Sixth Skandha · Chapter 6
Sourceव्यास उवाच एवं प्राप्तवरा देवा ऋषयश्च तपोधनाः । (जग्मुः सर्वे च सम्मन्त्र्य वृत्रस्याश्रममुत्तमम् ।) ददृशुस्तत्र तं वृत्रं ज्वलन्तमिव तेजसा ॥ १ ॥ धक्ष्यन्तमिव लोकांस्त्रीन्ग्रसन्तमिव चामरान् । ऋषयोऽथ ततोऽभ्येत्य वृत्रमूचुः प्रियं वचः ॥ २ ॥ देवकार्यार्थसिद्ध्यर्थं सामयुक्तं रसात्मकम् । ऋषय ऊचुः वृत्र वृत्र महाभाग सर्वलोकभयङ्कर ॥ ३ ॥ व्याप्तं त्वयैतत्सकलं ब्रह्माण्डमखिलं किल । शक्रेण तव वैरं यत्तत्तु सौख्यविघातकम् ॥ ४ ॥ युवयोर्दुःखदं कामं चिन्तावृद्धिकरं परम् । न त्वं स्वपिषि सन्तुष्टो न चापि मघवा तथा ॥ ५ ॥ सुखं स्वपिति चिन्तार्तो द्वयोर्यद्वैरिजं भयम् । युवयोर्युध्यतोः कालो व्यतीतस्तु महानिह ॥ ६ ॥ पीड्यन्ते च प्रजाः सर्वाः सदेवासुरमानवाः । संसारेऽत्र सुखं ग्राह्यं दुःखं हेयमिति स्थितिः ॥ ७ ॥ न सुखं कृतवैरस्य भवतीति विनिर्णयः । संग्रामरसिकाः शूराः प्रशंसन्ति न पण्डिताः ॥ ८ ॥ युद्धं शृङ्गारचतुरा इन्द्रियार्थविघातकम् । पुष्पैरपि न योद्धव्यं किं पुनर्निशितैः शरैः ॥ ९ ॥ युद्धे विजयसन्देहो निश्चयं बाणताडनम् । दैवाधीनमिदं विश्वं तथा जयपराजयौ ॥ १० ॥ दैवाधीनाविति ज्ञात्वा न योद्धव्यं कदाचन । कालेऽथ भोजनं स्नानं शय्यायां शयनं तथा ॥ ११ ॥ परिचर्यापरा भार्या संसारे सुखसाधनम् । किं सुखं युध्यतः संख्ये बाणवृष्टिभयङ्करे ॥ १२ ॥ खड्गपातातिरौद्रे च तथारातिसुखप्रदे । संग्रामे मरणात्स्वर्गसुखप्राप्तिरिति स्फुटम् ॥ १३ ॥ प्रलोभनपरं वाक्यं नोदनार्थं निरर्थकम् । छित्त्वा देहं व्यथां प्राप्य शृगालकरटादिभिः ॥ १४ ॥ पश्चात्स्वर्गसुखावाप्तिं को वा वाञ्छति मन्दधीः । सख्यं भवतु ते वृत्र शक्रेण सह नित्यदा ॥ १५ ॥ अवाप्स्यसि सुखं त्वं च शक्रश्चापि निरन्तरम् । वयं च तापसाः सर्वे गन्धर्वाश्च निजाश्रमे ॥ १६ ॥ सुखवासं गमिष्यामः शान्ते वैरेऽधुनैव वाम् । संग्रामे युवयोर्धीर वर्तमाने दिवानिशम् ॥ १७ ॥ पीड्यन्ते मुनयः सर्वे गन्धर्वाः किन्नरा नराः । सर्वेषां शान्तिकामानां सख्यमिच्छामहे वयम् ॥ १८ ॥ मुनयस्त्वं च शक्रश्च प्राप्नुवन्तु सुखं किल । मध्यस्थाश्च वयं वृत्र युवयोः सख्यकारणे ॥ १९ ॥ शपथं कारयित्वात्र योजयामो मिथः प्रियम् । शक्रस्तु शपथान्कृत्वा यथोक्तांश्च तवाग्रतः ॥ २० ॥ चित्तं ते प्रीतिसंयुक्तं करिष्यति तु साम्प्रतम् । सत्याधारा धरा नूनं सत्येन च दिवाकरः ॥ २१ ॥ तपत्ययं यथाकालं वायुः सत्येन वात्यथ । उदन्वानपि मर्यादां सत्येनैव न मुञ्चति ॥ २२ ॥ तस्मात्सत्येन सख्यं वा भवत्वद्य यथासुखम् । एकत्र शयनं क्रीडा जलकेलिं सुखासनम् ॥ २३ ॥ युवाभ्यां सर्वथा कार्यं कर्तव्यं सख्यमेत्य च । व्यास उवाच महर्षिवचनं श्रुत्वा तानुवाच महामतिः ॥ २४ ॥ अवश्यं भगवन्तो मे माननीयास्तपस्विनः । भवन्तो मुनयः क्वापि न मिथ्यावादिनो भृशम् ॥ २५ ॥ सदाचाराः सुशान्ताश्च न विदुश्छलकारणम् । कृतवैरे शठे स्तब्धे कामुके च गतत्विषि ॥ २६ ॥ निर्लज्जे नैव कर्तव्यं सख्यं मतिमता सदा । निर्लज्जोऽयं दुराचारो ब्रह्महा लम्पटः शठः ॥ २७ ॥ न विश्वासस्तु कर्तव्यः सर्वथैवेदृशे जने । भवन्तो निपुणाः सर्वे न द्रोहमतयः सदा ॥ २८ ॥ अनभिज्ञास्तु शान्तत्वाच्चित्तानामतिवादिनाम् । मुनय ऊचुः जन्तुः कृतस्य भोक्ता वै शुभस्य त्वशुभस्य च ॥ २९ ॥ द्रोहं कृत्वा कुतः शान्तिमाप्नुयान्नष्टचेतनः । विश्वासघातकर्तारो नरकं यान्ति निश्चयम् ॥ ३० ॥ दुःखं च समवाप्नोति नूनं विश्वासघातकः । निष्कृतिर्ब्रह्महन्तॄणां सुरापानां च निष्कृतिः ॥ ३१ ॥ विश्वासघातिनां नैव मित्रद्रोहकृतामपि । समयं ब्रूहि सर्वज्ञ यथा ते चेतसि ध्रुवम् ॥ ३२ ॥ तेनैव समयेनाद्य सन्धिः स्यादुभयोः किल । वृत्र उवाच न शुष्केण न चार्द्रेण नाश्मना न च दारुणा ॥ ३३ ॥ न वज्रेण महाभाग न दिवा निशि नैव च । वध्यो भवेयं विप्रेन्द्राः शक्रस्य सह दैवतैः ॥ ३४ ॥ एवं मे रोचते सन्धिः शक्रेण सह नान्यथा । व्यास उवाच ऋषयस्तं तदा प्राहुर्बाढमित्येव चादृताः ॥ ३५ ॥ समयं श्रावयामासुस्तत्रानीय सुरेश्वरम् । इन्द्रोऽपि शपथांस्तत्र चकार विगतज्वरः ॥ ३६ ॥ साक्षिणं पावकं कृत्वा मुनीनां सन्निधौ किल । वृत्रस्तु वचनैस्तस्य विश्वासमगमत्तदा ॥ ३७ ॥ बभूव मित्रवच्छक्रे सहचर्यापरायणः । कदाचिन्नन्दने चोभौ कदाचिद्गन्धमादने ॥ ३८ ॥ कदाचिदुदधेस्तीरे मोदमानौ विचेरतुः । एवं कृते च सन्धाने वृत्रः प्रमुदितोऽभवत् ॥ ३९ ॥ शक्रोऽपि वधकामस्तु तदुपायानचिन्तयत् । रन्ध्रान्वेषी समुद्विग्नस्तदासीन्मघवा भृशम् ॥ ४० ॥ एवं चिन्तयतस्तस्य कालः समभिवर्तत । विश्वासं परमं प्राप वृत्रः शक्रेऽतिदारुणे ॥ ४१ ॥ एवं कतिचिदब्दानि गतानि समये कृते । वृत्रस्य मरणोपायान्मनसीन्द्रोऽप्यचिन्तयत् ॥ ४२ ॥ त्वष्टैकदा सुतं प्राह विश्वस्तं पाकशासने । पुत्र वृत्र महाभाग शृणु मे वचनं हितम् ॥ ४३ ॥ न विश्वासस्तु कर्तव्यः कृतवैरे कथञ्चन । मघवा कृतवैरस्ते सदासूयापरः परैः ॥ ४४ ॥ लोभान्मत्तो द्वेषरतः परदुःखोत्सवान्वितः । परदारलम्पटः स पापबुद्धिः प्रतारकः ॥ ४५ ॥ रन्ध्रान्वेषी द्रोहपरो मायावी मदगर्वितः । यः प्रविश्योदरे मातुर्गर्भच्छेदं चकार ह ॥ ४६ ॥ सप्तकृत्वः सप्तकृत्वः क्रन्दमानमनातुरः । तस्मात्पुत्र न कर्तव्यो विश्वासस्तु कथञ्चन ॥ ४७ ॥ कृतपापस्य का लज्जा पुनः पुत्र प्रकुर्वतः । व्यास उवाच एवं प्रबोधितः पित्रा वचनैर्हेतुसंयुतैः ॥ ४८ ॥ न बुबोध तदा वृत्र आसन्नमरणः किल । स कदाचित्समुद्रान्ते तमपश्यन्महासुरम् ॥ ४९ ॥ सन्ध्याकाल उपावृत्ते मुहूर्तेऽतीव दारुणे । ततः सञ्चिन्त्य मघवा वरदानं महात्मनाम् ॥ ५० ॥ सन्ध्येयं वर्तते रौद्रा न रात्रिर्दिवसो न च । हन्तव्योऽयं मया चाद्य बलेनैव न संशयः ॥ ५१ ॥ एकाकी विजने चात्र सम्प्राप्तः समयोचितः । एवं विचार्य मनसा सस्मार हरिमव्ययम् ॥ ५२ ॥ तत्राजगाम भगवानदृश्यः पुरुषोत्तमः । वज्रमध्ये प्रविश्यासौ संस्थितो भगवान्हरिः ॥ ५३ ॥ इन्द्रो बुद्धिं चकाराशु तदा वृत्रवधं प्रति । इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा कथं हन्यां रिपुं रणे ॥ ५४ ॥ अजेयं सर्वथा सर्वदेवैश्च दानवैस्तथा । यदि वृत्रं न हन्म्यद्य वञ्चयित्वा महाबलम् ॥ ५५ ॥ न श्रेयो मम नूनं स्यात्सर्वथा रिपुरक्षणात् । अपां फेनं तदापश्यत्समुद्रे पर्वतोपमम् ॥ ५६ ॥ नायं शुष्को न चार्द्रोऽयं न च शस्त्रमिदं तथा । अपां फेनं तदा शक्रो जग्राह किल लीलया ॥ ५७ ॥ परां शक्तिं च सस्मार भक्त्या परमया युतः । स्मृतमात्रा तदा देवी स्वांशं फेने न्यधापयत् ॥ ५८ ॥ वज्रं तदावृतं तत्र चकार हरिसंयुतम् । फेनावृतं पविं तत्र शक्रश्चिक्षेप तं प्रति ॥ ५९ ॥ सहसा निपपाताशु वज्राहत इवाचलः । वासवस्तु प्रहृष्टात्मा बभूव निहते तदा ॥ ६० ॥ ऋषयश्च महेन्द्रं तमस्तुवन्विविधैः स्तवैः । हतशत्रुः प्रहृष्टात्मा वासवः सह दैवतैः ॥ ६१ ॥ देवीं सम्पूजयामास यत्प्रसादाद्धतो रिपुः । प्रसादयामास तदा स्तोत्रैर्नानाविधैरपि ॥ ६२ ॥ देवोद्याने पराशक्तेः प्रासादमकरोद्धरिः । पद्मरागमयीं मूर्तिं स्थापयामास वासवः ॥ ६३ ॥ त्रिकालं महतीं पूजां चक्रुः सर्वेऽपि निर्जराः । तदाप्रभृति देवानां श्रीदेवी कुलदैवतम् ॥ ६४ ॥ विष्णुं त्रिभुवनश्रेष्ठं पूजयामास वासवः । ततो हते महावीर्ये वृत्रे देवभयङ्करे ॥ ६५ ॥ प्रववौ च शिवो वायुर्जहृषुर्देवतास्तथा । हते तस्मिन्सगन्धर्वा यक्षराक्षसकिन्नराः ॥ ६६ ॥ इत्थं वृत्रः पराशक्तिप्रवेशयुतफेनतः । तया कृतविमोहाच्च शक्रेण सहसा हतः ॥ ६७ ॥ ततो वृत्रनिहन्त्रीति देवी लोकेषु गीयते । शक्रेण निहतत्वाच्च शक्रेण हत उच्यते ॥ ६८ ॥
vyāsa uvāca evaṃ prāptavarā devā ṛṣayaśca tapodhanāḥ | (jagmuḥ sarve ca sammantrya vṛtrasyāśramamuttamam |) dadṛśustatra taṃ vṛtraṃ jvalantamiva tejasā || 1 || dhakṣyantamiva lokāṃstrīngrasantamiva cāmarān | ṛṣayo'tha tato'bhyetya vṛtramūcuḥ priyaṃ vacaḥ || 2 || devakāryārthasiddhyarthaṃ sāmayuktaṃ rasātmakam | ṛṣaya ūcuḥ vṛtra vṛtra mahābhāga sarvalokabhayaṅkara || 3 || vyāptaṃ tvayaitatsakalaṃ brahmāṇḍamakhilaṃ kila | śakreṇa tava vairaṃ yattattu saukhyavighātakam || 4 || yuvayorduḥkhadaṃ kāmaṃ cintāvṛddhikaraṃ param | na tvaṃ svapiṣi santuṣṭo na cāpi maghavā tathā || 5 || sukhaṃ svapiti cintārto dvayoryadvairijaṃ bhayam | yuvayoryudhyatoḥ kālo vyatītastu mahāniha || 6 || pīḍyante ca prajāḥ sarvāḥ sadevāsuramānavāḥ | saṃsāre'tra sukhaṃ grāhyaṃ duḥkhaṃ heyamiti sthitiḥ || 7 || na sukhaṃ kṛtavairasya bhavatīti vinirṇayaḥ | saṃgrāmarasikāḥ śūrāḥ praśaṃsanti na paṇḍitāḥ || 8 || yuddhaṃ śṛṅgāracaturā indriyārthavighātakam | puṣpairapi na yoddhavyaṃ kiṃ punarniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ || 9 || yuddhe vijayasandeho niścayaṃ bāṇatāḍanam | daivādhīnamidaṃ viśvaṃ tathā jayaparājayau || 10 || daivādhīnāviti jñātvā na yoddhavyaṃ kadācana | kāle'tha bhojanaṃ snānaṃ śayyāyāṃ śayanaṃ tathā || 11 || paricaryāparā bhāryā saṃsāre sukhasādhanam | kiṃ sukhaṃ yudhyataḥ saṃkhye bāṇavṛṣṭibhayaṅkare || 12 || khaḍgapātātiraudre ca tathārātisukhaprade | saṃgrāme maraṇātsvargasukhaprāptiriti sphuṭam || 13 || pralobhanaparaṃ vākyaṃ nodanārthaṃ nirarthakam | chittvā dehaṃ vyathāṃ prāpya śṛgālakaraṭādibhiḥ || 14 || paścātsvargasukhāvāptiṃ ko vā vāñchati mandadhīḥ | sakhyaṃ bhavatu te vṛtra śakreṇa saha nityadā || 15 || avāpsyasi sukhaṃ tvaṃ ca śakraścāpi nirantaram | vayaṃ ca tāpasāḥ sarve gandharvāśca nijāśrame || 16 || sukhavāsaṃ gamiṣyāmaḥ śānte vaire'dhunaiva vām | saṃgrāme yuvayordhīra vartamāne divāniśam || 17 || pīḍyante munayaḥ sarve gandharvāḥ kinnarā narāḥ | sarveṣāṃ śāntikāmānāṃ sakhyamicchāmahe vayam || 18 || munayastvaṃ ca śakraśca prāpnuvantu sukhaṃ kila | madhyasthāśca vayaṃ vṛtra yuvayoḥ sakhyakāraṇe || 19 || śapathaṃ kārayitvātra yojayāmo mithaḥ priyam | śakrastu śapathānkṛtvā yathoktāṃśca tavāgrataḥ || 20 || cittaṃ te prītisaṃyuktaṃ kariṣyati tu sāmpratam | satyādhārā dharā nūnaṃ satyena ca divākaraḥ || 21 || tapatyayaṃ yathākālaṃ vāyuḥ satyena vātyatha | udanvānapi maryādāṃ satyenaiva na muñcati || 22 || tasmātsatyena sakhyaṃ vā bhavatvadya yathāsukham | ekatra śayanaṃ krīḍā jalakeliṃ sukhāsanam || 23 || yuvābhyāṃ sarvathā kāryaṃ kartavyaṃ sakhyametya ca | vyāsa uvāca maharṣivacanaṃ śrutvā tānuvāca mahāmatiḥ || 24 || avaśyaṃ bhagavanto me mānanīyāstapasvinaḥ | bhavanto munayaḥ kvāpi na mithyāvādino bhṛśam || 25 || sadācārāḥ suśāntāśca na viduśchalakāraṇam | kṛtavaire śaṭhe stabdhe kāmuke ca gatatviṣi || 26 || nirlajje naiva kartavyaṃ sakhyaṃ matimatā sadā | nirlajjo'yaṃ durācāro brahmahā lampaṭaḥ śaṭhaḥ || 27 || na viśvāsastu kartavyaḥ sarvathaivedṛśe jane | bhavanto nipuṇāḥ sarve na drohamatayaḥ sadā || 28 || anabhijñāstu śāntatvāccittānāmativādinām | munaya ūcuḥ jantuḥ kṛtasya bhoktā vai śubhasya tvaśubhasya ca || 29 || drohaṃ kṛtvā kutaḥ śāntimāpnuyānnaṣṭacetanaḥ | viśvāsaghātakartāro narakaṃ yānti niścayam || 30 || duḥkhaṃ ca samavāpnoti nūnaṃ viśvāsaghātakaḥ | niṣkṛtirbrahmahantṝṇāṃ surāpānāṃ ca niṣkṛtiḥ || 31 || viśvāsaghātināṃ naiva mitradrohakṛtāmapi | samayaṃ brūhi sarvajña yathā te cetasi dhruvam || 32 || tenaiva samayenādya sandhiḥ syādubhayoḥ kila | vṛtra uvāca na śuṣkeṇa na cārdreṇa nāśmanā na ca dāruṇā || 33 || na vajreṇa mahābhāga na divā niśi naiva ca | vadhyo bhaveyaṃ viprendrāḥ śakrasya saha daivataiḥ || 34 || evaṃ me rocate sandhiḥ śakreṇa saha nānyathā | vyāsa uvāca ṛṣayastaṃ tadā prāhurbāḍhamityeva cādṛtāḥ || 35 || samayaṃ śrāvayāmāsustatrānīya sureśvaram | indro'pi śapathāṃstatra cakāra vigatajvaraḥ || 36 || sākṣiṇaṃ pāvakaṃ kṛtvā munīnāṃ sannidhau kila | vṛtrastu vacanaistasya viśvāsamagamattadā || 37 || babhūva mitravacchakre sahacaryāparāyaṇaḥ | kadācinnandane cobhau kadācidgandhamādane || 38 || kadācidudadhestīre modamānau viceratuḥ | evaṃ kṛte ca sandhāne vṛtraḥ pramudito'bhavat || 39 || śakro'pi vadhakāmastu tadupāyānacintayat | randhrānveṣī samudvignastadāsīnmaghavā bhṛśam || 40 || evaṃ cintayatastasya kālaḥ samabhivartata | viśvāsaṃ paramaṃ prāpa vṛtraḥ śakre'tidāruṇe || 41 || evaṃ katicidabdāni gatāni samaye kṛte | vṛtrasya maraṇopāyānmanasīndro'pyacintayat || 42 || tvaṣṭaikadā sutaṃ prāha viśvastaṃ pākaśāsane | putra vṛtra mahābhāga śṛṇu me vacanaṃ hitam || 43 || na viśvāsastu kartavyaḥ kṛtavaire kathañcana | maghavā kṛtavairaste sadāsūyāparaḥ paraiḥ || 44 || lobhānmatto dveṣarataḥ paraduḥkhotsavānvitaḥ | paradāralampaṭaḥ sa pāpabuddhiḥ pratārakaḥ || 45 || randhrānveṣī drohaparo māyāvī madagarvitaḥ | yaḥ praviśyodare māturgarbhacchedaṃ cakāra ha || 46 || saptakṛtvaḥ saptakṛtvaḥ krandamānamanāturaḥ | tasmātputra na kartavyo viśvāsastu kathañcana || 47 || kṛtapāpasya kā lajjā punaḥ putra prakurvataḥ | vyāsa uvāca evaṃ prabodhitaḥ pitrā vacanairhetusaṃyutaiḥ || 48 || na bubodha tadā vṛtra āsannamaraṇaḥ kila | sa kadācitsamudrānte tamapaśyanmahāsuram || 49 || sandhyākāla upāvṛtte muhūrte'tīva dāruṇe | tataḥ sañcintya maghavā varadānaṃ mahātmanām || 50 || sandhyeyaṃ vartate raudrā na rātrirdivaso na ca | hantavyo'yaṃ mayā cādya balenaiva na saṃśayaḥ || 51 || ekākī vijane cātra samprāptaḥ samayocitaḥ | evaṃ vicārya manasā sasmāra harimavyayam || 52 || tatrājagāma bhagavānadṛśyaḥ puruṣottamaḥ | vajramadhye praviśyāsau saṃsthito bhagavānhariḥ || 53 || indro buddhiṃ cakārāśu tadā vṛtravadhaṃ prati | iti sañcintya manasā kathaṃ hanyāṃ ripuṃ raṇe || 54 || ajeyaṃ sarvathā sarvadevaiśca dānavaistathā | yadi vṛtraṃ na hanmyadya vañcayitvā mahābalam || 55 || na śreyo mama nūnaṃ syātsarvathā ripurakṣaṇāt | apāṃ phenaṃ tadāpaśyatsamudre parvatopamam || 56 || nāyaṃ śuṣko na cārdro'yaṃ na ca śastramidaṃ tathā | apāṃ phenaṃ tadā śakro jagrāha kila līlayā || 57 || parāṃ śaktiṃ ca sasmāra bhaktyā paramayā yutaḥ | smṛtamātrā tadā devī svāṃśaṃ phene nyadhāpayat || 58 || vajraṃ tadāvṛtaṃ tatra cakāra harisaṃyutam | phenāvṛtaṃ paviṃ tatra śakraścikṣepa taṃ prati || 59 || sahasā nipapātāśu vajrāhata ivācalaḥ | vāsavastu prahṛṣṭātmā babhūva nihate tadā || 60 || ṛṣayaśca mahendraṃ tamastuvanvividhaiḥ stavaiḥ | hataśatruḥ prahṛṣṭātmā vāsavaḥ saha daivataiḥ || 61 || devīṃ sampūjayāmāsa yatprasādāddhato ripuḥ | prasādayāmāsa tadā stotrairnānāvidhairapi || 62 || devodyāne parāśakteḥ prāsādamakaroddhariḥ | padmarāgamayīṃ mūrtiṃ sthāpayāmāsa vāsavaḥ || 63 || trikālaṃ mahatīṃ pūjāṃ cakruḥ sarve'pi nirjarāḥ | tadāprabhṛti devānāṃ śrīdevī kuladaivatam || 64 || viṣṇuṃ tribhuvanaśreṣṭhaṃ pūjayāmāsa vāsavaḥ | tato hate mahāvīrye vṛtre devabhayaṅkare || 65 || pravavau ca śivo vāyurjahṛṣurdevatāstathā | hate tasminsagandharvā yakṣarākṣasakinnarāḥ || 66 || itthaṃ vṛtraḥ parāśaktipraveśayutaphenataḥ | tayā kṛtavimohācca śakreṇa sahasā hataḥ || 67 || tato vṛtranihantrīti devī lokeṣu gīyate | śakreṇa nihatatvācca śakreṇa hata ucyate || 68 ||
English translation
1-3. Vyasa said O King! Thus getting the boons from the Devi, the Devas and the Risis blazing with their asceticism, all united and consulted with each other; then they went to the excellent As'rama of Vritra. There they saw Vritra in a sitting posture and with his own Tejas (fiery spirit in him) as if ready to burn the three worlds and to devour all the Devas. The Risis, then, spoke to Vritra the sweet words full of sentiments for the serving of the Devas' ends, according to the principle of conciliation.
4-23. “O highly fortunate Vritra! Terrific to all the Lokas! Yo have now established your dominion in all the places over this whole Universe; but your enmity with Indra is the only cause to interrupt you in your happiness; there is no doubt in this. This enmity has increased much the anxiety of you both and therefore has grown very painful. Neither you nor Indra can go to sleep peacefully, there is always that fear hanging on you both, on account of that enmity. And, see! A long long while has passed away since the last battle was fought between you two; yet all the Devas, Asuras, men and other subjects, are feeling a sense of oppression and pain. In this world happiness is the only thing to be sought for and pain is to be avoided; this is the eternal state of things. Never does that man who practises enmity with another, get happiness; this has been ascertained by the wise. It is only those brave warriors, that found taste in warfare, that approve of battles; but the wise that are expert in amorous enjoyments do not like battle as destroying the sensual enjoyments; they do not like fighting with flowers even; what to say with sharpened arrows! In a battle, the victory is doubtful but the shooting of arrows is certain. This world is dependent on Fate (Daiva, i.e., dependent on the cosmic rulers or deities or Devas of the Universe), so is victory or defeat. So knowing this, one ought never to fight. Bathing in proper time, taking food and sleeping in fixed times and having a chaste
serving wife, these are the means towards happiness in this world. While in warfares, shooting terrible arrows and striking with fierce axes take place; what happiness can there possibly exist? Rather the enemy finds pleasure there. There is a saying that death in battles leads one to Heaven, but this is merely an enticing statement, inciting one to war! Really it is fruitless. Supposing that happiness comes ultimately to those who pain their bodies by being shot with arrows and who allow their carcasses being devoured by the crows and jackals, then no man, even of dull understanding, will like this, what to speak of intelligent persons! Therefore, O Vritra! Let everlasting peace and friendship be established between you and Indra; both of you in that case will derive everlasting peace and happiness. Moreover if the enmity between you terminates from this instant, then we, the ascetics and Gandharbas will, no doubt, be able to remain in our own respective As'rams with great comfort. O Powerful Hero! Owing to incessant wars between you and Indra, the Munis, Gandharbas, Kinnaras and beings are day and night, suffering very much. For the happiness of all peace-loving persons, we, the Munis, the residents of the forest, earnestly desire that there be formed friendship between you two. We desire that you, Indra and all the Jivas get happiness. O Vritra! We stand as mediators in this treaty between you and Indra; we will make each party swear on oath and thus make it conducive to the happiness of both. Indra will now swear on oath before you on the terms that you will dictate and thus will make your heart cheerful. Know this verily that this earth stands on Truth, the sun rises for the sake of Truth, the winds blow all along for Truth and the boundless ocean never oversteps its limit for Truth. Therefore let your friendship, be established on Truth.
Thus tied together by bonds of friendship let you two sleep, play, make sports in water and sit together happily.”
24-28. Vyasa said:-- O King! Hearing the Maharsi's words, the highly intelligent Vritra began to say “Risis! You are possessed with knowledge and many other qualifications and you are ascetics;
you are therefore to be respected by me. You are the Munis and therefore you never speak anywhere falsehood; your conduct is good and you practise rite and ceremonies; you are calm; therefore you do not know the causes of pretexts. The intelligent should never cultivate friendship with a knave, licentious person who is void of understanding, an infamous, and a shameless person, specially if he be an enemy. This vicious Indra is shameless, deceitful, licentious, and the killer of a Brahmana; therefore no faith can ever be placed on such persons. You are saints and added with all good qualifications; therefore your minds never play in the mischievous thoughts of others; it is because your heart is calm and quiet that you cannot understand the minds of the deceitful and treacherous; therefore you ought never to stand as mediators between any two persons.”
29-32. The Munis said “O King! All the creatures certainly enjoy the fruits of their Karmas, whether good or bad; how then, can persons, of perverted intellect, obtain peace when they do mischief to others. The treacherous persons certainly go to hell and suffer miseries always. The slayers of Brahmanas and the drunkards may get liberation; but never the faithless and those who go against their friends get off free; these will have to suffer undoubtedly in the hells. Therefore, O Knower of all things! Give out clearly what is going on exactly in your mind and the exact terms that you want; and the treaty will be made between you and Indra exactly according to those terms.”
33-34. Vritra said “O highly fortunate Munis! I can enter into a treaty of peace with Indra only on the condition that Indra with all the other Devas will not kill me in day or in night with any dry or liquid substance or with wood, stone, or thunderbolt and on no other terms.”
35-68. Vyasa said O King! The Risis then gladly accepted his word and brought Indra there and recited to him the terms of the treaty of peace. Indra, then, swore, an oath, before the Munis with Fire as the Witness that he would comply with the terms of the treaty, and was thus freed from his heavy thoughts and felt that he had been rid of a fever. Vritra, then, relied on Indra's words; became his friend, and began live, play and enjoy with him. They felt pleasure by their union and began to roam sometimes in the Nandana Garden, sometimes in the Gandha Madana, sometimes on the shores of oceans, Vritra was very much delighted when they were thus united in friendship; but Indra watched him to find his faults; thus sometime passed. A few years passed away after the treaty had been concluded. And the straight-forward Vritra began to place very much confidence on Indra; but Indra meditated on the means how to kill him. One day Visvakarma, knowing that his son Vritrasura placed implicit confidence on Indra, called his son and said “O my son Vritra! Hear my good words. See, it is never advisable to trust anybody with whom there has arisen once the enmity. Indra is your greatest enemy; he always intends evil to you; therefore do not trust him any more. Indra is never to be trusted, who is always covetous, inimical, rejoicing at others sufferings, licentious and addicted to others' wives; vicious, deceitful, finding faults with others, always jealous, a juggler, and puffed up with vanity. O Child! What more shall I say than this fact that that villain, without fearing sin, easily entered into the womb of his mother and cut the crying child in the womb into seven pieces and then each seventh part again into seven parts, thus altogether into forty-nine parts. Therefore O my son! He is never to be trusted on any account. He who is always addicted to vicious deeds never feels shame in perpetrating again another crime.” Vyasa said:-- O King! Vritra's death time drew nigh; hence he could not take his father's words as auspicious, though he was warned by his father in words full of meaning. One day, in the evening time, at a very inauspicious dreadful moment, Indra saw Vritra on the shore of an ocean and began to think of the boon granted by Brahma to the Asura thus “Now this is the terrible evening time; this cannot be called day nor can it be called night.
and this demon is also here alone in this solitary place; it is advisable therefore to effect his death by force, there is no doubt in this.” Thus arguing in his mind, Indra remembered the Undecaying Soul Hah. Bhagavan, the Best of Purusas came there, unseen by anybody, and entered into the thunderbolt; Indra quickly collected himself to kill Vritrasura; but he thought how he could slay this Demon, unconquerable in the battle; and if he did not slay his enemy then by deceit, then his enemy would continue to live, and it would be impossible for him to get his own welfare. While he was thus thinking, he saw the foam of the waters of the ocean as big as a mountain; thinking that foam not to be dry nor wet and considering that foam not to be any weapon, he easily took that foam and instantly remembered with a heartful devotion the Highest Force BhuvanesVari. On Her remembrance, the Bhagavati infused Her part into that foam and the thunderbolt, instilled with the force of Narayana, was covered, too, by that foam. Indra, then, hurled the thunderbolt covered with foam on Vritra; and the Demon, thus struck, instantly fell down like a mountain. When Vritrasura was thus killed, Indra became very glad; the Risis began to praise him with various hymns. Indra, then, with all the other Devas worshipped the Devi, through Whose Grace the enemy had been killed and they praised Her with various hymns. The image of the Bhagavati the Supreme S'akti was built of ruby and installed in the Nandana Garden. O King! Since then all the Devas used to worship the Devi thrice a day, morning, midday and evening and since then the S'ri Devi became the tutelary deity of the Gods. Indra worshipped then Visnu also, the Highest of the Gods. When the terrible powerful Vritrasura was killed, the auspicious wind began to blow gently; the Devas, Gandharbas, Rakhsasas, and Kinnaras began to roam about with great joy. Vritrasura was deluded by the Maya of Bhagavati, and Her force entered into the foam; hence Indra was capable to kill him suddenly and it is, for this reason, that the Devi, the Goddess of the world, is known in the three worlds as “Vritranihantri,” the slayer of Vritra. But at the first sight Indra killed him by means of the foam; hence the people say that Vritra was killed by Indra.
Here ends the Sixth Chapter of the Sixth Book on the slaying of Vritrasura in the Mahapuranam S'ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 25321, revision 76780 (2016-08-27T22:24:52Z). 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/bk06ch06.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.