13.140
bhīṣma uvāca॥
Bhīṣma said.
ityuktaḥ sa tadā tūṣṇīm abhūt vāyuḥ tato 'bravīt। śṛṇu rājan agastyasya māhātmyaṃ brāhmaṇasya ha॥ 13-140-1॥
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)
asurair nirjitā devā nirutsāhāś ca te kṛtāḥ। yajñāś caiṣāṃ hṛtāḥ sarve pitṛbhyaś ca svadhā tathā ॥13-140-2॥
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)
karmejyā mānavānāṃ ca dānavairhaihayaṛṣabha। bhraṣṭaiśvaryāstato devāśceruḥ pṛthvīmiti śrutiḥ॥13-140-3॥
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)
tataḥ kadācitte rājan dīptam āditya-varcasam। dadṛśus tejasā yuktam agastyaṃ vipula-vratam॥13-140-4॥
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)
abhivādya ca taṁ devā dṛṣṭvā ca yaśasā vṛtam। idam ūcur mahātmānaṁ vākyaṁ kāle janādhipa ॥13-140-5॥
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)
dānavair yudhi bhagnāḥ sma tathaiśvaryāc ca bhraṃśitāḥ. tadasmān no bhayāt tīvrāt trāhi tvaṃ munipuṅgava ॥13-140-6॥
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)
ityuktaḥ sa tadā devair agastyaḥ kupito 'bhavat। prajajvāla ca tejasvī kālāgnir iva saṅkṣaye ॥13-140-7॥
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)
tena dīptāṃśu-jālena nirdagdhā dānavās tadā। antarikṣāt mahārāja nyapatanta sahasraśaḥ ॥13-140-8॥
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)
dahyamānās tu te daityās tasyāgastyasya tejasā। ubhau lokau parityajya yayuḥ kāṣṭhāṁ sma dakṣiṇām ॥13-140-9॥
But those Daityas, scorched by the radiance of Agastya, abandoned both worlds and went to the southern direction. (13-140-9)
balis tu yajate yajñam aśvamedhaṃ mahīṃ gataḥ। ye ’nye svasthā mahī-sthāś ca te na dagdhā mahāsurāḥ ॥13-140-10॥
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)
tato lokāḥ punaḥ prāptāḥ suraiḥ śāntaṃ ca tad-rajaḥ. atha enam abruvan devā bhūmi-sthān asurān jahi ॥13-140-11॥
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)
ity-ukta āha devān sa na śaknomi mahīgatān। dagdhuṃ tapo hi kṣīyen me dhakṣyāmīti ca pārthiva॥13-140-12॥
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)
evaṁ dagdhā bhagavatā dānavāḥ svena tejasā। agastyena tadā rājaṁs tapasā bhāvitātmanā ॥13-140-13॥
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)
īdṛśaś cāpy agastyo hi kathitas te mayānagha। bravīmy ahaṃ brūhi vā tvam agastyāt kṣatriyaṃ varam॥13-140-14॥
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)
ity uktaḥ sa tadā tūṣṇīm abhūt vāyuḥ tataḥ abravīt। śṛṇu rājan vasiṣṭhasya mukhyaṃ karma yaśasvinaḥ॥13-140-15॥
When thus addressed, he became silent; then Vāyu spoke: "Listen, O king, to the chief deed of the illustrious Vasiṣṭha." (13-140-15)
ādityāḥ satram āsanta saro vai mānasaṃ prati। vasiṣṭhaṃ manasā gatvā śrutvā tatrāsya gocarām॥13-140-16॥
The Ādityas were conducting a sacrificial session near Lake Mānasa. By mind they reached Vasiṣṭha and heard there of his domain. (13-140-16)
yajamānāṃs tu tān dṛṣṭvā vyagrān dīkṣānukarṣitān। hantum icchanti śailābhāḥ khalino nāma dānavāḥ ॥13-140-17॥
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)
adūrāttu tatasteṣāṃ brahmadattavaraṃ saraḥ। hatā hatā vai te tatra jīvantyāplutya dānavāḥ ॥13-140-18॥
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)
te pragṛhya mahāghorān parvatān parighān drumān। vikṣobhayantaḥ salilam utthitāḥ śatayojanam॥13-140-19॥
They, having seized very terrible mountains, clubs, and trees, arose a hundred yojanas high, agitating the water. (13-140-19)
abhyadravanta devāṃs te sahasrāṇi daśaiva ha। tatas tair arditā devāḥ śaraṇaṃ vāsavaṃ yayuḥ ॥13-140-20॥
Those very ten thousand certainly attacked the gods; then, being oppressed by them, the gods took refuge in Indra. (13-140-20)
sa ca tair vyathitaḥ śakro vasiṣṭhaṃ śaraṇaṃ yayau। tato'bhayaṃ dadau tebhyo vasiṣṭho bhagavān ṛṣiḥ ॥13-140-21॥
And he, distressed by them, Śakra (Indra), went to Vasiṣṭha for refuge. Then, Vasiṣṭha, the illustrious sage, granted them fearlessness. (13-140-21)
tathā tān duḥkhitān jānann ānṛśaṁsyaparo muniḥ। ayatnenādahatsarvān khalinaḥ svena tejasā ॥13-140-22॥
Thus, knowing them to be distressed, the compassionate sage, without any effort, burned all the wicked ones with his own energy. (13-140-22)
kailāsaṃ prasthitāṃ cāpi nadīṃ gaṅgāṃ mahātapāḥ। ānayattatsaro divyaṃ tayā bhinnaṃ ca tatsaraḥ॥13-140-23॥
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)
saro bhinnaṃ tayā nadyā sarayūḥ sā tato'bhavat। hatāśca khalino yatra sa deśaḥ khalino'bhavat॥13-140-24॥
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)
evaṃ sendrā vasiṣṭhena rakṣitās tridivaukasaḥ. brahmadatta-varāś caiva hatā daityā mahātmanā ॥13-140-25॥
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)
etat karma vasiṣṭhasya kathitaṃ te mayānagha। bravīmy ahaṃ brūhi vā tvaṃ vasiṣṭhāt kṣatriyaṃ varam॥13-140-26॥
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)
