Critical Edition
शल्य उवाच एवमुक्तः स भगवाञ्शच्या पुनरथाब्रवीत् विक्रमस्य न कालोऽयं नहुषो बलवत्तरः
M. N. Dutt: Shalya said The god, being thus spoken to, thus addressed Sachi in reply-'This is not the time for (showing) strength, Nahusha is stronger.
विवर्धितश्च ऋषिभिर्हव्यैः कव्यैश्च भामिनि नीतिमत्र विधास्यामि देवि तां कर्तुमर्हसि
M. N. Dutt: He has grown up to his present position by the virtue of the offerings made him by the Rishis. In this instance, I shall prescribe a politic course and it is proper that it should be followed by you.
गुह्यं चैतत्त्वया कार्यं नाख्यातव्यं शुभे क्वचित् गत्वा नहुषमेकान्ते ब्रवीहि तनुमध्यमे
M. N. Dutt: It should be done by you with secrecy and on no account should you give it out. O you of slender waist, go to Nahusha and speak thus to him.
ऋषियानेन दिव्येन मामुपैहि जगत्पते एवं तव वशे प्रीता भविष्यामीति तं वद
M. N. Dutt: "O lord of the universe, come near me riding a conveyance suitable for the gods and borne by Rishis. By thus showing yourself attached to me, shall I be pleased with you" speak thus to him.
इत्युक्ता देवराजेन पत्नी सा कमलेक्षणा एवमस्त्वित्यथोक्त्वा तु जगाम नहुषं प्रति
M. N. Dutt: Being thus spoken to by the king of the gods his queen of lotus-like eyes, replied “Be it so" and went to Nahusha.
नहुषस्तां ततो दृष्ट्वा विस्मितो वाक्यमब्रवीत् स्वागतं ते वरारोहे किं करोमि शुचिस्मिते
M. N. Dutt: Nahusha surprised at seeing her, spoke these words-Welcome to you, O you of beautiful hips, what shall I do, O you of lovely smiles?
भक्तं मां भज कल्याणि किमिच्छसि मनस्विनि तव कल्याणि यत्कार्यं तत्करिष्ये सुमध्यमे
M. N. Dutt: Accept me devoted to you; O blessed one, what do you wish, O maiden of independent spirit? O blessed one, O you of slender waist.
न च व्रीडा त्वया कार्या सुश्रोणि मयि विश्वस सत्येन वै शपे देवि कर्तास्मि वचनं तव
M. N. Dutt: You need not be shy; O you of slender waist, have confidence in me. I swear by truth, O goddess, I shall do your bidding.
इन्द्राण्युवाच यो मे त्वया कृतः कालस्तमाकाङ्क्षे जगत्पते ततस्त्वमेव भर्ता मे भविष्यसि सुराधिप
M. N. Dutt: The queen of Indra said O lord of the world, I only want time-the favour that has already been accorded to me. After that you shall become my husband, O lord of the gods.
कार्यं च हृदि मे यत्तद्देवराजावधारय वक्ष्यामि यदि मे राजन्प्रियमेतत्करिष्यसि वाक्यं प्रणयसंयुक्तं ततः स्यां वशगा तव
M. N. Dutt: The subject that is in my mind is this listen, O lord of the gods; I shall speak it to you, O king, fulfill my desire. The boon, that I demand of you, has connection with your love.
इन्द्रस्य वाजिनो वाहा हस्तिनोऽथ रथास्तथा इच्छाम्यहमिहापूर्वं वाहनं ते सुराधिप यन्न विष्णोर्न रुद्रस्य नासुराणां न रक्षसाम्
M. N. Dutt: Indra had for his conveyance, horses, elephants and a car. I wish that you, O lord of the gods should have a conveyance, the like of which was never seen before, which was never owned by Vishnu, nor by Rudra, nor by the Asuras and the Rakshasas.
वहन्तु त्वां महाराज ऋषयः संगता विभो सर्वे शिबिकया राजन्नेतद्धि मम रोचते
M. N. Dutt: O Lord, to see yourself being borne by the Rishis having good attributes, united together in a palankin, is my wish, oking.
नासुरेषु न देवेषु तुल्यो भवितुमर्हसि सर्वेषां तेज आदत्स्व स्वेन वीर्येण दर्शनात् न ते प्रमुखतः स्थातुं कश्चिदिच्छति वीर्यवान्
M. N. Dutt: You should not be (merely) equal to the Asuras or the gods. By your own strength do you absorb that of all beings the moment you set your eyes on them. No one can stand face to face with you, O you powerful being.
शल्य उवाच एवमुक्तस्तु नहुषः प्राहृष्यत तदा किल उवाच वचनं चापि सुरेन्द्रस्तामनिन्दिताम्
M. N. Dutt: Shalya said Nahusha, being thus spoken to became well pleased and the king of the gods said these words to that blameless one.
अपूर्वं वाहनमिदं त्वयोक्तं वरवर्णिनि दृढं मे रुचितं देवि त्वद्वशोऽस्मि वरानने
M. N. Dutt: Nahusha said 0 you of bright complexion, the conveyance spoken of by you has never before been in existence. I have taken a strong fancy to it O goddess. I am at your disposal, O lovely faced one.
न ह्यल्पवीर्यो भवति यो वाहान्कुरुते मुनीन् अहं तपस्वी बलवान्भूतभव्यभवत्प्रभुः
M. N. Dutt: The one who makes the Rishis his bearers cannot be of little strength. I am a devotee, strong and lord of what has been, what is to be and what is.
मयि क्रुद्धे जगन्न स्यान्मयि सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम् देवदानवगन्धर्वाः किंनरोरगराक्षसाः
AI Translation: When I am angry, the world will not exist. Everything is established in me. Gods, demons, gandharvas, kinnaras, serpents, and demons,
न मे क्रुद्धस्य पर्याप्ताः सर्वे लोकाः शुचिस्मिते चक्षुषा यं प्रपश्यामि तस्य तेजो हराम्यहम्
AI Translation: O you of a pure smile, all the worlds are not enough for me when I am angry. I take away the lustre of him whom I look at with my eyes.
Supplementary Passages:
5.15.18 After 18, T2 G1.5 ins.: *105 अहमिन्द्रोऽस्मि देवानां लोकानां च महेश्वरः मयि हव्यं च कव्यं च लोकाश्चैव सनातनाः
तस्मात्ते वचनं देवि करिष्यामि न संशयः सप्तर्षयो मां वक्ष्यन्ति सर्वे ब्रह्मर्षयस्तथा पश्य माहात्म्यमस्माकमृद्धिं च वरवर्णिनि
M. N. Dutt: Therefore O goddess, shall I do your bidding, there is no doubt about it. Seven Rishis shall bear me, Brahmarshis all see, my powers and influence, having thus said to that goddess.
Supplementary Passages:
5.15.19 After 19, T2 (om. line 2) G1.5 ins.: *106 हतौजसो मया सर्वे देवगन्धर्वदानवाः यद्यस्य तेजः पश्यामि तस्य तेजो हराम्यहम्
एवमुक्त्वा तु तां देवीं विसृज्य च वराननाम् विमाने योजयित्वा स ऋषीन्नियममास्थितान्
AI Translation: Having thus spoken to the goddess and dismissing the beautiful-faced one, having placed them in a chariot, the sages who had resorted to self-restraint,
Supplementary Passages:
5.15.20 T G1.3.4 M1 (om. lines 1 and 4).2 ins. after 20ab: G2 (om. lines 1-2), after 19cd: *107 अथ संचिन्त्य नहुषो बलवीर्येण भारत विसृज्य सुप्रतीकं च नागमैरावतं तथा हंसयुक्तं विमानं च हरियुक्तं तथा रथम् स तु दर्पेण महता परिभूय महामुनीन्
अब्रह्मण्यो बलोपेतो मत्तो वरमदेन च कामवृत्तः स दुष्टात्मा वाहयामास तानृषीन्
AI Translation: He was not a brahmin, but was strong, and was intoxicated with the intoxication of pride. He was of a lustful nature, and of a wicked mind, and drove those sages.
नहुषेण विसृष्टा च बृहस्पतिमुवाच सा समयोऽल्पावशेषो मे नहुषेणेह यः कृतः शक्रं मृगय शीघ्रं त्वं भक्तायाः कुरु मे दयाम्
AI Translation: And when released by Nahusha, she said to Brihaspati: "The time that Nahusha has set for me is almost up. "Look for Indra quickly. Have mercy on me, your devotee."
बाढमित्येव भगवान्बृहस्पतिरुवाच ताम् न भेतव्यं त्वया देवि नहुषाद्दुष्टचेतसः
AI Translation: The Blessed One Brihaspati said to her, "So be it." "You should not be afraid, O Goddess, of Nahusha, who has an evil mind."
न ह्येष स्थास्यति चिरं गत एष नराधमः अधर्मज्ञो महर्षीणां वाहनाच्च हतः शुभे
AI Translation: This worst of men will not stay long. He has gone. He, ignorant of Dharma, was killed by the horse of the great sages, O auspicious one.
इष्टिं चाहं करिष्यामि विनाशायास्य दुर्मतेः शक्रं चाधिगमिष्यामि मा भैस्त्वं भद्रमस्तु ते
M. N. Dutt: He is regardless of virtue so to say, having employed the great Rishis as his bearer, O lovely lady; and I shall perform sacrifices for the destruction of this evil minded one. I shall approach Shakra. You need not have any fears, I wish you well.
ततः प्रज्वाल्य विधिवज्जुहाव परमं हविः बृहस्पतिर्महातेजा देवराजोपलब्धये
M. N. Dutt: Then having lighted up a fire he offered the best offerings in the prescribed form. Brihaspati of great strength, in order to get the gods, having made offerings to Agni (the God of fire) said to him-Oking search out Shakra.
Supplementary Passages:
5.15.26 After 26, B5 Dn D2 (marg.).3-8 T2 (marg.) ins.: *108 हुत्वाग्निं सोऽब्रवीद्राजञ्छक्रमन्विष्यतामिति
तस्माच्च भगवान्देवः स्वयमेव हुताशनः स्त्रीवेषमद्भुतं कृत्वा सहसान्तरधीयत
M. N. Dutt: From that place, the god (of fire) the consumer of offerings having himself assumed the wonderful form of a female vanished from sight.
स दिशः प्रदिशश्चैव पर्वतांश्च वनानि च पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षं च विचीयातिमनोगतिः निमेषान्तरमात्रेण बृहस्पतिमुपागमत्
M. N. Dutt: Having searched in all countries and provinces, mountains and forest, the earth and the sky, with the speed of the mind, he in a moment came back to Brihaspati.
अग्निरुवाच बृहस्पते न पश्यामि देवराजमहं क्वचित् आपः शेषाः सदा चापः प्रवेष्टुं नोत्सहाम्यहम् न मे तत्र गतिर्ब्रह्मन्किमन्यत्करवाणि ते
M. N. Dutt: The god of fire said O Brihaspati, nowhere, in this world do I see the king of the gods. The waters (alone) remain (to be searched). I have never been able to enter the waters.
शल्य उवाच तमब्रवीद्देवगुरुरपो विश महाद्युते
AI Translation: Shalya said: The preceptor of the gods said to him, "O greatly radiant one, enter the water."
अग्निरुवाच नापः प्रवेष्टुं शक्ष्यामि क्षयो मेऽत्र भविष्यति शरणं त्वां प्रपन्नोऽस्मि स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु महाद्युते
M. N. Dutt: The god of fire said I cannot enter the water there I am destroyed. I throw myself under your protection. O you of great luster, I wish you well.
अद्भ्योऽग्निर्ब्रह्मतः क्षत्रमश्मनो लोहमुत्थितम् तेषां सर्वत्रगं तेजः स्वासु योनिषु शाम्यति
M. N. Dutt: From the waters rose fire, from the Brahmana, the Kshatriya and from stone, the iron. Its strength penetrates everywhere; only in its birth-place is it powerless.