12.272
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
aho dharmiṣṭhatā tāta vṛtrasyāmitatejasaḥ। yasya vijñānam atulaṃ viṣṇor bhaktiś ca tādṛśī ॥12-272-1॥
O dear, how righteous was Vṛtra of immeasurable brilliance! His knowledge was incomparable, and his devotion to Viṣṇu was of the highest kind.
durvijñeyam idaṃ tāta viṣṇor amitatejasaḥ। kathaṃ vā rājaśārdūla padaṃ taj jñātavān asau ॥12-272-2॥
O dear one, this is difficult to comprehend regarding Viṣṇu of immeasurable splendor. O tiger among kings, how did he come to know that state?
bhavatā kathitaṃ hy etac chraddadhe cāham acyuta। bhūyas tu me samutpannā buddhir avyaktadarśanāt ॥12-272-3॥
O Acyuta, what you have spoken, I do indeed believe. Yet, my understanding has again arisen from perceiving the unmanifest.
kathaṁ vinihato vṛtraḥ śakreṇa bharatarṣabha। dharmiṣṭho viṣṇubhaktaśca tattvajñaśca padānvaye ॥12-272-4॥
O best of the Bharatas, how was Vṛtra, who was righteous, a devotee of Viṣṇu, and a knower of truth, slain by Śakra? Please explain in detail.
etan me saṃśayaṃ brūhi pṛcchato bharatarṣabha। vṛtrastu rājaśārdūla yathā śakreṇa nirjitaḥ ॥12-272-5॥
O bull among the Bharatas, tell me this doubt as I ask you. O tiger among kings, how was Vṛtra conquered by Śakra (Indra)?
yathā caivābhavadyuddhaṃ taccācakṣva pitāmaha। vistareṇa mahābāho paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi me ॥12-272-6॥
O grandsire, please tell me in detail how the battle happened, for I, O mighty-armed one, have great curiosity about it.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
rathenendraḥ prayāto vai sārdhaṃ suragaṇaiḥ purā। dadarśāthāgrato vṛtraṃ viṣṭhitaṃ parvatopamam ॥12-272-7॥
Once, Indra departed in his chariot together with the hosts of gods. Then, in front of him, he saw Vṛtra stationed, resembling a mountain.
yojanānāṃ śatāny ūrdhvaṃ pañcocchritam ariṃdama। śatāni vistareṇātha trīṇy evābhyadhikāni tu॥12-272-8॥
O subduer of enemies, it is five hundred yojanas high; and in breadth, it exceeds by three hundred yojanas.
tatprekṣya tādṛśaṃ rūpaṃ trailokyenāpi durjayam। vṛtrasya devāḥ santrastā na śāntimupalebhire ॥12-272-9॥
When the gods saw Vṛtra's form, so formidable that even the three worlds could not overcome it, they were seized with terror and found no peace.
śakrasya tu tadā rājann ūrustambho vyajāyata। bhayād vṛtrasya sahasā dṛṣṭvā tad rūpam uttamam ॥12-272-10॥
But then, O king, Indra's thigh appeared suddenly out of fear of Vṛtra, upon seeing that supreme form.
tato nādaḥ samabhavad vāditrāṇāṃ ca nisvanaḥ। devāsurāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ tasmin yuddha upasthite ॥12-272-11॥
Then, as the battle commenced, the sound of musical instruments and the resounding cries of all the gods and asuras arose.
atha vṛtrasya kauravya dṛṣṭvā śakram-upasthitam। na sambhramo na bhīḥ kācid āsthā vā samajāyata ॥12-272-12॥
Then, O Kauravya, when Indra arrived before Vṛtra, there was neither confusion, nor any fear, nor any regard that arose.
tataḥ samabhavadyuddhaṃ trailokyasya bhayaṅkaram। śakrasya ca surendrasya vṛtrasya ca mahātmanaḥ ॥12-272-13॥
Then a dreadful battle broke out across the three worlds between Śakra, the lord of the gods, and the great-souled Vṛtra.
asibhiḥ paṭṭiśaiḥ śūlaiḥ śaktitomaramudgaraiḥ| śilābhirvividhābhiśca kārmukaiśca mahāsvanaiḥ ॥12-272-14॥
They fought with swords, spears, pikes, lances, javelins, maces, stones, various other weapons, and bows, all producing great sounds.
astraiś ca vividhair divyaiḥ pāvakolkābhir eva ca। devāsurais tataḥ sainyaiḥ sarvam āsīt samākulam ॥12-272-15॥
The entire field was thrown into confusion by various divine missiles, fire-meteors, and the armies of gods and asuras.
pitāmaha-purogāś ca sarve devagaṇās tathā | ṛṣayaś ca mahābhāgās tad yuddhaṃ draṣṭum āgaman ||12-272-16||
All the gods, headed by the grandsire, and the greatly fortunate sages, came together to witness that battle.
vimānāgryairmahārāja siddhāśca bharatarṣabha। gandharvāśca vimānāgryairapsarobhiḥ samāgaman ॥12-272-17॥
O great king, the Siddhas and Gandharvas, O bull among the Bharatas, came together in excellent aerial cars along with the Apsarases.
tato'ntarikṣam āvṛtya vṛtro dharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ। aśmavarṣeṇa devendraṃ parvatāt samavākirat ॥12-272-18॥
Then Vṛtra, the foremost among the upholders of dharma, covered the sky and, from the mountain, showered stones upon Indra, lord of the gods.
tato devagaṇāḥ kruddhāḥ sarvataḥ śastravṛṣṭibhiḥ। aśmavarṣam apohanta vṛtrapreritam āhave ॥12-272-19॥
Then, enraged, the hosts of gods from all sides repelled the stone shower unleashed by Vṛtra in the battle.
vṛtraś ca kuruśārdūla mahāmāyo mahābalaḥ। mohayāmāsa devendraṃ māyāyuddhena sarvataḥ ॥12-272-20॥
O tiger among the Kurus, Vṛtra, possessing great illusion and great strength, bewildered Indra, the lord of the gods, by illusory warfare on all sides.
tasya vṛtrārditasyātha moha āsīcchatakratoḥ। rathantareṇa taṃ tatra vasiṣṭhaḥ samabodhayat ॥12-272-21॥
Then, Śatakratu (Indra), afflicted by Vṛtra, fell into delusion. There, Vasiṣṭha awakened him by means of the Rathantara Sāman.
vasiṣṭha uvāca॥
Vasiṣṭha said.
devaśreṣṭho'si devendra surārivinibarhaṇa। trailokyabalasaṃyuktaḥ kasmācchakra viṣīdasi ॥12-272-22॥
O Indra, you are the foremost among the gods, the destroyer of the enemies of the gods, and endowed with the strength of the three worlds; why then, O Śakra, do you despair?
eṣa brahmā ca viṣṇuśca śivaścaiva jagatprabhuḥ। somaśca bhagavāndevaḥ sarve ca paramarṣayaḥ ॥12-272-23॥
This is Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva, the lord of the world; Soma, the venerable god, and all the supreme seers.
mā kārṣīḥ kaśmalaṃ śakra kaścid evetaro yathā। āryāṃ yuddhe matiṃ kṛtvā jahi śatruṃ sureśvara ॥12-272-24॥
O Śakra, do not fall into dejection like any other; make a noble resolve in battle and conquer the enemy, O lord of the gods.
eṣa lokagurustryakṣaḥ sarvalokanamaskṛtaḥ। nirīkṣate tvāṃ bhagavāṃstyaja mohaṃ sureśvara ॥12-272-25॥
This teacher of the world, the three-eyed one, revered by all worlds, is watching you, O blessed one; give up delusion, O lord of the gods.
ete brahmarṣayaścaiva bṛhaspatipurogamāḥ। stavena śakra divyena stuvanti tvāṃ jayāya vai ॥12-272-26॥
These Brahmarṣis, led by Bṛhaspati, praise you, O Śakra, with a divine hymn for victory.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
evaṃ sambodhyamānasya vasiṣṭhena mahātmanā। atīva vāsavasya āsīd balam uttamatejasaḥ ॥12-272-27॥
Thus, when Vasiṣṭha, the great-souled sage, addressed him, the strength of Vāsava (Indra), endowed with supreme brilliance, became exceedingly great.
tato buddhim upāgamya bhagavān pākāśāsanaḥ। yogena mahatā yuktaḥ tām māyām vyapakarṣata ॥12-272-28॥
Then the venerable Indra, having approached with intellect and being engaged in great yoga, dispelled that illusion.
tato'ṅgiraḥsutaḥ śrīmāṃste caiva paramarṣayaḥ। dṛṣṭvā vṛtrasya vikrāntamupagamya maheśvaram ॥ ūcurvṛtravināśārthaṃ lokānāṃ hitakāmyayā ॥12-272-29॥
Then, the prosperous son of Aṅgiras and the supreme sages, having witnessed Vṛtra's valor, approached the great lord and spoke, seeking the destruction of Vṛtra for the welfare of all worlds.
tato bhagavatas tejo jvaro bhūtvā jagatpateḥ। samāviśan mahāraudraṃ vṛtraṃ daityavaraṃ tadā ॥12-272-30॥
Then, the divine energy of the Lord, having assumed the form of fever, entered into the dreadful Vṛtra, the chief among the Daityas, at that moment.
viṣṇuś ca bhagavān devaḥ sarvalokābhipūjitaḥ। aindraṃ samāviśad vajraṃ lokasaṃrakṣaṇe rataḥ ॥12-272-31॥
Viṣṇu, the revered god honored by all worlds, entered into Indra's thunderbolt, intent on protecting the worlds.
tato bṛhaspatirdhīmānupāgamya śatakratum। vasiṣṭhaśca mahātejāḥ sarve ca paramarṣayaḥ ॥12-272-32॥
Then Bṛhaspati, the wise, approached Indra; Vasiṣṭha, of great splendor, and all the supreme sages also came.
te samāsādya varadaṃ vāsavaṃ lokapūjitam। ūcurekāgramanaso jahi vṛtramiti prabho ॥12-272-33॥
They approached Indra, the bestower of boons, honored by the worlds, and with focused minds said, "O lord, slay Vṛtra."
maheśvara uvāca॥
The great lord Maheshvara said.
eṣa vṛtro mahāñśakra balena mahatā vṛtaḥ। viśvātmā sarvagaścaiva bahumāyaśca viśrutaḥ ॥12-272-34॥
O Śakra, this Vṛtra is enveloped by great strength. He is the soul of all, all-pervading, possessed of many illusions, and renowned.
tadenamasuraśreṣṭhaṃ trailokyenāpi durjayam। jahi tvaṃ yogamāsthāya māvamaṃsthāḥ sureśvara ॥12-272-35॥
O lord of the gods, do not despise him who is the best among Asuras and difficult to conquer even by the three worlds; slay him, resorting to yoga.
anena hi tapas taptaṃ balārtham amarādhipa। ṣaṣṭiṃ varṣasahasrāṇi brahmā cāsmai varaṃ dadau ॥12-272-36॥
O lord of the immortals, by this, austerity was indeed performed for the sake of strength. For sixty thousand years, Brahmā granted him a boon.
mahatvaṃ yogināṃ caiva mahāmāyatvameva ca। mahābalatvaṃ ca tathā tejaścāgryaṃ sureśvara ॥12-272-37॥
O lord of the gods, greatness, supreme illusion, immense strength, splendor, and excellence are attributes of yogins.
etad vai māmakaṃ tejaḥ samāviśati vāsava। vṛtram enaṃ tvam api evaṃ jahi vajreṇa dānavam ॥12-272-38॥
O Vāsava, my energy now enters you. Slay this demon Vṛtra with your thunderbolt in this way.
śakra uvāca॥
Indra said.
bhagavaṃs tvatprasādena ditijaṃ sudurāsadam। vajreṇa nihaniṣyāmi paśyataste surarṣabha ॥12-272-39॥
O Lord, by your grace, I shall slay the son of Diti, who is very difficult to approach, with the thunderbolt, while you watch, O best of the gods.
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
āviśyamāne daitye tu jvareṇātha mahāsure। devatānām ṛṣīṇāṃ ca harṣānnādo mahānabhūt ॥12-272-40॥
But as the fever entered the Daitya, the great Asura, a great sound of joy arose from the gods and sages.
tato dundubhayaś caiva śaṅkhāś ca sumahāsvanāḥ। murajā ḍiṇḍimāś caiva prāvādyanta sahasraśaḥ ॥12-272-41॥
Then thousands of kettle-drums, conch-shells, drums, and tabors of great sound were sounded together.
asurāṇāṃ tu sarveṣāṃ smṛtilopo'bhavan mahān। prajñānāśaś ca balavān kṣaṇena samapadyata ॥12-272-42॥
But for all the asuras, there was a great loss of memory, and a powerful loss of wisdom overtook them instantly.
tamāviṣṭamatho jñātvā ṛṣayo devatāstathā। stuvantaḥ śakramīśānaṃ tathā prācodayannapi ॥12-272-43॥
Then, having known him to be possessed, the sages and gods, praising Indra the lord, also urged him.
rathasthasya hi śakrasya yuddhakāle mahātmanaḥ। ṛṣibhiḥ stūyamānasya rūpam āsīt sudurdṛśam ॥12-272-44॥
At the time of battle, the form of the great-souled Śakra, standing on the chariot and being praised by the sages, was very difficult to behold.
