Critical Edition
युधिष्ठिर उवाच भूय एवाहमिच्छामि महर्षेस्तस्य धीमतः कर्मणां विस्तरं श्रोतुमगस्त्यस्य द्विजोत्तम
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said: O foremost of Brahmanas, I desire to hear in detail more of the achicvements of the highly intelligent great Rishi Agastya.
लोमश उवाच शृणु राजन्कथां दिव्यामद्भुतामतिमानुषीम् अगस्त्यस्य महाराज प्रभावममितात्मनः
M. N. Dutt: Lomasha said : O king, O great monarch, listen to the excellent, wonderful and extraordinary account of Agastya and also about his immeasurably effulgent prowess.
आसन्कृतयुगे घोरा दानवा युद्धदुर्मदाः कालेया इति विख्याता गणाः परमदारुणाः
M. N. Dutt: There in the Treta Yuga were some fearful Danavas who were invincible in battle. They were known by the name of Kalkeyas and they possessed fearful prowess.
ते तु वृत्रं समाश्रित्य नानाप्रहरणोद्यताः समन्तात्पर्यधावन्त महेन्द्रप्रमुखान्सुरान्
M. N. Dutt: Placing themselves under the command of) Vritra and arming themselves with various weapons, they pursued the celestials with Indra at their head to all directions.
ततो वृत्रवधे यत्नमकुर्वंस्त्रिदशाः पुरा पुरंदरं पुरस्कृत्य ब्रह्माणमुपतस्थिरे
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon the celestials resolved upon the destruction of Vritra and they all went to Brahma with Purandra (Indra) at their head.
कृताञ्जलींस्तु तान्सर्वान्परमेष्ठी उवाच ह विदितं मे सुराः सर्वं यद्वः कार्यं चिकीर्षितम्
M. N. Dutt: Seeing them all standing before him with joined hands. Parameshti (Brahma) thus spoke to them, “O celestials, I know all that you desire.
तमुपायं प्रवक्ष्यामि यथा वृत्रं वधिष्यथ दधीच इति विख्यातो महानृषिरुदारधीः
AI Translation: I shall tell you the means by which you will kill Vritra. There was a great sage of noble intellect, well-known as Dadhicha,
तं गत्वा सहिताः सर्वे वरं वै संप्रयाचत स वो दास्यति धर्मात्मा सुप्रीतेनान्तरात्मना
AI Translation: Having gone there, all of you together should request for a boon. He, with a virtuous mind, will grant it to you with great delight.
स वाच्यः सहितैः सर्वैर्भवद्भिर्जयकाङ्क्षिभिः स्वान्यस्थीनि प्रयच्छेति त्रैलोक्यस्य हिताय वै स शरीरं समुत्सृज्य स्वान्यस्थीनि प्रदास्यति
M. N. Dutt: Desirous as you are of victory, go all together to him and tell him, "Give us your bones for the good of the three worlds."
तस्यास्थिभिर्महाघोरं वज्रं संभ्रियतां दृढम् महच्छत्रुहणं तीक्ष्णं षडश्रं भीमनिस्वनम्
AI Translation: Make a very fierce and solid vajra from its bones. A sharp weapon that destroys great enemies, six-angled and making a terrifying sound.
तेन वज्रेण वै वृत्रं वधिष्यति शतक्रतुः एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं तस्माच्छीघ्रं विधीयताम्
AI Translation: With that thunderbolt, Shatakratu will slay Vritra. This I have told you all. Therefore, let it be done quickly.
एवमुक्तास्ततो देवा अनुज्ञाप्य पितामहम् नारायणं पुरस्कृत्य दधीचस्याश्रमं ययुः
AI Translation: Thus addressed, the gods, having obtained the permission of the grandfather, went to the hermitage of Dadhicha, with Narayana at the head.
सरस्वत्याः परे पारे नानाद्रुमलतावृतम् षट्पदोद्गीतनिनदैर्विघुष्टं सामगैरिव पुंस्कोकिलरवोन्मिश्रं जीवंजीवकनादितम्
M. N. Dutt: It resounded with the hum of bees as if they were reciting Samas. It echoed with the melodious notes of males Kokilas and Chakoras.
महिषैश्च वराहैश्च सृमरैश्चमरैरपि तत्र तत्रानुचरितं शार्दूलभयवर्जितैः
M. N. Dutt: Buffaloes, bears, deer and Chamaras (cows) wandered there at pleasure without having any fear of tigers.
करेणुभिर्वारणैश्च प्रभिन्नकरटामुखैः सरोऽवगाढैः क्रीडद्भिः समन्तादनुनादितम्
M. N. Dutt: Male elephants with juice trickling down from their rent temples sported with the female elephants in the streams and filled the place with their roars.
सिंहव्याघ्रैर्महानादान्नदद्भिरनुनादितम् अपरैश्चापि संलीनैर्गुहाकन्दरवासिभिः
AI Translation: Filled with lions and tigers roaring loudly, and with others who are timid, dwelling in caves and dens,
तेषु तेष्ववकाशेषु शोभितं सुमनोरमम् त्रिविष्टपसमप्रख्यं दधीचाश्रममागमन्
AI Translation: In those various places, adorned and delightful, like the heaven of the gods, they came to Dadhicha's hermitage.
तत्रापश्यन्दधीचं ते दिवाकरसमद्युतिम् जाज्वल्यमानं वपुषा यथा लक्ष्म्या पितामहम्
M. N. Dutt: They saw there Dadhichi as effulgent as the sun and as blazing in the grace of person as the Grandsire (Brahma).
तस्य पादौ सुरा राजन्नभिवाद्य प्रणम्य च अयाचन्त वरं सर्वे यथोक्तं परमेष्ठिना
M. N. Dutt: O king, bowing at his feet and saluting him, the celestials all together asked from him for the boon as directed by Parameshti (Brahma).
ततो दधीचः परमप्रतीतः; सुरोत्तमांस्तानिदमभ्युवाच करोमि यद्वो हितमद्य देवाः; स्वं चापि देहं त्वहमुत्सृजामि
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon Dadhichi, becoming very much pleased and addressing those foremost of celestials said, “O celestials, I shall do today what is to your benefit. I shall even give up my body myself."
स एवमुक्त्वा द्विपदां वरिष्ठः; प्राणान्वशी स्वान्सहसोत्ससर्ज ततः सुरास्ते जगृहुः परासो;रस्थीनि तस्याथ यथोपदेशम्
M. N. Dutt: Having said this, that foremost of men of subdued soul suddenly gave up his life. Thereupon the celestials took the bones of the dead Rishi, as they had been directed.
प्रहृष्टरूपाश्च जयाय देवा;स्त्वष्टारमागम्य तमर्थमूचुः त्वष्टा तु तेषां वचनं निशम्य; प्रहृष्टरूपः प्रयतः प्रयत्नात्
M. N. Dutt: Then the celestials with glad heart went to Tvashtri (Vishwakarma) and told him the means of their victory. Tyashtri also hearing their words was filled with joy; and with great attention and care.
चकार वज्रं भृशमुग्ररूपं; कृत्वा च शक्रं स उवाच हृष्टः अनेन वज्रप्रवरेण देव; भस्मीकुरुष्वाद्य सुरारिमुग्रम्
M. N. Dutt: He made the Vajra of greatly fearful, appearance. Having made it he cheerfully said to Sakra (Indra), “O god, with this best of weapons Vajra reduce today the fearful enemies of the celestials to ashes.
ततो हतारिः सगणः सुखं वै; प्रशाधि कृत्स्नं त्रिदिवं दिविष्ठः त्वष्ट्रा तथोक्तः स पुरंदरस्तु; वज्रं प्रहृष्टः प्रयतोऽभ्यगृह्णात्
M. N. Dutt: O chief of the celestials, killing the foe rule happily the kingdom of heaven with your own friends." Having been thus addressed by Tvashtri Purandara (Indra) cheerfully took the Vajra from his hands with proper respects.