Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच अहो धर्मिष्ठता तात वृत्रस्यामिततेजसः यस्य विज्ञानमतुलं विष्णोर्भक्तिश्च तादृशी
M. N. Dutt: How great was the love of virtue possessed by Vritra of incomparable energy, whose knowledge was incomparable and whose devotion to Vishnu was so great.
दुर्विज्ञेयमिदं तात विष्णोरमिततेजसः कथं वा राजशार्दूल पदं तज्ज्ञातवानसौ
M. N. Dutt: The position occupied by Vishnu of immeasurable energy is difficult, of being perceived. How, O foremost of kings, could Vritra comprehend it?
भवता कथितं ह्येतच्छ्रद्दधे चाहमच्युत भूयस्तु मे समुत्पन्ना बुद्धिरव्यक्तदर्शनात्
M. N. Dutt: You have described Vritra's acts. I too have heard you in full faith. Because, on account of my seeing that one point is unintelligible that my curiosity has been roused for asking you again.
कथं विनिहतो वृत्रः शक्रेण भरतर्षभ धर्मिष्ठो विष्णुभक्तश्च तत्त्वज्ञश्च पदान्वये
M. N. Dutt: How, indeed, was Vritra, who was virtuous, devoted to Vishnu, gifted with knowledge of truth derivable from a just comprehension of the Upanishads and Vedanta, defeated by Indra, O foremost of men.
एतन्मे संशयं ब्रूहि पृच्छतो भरतर्षभ वृत्रस्तु राजशार्दूल यथा शक्रेण निर्जितः
M. N. Dutt: O king of the Bharatas, remove this my doubt! Indeed, tell me, O foremost of kings, how Vritra was defeated by Shakra.
यथा चैवाभवद्युद्धं तच्चाचक्ष्व पितामह विस्तरेण महाबाहो परं कौतूहलं हि मे
M. N. Dutt: O grandfather, O you of mighty arms, tell me fully how the battle took place. Great is my curiosity to hear it.
भीष्म उवाच रथेनेन्द्रः प्रयातो वै सार्धं सुरगणैः पुरा ददर्शाथाग्रतो वृत्रं विष्ठितं पर्वतोपमम्
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said-In days of yore, Indra, accompanied by the celestial army, proceeded on his car, and saw the Asura Vritra stationed before him like a mountain.
योजनानां शतान्यूर्ध्वं पञ्चोच्छ्रितमरिंदम शतानि विस्तरेणाथ त्रीण्येवाभ्यधिकानि तु
M. N. Dutt: He was full five hundred Yojanas in height, 0 chastiser of enemies and three hundred Yojanas in circumference.
तत्प्रेक्ष्य तादृशं रूपं त्रैलोक्येनापि दुर्जयम् वृत्रस्य देवाः संत्रस्ता न शान्तिमुपलेभिरे
M. N. Dutt: Seeing that form of Vritra, which was incapable of being defeated by the three worlds united together, the celestials became stricken with fear and full of anxiety.
शक्रस्य तु तदा राजन्नूरुस्तम्भो व्यजायत भयाद्वृत्रस्य सहसा दृष्ट्वा तद्रूपमुत्तमम्
M. N. Dutt: Indeed, suddenly beholding that huge form of his enemy, O king, Indra was paralysed in the lower extremities.
ततो नादः समभवद्वादित्राणां च निस्वनः देवासुराणां सर्वेषां तस्मिन्युद्ध उपस्थिते
M. N. Dutt: Then, on the eve of that great battle between the gods and the demons, there arose loud peals from both sides, and drums and other musical instruments were beaten and blown.
अथ वृत्रस्य कौरव्य दृष्ट्वा शक्रमुपस्थितम् न संभ्रमो न भीः काचिदास्था वा समजायत
M. N. Dutt: Seeing Indra stationed before him, you of Kuru's race, Vritra felt neither awe nor fear, nor was he disposed to collect all his energies for the battle.
ततः समभवद्युद्धं त्रैलोक्यस्य भयंकरम् शक्रस्य च सुरेन्द्रस्य वृत्रस्य च महात्मनः
M. N. Dutt: Then the battle took place filling the three worlds with fear, between Indra the king of the gods and Vritra of great energy.
असिभिः पट्टिशैः शूलैः शक्तितोमरमुद्गरैः शिलाभिर्विविधाभिश्च कार्मुकैश्च महास्वनैः
AI Translation: With swords, lances, spears, javelins, clubs, and hammers, And with various kinds of stones and loud bows,
अस्त्रैश्च विविधैर्दिव्यैः पावकोल्काभिरेव च देवासुरैस्ततः सैन्यैः सर्वमासीत्समाकुलम्
AI Translation: With various divine weapons and fireballs, The armies of the gods and demons were all in a state of confusion.
पितामहपुरोगाश्च सर्वे देवगणास्तथा ऋषयश्च महाभागास्तद्युद्धं द्रष्टुमागमन्
AI Translation: And the gods, headed by Brahma, and all the hosts of gods, And the great and noble sages came to see that battle.
विमानाग्र्यैर्महाराज सिद्धाश्च भरतर्षभ गन्धर्वाश्च विमानाग्र्यैरप्सरोभिः समागमन्
AI Translation: The Siddhas, O bull of the Bharatas, came in the best of aerial chariots, and the Gandharvas, together with the Apsaras, came in the best of aerial chariots.
ततोऽन्तरिक्षमावृत्य वृत्रो धर्मभृतां वरः अश्मवर्षेण देवेन्द्रं पर्वतात्समवाकिरत्
M. N. Dutt: Then Vritra, that foremost of virtuous persons, speedily overwhelmed the sky and the king of gods with a thick shower of rocks.
ततो देवगणाः क्रुद्धाः सर्वतः शस्त्रवृष्टिभिः अश्मवर्षमपोहन्त वृत्रप्रेरितमाहवे
M. N. Dutt: Thereat, filled with ire the celestials dispelled with their showers of arrows that thick down-pour of rocks showered by Vritra in battle.
वृत्रश्च कुरुशार्दूल महामायो महाबलः मोहयामास देवेन्द्रं मायायुद्धेन सर्वतः
M. N. Dutt: Then Vritra, O foremost of Kurus, endued with mighty strength and large powers of illusion, stupefied the king of illusion. was
तस्य वृत्रार्दितस्याथ मोह आसीच्छतक्रतोः रथंतरेण तं तत्र वसिष्ठः समबोधयत्
M. N. Dutt: When the god of hundred sacrifices, thus afflicted by Vritra, possessed by stupefaction, the sage Vashishtha restores him to his senses by chanting Samans.
वसिष्ठ उवाच देवश्रेष्ठोऽसि देवेन्द्र सुरारिविनिबर्हण त्रैलोक्यबलसंयुक्तः कस्माच्छक्र विषीदसि
M. N. Dutt: Vashishtha said You are the foremost of the gods, O chief of the gods, O destroyer of Daityas and Asuras! The strength of the three worlds lies in you! Why, then, O Shakra, do you languish so!
एष ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च शिवश्चैव जगत्प्रभुः सोमश्च भगवान्देवः सर्वे च परमर्षयः
M. N. Dutt: See, there are Brahma and Vishnu, and Shiva, that lord of the universe, the illustrious and divine Soma, and all the great Rishis.
Supplementary Passages:
12.272.23 After 23, T G1-3 M1.5-7 Kumbh. ed. ins.: *730 समुद्विग्नं समीक्ष्य त्वां स्वस्तीत्यूचुर्जयाय ते
मा कार्षीः कश्मलं शक्र कश्चिदेवेतरो यथा आर्यां युद्धे मतिं कृत्वा जहि शत्रुं सुरेश्वर
M. N. Dutt: Do not, O Indra, yield to weakness, like an ordinary mortal! Firmly determined on battle, kill your enemies, O king of the gods.
एष लोकगुरुस्त्र्यक्षः सर्वलोकनमस्कृतः निरीक्षते त्वां भगवांस्त्यज मोहं सुरेश्वर
M. N. Dutt: There, that lord of all the worlds, viz., the Three-eyed (Shiva), worshipped of all the worlds, is seeing you! Shake off this stupefaction, O king of the gods.
एते ब्रह्मर्षयश्चैव बृहस्पतिपुरोगमाः स्तवेन शक्र दिव्येन स्तुवन्ति त्वां जयाय वै
M. N. Dutt: There, those twice-born Rishis, headed by Brihaspati, are lauding you for your victory, in celestial hymns.
भीष्म उवाच एवं संबोध्यमानस्य वसिष्ठेन महात्मना अतीव वासवस्यासीद्बलमुत्तमतेजसः
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said-While the highly energetic Vasava was thus being restored to senses by the great Vashishtha, his strength became greatly increased.
ततो बुद्धिमुपागम्य भगवान्पाकशासनः योगेन महता युक्तस्तां मायां व्यपकर्षत
M. N. Dutt: The illustrious punisher of Paka then, depending upon his intelligence, had recourse to high Yoga and with its help removed these illusions of Vritra.
ततोऽङ्गिरःसुतः श्रीमांस्ते चैव परमर्षयः दृष्ट्वा वृत्रस्य विक्रान्तमुपगम्य महेश्वरम् ऊचुर्वृत्रविनाशार्थं लोकानां हितकाम्यया
M. N. Dutt: Then Brihaspati, the son of Angiras, and those greatest of Rishis endued with great prosperity, seeing the prowess of Vritra, went to Mahadeva, and moved by the desire of benefiting the three worlds, urged him to kill the great Asura.
ततो भगवतस्तेजो ज्वरो भूत्वा जगत्पतेः समाविशन्महारौद्रं वृत्रं दैत्यवरं तदा
M. N. Dutt: The energy of that illustrious lord of the universe thereupon assumed the nature of a fierce fever and entered the body of Vritra the lord of Asuras.
विष्णुश्च भगवान्देवः सर्वलोकाभिपूजितः ऐन्द्रं समाविशद्वज्रं लोकसंरक्षणे रतः
M. N. Dutt: The illustrious and divine Vishnu, worshipped of all the worlds, bent upon protecting the universe, entered the thunderbolt of Indra.
ततो बृहस्पतिर्धीमानुपागम्य शतक्रतुम् वसिष्ठश्च महातेजाः सर्वे च परमर्षयः
AI Translation: Then the wise Brihaspati approached Shatakratu, and the very radiant Vasishtha and all the supreme sages,
ते समासाद्य वरदं वासवं लोकपूजितम् ऊचुरेकाग्रमनसो जहि वृत्रमिति प्रभो
AI Translation: Having approached the bestower of boons, Vasava, worshipped by the world, they spoke with single-minded minds, "O Lord, slay Vritra!"
महेश्वर उवाच एष वृत्रो महाञ्शक्र बलेन महता वृतः विश्वात्मा सर्वगश्चैव बहुमायश्च विश्रुतः
M. N. Dutt: Maheshvara said There, O Shakra, stands the great Vritra, accompanied by a great army. He is the soul of the universe, capable of going everywhere, gifted with great powers of illusion, and highly illustrious.
तदेनमसुरश्रेष्ठं त्रैलोक्येनापि दुर्जयम् जहि त्वं योगमास्थाय मावमंस्थाः सुरेश्वर
M. N. Dutt: This foremost of Asuras is, therefore incapable of being defeated by even the threeworlds in a body. Helped by Yoga, do you kill him, O king of the celestials. Do not neglect him.
अनेन हि तपस्तप्तं बलार्थममराधिप षष्टिं वर्षसहस्राणि ब्रह्मा चास्मै वरं ददौ
AI Translation: For it was by this that the lord of the immortals performed austerities for the sake of strength, and Brahma granted him a boon after sixty thousand years.
महत्त्वं योगिनां चैव महामायत्वमेव च महाबलत्वं च तथा तेजश्चाग्र्यं सुरेश्वर
AI Translation: The greatness of the yogis, the great magic, and the great strength, and the foremost splendor, O Lord of the gods,
एतद्वै मामकं तेजः समाविशति वासव वृत्रमेनं त्वमप्येवं जहि वज्रेण दानवम्
M. N. Dutt: I give you my energy, O Vasava! The Danava has now lost his coolness. Do you, therefore, kill him now with your thunderbolt.
शक्र उवाच भगवंस्त्वत्प्रसादेन दितिजं सुदुरासदम् वज्रेण निहनिष्यामि पश्यतस्ते सुरर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: Shakra said Before your eyes, O foremost of gods, I shall, through your favour kill with my thunderbolt this invincible son Diti.
भीष्म उवाच आविश्यमाने दैत्ये तु ज्वरेणाथ महासुरे देवतानामृषीणां च हर्षान्नादो महानभूत्
M. N. Dutt: Bhishma said. When the great Asura or Daitya was possessed by that fever, the gods and the Rishis, filled with joy, sent up loud cheers.
ततो दुन्दुभयश्चैव शङ्खाश्च सुमहास्वनाः मुरजा डिण्डिमाश्चैव प्रावाद्यन्त सहस्रशः
M. N. Dutt: At the same time drums, and conchs of loud blare, and kettle-drums and tabors in thousands began to beat and blow.
असुराणां तु सर्वेषां स्मृतिलोपोऽभवन्महान् प्रज्ञानाशश्च बलवान्क्षणेन समपद्यत
M. N. Dutt: Suddenly all the Asuras lost in a body their memory. At that moment their powers of illusion, also, disappeared.
तमाविष्टमथो ज्ञात्वा ऋषयो देवतास्तथा स्तुवन्तः शक्रमीशानं तथा प्राचोदयन्नपि
M. N. Dutt: Knowing the enemy to be thus possessed, the Rishis and gods lauded both Shakra and Ishana, and began to urge the former.
रथस्थस्य हि शक्रस्य युद्धकाले महात्मनः ऋषिभिः स्तूयमानस्य रूपमासीत्सुदुर्दृशम्
M. N. Dutt: The form that Indra assumed on the eve of the battle, while seated on his car and while his praises were being lauded by the Rishis, became such that none could look at it without dread.