शल्य उवाच ततः शक्रः स्तूयमानो गन्धर्वप्सरसां गणैः। ऐरावतं समारुह्य द्विपेन्द्रं लक्षणैर्युतम्॥ पावकः सुमहातेजा महर्षिश्च बृहस्पतिः। यमश्च वरुणश्चैव कुबेश्च धनेश्वरः॥ सर्वैर्देवैः परिवृतः शक्रो वृत्रनिषूदनः। गन्धर्वैरप्सरोभिश्च यातस्त्रिभुवनं प्रभुः॥
Shalya said Then Shakra being glorified by the Gandharvas and the celestial nymphs, ascended on the Airavata, the chief among elephants, which bore auspicious marks. The god of fire, of very great strength and the great Rishi Brihaspati, Yama, Varuna and Kubera, the god of wealth, surrounded by all these gods and by the Gandharvas and the celestial nymphs Shakra, the slayer of Vritra and the lord of the three worlds, went round.
स समेत्य महेन्द्राण्या देवराजः शतक्रतुः। मुदा परमया युक्तः पालयामास देवराट्॥
Being united with his queen the great Indra, the king of the gods, the performer of a hundred sacrifices, highly pleased ruled over the gods.
ततः स भगवांस्तत्र अङ्गिराः समदृश्यता अथर्ववेदमन्त्रैश्च देवेन्द्रं समपूजयत्॥
Then the god there Angira propitiating the king of the gods by chanting hymns from the Atharvaveda.
ततस्तु भगवानिन्द्रः संहृष्टः समपद्यत। वरं च प्रददौ तस्मै अथर्वाङ्गिरसे तदा॥
saw Then the god Indra became highly pleased and he granted a boon to Angiras who was chanting the Atharvaveda.
अथर्वाङ्गिरसो नाम वेदोऽस्मिन् वै भविष्यति। उदाहरणमेतद्धि यक्षभागं च लप्स्यसे॥
To this Veda, there will be given the name of Atharvangirasa; this is an example; and you will also get a share of the offerings in a sacrifice.
एवं सम्पूज्य भगवानथर्वाङ्गिरसं तदा। व्यसर्जयन्महाराज देवराजः शतक्रतुः॥
The god having thus greeted Angirasa, the king of the gods, the performer of a hundred sacrifices dismissed him, O great king.
सम्पूज्य सर्वास्त्रिदशानृषीश्चापि तपोधनान्। इन्द्रः प्रमुदितो राजन् धर्मेणापालयत् प्रजाः॥
Doing due honours to all, to the thirteen Rishis and those whose wealth consisted in devotion alone and well pleased, Indra ruled over his subjects with virtue, O king.
एवं दुःखमनुप्राप्तमिन्द्रेण सह भार्यया। अज्ञातवासश्च कृतः शत्रूणां वधकाझ्या॥
Such was the trouble experienced by Indra in company with his queen; he had also to remain unknown in exile through his wishing for the downfall of his enemies.
नात्र मन्युस्त्वया कार्यो यत् क्लिष्टोऽसि महावने। द्रौपद्या सह राजेन्द्र भ्रातृभिश्च महात्मभिः॥
You should not, for this reason, mind the troubles that you experienced in the great forest in company with Draupadi, O chief among kings and your noble minded brothers.
एवं त्वमपि राजेन्द्र राज्यं प्राप्स्यसि भारता वृत्रं हत्वा यथा प्राप्तः शक्रः कौरवनन्दन॥
O chief among kings, O son of Bharata, you too will get your kingdom in the same way as Shakra got his by slaying Vritra, O you who cause rejoicing among the race of Kurus.
दुराचारश्च नहुषो ब्रह्मविट् पापचेतनः। अगस्त्यशापाभिहतो विनष्टः शाश्वती: समाः॥
Nahusha, of evil habits, the enemy of Brahmanas, of vicious mind, was overthrown through the curse of Agastya and absolutely ruined for a long period.
एवं तव दुरात्मानः शत्रवः शत्रुसूदन्। क्षिप्रं नाशं गमिष्यन्ति कर्णदुर्योधनादयः॥
So shall your evil minded foes, Karna, Duryodhana and others, O subduer of enemies, soon meet with ruin.
ततः सागरपर्यन्तां भोक्ष्यसे मेदिनीमिमाम्। भ्रातृभिः सहितो वीर द्रौपद्या च सहानया॥
Then will you come into the possess of this world ending with the ocean, in company with your brothers, O hero and this lady Draupadi.
उपाख्यानमिदं शक्रविजयं वेदसम्मितम्। राज्ञा व्यूढेष्वनीकेषु श्रोतव्यं जयमिच्छता॥
This story of the victory of Shakra is of the same rank, as the Veda, with regard to its sanctity and it ought to be listened to by a king who is desirous of a victory and who has his army ready for battle.
तस्मात् संश्रावयामि त्वां विजयं जयतां वर। संस्तूयमाना वर्धन्ते महात्मानो युधिष्ठिर॥
Therefore do I make it listened to by you so that you may gain a victory, O best of victors. The great minded increase (in strength) by being glorified, O Yudhishthira.
क्षत्रियाणामभावोऽयं युधिष्ठिर महात्मनाम्। दुर्योधनापराधेन भीमार्जुनबलेन च॥
O Yudhishthira, the destruction of large minded Kshatriyas, through the crimes of Duryodhana and the strength of Bhima and Arjuna, is approaching.
आख्यानमिन्द्रविजयं य इदं नियतः पठेत्। धूतपाप्मा जितस्वर्गः परत्रेह च मोदते॥
He who constantly reads this story of the victory of Indra becomes free from (the effects of) his crimes and goes to heaven and passes his life pleasantly in this world and in another.
न चारिजं भयं तस्य नापुत्रो वा भवेन्नरः। नापदं प्राप्नुयात् कांचिदं दीर्घमायुश्च विन्दति। सर्वत्र जयमाप्नोति न कदाचित् पराजयम्॥
He need not have any fear from his enemy and he will never become sonless. He will never meet with any danger and he will live a long life. Everywhere he will get victories and seldom defeat.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमाश्वासितो राजा शल्येन भरतर्षभ। पूजयामास विधिवच्छल्यं धर्मभृतां वरः॥
Vaishampayana said The king being thus encouraged by Shalya, O you best of the race of Bharata, that chief among the supporters of virtue did due honours to Shalya.
श्रुत्वा तु शल्यवचनं कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। प्रत्युवाच महाबाहुर्मद्रराजमिदं वचः॥
And Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, having heard the speech of Shalya, said these words in reply to the king of Madra of long arms.
भवान् कर्णस्य सारथ्यं करिष्यति न संशयः। तत्र तेजोवधः कार्यः कर्णस्यार्जुनसंस्तवः॥
The post of charioteer of Karna will be field by you no doubt and from that position shall you destroy the spirit of Karna by chanting the glories of Arjuna.
शल्य उवाच एवमेतत् करिष्यामि यथा मां सम्प्रभाषसे। यच्चान्यदपि शक्ष्यामि तत् करिष्याम्यहं तव।॥
Shalya said I shall do this, even as you dictate to me; and whatever else that I am able to do I shall do for you.
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततस्त्वामन्त्र्य कौन्तेयाञ्छल्यो मद्राधिपस्तदा। जगाम सबलः श्रीमान् दुर्योधनमरिंदम॥
Vaishampayana said The ruler of Madra, Shalya, having bade farewell to the sons of Kunti, that beautiful man went with his army to Duryodhana, O subduer of foes.