Sixth Skandha · Chapter 4
Sourceव्यास उवाच निर्गतास्ते परावृत्तास्तपोविघ्नकराः सुराः । निराशाः कार्यसंसिद्ध्यै तं दृष्ट्वा दृढचेतसम् ॥ १ ॥ जाते वर्षशते पूर्णे ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः । तत्राजगाम तरसा हंसारूढश्चतुर्मुखः ॥ २ ॥ आगत्य तमुवाचेदं त्वष्ट्टपुत्र सुखी भव । त्यक्त्वा ध्यानं वरं ब्रूहि ददामि तव वाञ्छितम् ॥ ३ ॥ तपसा तेऽद्य तुष्टोऽस्मि त्वां दृष्ट्वा चातिकर्शितम् । वरं वरय भद्रं ते मनोऽभिलषितं तव ॥ ४ ॥ व्यास उवाच वृत्रस्तदातिविशदां पुरतो निशम्य वाचं सुधासमरसां जगदेककर्तुः । सन्त्यज्य योगकलनां सहसोदतिष्ठ- त्सञ्जातहर्षनयनाश्रुकलाकलापः ॥ ५ ॥ पादौ प्रणम्य शिरसा प्रणयाद्विधातु- र्बद्धाञ्जलिः पुरत एव समाससाद । प्रोवाच तं सुवरदं तपसा प्रसन्नं प्रेम्णातिगद्गदगिरा विनयेन नम्रः ॥ ६ ॥ प्राप्तं मया सकलदेवपदं प्रभोऽद्य यद्दर्शनं तव सुदुर्लभमाशु जातम् । वाञ्छास्ति नाथ मनसि प्रवणे दुरापा तां प्रब्रवीमि कमलासन वेत्सि भावम् ॥ ७ ॥ मृत्युश्च मा भवतु मे किल लोहकाष्ठ- शुष्कार्द्रवंशनिचयैरपरैश्च शस्त्रैः । वृद्धि प्रयातु मम वीर्यमतीव युद्धे यस्माद्भवामि सबलैरमरैरजेयः ॥ ८ ॥ व्यास उवाच इत्थं सम्प्रार्थितो ब्रह्मा तमाह प्रहसन्निव । उत्तिष्ठ गच्छ भद्रं ते वाञ्छितं सफलं सदा ॥ ९ ॥ न शुष्केण न चार्द्रेण न पाषाणेन दारुणा । भविष्यति च ते मृत्युरिति सत्यं ब्रवीम्यहम् ॥ १० ॥ इति दत्त्वा वरं ब्रह्मा जगाम भुवनं परम् । वृत्रस्तु तं वरं लब्धा मुदितः स्वगृहं ययौ ॥ ११ ॥ शशंस पितुरग्रे तद्वरदानं महामतिः । त्वष्टा तु मुदितः प्राप्तं पुत्रं प्राप्तवरं तदा ॥ १२ ॥ स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु महाभाग जहि शक्रं रिपुं मम । हत्वागच्छ त्रिशिरसो हन्तारं पापसंयुतम् ॥ १३ ॥ भव त्वं त्रिदशाधीशः सम्प्राप्य विजयं रणे । ममाधिं छिन्धि विपुलं पुत्रनाशसमुद्भवम् ॥ १४ ॥ जीवतो वाक्यकरणात्क्षयाहे भूरिभोजनात् । गयायां पिण्डदानाच्च त्रिभिः पुत्रस्य पुत्रता ॥ १५ ॥ तस्मात्पुत्र ममात्यर्थं दुःखं नाशितुमर्हसि । त्रिशिरा मम चित्तात्तु नापसर्पति कर्हिचित् ॥ १६ ॥ सुशीलः सत्यवादी च तापसो वेदवित्तमः । अपराधं विना तेन निहतः पापबुद्धिना ॥ १७ ॥ व्यास उवाच इति तस्य वचः श्रुत्वा वृत्रः परमदुर्जयः । रथमारुह्य तरसा निर्जगाम पितुर्गृहात् ॥ १८ ॥ रणदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषं शङ्खनादं महाबलम् । कारयित्वा प्रयाणं स चकार मदगर्वितः ॥ १९ ॥ निर्ययौ नयसंयुक्तः सेवकानिति संवदन् । हत्वा शक्रं ग्रहीष्यामि सुरराज्यमकण्टकम् ॥ २० ॥ इत्युक्त्वा निर्जगामाशु स्वसैन्यपरिवारितः । महता सैन्यनादेन भीषयन्नमरावतीम् ॥ २१ ॥ तमागच्छन्तमाज्ञाय तुराषाडपि सत्वरः । सेनोद्योगं भयत्रस्तः कारयामास भारत ॥ २२ ॥ सर्वानाहूय तरसा लोकपालानरिन्दमः । युद्धार्थं प्रेरयन्सर्वान्व्यरोचत महाद्युतिः ॥ २३ ॥ गृध्रन्व्यूहं ततः कृत्वा संस्थितः पाकशासनः । तत्राजगाम वेगात्तु वृत्रः परबलार्दनः ॥ २४ ॥ देवदानवयोस्तावत्संग्रामस्तुमुलोऽभवत् । वृत्रवासवयोः संख्ये मनसा विजयैषिणोः ॥ २५ ॥ एवं परस्परं युद्धे सन्दीप्ते भयदे भृशम् । आकूतं देवताः प्रापुर्दैत्याश्च परमां मुदम् ॥ २६ ॥ तोमरैर्भिन्दिपालैश्च खड्गैः परशुपट्टिशैः । जघ्नुः परस्परं देवदैत्या स्वस्ववरायुधैः ॥ २७ ॥ एवं युद्धे वर्तमाने दारुणे लोमहर्षणे । शक्रं जग्राह सहसा वृत्रः क्रोधसमन्वितः ॥ २८ ॥ अपावृत्य मुखे क्षिप्त्वा स्थितो वृत्रः शतक्रतुम् । मुदितोऽभून्महाराज पूर्ववैरमनुस्मरन् ॥ २९ ॥ शक्रे ग्रस्तेऽथ वृत्रेण संभ्रान्ता निर्जरास्तदा । चुक्रुशः परमार्तास्ते हा शक्रेति मुहुर्मुहुः ॥ ३० ॥ अपावृतं मुखे शक्रं ज्ञात्वा सर्वे दिवौकसः । बृहस्पतिं प्रणम्योचुर्दीना व्यथितचेतसः ॥ ३१ ॥ किं कर्तव्यं द्विजश्रेष्ठ त्वमस्माकं गुरुः परः । शक्रो ग्रस्तस्तु वृत्रेण रक्षितो देवतान्तरैः ॥ ३२ ॥ विना शक्रेण किं कुर्मः सर्वे हीनपराक्रमाः । अभिचारं कुरु विभो सत्वरः शक्रमुक्तये ॥ ३३ ॥ बृहस्पतिरुवाच किं कर्तव्यं सुराः क्षिप्तो मुखमध्येऽस्ति वासवः । वृत्रेणोत्सादितो जीवन्नस्ति कोष्ठान्तरे रिपोः ॥ ३४ ॥ व्यास उवाच देवाश्चिन्तातुराः सर्वे तुरासाहं तथाकृतम् । दृष्ट्वा विमृश्य तरसा चक्रुर्यत्नं विमुक्तये ॥ ३५ ॥ असृजन्त महासत्त्वां जृम्भिकां रिपुनाशिनीम् । ततो विजृम्भमाणः स व्यावृतास्यो बभूव ह ॥ ३६ ॥ विजृम्भमाणस्य ततो वृत्रस्यास्यादवापतत् । स्वान्यङ्गान्यपि संक्षिप्य निष्क्रान्तो बलसूदनः ॥ ३७ ॥ ततः प्रभृति लोकेषु जृम्भिका प्राणिसंस्थिता । जहृषुश्च सुराः सर्वे शक्रं दृष्ट्वा विनिर्गतम् ॥ ३८ ॥ ततः प्रववृते युद्धं तयोर्लोकभयप्रदम् । वर्षाणामयुतं यावद्दारुणं लोमहर्षणम् ॥ ३९ ॥ एकतश्च सुराः सर्वे युद्धाय समुपस्थिताः । एकतो बलवांस्त्वाष्ट्रः संग्रामे समवर्तत ॥ ४० ॥ यदा व्यवर्धत रणे वृत्रो वरमदावृतः । पराजितस्तदा शक्रस्तेजसा तस्य धर्षितः ॥ ४१ ॥ विव्यथे मघवा युद्धे ततः प्राप्य पराजयम् । विषादमगमन्देवा दृष्ट्वा शक्रं पराजितम् ॥ ४२ ॥ जग्मुस्त्यक्त्वा रणं सर्वे देवा इन्द्रपुरोगमाः । गृहीतं देवसदनं वृत्रेणागत्य रंहसा ॥ ४३ ॥ देवोद्यानानिसर्वाणि भुङ्क्तेऽसौ दानवो बलात् । ऐरावतोऽपि दैत्येन गृहीतोऽसौ गजोत्तमः ॥ ४४ ॥ विमानानि च सर्वाणि गृहीतानि विशाम्पते । उच्चैःश्रवा हयवरो जातस्तस्य वशे तदा ॥ ४५ ॥ कामधेनुः पारिजातो गणश्चाप्सरसां तथा । गृहीतं रत्नमात्रं तु तेन त्वष्ट्टसुतेन ह ॥ ४६ ॥ स्थानभ्रष्टाः सुराः सर्वे गिरिदुर्गेषु संस्थिताः । दुःखमापुः परिभ्रष्टा यज्ञभागात्सुरालयात् ॥ ४७ ॥ वृत्रः सुरपदं प्राप्य बभूव मदगर्वितः । त्वष्टातीव सुखं प्राप्य मुमोद सुतसंयुतः ॥ ४८ ॥ अमन्त्रयन्हितं देवा मुनिभिः सह भारत । किं कर्तव्यमिति प्राप्ते विचिन्त्य भयमोहिताः ॥ ४९ ॥ जग्मुः कैलासमचलं सुराः शक्रसमन्विताः । महादेवं प्रणम्योचुः प्रह्वाः प्राञ्जलयो भृशम् ॥ ५० ॥ देवदेव महादेव कृपासिन्धो महेश्वर । रक्षास्मान्भयभीतांस्तु वृत्रेणातिपराजितान् ॥ ५१ ॥ गृहीतं देवसदनं तेन देव बलीयसा । किं कर्तव्यमतः शम्भो ब्रूहि सत्यं शिवाद्य नः ॥ ५२ ॥ किं कुर्मः क्व च गच्छामः स्थानभ्रष्टा महेश्वर । दुःखस्य नाधिगच्छामो विनाशोपायमीश्वर ॥ ५३ ॥ साहाय्यं कुरु भूतेश व्यथिताः स्म कृपानिधे । वृत्रं जहि मदोत्सिक्तं वरदानबलाद्विभो ॥ ५४ ॥ शिव उवाच ब्रह्माणं पुरतः कृत्वा वयं सर्वे हरेः क्षयम् । गत्वा समेत्य तं विष्णुं चिन्तयामो वधोद्यमम् ॥ ५५ ॥ स शक्तश्च छलज्ञश्च बलवान्बुद्धिमत्तरः । शरण्यश्च दयाब्धिश्च वासुदेवो जनार्दनः ॥ ५६ ॥ विना तं देवदेवेशं नार्थसिद्धिर्भविष्यति । तस्मात्तत्र च गन्तव्यं सर्वकार्यार्थसिद्धये ॥ ५७ ॥ व्यास उवाच इति सञ्चिन्त्य ते सर्वे ब्रह्मा शक्रः सशङ्करः । जग्मुर्विष्णोः क्षयं देवाः शरण्यं भक्तवत्सलम् ॥ ५८ ॥ गत्वा विष्णुपदं देवास्तुष्टुवुः परमेश्वरम् । हरिं पुरुषसूक्तेन वेदोक्तेन जगद्गुरुम् ॥ ५९ ॥ प्रत्यक्षोऽभूज्जगन्नाथस्तेषां स कमलापतिः । सम्मान्य च सुरान्सर्वानित्युवाच पुरःस्थितः ॥ ६० ॥ किमागताः स्म लोकेशा हरब्रह्मसमन्विताः । कारणं कथयध्वं वः सर्वेषां सुरसत्तमाः ॥ ६१ ॥ व्यास उवाच इति श्रुत्वा हरेर्वाक्यं नोचुर्देवा रमापतिम् । चिन्ताविष्टाः स्थिताः प्रायः सर्वेप्राञ्जलयस्तथा ॥ ६२ ॥
vyāsa uvāca nirgatāste parāvṛttāstapovighnakarāḥ surāḥ | nirāśāḥ kāryasaṃsiddhyai taṃ dṛṣṭvā dṛḍhacetasam || 1 || jāte varṣaśate pūrṇe brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ | tatrājagāma tarasā haṃsārūḍhaścaturmukhaḥ || 2 || āgatya tamuvācedaṃ tvaṣṭṭaputra sukhī bhava | tyaktvā dhyānaṃ varaṃ brūhi dadāmi tava vāñchitam || 3 || tapasā te'dya tuṣṭo'smi tvāṃ dṛṣṭvā cātikarśitam | varaṃ varaya bhadraṃ te mano'bhilaṣitaṃ tava || 4 || vyāsa uvāca vṛtrastadātiviśadāṃ purato niśamya vācaṃ sudhāsamarasāṃ jagadekakartuḥ | santyajya yogakalanāṃ sahasodatiṣṭha- tsañjātaharṣanayanāśrukalākalāpaḥ || 5 || pādau praṇamya śirasā praṇayādvidhātu- rbaddhāñjaliḥ purata eva samāsasāda | provāca taṃ suvaradaṃ tapasā prasannaṃ premṇātigadgadagirā vinayena namraḥ || 6 || prāptaṃ mayā sakaladevapadaṃ prabho'dya yaddarśanaṃ tava sudurlabhamāśu jātam | vāñchāsti nātha manasi pravaṇe durāpā tāṃ prabravīmi kamalāsana vetsi bhāvam || 7 || mṛtyuśca mā bhavatu me kila lohakāṣṭha- śuṣkārdravaṃśanicayairaparaiśca śastraiḥ | vṛddhi prayātu mama vīryamatīva yuddhe yasmādbhavāmi sabalairamarairajeyaḥ || 8 || vyāsa uvāca itthaṃ samprārthito brahmā tamāha prahasanniva | uttiṣṭha gaccha bhadraṃ te vāñchitaṃ saphalaṃ sadā || 9 || na śuṣkeṇa na cārdreṇa na pāṣāṇena dāruṇā | bhaviṣyati ca te mṛtyuriti satyaṃ bravīmyaham || 10 || iti dattvā varaṃ brahmā jagāma bhuvanaṃ param | vṛtrastu taṃ varaṃ labdhā muditaḥ svagṛhaṃ yayau || 11 || śaśaṃsa pituragre tadvaradānaṃ mahāmatiḥ | tvaṣṭā tu muditaḥ prāptaṃ putraṃ prāptavaraṃ tadā || 12 || svasti te'stu mahābhāga jahi śakraṃ ripuṃ mama | hatvāgaccha triśiraso hantāraṃ pāpasaṃyutam || 13 || bhava tvaṃ tridaśādhīśaḥ samprāpya vijayaṃ raṇe | mamādhiṃ chindhi vipulaṃ putranāśasamudbhavam || 14 || jīvato vākyakaraṇātkṣayāhe bhūribhojanāt | gayāyāṃ piṇḍadānācca tribhiḥ putrasya putratā || 15 || tasmātputra mamātyarthaṃ duḥkhaṃ nāśitumarhasi | triśirā mama cittāttu nāpasarpati karhicit || 16 || suśīlaḥ satyavādī ca tāpaso vedavittamaḥ | aparādhaṃ vinā tena nihataḥ pāpabuddhinā || 17 || vyāsa uvāca iti tasya vacaḥ śrutvā vṛtraḥ paramadurjayaḥ | rathamāruhya tarasā nirjagāma piturgṛhāt || 18 || raṇadundubhinirghoṣaṃ śaṅkhanādaṃ mahābalam | kārayitvā prayāṇaṃ sa cakāra madagarvitaḥ || 19 || niryayau nayasaṃyuktaḥ sevakāniti saṃvadan | hatvā śakraṃ grahīṣyāmi surarājyamakaṇṭakam || 20 || ityuktvā nirjagāmāśu svasainyaparivāritaḥ | mahatā sainyanādena bhīṣayannamarāvatīm || 21 || tamāgacchantamājñāya turāṣāḍapi satvaraḥ | senodyogaṃ bhayatrastaḥ kārayāmāsa bhārata || 22 || sarvānāhūya tarasā lokapālānarindamaḥ | yuddhārthaṃ prerayansarvānvyarocata mahādyutiḥ || 23 || gṛdhranvyūhaṃ tataḥ kṛtvā saṃsthitaḥ pākaśāsanaḥ | tatrājagāma vegāttu vṛtraḥ parabalārdanaḥ || 24 || devadānavayostāvatsaṃgrāmastumulo'bhavat | vṛtravāsavayoḥ saṃkhye manasā vijayaiṣiṇoḥ || 25 || evaṃ parasparaṃ yuddhe sandīpte bhayade bhṛśam | ākūtaṃ devatāḥ prāpurdaityāśca paramāṃ mudam || 26 || tomarairbhindipālaiśca khaḍgaiḥ paraśupaṭṭiśaiḥ | jaghnuḥ parasparaṃ devadaityā svasvavarāyudhaiḥ || 27 || evaṃ yuddhe vartamāne dāruṇe lomaharṣaṇe | śakraṃ jagrāha sahasā vṛtraḥ krodhasamanvitaḥ || 28 || apāvṛtya mukhe kṣiptvā sthito vṛtraḥ śatakratum | mudito'bhūnmahārāja pūrvavairamanusmaran || 29 || śakre graste'tha vṛtreṇa saṃbhrāntā nirjarāstadā | cukruśaḥ paramārtāste hā śakreti muhurmuhuḥ || 30 || apāvṛtaṃ mukhe śakraṃ jñātvā sarve divaukasaḥ | bṛhaspatiṃ praṇamyocurdīnā vyathitacetasaḥ || 31 || kiṃ kartavyaṃ dvijaśreṣṭha tvamasmākaṃ guruḥ paraḥ | śakro grastastu vṛtreṇa rakṣito devatāntaraiḥ || 32 || vinā śakreṇa kiṃ kurmaḥ sarve hīnaparākramāḥ | abhicāraṃ kuru vibho satvaraḥ śakramuktaye || 33 || bṛhaspatiruvāca kiṃ kartavyaṃ surāḥ kṣipto mukhamadhye'sti vāsavaḥ | vṛtreṇotsādito jīvannasti koṣṭhāntare ripoḥ || 34 || vyāsa uvāca devāścintāturāḥ sarve turāsāhaṃ tathākṛtam | dṛṣṭvā vimṛśya tarasā cakruryatnaṃ vimuktaye || 35 || asṛjanta mahāsattvāṃ jṛmbhikāṃ ripunāśinīm | tato vijṛmbhamāṇaḥ sa vyāvṛtāsyo babhūva ha || 36 || vijṛmbhamāṇasya tato vṛtrasyāsyādavāpatat | svānyaṅgānyapi saṃkṣipya niṣkrānto balasūdanaḥ || 37 || tataḥ prabhṛti lokeṣu jṛmbhikā prāṇisaṃsthitā | jahṛṣuśca surāḥ sarve śakraṃ dṛṣṭvā vinirgatam || 38 || tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ tayorlokabhayapradam | varṣāṇāmayutaṃ yāvaddāruṇaṃ lomaharṣaṇam || 39 || ekataśca surāḥ sarve yuddhāya samupasthitāḥ | ekato balavāṃstvāṣṭraḥ saṃgrāme samavartata || 40 || yadā vyavardhata raṇe vṛtro varamadāvṛtaḥ | parājitastadā śakrastejasā tasya dharṣitaḥ || 41 || vivyathe maghavā yuddhe tataḥ prāpya parājayam | viṣādamagamandevā dṛṣṭvā śakraṃ parājitam || 42 || jagmustyaktvā raṇaṃ sarve devā indrapurogamāḥ | gṛhītaṃ devasadanaṃ vṛtreṇāgatya raṃhasā || 43 || devodyānānisarvāṇi bhuṅkte'sau dānavo balāt | airāvato'pi daityena gṛhīto'sau gajottamaḥ || 44 || vimānāni ca sarvāṇi gṛhītāni viśāmpate | uccaiḥśravā hayavaro jātastasya vaśe tadā || 45 || kāmadhenuḥ pārijāto gaṇaścāpsarasāṃ tathā | gṛhītaṃ ratnamātraṃ tu tena tvaṣṭṭasutena ha || 46 || sthānabhraṣṭāḥ surāḥ sarve giridurgeṣu saṃsthitāḥ | duḥkhamāpuḥ paribhraṣṭā yajñabhāgātsurālayāt || 47 || vṛtraḥ surapadaṃ prāpya babhūva madagarvitaḥ | tvaṣṭātīva sukhaṃ prāpya mumoda sutasaṃyutaḥ || 48 || amantrayanhitaṃ devā munibhiḥ saha bhārata | kiṃ kartavyamiti prāpte vicintya bhayamohitāḥ || 49 || jagmuḥ kailāsamacalaṃ surāḥ śakrasamanvitāḥ | mahādevaṃ praṇamyocuḥ prahvāḥ prāñjalayo bhṛśam || 50 || devadeva mahādeva kṛpāsindho maheśvara | rakṣāsmānbhayabhītāṃstu vṛtreṇātiparājitān || 51 || gṛhītaṃ devasadanaṃ tena deva balīyasā | kiṃ kartavyamataḥ śambho brūhi satyaṃ śivādya naḥ || 52 || kiṃ kurmaḥ kva ca gacchāmaḥ sthānabhraṣṭā maheśvara | duḥkhasya nādhigacchāmo vināśopāyamīśvara || 53 || sāhāyyaṃ kuru bhūteśa vyathitāḥ sma kṛpānidhe | vṛtraṃ jahi madotsiktaṃ varadānabalādvibho || 54 || śiva uvāca brahmāṇaṃ purataḥ kṛtvā vayaṃ sarve hareḥ kṣayam | gatvā sametya taṃ viṣṇuṃ cintayāmo vadhodyamam || 55 || sa śaktaśca chalajñaśca balavānbuddhimattaraḥ | śaraṇyaśca dayābdhiśca vāsudevo janārdanaḥ || 56 || vinā taṃ devadeveśaṃ nārthasiddhirbhaviṣyati | tasmāttatra ca gantavyaṃ sarvakāryārthasiddhaye || 57 || vyāsa uvāca iti sañcintya te sarve brahmā śakraḥ saśaṅkaraḥ | jagmurviṣṇoḥ kṣayaṃ devāḥ śaraṇyaṃ bhaktavatsalam || 58 || gatvā viṣṇupadaṃ devāstuṣṭuvuḥ parameśvaram | hariṃ puruṣasūktena vedoktena jagadgurum || 59 || pratyakṣo'bhūjjagannāthasteṣāṃ sa kamalāpatiḥ | sammānya ca surānsarvānityuvāca puraḥsthitaḥ || 60 || kimāgatāḥ sma lokeśā harabrahmasamanvitāḥ | kāraṇaṃ kathayadhvaṃ vaḥ sarveṣāṃ surasattamāḥ || 61 || vyāsa uvāca iti śrutvā harervākyaṃ nocurdevā ramāpatim | cintāviṣṭāḥ sthitāḥ prāyaḥ sarveprāñjalayastathā || 62 ||
English translation
1-17. Vyasa said O King! The Suras that wanted to create hindrance in Vritra's tapasya, seeing him firmly resolved, became disappointed in the fulfilment of their objects and returned to their own abodes. Thus full one hundred years passed away. The four¬ faced Brahma, the Grandsire of the Lokas, came there mounted on his carrier the Swan, and said “O Vritra! Be happy; now quit your meditation and ask boon; I will grant you the boon that you choose.
O Child! Your body has become very lean and thin through your penance. I am now very pleased to see your this very hard tapasya. Welfare be to you. Now ask the boon that you desire.” Vyasa said O King! Hearing thus the clearly distinct nectar-like sweet words of the Creator Brahma, Vritra shed tears of joy and suddenly stood up. And going to him, bowed down gladly before His feet, and, with folded hands, spoke to Him, Who is desirous to grant him boons, in a tremulous voice. O Lord! Today I have been fortunate to see Thee who art generally seen with great difficulty; and I have acquired thus the posts of all the Devas; O Lotus-seated One! I have got an insatiable desire burning within me. Thou art omniscient. Thou knowest everything; still I am speaking out my mind. O Lord! Grant that my death does not occur with iron, wood, dry or wet substances or with bamboos or any other weapons and let my strength and valour be increased very much in the battle; for, then, I will be unconquerable by all the Devas with all their armies. Vyasa said O King! Thus prayed for, Brahma said to him smiling “O Child! get up; I grant that your desired boon will always be fulfilled; now go to your own place. Your death won't occur with dry or wet substances or with stones or wood. I say this truly unto you.” Thus granting the boon, Brahma went to His Brahmaloka. Vritra, too, became very glad on receiving his desired object, and returned to his own abode. The highly intelligent Vritra informed the father about the boon granted to him; Vis'vakarma became very glad to hear it. O highly fortunate
One! Let all bliss and good fortune come unto you; kill Indra, my greatest enemy. Go and kill the murderer of my son Tris'ira, the vicious Indra and return to me. Be victorious in the battle and become the Lord of all the Devas and remove my mental agony due to the killing of my son. A son becomes then really a son when he obeys the commands of his father and when he feeds plentifully good many people on the Sraddha day (after his father's death) and when he offers Pinda at Gaya. Therefore, O Son! Keep my words and try to remove my sorrows. Know this as certain that Tris'ira never vanishes from my mind. Tris'ira was very truthful, amiable and good-natured; he was an ascetic and foremost amongst the Vedic scholars. The wicked Indra killed my dear son without any offence.
18-33. Vyasa said O King! Hearing the father's words, that extremely indomitable Vritrasura mounted on his chariot and quickly got out of his father's house. The proud Asura, then, marched to the battle, accompanied with his vast army, to the sounding of the conch-shells and war drums. Vritra, versed in politics and morals, exhorted his soldiers before marching and said “To-day we will kill Indra and possess the kingdom of the Immortals, freed of all enemies.” O King! Thus, accompanied by his soldiers, and raising a tremendous war-cry terrifying to the Devas, the Asura set out for battle. O Bharata! The King of the Devas, knowing that the Asura is quite at hand, became overwhelmed with terror and ordered at once the soldiers to be ready for the battle and called quickly all the Lokapalas and sent them all for the battle. The highly lustrous Indra, the tormentor of the foes, arrayed his troops in order according to Gridhra Vyuha (the method in which the vultures arrange themselves while flying) and stayed there. On the other hand Vritra, the slayer of enemies, dashed unto that place with all swiftness. A dreadful fight then ensued between the Devas and Danavas; the two parties, desirous to get victory over the other, fought awfully hard. When the blaze of the battle fire shone to a very high pitch, the Devas dropped with sorrow while the Asuras became excited with joy. The Devas
and Danavas struck each other with Tomaras, Bhindipalas, axes, Paras'us, Pattis'as, and various other weapons. When the dreadful battle rose to a high pitch causing horripilation, Vritra became very angry and suddenly caught hold of Indra and denuding him of all clothes and armours swallowed him; he, then, remembering his former enmity, became very glad and stayed there. When Indra was thus devoured by Vritra, the Devas were overwhelmed with terror and cried out frequently, with great distress “O Indra! O Indra!” All the Devas became very dejected and grieved in their hearts to see Indra denuded of his armour and clothes in the belly of Vritra and bowed down to Brihaspati and said “O Indra of the Brahmans! You are our best Guru what are we to do now? Though the gods tried their best to save Indra still Vritra has devoured him. We are all powerless, what can we do without Indra? O Lord! Perform quickly magic spells (Abhichara process) which will lead to our Indra's liberation.”
34. Brihaspati said “O Suras! The king of the gods is swallowed by Vritra, he has been quite disabled; but Indra is living in his bowels; attempt therefore must be made that he comes out while living.”
35-54. Vyasa said O King! The Devas became very anxious to see Indra in that plight and took all the ways and means carefully how he might be freed. Then they created a state tending to cause yawning, very powerful and irresistible and calculated to destroy one's enemy. Vritrasura then yawned and his mouth got widely opened and extended. In the meanwhile Indra, the destroyer of one's enemies' strength, contracted all his limbs and came out of the expanded mouth of the Asura and fell down. Since that time, this state of yawning has become prevalent amongst the beings. The Devas were all glad to see Indra thus come out. When Indra thus got out, he fought again with Vritra for 10,000 years (Ajuta years). The
fight was very dreadful, causing horripilation. On one side all the Devas joined in the battle; on the other side, the pre-eminently powerful Vritra, the son of VisVakarma fought. When Vritrasura got more and more energy in the battle, Indra became gradually dwindled and was at last defeated. Indra became very much grieved when he found himself defeated; the Devas also were very dejected to see this. Indra and the other Devas quitted the battle-field and fled away. Vritrasura too, quickly arrived and occupied the Heavens. Vritra began to enjoy by force the Heavenly gardens and took the Airavata elephant. O King! The Asura, the son of Tvasta, took away all Vimanas (the self-moving chariots of gods), Uchchais'rava, the best of horses, the heavenly cow, the giver of desires, the Parijata tree, the Apsaras, and all other jewels of the Heavens. The Devas, on the other hand, deprived of their shares in sacrifices and driven away from their Heavens, suffered very much. Vritrasura became puffed up with vanity, when he got possession of the Heavens. VisVakarma, too, became very happy at that time and began to enjoy pleasures along with his son. O Bharata! The Devas, then, united with the Munis and they began to consult about their own welfare. When the Devas took Indra with them and went to Maha Deva in the Mount Kailas'a and bowed down to His feet very humbly and, with folded hands, spoke thus:-- O Deva of the Devas! O Maha Deva! Thou art the MahesVara and the unbounded Ocean of Mercy! We are defeated by Vritrasura and we are very much terrified. Save us, O S'ambhu! Thou dost good to all the beings; dost thou tell us, therefore, truly what are we to do now, when that powerful Danava has dispossessed us of our Heavens. O Mahes'a! Now dislodged, where are we to go? We are not finding any remedy by which our miseries can be destroyed. O Bhuta Bhavana! We are very much pained; help us; O merciful One! That Vritrasura has become intoxicated with vanity due to his being granted the boon. Therefore destroy him.
55-57. S'ankara said “O Devas! We will keep Brahma in the front and let all of us go to the residence of Hari and there consult with Him how to destroy this unruly Vritra. The Janardana Vasudeva is fully capable to do all actions. He is powerful, knower of pretexts, highly intelligent, ocean of mercy, and fit to be asked by all for protection. Without Him, the Deva of the Devas, no success is possible in any action. Therefore all of us ought to go there for the success in our undertaking.”
58-62. Vyasa said O King! Thus settling their plan of action, Indra and other Devas took S'ankara and Brahma with them and went to the abode of Hari, who protects all and is gracious to His devotees. They, then, began to chant Purusasukta hymns to Him and thus they praised the God Hari, the Guru of this Universe. The Janardan Hari, the Lord of Kamala, then, appeared before them and, after showing his respect, addressed them thus O Lord of the several Lokas! What have brought you all together with Brahma and S'ankara hither? O best of Suras! Please tell me the reason of your coming here. Vyasa said O King! Thus hearing Hari's words, the Devas could not reply anything; rather almost all of them remained with an anxious look with their hands folded, overwhelmed with cares.
Here ends the Fourth Chapter of the Sixth Book on the defeat of the Devas by Vritra in the Maha Puranam S'ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 25319, revision 76777 (2016-08-27T22:20:27Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk06ch04.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.