Scriptures

Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam

BOOK 6 • CHAPTER 2
Ch 2 Verse 1 Verse
Sanskrit Text
६.२ द्वितीयोऽध्यायः । त्रिशिरवधानन्तरं वृत्रोत्पत्तिवर्णनम् । व्यास उवाच । अथ स लोभमुपेत्य सुराधिपः समधिगम्य गजासनसंस्थितः । त्रिशिरसं प्रति दुष्टमतिस्तदा मुनिमपश्यदमेयपराक्रमम् ॥ १ ॥
English Translation
Vyāsa said :-- The extremely covetous Indra, then, mounted on his Airāvata elephant and determined to kill the Muni.
Ch 2 Verse 2 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तमभिवीक्ष्य दृढासनसंस्थितं जितगिरं सुसमाधिवशं गतम् । रविविभावसुसन्निभमोजसा सुरपतिः परमापदमभ्यगात् ॥ २ ॥
English Translation
He went to him and saw him immersed in deep Samādhi, firmly seated in his posture and with his speech controlled. At that time, a halo of light emanated from his body and he looked like a second Sun and a blazing fire. Indra became very sad and dejected when he saw that.
Ch 2 Verse 3 Verse
Sanskrit Text
कथमसौ विनिहन्तुमहो मया मुनिरपापमतिः किल सम्मतः । रिपुरयं सुसमिद्धतपोबलः कथमुपेक्ष्य इहासनकामुकः ॥ ३ ॥
English Translation
Indra then thought within himself thus :-- “Oh! Can I slay this Muni, free from any vicious inclinations, and endowed with the power of Tapas, blazing like a fire! This is quite against the Dharma.
Ch 2 Verse 4 Verse
Sanskrit Text
इति विचिन्त्य पविं परमायुधं प्रति मुमोच मुनिं तपसि स्थितम् । शशिदिवाकरसन्निभमाशुगं त्रिशिरसं सुरसङ्घपतिः स्वयम् ॥ ४ ॥
English Translation
But, Alas! He wants to usurp my position; how can I, then, neglect such an enemy?” Thus cogitating, Indra hurled at the Muni his swift going, infallible thunderbolt, the Muni remaining engaged in his penance and shining like the Sun and Moon.
Ch 2 Verse 5-7 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तदभिघातहतः स धरातले किल पपात ममार च तापसः । शिखरिणः शिखरं कुलिशार्दितं निपतितं भुवि चाद्भुतदर्शनम् ॥ ५ ॥ तं निहत्य मुदमाप सुरेश- श्चुक्रुशुश्च मुनयस्तु संस्थिताः । हा हतेति भृशमार्तनिःस्वनाः किं कृतं शतमखेन पापिना ॥ ६ ॥ विनापराधं तपसां निधिर्हतः शचीपतिः पापमतिर्दुरात्मा । फलं किलायं तरसा कृतस्य प्राप्नोतु पापी हननोद्भवस्य ॥ ७ ॥
English Translation
The ascetic, struck thus, fell on the ground and died, like a mountain peak struck by thunder falling on the ground and presenting a wondrous sight. Indra became very glad when he killed the Muni; but the other Munis then cried aloud :-- “Oh! We are killed! Alas! What a crime has Indra committed today! Oh! The vicious Indra has killed today this jewel amongst the Munis without any offence! Let, then, this sinner reap the fruits of his sinful act without any delay.”
Ch 2 Verse 8-9 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तं निहत्य तरसा सुरराजो निर्जगाम निजमन्दिरमाशु । स हतोऽपि विरराज महात्मा जीवमान इव तेजसां निधिः ॥ ८ ॥ तं दृष्ट्वा पतितं भूमौ जीवन्तमिव वृत्रहा । चिन्तामापातिखिन्नाङ्गः किं वा जीवेदयं पुनः ॥ ९ ॥
English Translation
Indra, then, went back soon to his own abode; on the other hand, the high-souled Muni, though killed, looked as it were, living by the lustre of his own body. Indra, then, seeing him lying like a living man thought that the Muni might get alive and so became very sad.
Ch 2 Verse 10-11 Verse
Sanskrit Text
विमृश्य मनसातीव तक्षाणं पुरतः स्थितम् । मघवा वीक्ष्य तं प्राह स्वकार्यसदृशं वचः ॥ १० ॥ तक्षंश्छिन्धि शिरांस्यस्य कुरुष्व वचनं मम । मा जीवतु महातेजा भाति जीवन्निव स्वयम् ॥ ११ ॥
English Translation
While he was thus arguing in his mind, he saw before him a wood cutter named Takṣa and began to speak to him for his own selfish ends thus “O Artisan! Cut all the heads of this Muni and keep my word; this highly lustrous Muni is looking as it were alive; therefore, if you sever his heads, he cannot be alive.” Takṣa then cursed him and spoke thus.
Ch 2 Verse 12-14 Verse
Sanskrit Text
इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य तक्षोवाच विगर्हयन् । तक्षोवाच । महास्कन्धो भृशं भाति परशुर्न तरिष्यति ॥ १२ ॥ ततो नाहं करिष्यामि कार्यमेतद्विगर्हितम् । त्वया वै निन्दितं कर्म कृतं सद्भिर्विगर्हितम् ॥ १३ ॥ अहं बिभेमि पापाद्वै मृतस्यैव च मारणे । मृतोऽयं मुनिरस्त्येव शिरसः कृन्तनेन किम् ॥ १४ ॥
English Translation
“O King of the Devas! The neck of this Muni is very big and therefore cannot be severed; my axe is not at all fit for this work . Specially I cannot do such a blameable act. You have done a very heinous crime, quite against the law of the good persons; I fear sin; I will not be able to cut the heads of a dead man. This Muni is lying dead; what use is there in severing his head again? O Pākaśāsana! The killer of the demon Pāka! Why do you fear in this?”
Ch 2 Verse 15 Verse
Sanskrit Text
भयं किं तेऽत्र सञ्जातं पाकशासन कथ्यताम् । इन्द्र उवाच । सजीव इव देहोऽयमाभाति विशदाकृतिः ॥ १५ ॥
English Translation
Indra said :-- “O Artisan! This Muni is my dire enemy. Life seems to be still lingering in his body; his body is still lustrous, I fear if the Muni be alive again!”
Ch 2 Verse 16 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तस्माद्बिभेमि मा जीवेन्मुनिः शत्रुरयं मम । तक्षोवाच । नात्र किं त्रपसे विद्वन् क्रूरेणानेन कर्मणा ॥ १६ ॥
English Translation
Takṣa told :-- “Do you not feel shame in doing this heinous crime, when you know everything? Do you not fear God for the crime of killing a Brāhmin?”
Ch 2 Verse 17 Verse
Sanskrit Text
ऋषिपुत्रमिमं हत्वा ब्रह्महत्याभयं न किम् । इन्द्र उवाच । प्रायश्चित्तं करिष्यामि पश्चात्पापक्षयाय वै ॥ १७ ॥
English Translation
Indra said :-- I will make Prāyaścitta (penance) afterwards for the washing away of my sins; but my duty at present is to kill my enemy. O Fortunate One! The wise men, clever in polity, say that enemies must be killed by any excuse whatsoever.
Ch 2 Verse 18 Verse
Sanskrit Text
शत्रुस्तु सर्वथा वध्यश्छलेनापि महामते । तक्षोवाच । त्वं लोभाभिहतः पापं करोषि मघवन्निह ॥ १८ ॥
English Translation
Takṣā then replied :-- “O Maghavan! You are doing this sinful deed out of your avarice; but, O Lord! I have no cause whatsoever; how then without any cause, can I engage myself in such a vicious act?”
Ch 2 Verse 19-20 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तं विनाहं कथं पापं करोमि वद मे विभो । इन्द्र उवाच । मखेषु खलु भागं ते करिष्यामि सदैव हि ॥ १९ ॥ शिरः पशोस्तु ते भागं यज्ञे दास्यन्ति मानवाः । शुल्केनानेन छिन्धि त्वं शिरांस्यस्य कुरु प्रियम् ॥ २० ॥
English Translation
Indra said :-- “O Takṣan! I will allot a share to you wherever there will be a sacrifice. The human beings will invariably offer to you the head of the animal killed at any sacrifice. Now cut his head according to this rule.”
Ch 2 Verse 21 Verse
Sanskrit Text
व्यास उवाच । एतच्छ्रुत्वा महेन्द्रस्य वचस्तक्षा मुदान्वितः । कुठारेण शिरांस्यस्य चकर्त सुदृढेन हि ॥ २१ ॥
English Translation
Vyāsa said :-- O King! That Takṣā became very glad when he heard thus from Indra and struck off the heads of the Muni with his very strong axe.
Ch 2 Verse 22 Verse
Sanskrit Text
छिन्नानि त्रीणि शीर्षाणि पतितानि यदा भुवि । तेभ्यस्तु पक्षिणः क्षिप्रं विनिष्पेतुः सहस्रशः ॥ २२ ॥
English Translation
O powerful King! When the three heads, thus severed, fell to the ground, thousands and thousands of birds came out of those heads in quick succession.
Ch 2 Verse 23 Verse
Sanskrit Text
कलविङ्कास्तित्तिरयस्तथैव च कपिञ्जलाः । पृथक्पृथग्विनिष्पेतुर्मुखतस्तरसा तदा ॥ २३ ॥
English Translation
The three groups of birds Kalavinkas, Tittiris and Kapiñjalas came out very rapidly from the three heads in due succession.
Ch 2 Verse 24-25 Verse
Sanskrit Text
येन वेदानधीते स्म सोमं च पिबते तथा । तस्माद्वक्त्रात्किलोत्पेतुः सद्य एव कपिञ्जलाः ॥ २४ ॥ येन सर्वा दिशः कामं पिबन्निव निरीक्षते । तस्मात्तु तित्तिरास्तत्र निःसृतास्तिग्मतेजसः ॥ २५ ॥
English Translation
The Kapiñjala birds came out of that mouth that used to chant the Vedas and used to drink Soma; the Tittiri birds came out of that mouth that used to see all the quarters as if it drank them; and the Kalavinka birds came out of that face that used to drink wine.
Ch 2 Verse 26 Verse
Sanskrit Text
यत्सुरापं तु तद्वक्त्रं तस्मात्तु चटकाः किल । विनिष्पेतुस्त्रिशिरस एवं ते विहगा नृप ॥ २६ ॥
English Translation
Indra became very glad to see the birds thus coming out of his mouths and went back at once to his Heavens.
Ch 2 Verse 27 Verse
Sanskrit Text
एवंविनिःसृतान्दृष्ट्वा तेभ्यः शक्रस्तदाण्डजान् । मुमोद मनसा राजन् जगाम त्रिदिवं पुनः ॥ २७ ॥
English Translation
O King! No sooner Indra went back, than Takṣā came back to his own house and felt himself very pleased to receive his share of sacrificial things.
Ch 2 Verse 28 Verse
Sanskrit Text
गते शक्रे तु तक्षापि स्वगृहं तरसा ययौ । यज्ञभागं परं लब्ध्वा मुदमाप महीपते ॥ २८ ॥
English Translation
On returning to his home, Indra thought that he had done his duty in slaying his powerful enemy.
Ch 2 Verse 29 Verse
Sanskrit Text
इन्द्रोऽथ स्वगृहं गत्वा हत्वा शत्रुं महाबलम् । मेने कृतार्थमात्मानं ब्रह्महत्यामचिन्तयन् ॥ २९ ॥
English Translation
It did not pass in his mind that he had committed the Brahmahattyā sin (i. e., that he had killed a Brāhmin).
Ch 2 Verse 30-31 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तं श्रुत्वा निहतं त्वष्टा पुत्रं परमधार्मिकम् । चुकोपातीव मनसा वचनं चेदमब्रवीत् ॥ ३० ॥ अनागसं मुनिं यस्मात्पुत्रं निहतवान्मम । तस्मादुत्पादयिष्यामि तद्वधार्थं सुतं पुनः ॥ ३१ ॥
English Translation
When Viśvakarmā heard that his virtuous son had been killed, he became very angry (in his mind) and said that as Indra had killed his qualified son engaged in asceticism without any offence, he would create another son to kill Indra.
Ch 2 Verse 32-33 Verse
Sanskrit Text
सुराः पश्यन्तु मे वीर्यं तपसश्च बलं तथा । जानातु सर्वं पापात्मा स्वकृतस्य फलं महत् ॥ ३२ ॥ इत्युक्त्वाग्निं जुहावाथ मन्त्रैराथर्वणोदितैः । पुत्रस्योत्पादनार्थाय त्वष्टा क्रोधसमाकुलः ॥ ३३ ॥
English Translation
Let the Devas see his strength and power of Tapasyā and let Indra, too, reap the far-reaching effects of his own Karma. Thus saying, Viśvakarmā distressed with anger, offered oblations in the sacrificial Fire, reciting Mantram from the Atharvan Vedas, with the object of producing a son.
Ch 2 Verse 34 Verse
Sanskrit Text
कृते होमेऽष्टरात्रं तु सन्दीप्ताच्च विभावसोः । प्रादुर्बभूव तरसा पुरुषः पावकोपमः ॥ ३४ ॥
English Translation
When Homa was performed for eight nights consecutively, a man quickly came out of that burning fire, as if he was the Incarnate of Fire itself.
Ch 2 Verse 35-36 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तं दृष्ट्वाग्रे सुतं त्वष्टा तेजोबलसमन्वितम् । वेगात्प्रकटितं वह्नेर्दीप्यमानमिवानलम् ॥ ३५ ॥ उवाच वचनं त्वष्टा सुतं वीक्ष्य पुरःस्थितम् । इन्द्रशत्रो विवर्धस्व प्रतापात्तपसो मम ॥ ३६ ॥
English Translation
Seeing the lustrous son before him, come out of the fire and endowed with power and energy, Viśvakarmā said “O Indra’s enemy! Grow by my power of asceticism.”
Ch 2 Verse 37 Verse
Sanskrit Text
इत्युक्ते वचने त्वष्ट्रा क्रोधप्रज्वलितेन च । सोऽवर्धत दिवं स्तब्ध्वा वैश्वानरसमद्युतिः ॥ ३७ ॥
English Translation
When Viśvakarmā spoke these words, burning with anger, that brilliant fiery son began to grow, towering high above the Heavens.
Ch 2 Verse 38-39 Verse
Sanskrit Text
जातः स पर्वताकारः कालमृत्युसमः स्वराट् । किं करोमीति तं प्राह पितरं परमातुरम् ॥ ३८ ॥ कुरु मे नामकं नाथ कार्यं कथय सुव्रत । चिन्तातुरोऽसि कस्मात्त्वं ब्रूहि मे शोककारणम् ॥ ३९ ॥
English Translation
Within a moment that man looked a second God of Death and appeared like a mountain and shone like the God Himself. Then he spoke to his own father Viśvakarmā, who was very distressed “O Father! Put my name. Pray, what use can I be to you? Why do you look so aggrieved and anxious; please explain to me all the causes.
Ch 2 Verse 40 Verse
Sanskrit Text
नाशयाम्यद्य ते शोकमिति मे व्रतमाहितम् । तेन जातेन किं भूयः पिता भवति दुःखितः ॥ ४० ॥
English Translation
I make a firm vow today that will remove the cause of your sorrow. Father ! Of what avail is that to his father when he is not able to remove his sorrows!”
Ch 2 Verse 41-42 Verse
Sanskrit Text
पिबामि सागरं सद्यश्चूर्णयामि धराधरान् । उद्यन्तं वारयाम्यद्य तरणिं तिग्मतेजसम् ॥ ४१ ॥ हन्मीन्द्रं ससुरं सद्यो यमं वा देवतान्तरम् । क्षिपामि सागरे सर्वान्समुत्पाट्य च मेदिनीम् ॥ ४२ ॥
English Translation
O Father! Shall I drink the ocean or crumble the mountains to dust or shall I obstruct the passage of the rising Sun or shall I kill Indra, Yama, or the other host of Devas or shall I root out the earth and throw it with all beings into the ocean?”
Ch 2 Verse 43-44 Verse
Sanskrit Text
इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य त्वष्टा पुत्रस्य पेशलम् । प्रत्युवाचातिमुदितस्तं सुतं पर्वतोपमम् ॥ ४३ ॥ वृजिनात्त्रातुमधुना यस्माच्छक्तोऽसि पुत्रक । तस्माद्वृत्र इति ख्यातं तव नाम भविष्यति ॥ ४४ ॥
English Translation
O King! Hearing thus the sweet words of his son, Viśvakarmā gladly told his mountain-like son “O my Son! You are capable to save me from troubles (Vrijina) hence you are named Vṛtra.
Ch 2 Verse 45-47 Verse
Sanskrit Text
भ्राता तव महाभाग त्रिशिरा नाम तापसः । त्रीणि तस्य च शीर्षाणि ह्यभवन्वीर्यवन्ति च ॥ ४५ ॥ वेदवेदाङ्गतत्त्वज्ञः सर्वविद्याविशारदः । संस्थितस्तपसि प्रायस्त्रिलोकीविस्मयप्रदे ॥ ४६ ॥ शक्रेण तु हतः सोऽद्य वज्रघातेन साम्प्रतम् । विनापराधं सहसा छिन्नानि मस्तकानि च ॥ ४७ ॥
English Translation
O highly Fortunate One! Your brother, named Triśirā, was a great ascetic; his three faces were all very strong. He was thoroughly conversant with the Vedas and the Vedaṅgās and well versed in all the other knowledges. He remained always engaged in practising asceticism, surprising to the three worlds. Indra killed my qualified son with his thunderbolt; that wicked soul severed the three heads without any offence.
Ch 2 Verse 48 Verse
Sanskrit Text
तस्मात्त्वं पुरुषव्याघ्र जहि शक्रं कृतागसम् । ब्रह्महत्यायुतं पापं निस्त्रपं दुर्मतिं शठम् ॥ ४८ ॥
English Translation
Therefore, O Best of beings! Kill that vicious, shameless, deceitful, wicked Indra guilty of the sin of Brahmahattyā.”
Ch 2 Verse 49 Verse
Sanskrit Text
इत्युक्त्वा च तदा त्वष्टा पुत्रशोकसमाकुलः । आयुधानि च दिव्यानि चकार विविधानि च ॥ ४९ ॥
English Translation
O King! Thus saying, Viśvakarmā very much confounded with the breavement of his son, created various divine weapons.
Ch 2 Verse 50-52 Verse
Sanskrit Text
ददावस्मै सहस्राक्षवधाय प्रबलानि च । खड्गशूलगदाशक्तितोमरप्रमुखानि वै ॥ ५० ॥ शार्ङ्ग धनुस्तथा बाणं परिघं पट्टिशं तथा । चक्रं दिव्यं सहस्रारं सुदर्शनसमप्रभम् ॥ ५१ ॥ तूणीरौ चाक्षयौ दिव्यौ कवचं चातिसुन्दरम् । रथं मेघप्रतीकाशं दृढं भारसहं जवम् ॥ ५२ ॥
English Translation
He prepared weapons specially suited to kill Indra, the best axes, tridents, clubs, Śaktis, Tomaras and bows made of horns and arrows, Parighas, Pattiśas, divine discus like the Sudarśan Cakra, divine inexhaustible arrow cases with arrows, nice Kavaca, very substantial air-like swift-going chariot looking like a cloud and capable to carry great loads; all these he created and gave over to his son.
Ch 2 Verse 53 Verse
Sanskrit Text
युद्धोपकरणं सर्वं कृत्वा पुत्राय पार्थिव । दत्त्वासौ प्रेरयामास त्वष्टा क्रोधसमन्वितः ॥ ५३ ॥
Sanskrit Colophon
इति श्रीमद्देवीभागवते महापुराणेऽष्टादशसाहस्र्यां संहितायां षष्ठस्कन्धे त्रिशिरवधानन्तरं वृत्रोत्पत्तिवर्णनं नाम द्वितीयोऽध्यायः ॥ ६.२॥
English Translation
O King! Viśvakarmā, the best of architects, excited by anger, made ready all the equipments necessary for war and gave them to his son Vṛtrāsura and sent him to kill Indra. Here ends the Second Chapter of the Sixth Book on the birth of Vṛtrāsura in the Mahā Purānam Śrī Mad Devī Bhāgavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharṣi Veda Vyāsa.