05.015
śalya uvāca॥
Śalya spoke:
evamuktaḥ sa bhagavāñśacyā punarathābravīt। vikramasya na kālo'yaṃ nahuṣo balavattaraḥ ॥5-15-1॥
Having been addressed thus by Śacī, the revered one spoke again, saying that this is not the time for valor as Nahuṣa is stronger.
vivardhitaśca ṛṣibhirhavyaiḥ kavyaśca bhāmini। nītimatra vidhāsyāmi devi tāṃ kartumarhasi ॥5-15-2॥
O splendid one, nourished by sages with oblations and offerings, I will establish the policy here, O goddess, you should carry it out.
guhyaṃ caitattvayā kāryaṃ nākhyātavyaṃ śubhe kvacit। gatvā nahuṣamekānte bravīhi tanumadhyame ॥5-15-3॥
O auspicious one, you must not disclose this secret anywhere. Go to Nahusha in private and speak, O slender-waisted one.
ṛṣiyānena divyena māmupaihi jagatpate। evaṃ tava vaśe prītā bhaviṣyāmīti taṃ vada ॥5-15-4॥
She requested the lord of the world to approach her by the divine chariot, promising that she would be pleased and under his control.
ityuktā devarājena patnī sā kamalekṣaṇā। evamastvityathoktvā tu jagāma nahuṣaṃ prati ॥5-15-5॥
The lotus-eyed wife, having been addressed by the king of gods, agreed and proceeded towards Nahusha.
nahuṣastāṃ tato dṛṣṭvā vismito vākyamabravīt। svāgataṃ te varārohe kiṃ karomi śucismite ॥5-15-6॥
Nahusha, upon seeing her, was astonished and said: "Welcome, O beautiful lady, what can I do for you, O one with a pure smile?"
bhaktaṁ māṁ bhaja kalyāṇi kimicchasi manasvini। tava kalyāṇi yatkāryaṁ tatkariṣye sumadhyame ॥5-15-7॥
O auspicious one, worship me. What do you desire, O noble-minded one? Whatever your task is, O auspicious one, I shall accomplish it, O slender-waisted one.
na ca vrīḍā tvayā kāryā suśroṇi mayi viśvasa। satyena vai śape devi kartāsmi vacanaṃ tava ॥5-15-8॥
Do not be ashamed, O lady with beautiful hips, trust me. I swear by truth, O goddess, I will fulfill your promise.
indrāṇyuvāca॥
Indrani spoke:
yo me tvayā kṛtaḥ kālastamākāṅkṣe jagatpate। tatastvameva bhartā me bhaviṣyasi surādhipa ॥5-15-9॥
I long for the time you have set, O lord of the world. Then you alone will be my husband, O lord of the gods.
kāryaṃ ca hṛdi me yattaddevarājāvadhāraya। vakṣyāmi yadi me rājanpriyametatkariṣyasi ॥ vākyaṃ praṇayasaṃyuktaṃ tataḥ syāṃ vaśagā tava ॥5-15-10॥
Understand the task that is in my heart, O king of gods. If you, O king, will do this dear thing of mine, I will speak. Then, with affection, I will be under your control.
indrasya vājino vāhā hastino'tha rathāstathā। icchāmyahamihāpūrvaṃ vāhanaṃ te surādhipa ॥ yanna viṣṇorna rudrasya nāsurāṇāṃ na rakṣasām ॥5-15-11॥
Indra has horses, elephants, and chariots as his vehicles. I wish to have an unprecedented vehicle for you here, O lord of gods, which neither Vishnu, nor Rudra, nor the demons, nor the fiends possess.
vahantu tvāṃ mahārāja ṛṣayaḥ saṅgatā vibho। sarve śibikayā rājannetaddhi mama rocate ॥5-15-12॥
O great king, may the assembled sages carry you by palanquin, O lord; this indeed pleases me, O king.
nāsureṣu na deveṣu tulyo bhavitumarhasi। sarveṣāṃ teja ādatsva svena vīryeṇa darśanāt ॥ na te pramukhataḥ sthātuṃ kaścidicchati vīryavān ॥5-15-13॥
You are unparalleled among demons and gods. Absorb the splendor of all with your own strength by mere sight. No strong person dares to stand before you.
śalya uvāca॥
Śalya said:
evamuktastu nahuṣaḥ prāhṛṣyata tadā kila। uvāca vacanaṃ cāpi surendrastāmaninditām ॥5-15-14॥
Upon being addressed in this manner, Nahusha was indeed delighted at that time. The lord of gods also spoke to her, the blameless one.
apūrvaṃ vāhanam idaṃ tvayoktaṃ varavarṇini। dṛḍhaṃ me rucitaṃ devi tvadvaśo'smi varānane ॥5-15-15॥
O beautiful one, this unique vehicle you mentioned is indeed firm and pleasing to me, O goddess. I am under your command, O lovely-faced one.
na hyalpavīryo bhavati yo vāhānkurute munīn। ahaṃ tapasvī balavānbhūtabhavyabhavatprabhuḥ ॥5-15-16॥
Indeed, one who makes sages his vehicles is not of little strength. I am a powerful ascetic, the lord of past, present, and future.
mayi kruddhe jagan na syān mayi sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam। devadānavagandharvāḥ kiṃnaroragarākṣasāḥ ॥5-15-17॥
If I become angry, the entire universe would cease to exist, as everything is established in me. This includes gods, demons, celestial musicians, kinnaras, serpents, and demons.
na me kruddhasya paryāptāḥ sarve lokāḥ śucismite। cakṣuṣā yaṃ prapaśyāmi tasya tejo harāmyaham ॥5-15-18॥
O pure-smiled one, none of the worlds are enough to contain my anger. With my gaze, I diminish the brilliance of anyone I look upon.
tasmātte vacanaṃ devi kariṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ। saptarṣayo māṃ vakṣyanti sarve brahmarṣayastathā ॥ paśya māhātmyamasmākamṛddhiṃ ca varavarṇini ॥5-15-19॥
Therefore, O goddess, I will certainly do as you say, without any doubt. The seven sages and all the Brahma sages will also inform me. Behold our greatness and prosperity, O beautiful one.
evamuktvā tu tāṃ devīṃ visṛjya ca varānanām। vimāne yojayitvā sa ṛṣīnniyamamāsthitān ॥5-15-20॥
After speaking thus to the goddess and granting her boons, he placed the disciplined sages in the chariot.
abrahmaṇyo balopeto matto varamadena ca। kāmavṛttaḥ sa duṣṭātmā vāhayāmāsa tānṛṣīn ॥5-15-21॥
The wicked-minded one, not devoted to Brahman and filled with strength and intoxication from excessive pride and lust, caused those sages to be carried away.
nahuṣeṇa visṛṣṭā ca bṛhaspatimuvāca sā। samayo'lpāvaśeṣo me nahuṣeṇeha yaḥ kṛtaḥ ॥ śakraṃ mṛgaya śīghraṃ tvaṃ bhaktāyāḥ kuru me dayām ॥5-15-22॥
Sent by Nahusha, she spoke to Brihaspati, "The time I have left here, given by Nahusha, is short. Quickly find Indra and show mercy to my devotee."
bāḍhamityeva bhagavānbṛhaspatiruvāca tām। na bhetavyaṃ tvayā devi nahuṣādduṣṭacetasaḥ ॥5-15-23॥
Bṛhaspati, the revered sage, assured her, saying, "Certainly, do not fear, O goddess, the wicked-minded Nahusha."
na hyeṣa sthāsyati ciraṃ gata eṣa narādhamaḥ। adharmājño maharṣīṇāṃ vāhanācca hataḥ śubhe ॥5-15-24॥
This worst of men, who is ignorant of righteousness, will not stay for long. He has been killed and is gone from the vehicle of the great sages, O auspicious one.
iṣṭiṁ cāhaṁ kariṣyāmi vināśāyāsya durmateḥ। śakraṁ cādhigamiṣyāmi mā bhaistvaṁ bhadramastu te ॥5-15-25॥
I will perform a sacrifice to destroy this evil-minded person and will gain the favor of Indra. Do not fear, may you be safe and well.
tataḥ prajvālya vidhivajjuhāva paramaṃ haviḥ। bṛhaspatirmahātejā devarājopalabdhaye ॥5-15-26॥
Then, Bṛhaspati, the one with great splendor, kindled the supreme oblation according to the rules for the attainment of the king of gods.
tasmācca bhagavāndevaḥ svayameva hutāśanaḥ। strīveṣamadbhutaṃ kṛtvā sahasāntaradhīyata ॥5-15-27॥
Therefore, the revered god Agni himself took on a marvelous female form and vanished suddenly.
sa diśaḥ pradiśaścaiva parvatāṃśca vanāni ca। pṛthivīṃ cāntarikṣaṃ ca vicīyātimanogatiḥ ॥ nimeṣāntaramātreṇa bṛhaspatimupāgamat ॥5-15-28॥
With the speed of thought, he searched all directions, mountains, forests, the earth, and the sky, and reached Bṛhaspati in the blink of an eye.
agniruvāca॥
Agni spoke:
bṛhaspate na paśyāmi devarājamahaṃ kvacit। āpaḥ śeṣāḥ sadā cāpaḥ praveṣṭuṃ notsahāmyaham ॥5-15-29॥
O Brihaspati, I cannot see the king of gods anywhere. I am unable to enter the remaining waters at any time.
na me tatra gatirbrahmankimanyatkaravāṇi te ॥5-15-29॥
O Brahman, I have no other way there; what else can I do for you?
śalya uvāca॥
Śalya spoke:
tamabravīddevagururapo viśa mahādyute। agniruvāca॥
The teacher of the gods instructed him, "Enter the water, O brilliant one." Agni responded:
nāpaḥ praveṣṭuṃ śakṣyāmi kṣayo me'tra bhaviṣyati। śaraṇaṃ tvāṃ prapanno'smi svasti te'stu mahādyute ॥5-15-31॥
I cannot enter the water; my end will come here. I have sought refuge in you. May you be well, O great radiant one.
adbhyo'gnirbrahmataḥ kṣatramaśmano lohamutthitam। teṣāṃ sarvatragaṃ tejaḥ svāsu yoniṣu śāmyati ॥5-15-32॥
Fire arose from water, the warrior class from Brahman, and metal from stone. Their pervasive energy returns to their respective origins.
