Critical Edition
शल्य उवाच अथ तामब्रवीद्दृष्ट्वा नहुषो देवराट्तदा त्रयाणामपि लोकानामहमिन्द्रः शुचिस्मिते भजस्व मां वरारोहे पतित्वे वरवर्णिनि
M. N. Dutt: Shalya said Then did Nahusha, the king of the gods, seeing her address her thus-“I am the Indra of the three worlds, O you of sweet smiles." me as
एवमुक्ता तु सा देवी नहुषेण पतिव्रता प्रावेपत भयोद्विग्ना प्रवाते कदली यथा
AI Translation: Thus addressed by her husband, the chaste lady trembled with fear, like a plantain tree in a storm.
नमस्य सा तु ब्रह्माणं कृत्वा शिरसि चाञ्जलिम् देवराजमथोवाच नहुषं घोरदर्शनम्
AI Translation: Having bowed to Brahma, placing her hands together on her head, she then spoke to the king of the gods, Nahusha, of terrible appearance:
कालमिच्छाम्यहं लब्धुं किंचित्त्वत्तः सुरेश्वर न हि विज्ञायते शक्रः प्राप्तः किं वा क्व वा गतः
AI Translation: I wish to know from you, O Lord of the gods, about the time. For, O Shakra, it is not known whether he has arrived or gone somewhere.
तत्त्वमेतत्तु विज्ञाय यदि न ज्ञायते प्रभो ततोऽहं त्वामुपस्थास्ये सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते एवमुक्तः स इन्द्राण्या नहुषः प्रीतिमानभूत्
M. N. Dutt: Then shall I attend on you; I speak sincerely." Being thus addressed by the queen of Indra, Nahusha became highly pleased.
नहुष उवाच एवं भवतु सुश्रोणि यथा मामभिभाषसे ज्ञात्वा चागमनं कार्यं सत्यमेतदनुस्मरेः
M. N. Dutt: Nahusha said O you with beautiful things, let it be as you tell me here; but remember your plighted word.
शल्य उवाच नहुषेण विसृष्टा च निश्चक्राम ततः शुभा बृहस्पतिनिकेतं सा जगाम च तपस्विनी
M. N. Dutt: Shalya said Then did the beautiful one, thus dismissed by Nahusha, came out and the renowned one went to the abode of Brihaspati.
तस्याः संश्रुत्य च वचो देवाः साग्निपुरोगमाः मन्त्रयामासुरेकाग्राः शक्रार्थं राजसत्तम
M. N. Dutt: Having heard her words, the gods with Agni at their head, began to deliberate earnestly on the means of attaining to Shakra's good, O best among kings.
देवदेवेन संगम्य विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना ऊचुश्चैनं समुद्विग्ना वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदाः
M. N. Dutt: Having met the god among the gods, the Lord Vishnu, the anxious ones, who wore adepts at speeches, thus addressed him.
ब्रह्महत्याभिभूतो वै शक्रः सुरगणेश्वरः गतिश्च नस्त्वं देवेश पूर्वजो जगतः प्रभुः रक्षार्थं सर्वभूतानां विष्णुत्वमुपजग्मिवान्
M. N. Dutt: Shakra, the lord of the gods, is overpowered by the crime of slaying a Brahmana. You, O lord, O lord of the gods, are our refuge, O you born before the universe.
Supplementary Passages:
5.13.10 After 10ab, K4 ins.: *97 क्व गतो नेति जानीमो देवदेव जगत्पते while T2 ins.: *98 अविज्ञातः सुरगणैर्गतो न ज्ञायते प्रभो
त्वद्वीर्यान्निहते वृत्रे वासवो ब्रह्महत्यया वृतः सुरगणश्रेष्ठ मोक्षं तस्य विनिर्दिश
AI Translation: O Vāsava, surrounded by the best of the groups of gods, please tell me the means of liberation for him, who was killed by you through your prowess, due to the sin of
तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा देवानां विष्णुरब्रवीत् मामेव यजतां शक्रः पावयिष्यामि वज्रिणम्
AI Translation: Hearing their words, Vishnu said to the gods: "Let Shakra worship me alone. I shall purify the wielder of the thunderbolt."
पुण्येन हयमेधेन मामिष्ट्वा पाकशासनः पुनरेष्यति देवानामिन्द्रत्वमकुतोभयः
AI Translation: Having performed the horse sacrifice, the punisher of Paka will worship me and will again become Indra of the gods, fearless.
स्वकर्मभिश्च नहुषो नाशं यास्यति दुर्मतिः कंचित्कालमिमं देवा मर्षयध्वमतन्द्रिताः
AI Translation: And by his own acts the evil-minded Nahusha will perish. For a time, O gods, be patient, without sloth.
Supplementary Passages:
5.13.14 K3 ins. after 14: K2, after 15ab: *99 शल्य उवाच विष्णुर्विसर्जयामास देवान्सर्षिपुरोगमान्
श्रुत्वा विष्णोः शुभां सत्यां तां वाणीममृतोपमाम् ततः सर्वे सुरगणाः सोपाध्यायाः सहर्षिभिः यत्र शक्रो भयोद्विग्नस्तं देशमुपचक्रमुः
M. N. Dutt: All the gods, with the preceptors and the Rishis, went to the spot where Shakra lay stricken with fear.
तत्राश्वमेधः सुमहान्महेन्द्रस्य महात्मनः ववृते पावनार्थं वै ब्रह्महत्यापहो नृप
M. N. Dutt: There did they perform the sacrifice of a horse on a large scale, capable of absolving one from the sin of having slier of Brahmana, for the absolution of the large minded Mahendra.
विभज्य ब्रह्महत्यां तु वृक्षेषु च नदीषु च पर्वतेषु पृथिव्यां च स्त्रीषु चैव युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: Then, O Yudhishthira was the crime of slaying that Brahmana divided among the trees, the rivers and the mountains and the world and the women.
संविभज्य च भूतेषु विसृज्य च सुरेश्वरः विज्वरः पूतपाप्मा च वासवोऽभवदात्मवान्
M. N. Dutt: (This sin) being thus divided among all beings having left the lord of the gods, Vasava was cured of his disorder and getting rid of his sins, came to himself.
अकम्प्यं नहुषं स्थानाद्दृष्ट्वा च बलसूदनः तेजोघ्नं सर्वभूतानां वरदानाच्च दुःसहम्
M. N. Dutt: Form that place the slayer of Bala saw Nahusha, who was not afraid of him and who absorbed the power of all beings and who could not be approached through the boon granted him.
ततः शचीपतिर्वीरः पुनरेव व्यनश्यत अदृश्यः सर्वभूतानां कालाकाङ्क्षी चचार ह
M. N. Dutt: Then the god, the husband of Sachi again melted himself into the air and invisible by all beings he remained for a fitting opportunity.
प्रनष्टे तु ततः शक्रे शची शोकसमन्विता हा शक्रेति तदा देवी विललाप सुदुःखिता
M. N. Dutt: Shakra having rendered himself invisible, Sachi, being stricken with grief and the goddess, exceedingly sad thus lamented for him, Alas Shakra.
यदि दत्तं यदि हुतं गुरवस्तोषिता यदि एकभर्तृत्वमेवास्तु सत्यं यद्यस्ति वा मयि
M. N. Dutt: If ever a gift has been made by me or an offering (made by me) or my superiors satisfied by me and if there is any truth in me, let me be with one husband only.
पुण्यां चेमामहं दिव्यां प्रवृत्तामुत्तरायणे देवीं रात्रिं नमस्यामि सिध्यतां मे मनोरथः
M. N. Dutt: I bow to this holy, godly goddess night who is now on the northern solstice; let my wish be satisfied.
प्रयता च निशां देवीमुपातिष्ठत तत्र सा पतिव्रतात्वात्सत्येन सोपश्रुतिमथाकरोत्
M. N. Dutt: Then did she making her body and soul pure, offer due worship to the goddess night and for the sake of her truth and chastity she had recourse to divination.
Supplementary Passages:
5.13.24 After 24, K4 ins.: *100 सा दृष्ट्वा तां ततो देवीं प्रत्युवाच यशस्विनी
यत्रास्ते देवराजोऽसौ तं देशं दर्शयस्व मे इत्याहोपश्रुतिं देवी सत्यं सत्येन दृश्यताम्
M. N. Dutt: Show me the spot where stays he the king of gods. Show me truth by means of truth. Thus did she ask of Upashruti.