moon.
ऋषयोऽथ ततोऽभ्येत्य वृत्रमूचुः प्रियं वचः। व्याप्तं जगदिदं सर्वं तेजसा तव दुर्जय॥
Then the Rishis came there and said these conciliatory words of Vritra. O you hard to conquer, this world is pervaded by your energy.
अ च शक्नोषि निर्जेतुं वासवं बलिनां वर। युध्यतोश्चापि वां कालो व्यतीतः सुमहानिह॥
O you best of powerful beings, you will not be able to conquer Vasava and a very long period has elapsed since you commenced fighting.
पीड्यन्ते च प्रजाः सर्वाः सदेवासुरमानुषाः। सख्यं भवतु ते वृत्र शक्रेण सह नित्यदा॥
All beings including the gods, the Asuras and the human beings, are enduring misery. Let there always exit, O Vritra, friendship between you and Shakra.
अवाप्स्यसि सुखं त्वं च शक्रलोकांश्च शाश्वतान्। ऋषिवाक्यं निशम्याथ वृत्रः स तु महाबलः॥
You will gain happiness and ever dwell in the regions of Shakra. Hearing these words of the Rishis, Vritra of great strength.
उवाच तानृषीन् सर्वान् प्रणम्य शिरसाऽसुरः। सर्वे यूयं महाभागा गन्धर्वाश्चैव सर्वशः॥ यद् बूथ तच्छतं सर्वं ममापि शृणुतानघाः। संधिः कथं वै भविता मम शक्रस्य चोभयोः। तेजसोहि द्वयोर्देवाः सख्यं वै भविता कथम्॥
The Asura bowed unto all those Rishis with his head and said to them-O you endowed with good qualities and you Gandharvas, what you all have said, I have listened to. O you stainless beings, hear now what I say. How can there be peace between us two-myself and Shakra? How can there be friendship between two gods who are both powerful?
ऋषय ऊचुः सकृत् सतां संगतं लिप्सितव्यं ततः परं भविता भव्यमेव। नातिकामेत् सत्पुरुषेण संगतं तस्मात् सतां संगत् लिप्सितव्यम्॥
The Rishis said The company of virtuous ones is desirable (even for a time); thereafter what is fated will come to pass. The opportunity of friendship with virtuous men should not be lost; therefore is the company of virtuous men desirable.
दृढं सतां संगतं चापि नित्यं ब्रूयाच्चा) ह्यर्थकृच्छ्रेषु धीरः। महार्थवत् सत्पुरुषेण संगतं तस्मात् सन्तं न जिघांसेत धीरः॥
Wise men ever speak of firm friendship with virtuous men as wealth is times of pecuniary difficulties. The company of virtuous men is vast wealth indeed; therefore wise men should not injure virtuous ones.
इन्द्रः सतां सम्मतश्च निवासश्च महात्मनाम्। सत्यवादी ह्यनिन्द्यश्च धर्मवित् सूक्ष्मनिश्चयः॥
Indra is honoured by virtuous men and the refuse of the large-minded. He is also truth speaking, blameless, understands virtue and has refined judgment.
तेन ते सह शक्रेण संधिर्भवतु नित्यदा। एवं विश्वासमागच्छ मा तेऽभूद् बुद्धिरन्यथा।॥
Let there be peace, to eternity, with Indra; come to entertain faith in him; let not your opinion be otherwise.
शल्य उवाच महर्षिवचनं श्रुत्वा तानुवाच महाद्युतिः। अवश्यं भगवन्तो मे माननीयास्तपस्विनः॥
Shalya said The being with great luster, having heard the speech of the great Rishis, said to them! O devotees, O lord, you are, of course, to be honoured by me.
ब्रवीमि यदहं देवास्तत् सर्वं क्रियते यदि। ततः सर्वं करिष्यामि यदूचुर्मी द्विजर्षभाः॥
O gods, if you do all that I am going to say then shall I do all that you have said to me, O foremost among the twice born.
न शुष्केण न चाद्रेण नाश्मना न च दारुणा। न शस्त्रेण न चास्त्रेण न दिवा न तथा निशि॥
Not by dry thing nor be a wet one, not by stone, nor by wood, nor by a weapon fit for use from a distance, nor by one fit for hand to hand fight, not during the day time nor during the night,
वध्यो भवेयं विप्रेन्द्राः शक्रस्य सह दैवतैः। एवं मे रोचते सन्धिः शक्रेण सह नित्यदा।॥
Shall I be capable of being slain, O chief among the Brahmanas, by Shakra, assisted by the gods. If you ordain this then shall there ever be peace with Shakra.
बाढमित्येव ऋषयस्तमूचुर्भरतर्षभ। एवंवृत्ते तु संधाने वृत्रः प्रमुदितोऽभवत्॥
O best among the race of Bharata the Rishis said-"very well" and Vritra too became pleased with having peace under these conditions.
युक्तः सदाभवच्चापि शक्रो हर्षसमन्वितः। वृत्रस्य वधसंयुक्तानुपायानन्वचिन्तयत्॥
Shakra too became delighted and became constantly engaged in the thought of finding out some means of killing Vritra.
छिद्रान्वेषी समुद्विग्नः सदा वसति देवराट्। स कदाचित् समुद्रान्ते समपश्यन्महासुरम्॥
The chief among the gods always remained anxious land on the look out for some loop-hole. He one day saw the great Asura at the sea coast.
संध्याकालं उपावृत्ते मुहुर्ते चातिदारुणे। ततः संचिन्त्य भगवान् वरदानं महात्मनः॥
It was evening and the moment was aweinspiring and the god thus thought of the boons granted by the large minded one (Vishnu).
संध्येयं वर्तते रौद्रा ना रात्रिर्दिवसं न च। वृत्रश्चावश्यवध्योऽयं मम सर्वहरो रिपुः॥
This is evening, it is not in the sun; it is neither the night nor the day. And Vritra, the enemy who has robbed me of all must be slain.
यदि वृत्रं न हम्यद्य वञ्चयित्वा महासुरम्। महाबलं महाकायं न मे श्रेयो भविष्यति॥
If I do not this day slay the great Asura, Vritra of great strength and of a huge body by an artifice, it will not be well with me.
एवं संचिन्तयन्नेव शक्रो विष्णुमनुस्मरन्। अथ फेनं तदाऽपश्यत् समुद्रे पर्वतोपमम्॥
Thus thinking Shakra invoked Vishnu and then saw coming out of the sea, foam high as a mountain.
नायं शुष्को न चाद्रोऽयं न च शस्त्रमिदं तथा। एनं क्षेप्स्यामि वृत्रस्य क्षणादेव नशिष्यति॥
This is not wet nor dry nor is this a weapon. I shall fling this which will destroy Vritra is moment.
सवज्रमथ फेनं तं क्षिप्रं वृत्रे निसृष्टवान्। प्रविश्य फेन तं विष्णुरथ वृत्रं व्यनाशयत्॥
Quickly did he fling the foam with the thunderbolt at Vritra and Vishnu having entered the foam destroyed Vritra.
निहते तु ततो वृत्रे दिशो वितिमिराऽभवन्। प्रववौ च शिवो वायुः प्रजाश्च जहषुस्तथा॥
And Vritra being slain, the cardinal points became divested of darkness and a pleasant wind blew and the beings of the earth rejoiced.
ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वा यक्षरक्षोमहोरगाः। ऋषयश्च महेन्द्रं तमस्तुवन् विविधैः स्तवैः॥
And then the gods along with the Gandharvas, Yakshas, Rakshasas and Pannagas and the Rishis propitiated the great Indra with diverse hymns.
नमस्कृतः सर्वभूतैः सर्वभूता सान्त्वयत्। हत्वा शत्रु प्रहृष्टात्मा वासवः सह दैवतैः॥
Being bowed down to by all beings, he encouraged all the beings in his turn. Slaying the enemy, the mind of Vasava became delighted with the gods.
विष्णुं त्रिभुवनश्रेष्ठं पूजयामास धर्मवित्। ततो हते महावीर्ये वृत्रे देवभयंकरे॥
The one knowing virtue worshipped the foremost in the three worlds, Vishnu, after the great hero and fierce god Vritra was slain.
अनृतेनाभिभूतोऽभूच्छक्रः परमदुर्मनाः। त्रैशीर्षयाभिभूतश्च स पूर्वं ब्रह्महत्यया॥
Now, Shakra became overpowered by false-hood and exceedingly depressed in spirits and also overpowered by the sin of slaying the Brahmana (the three headed one).
सोऽन्तमाश्रित्य लोकानां नष्टसंज्ञो विचेतनः। न प्राज्ञायत देवेन्द्रस्त्वभिभूतः स्वकल्मषैः॥
Staying at the end of the worlds, he became deprived of his senses and consciousness and the chief of the gods overpowered with the weight of his own sins could not be recognised.
प्रतिच्छन्नोऽवसच्चाप्सु चेष्टमान इवोरगः। ततः प्रनष्टे देवेन्द्रे ब्रह्महत्याभयादिते॥
He remained as if in disguise under the water restless as a serpent. And then the lord of the gods, struck with the fear of the sin of killing a Brahmana, was destroyed, so to say.
भूमिः प्रध्वस्तसंकाशा निर्वृक्षा शुष्ककानना। विच्छिन्नस्रोतसो नद्यः सरांस्यनुदकानि च।॥
The earth became desolate and went to ruins and became treeless and the forests became dry. And the currents of the rivers became stopped and the lakes lost all their water.
संक्षोभश्चापि सत्त्वानामनावृष्टिकृतोऽभवत्। देवाश्चापि भृशं त्रस्तास्तथा सर्वे महर्षयः॥
And there came distress among the beings of the earth, owing to death of rain and the gods and the great Rishis remained struck with intense fear.
अराजकं जगत् सर्वमभिभूतमुपद्रवैः। ततो भीताऽभवन् देवाः को नो राजा भरेदिति॥
And the entire world oppressed with anarchy became overpowered with all sorts of disasters and the gods became frightened for no hody would be their king.
दिवि देवर्षयश्चापि देवराजविनाकृताः। न स्म कश्चन देवानां राज्ये वै कुरुते मतिम्॥
And the divine saints in heaven also being deprived of the protection of the king of the gods became fearful. No body was inclined to be the king of the gods.