13.140
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
इत्युक्तः स तदा तूष्णीमभूद्वायुस्ततोऽब्रवीत्। शृणु राजन्नगस्त्यस्य माहात्म्यं ब्राह्मणस्य ह ॥१३-१४०-१॥
Having thus been addressed, he (Vāyu) then became silent; then Vāyu spoke: "Listen, O king, to the greatness of the Brāhmaṇa Agastya." (13-140-1)
असुरैर्निर्जिता देवा निरुत्साहाश्च ते कृताः। यज्ञाश्चैषां हृताः सर्वे पितृभ्यश्च स्वधा तथा ॥१३-१४०-२॥
The gods have been defeated by the Asuras and rendered dispirited; all their sacrifices and the offerings to the ancestors have also been taken away. (13-140-2)
कर्मेज्या मानवानां च दानवैर्हैहयर्षभ। भ्रष्टैश्वर्यास्ततो देवाश्चेरुः पृथ्वीमिति श्रुतिः ॥१३-१४०-३॥
O bull among the Haihayas, tradition says that, due to being worshipped through ritual acts by humans and by asuras, the gods, having lost their power, then wandered upon the earth. (13-140-3)
ततः कदाचित्ते राजन्दीप्तमादित्यवर्चसम्। ददृशुस्तेजसा युक्तमगस्त्यं विपुलव्रतम् ॥१३-१४०-४॥
Then, O king, at some time they saw the sage Agastya, endowed with brilliance and shining with the splendor of the sun, who was possessed of a great vow. (13-140-4)
अभिवाद्य च तं देवा दृष्ट्वा च यशसा वृतम्। इदमूचुर्महात्मानं वाक्यं काले जनाधिप ॥१३-१४०-५॥
Having greeted him, the gods, seeing him surrounded by fame, addressed these words to the great-souled one at the right moment, O lord of the people. (13-140-5)
दानवैर्युधि भग्नाः स्म तथैश्वर्याच्च भ्रंशिताः। तदस्मान्नो भयात्तीव्रात्त्राहि त्वं मुनिपुङ्गव ॥१३-१४०-६॥
We have indeed been defeated in battle by the Dānavas and likewise have been deprived of our sovereignty. Therefore, O best of sages, protect us from this intense fear. (13-140-6)
इत्युक्तः स तदा देवैरगस्त्यः कुपितोऽभवत्। प्रजज्वाल च तेजस्वी कालाग्निरिव सङ्क्षये ॥१३-१४०-७॥
When thus addressed by the gods, Agastya became angry; he blazed with radiance like the fire of destruction at the end of time. (13-140-7)
तेन दीप्तांशुजालेन निर्दग्धा दानवास्तदा। अन्तरिक्षान्महाराज न्यपतन्त सहस्रशः ॥१३-१४०-८॥
O great king, by that blazing network of rays, the Daityas were burnt and then fell from the sky by the thousands. (13-140-8)
दह्यमानास्तु ते दैत्यास्तस्यागस्त्यस्य तेजसा। उभौ लोकौ परित्यज्य ययुः काष्ठां स्म दक्षिणाम् ॥१३-१४०-९॥
But those Daityas, scorched by the radiance of Agastya, abandoned both worlds and went to the southern direction. (13-140-9)
बलिस्तु यजते यज्ञमश्वमेधं महीं गतः। येऽन्ये स्वस्था महीस्थाश्च ते न दग्धा महासुराः ॥१३-१४०-१०॥
But Bali, having gone to the earth, performs the horse-sacrifice. The other great asuras who remain at ease on earth were not burnt. (13-140-10)
ततो लोकाः पुनः प्राप्ताः सुरैः शान्तं च तद्रजः। अथैनमब्रुवन्देवा भूमिष्ठानसुराञ्जहि ॥१३-१४०-११॥
Then the gods regained the worlds and the turmoil was pacified. After that, the gods said to him: "Destroy the asuras who dwell on the earth." (13-140-11)
इत्युक्त आह देवान्स न शक्नोमि महीगतान्। दग्धुं तपो हि क्षीयेन्मे धक्ष्यामीति च पार्थिव ॥१३-१४०-१२॥
Having been thus addressed, he said to the gods: "I am not able to burn those who have gone to earth; for indeed, my austerity would be diminished, O king, thus I will burn." (13-140-12)
एवं दग्धा भगवता दानवाः स्वेन तेजसा। अगस्त्येन तदा राजंस्तपसा भावितात्मना ॥१३-१४०-१३॥
Thus, O king, the Dānavas were burned by the blessed Agastya, who possessed his own splendor, through his austerity and purified soul. (13-140-13)
ईदृशश्चाप्यगस्त्यो हि कथितस्ते मयानघ। ब्रवीम्यहं ब्रूहि वा त्वमगस्त्यात्क्षत्रियं वरम् ॥१३-१४०-१४॥
Such an Agastya has also been described to you by me, O spotless one; I will tell, or you tell, about the boon of a Kṣatriya from Agastya. (13-140-14)
इत्युक्तः स तदा तूष्णीमभूद्वायुस्ततोऽब्रवीत्। शृणु राजन्वसिष्ठस्य मुख्यं कर्म यशस्विनः ॥१३-१४०-१५॥
When thus addressed, he became silent; then Vāyu spoke: "Listen, O king, to the chief deed of the illustrious Vasiṣṭha." (13-140-15)
आदित्याः सत्रमासन्त सरो वै मानसं प्रति। वसिष्ठं मनसा गत्वा श्रुत्वा तत्रास्य गोचरम् ॥१३-१४०-१६॥
The Ādityas were conducting a sacrificial session near Lake Mānasa. By mind they reached Vasiṣṭha and heard there of his domain. (13-140-16)
यजमानांस्तु तान्दृष्ट्वा व्यग्रान्दीक्षानुकर्शितान्। हन्तुमिच्छन्ति शैलाभाः खलिनो नाम दानवाः ॥१३-१४०-१७॥
But on seeing those sacrificers in an agitated state, exhausted by the rites, the demons named Khalinas, who are mountain-like and wicked, wish to kill them. (13-140-17)
अदूरात्तु ततस्तेषां ब्रह्मदत्तवरं सरः। हता हता वै ते तत्र जीवन्त्याप्लुत्य दानवाः ॥१३-१४०-१८॥
However, not far from there is a lake granted by Brahma to them. The Dānavas who were thought to be slain are actually alive there, having plunged into it. (13-140-18)
ते प्रगृह्य महाघोरान्पर्वतान्परिघान्द्रुमान्। विक्षोभयन्तः सलिलमुत्थिताः शतयोजनम् ॥१३-१४०-१९॥
They, having seized very terrible mountains, clubs, and trees, arose a hundred yojanas high, agitating the water. (13-140-19)
अभ्यद्रवन्त देवांस्ते सहस्राणि दशैव ह। ततस्तैरर्दिता देवाः शरणं वासवं ययुः ॥१३-१४०-२०॥
Those very ten thousand certainly attacked the gods; then, being oppressed by them, the gods took refuge in Indra. (13-140-20)
स च तैर्व्यथितः शक्रो वसिष्ठं शरणं ययौ। ततोऽभयं ददौ तेभ्यो वसिष्ठो भगवानृषिः ॥१३-१४०-२१॥
And he, distressed by them, Śakra (Indra), went to Vasiṣṭha for refuge. Then, Vasiṣṭha, the illustrious sage, granted them fearlessness. (13-140-21)
तथा तान्दुःखिताञ्जानन्नानृशंस्यपरो मुनिः। अयत्नेनादहत्सर्वान्खलिनः स्वेन तेजसा ॥१३-१४०-२२॥
Thus, knowing them to be distressed, the compassionate sage, without any effort, burned all the wicked ones with his own energy. (13-140-22)
कैलासं प्रस्थितां चापि नदीं गङ्गां महातपाः। आनयत्तत्सरो दिव्यं तया भिन्नं च तत्सरः ॥१३-१४०-२३॥
The great ascetic brought the river Gaṅgā, who had set forth toward Kailāsa; that divine lake was split by her, and that lake (was thus formed). (13-140-23)
सरो भिन्नं तया नद्या सरयूः सा ततोऽभवत्। हताश्च खलिनो यत्र स देशः खलिनोऽभवत् ॥१३-१४०-२४॥
When the lake was broken by her, by the river, she then became Sarayu. And where the wicked were destroyed, that region became of the wicked. (13-140-24)
एवं सेन्द्रा वसिष्ठेन रक्षितास्त्रिदिवौकसः। ब्रह्मदत्तवराश्चैव हता दैत्या महात्मना ॥१३-१४०-२५॥
Thus, the inhabitants of heaven, along with Indra, were protected by Vasiṣṭha; those Daityas who had received boons from Brahmā were also slain by the great-souled one. (13-140-25)
एतत्कर्म वसिष्ठस्य कथितं ते मयानघ। ब्रवीम्यहं ब्रूहि वा त्वं वसिष्ठात्क्षत्रियं वरम् ॥१३-१४०-२६॥
This deed of Vasiṣṭha has been told to you by me, O sinless one. I have spoken; or, if you wish, you may ask Vasiṣṭha for a boon fitting for a kṣatriya. (13-140-26)
