05.013
śalya uvāca॥
Śalya spoke:
atha tāmabravīddṛṣṭvā nahuṣo devarāṭtadā। trayāṇāmapi lokānāmahamaindraḥ śucismite ॥ bhajasva māṃ varārohe patitve varavarṇini ॥5-13-1॥
Then Nahuṣa, the king of gods, upon seeing her, declared: "O pure-smiled one, I am the Indra of all three worlds. O beautiful lady, accept me as your husband, O lady of excellent complexion."
evamuktā tu sā devī nahuṣeṇa pativratā। prāvepata bhayodvignā pravāte kadalī yathā ॥5-13-2॥
Thus addressed by Nahusha, the devoted goddess trembled with fear, like a banana plant swaying in the wind.
namasya sā tu brahmāṇaṃ kṛtvā śirasi cāñjalim। devarājamathovāca nahuṣaṃ ghoradarśanam ॥5-13-3॥
She respectfully saluted Brahma, made a gesture of reverence with folded hands on her head, and then addressed Nahusha, the king of gods, who appeared terrifying.
kālam icchāmy ahaṃ labdhuṃ kiñcit tvattaḥ sureśvaraḥ। na hi vijñāyate śakraḥ prāptaḥ kiṃ vā kva vā gataḥ ॥5-13-4॥
I seek to gain some time from you, O lord of gods, as it is unclear whether Śakra has arrived or where he might have gone.
tattvam etat tu vijñāya yadi na jñāyate prabho। tato'ham tvām upasthāsye satyam etad bravīmi te॥ evam uktaḥ sa indrāṇyā nahuṣaḥ prītimān abhūt॥5-13-5॥
O lord, if this truth is not known after knowing it, then I will indeed approach you. I truly say this to you. Hearing these words from Indrani, Nahusha was pleased.
nahuṣa uvāca॥
Nahusha spoke:
evaṃ bhavatu suśroṇi yathā māmabhibhāṣase। jñātvā cāgamanaṃ kāryaṃ satyametadanusmareḥ ॥5-13-6॥
Let it be so, O beautiful-hipped one, as you have spoken to me. Remember this truth, knowing the arrival and duty.
śalya uvāca॥
Śalya spoke:
nahuṣeṇa visṛṣṭā ca niścakrāma tataḥ śubhā। bṛhaspatiniketaṃ sā jagāma ca tapasvinī ॥5-13-7॥
Released by Nahusha, the auspicious ascetic then departed and went to Brihaspati's abode.
tasyāḥ saṃśrutya ca vaco devāḥ sāgnipurogamāḥ। mantrayāmāsurekāgrāḥ śakrārthaṃ rājasattama ॥5-13-8॥
Upon hearing her words, the gods, with Agni at the forefront, gathered with focused minds to deliberate on behalf of Indra, O noble king.
devadevena saṅgamya viṣṇunā prabhaviṣṇunā। ūcuś cainaṃ samudvignā vākyaṃ vākyaviśāradāḥ ॥5-13-9॥
The experts in speech, having met with the mighty Vishnu, the god of gods, spoke to him in distress.
brahmahatyābhibhūto vai śakraḥ suragaṇeśvaraḥ। gatiśca nastvaṃ deveśa pūrvajo jagataḥ prabhuḥ ॥ rakṣārthaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ viṣṇutvamupajagmivān ॥5-13-10॥
Indra, the lord of the gods, was indeed overcome by the sin of killing a Brahmin. You, O lord of the gods and elder of the world, are our refuge. To protect all beings, you took on the form of Vishnu.
tvadvīryānnihate vṛtre vāsavo brahmahatyayā। vṛtaḥ suragaṇaśreṣṭha mokṣaṃ tasya vinirdiśa ॥5-13-11॥
O best of the celestial hosts, please guide Indra, who is afflicted by the sin of killing a Brahmin, to liberation after Vritra was slain by your power.
teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā devānāṃ viṣṇurabravīt। māmeva yajatāṃ śakraḥ pāvayiṣyāmi vajriṇam ॥5-13-12॥
Upon hearing those words from the gods, Vishnu declared: "Let Indra worship me alone; I shall purify the one who wields the thunderbolt."
puṇyena hayamedhena māmiṣṭvā pākaśāsanaḥ। punareṣyati devānāmindratvamakutobhayaḥ ॥5-13-13॥
By performing the horse-sacrifice and worshipping me, Indra, the ruler of the gods, will regain his position as the king of the gods, free from any fear.
svakarmabhiśca nahuṣo nāśaṃ yāsyati durmatiḥ। kañcitkālamimaṃ devā marṣayadhvamatandritāḥ ॥5-13-14॥
Nahusha, due to his own actions and evil nature, will eventually face destruction. O gods, please endure this situation for a while without growing weary.
śrutvā viṣṇoḥ śubhāṃ satyāṃ tāṃ vāṇīmamṛtopamām। tataḥ sarve suragaṇāḥ sopādhyāyāḥ saharṣibhiḥ ॥ yatra śakro bhayodvignastaṃ deśamupacakramuḥ ॥5-13-15॥
Upon hearing the auspicious and truthful speech of Viṣṇu, which was like nectar, all the gods, along with their teachers and sages, went to the place where Indra was troubled by fear.
tatrāśvamedhaḥ sumahānmahendrasya mahātmanaḥ। vavṛte pāvanārthaṃ vai brahmahatyāpaho nṛpa ॥5-13-16॥
There, a grand Ashvamedha (horse sacrifice) was conducted by the great Mahendra for the purpose of purification, serving as a means to absolve the sin of Brahminicide, O king.
vibhajya brahmahatyāṃ tu vṛkṣeṣu ca nadīṣu ca। parvateṣu pṛthivyāṃ ca strīṣu caiva yudhiṣṭhira ॥5-13-17॥
O Yudhishthira, the sin of killing a Brahmin is distributed among trees, rivers, mountains, the earth, and women.
saṁvibhajya ca bhūteṣu visṛjya ca sureśvaraḥ। vijvaraḥ pūtapāpmā ca vāsavo'bhavadātmavān ॥5-13-18॥
After distributing and releasing among the beings, the lord of gods, Indra, became free from fever and sin, and was self-possessed.
akampyaṃ nahuṣaṃ sthānāddṛṣṭvā ca balasūdanaḥ। tejo-ghnaṃ sarva-bhūtānāṃ varadānācca duḥsaham ॥5-13-19॥
The destroyer of strength, having seen Nahusha, who was unshakeable and removed from his position, and who was unbearable due to the boon, and a destroyer of the energy of all beings.
tataḥ śacīpatir vīraḥ punar eva vyanaśyata। adṛśyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ kālākāṅkṣī cacāra ha ॥5-13-20॥
Then the heroic lord of Shachi vanished once more. He became invisible to all beings and wandered, yearning for the right time.
pranaṣṭe tu tataḥ śakre śacī śokasamanvitā। hā śakreti tadā devī vilalāpa suduḥkhitā ॥5-13-21॥
When Śakra was destroyed, Śacī, overwhelmed with grief, cried out in deep sorrow, "Alas, O Śakra."
yadi dattaṁ yadi hutaṁ guravastoṣitā yadi। ekabhartṛtvamevāstu satyaṁ yadyasti vā mayi ॥5-13-22॥
If what has been given and offered has pleased the teachers, then let there be indeed the truth of having one husband, if that truth exists in me or not.
puṇyāṃ cemāmahaṃ divyāṃ pravṛttāmuttarāyaṇe। devīṃ rātriṃ namasyāmi sidhyatāṃ me manorathaḥ ॥5-13-23॥
I offer my respects to this sacred and divine night that has commenced in the northern course; may my wishes come true.
prayatā ca niśāṃ devīmupātiṣṭhata tatra sā। pativratātvātsatyena sopaśrutimathākarot ॥5-13-24॥
The prepared goddess approached the night there. Because of her chastity and truthfulness, she then listened.
yatrāste devarājo'sau taṃ deśaṃ darśayasva me। ityāhopaśrutiṃ devī satyaṃ satyena dṛśyatām ॥5-13-25॥
The goddess requested, "Show me the place where the king of gods resides." She declared to the hearing, "Let the truth be revealed by truth."
