सेनोद्योग पर्व — इन्द्रको पराजय

Shalya said The gods and the foremost among the Rishis seeing Nahusha enraged said to the (now) terrible looking king of the gods.

O king of the gods, put aside this anger. At your anger the world, with its Asuras and Gandharyas and Kinnaras and the great serpents, is stricken with panic.

0 virtuous one, put aside this anger. Beings like you never get angry. That goddess is the wife of another. O lord of the gods, be propitious.

Turn back your mind from the wish of ravishing the wife of another. You are the king of the gods, we wish you well, protect your subjects by virtuous means.

Being thus addressed, he, struck with passion, listened not to those words. The protector of the gods then said to the gods regarding Indra.

Ahalya, the wife of a Rishi (herself) of good reputation, was ravished by Indra while her husband was alive. Why was he not then prevented by you.

In bygone days, many were the deeds of cruelty done by Indra, as also vicious deeds and deceitful ones. Why was he not prevented by you.

Let the goddess attend on me; this will be of great benefit to her and it will also prove to be your means of safety.

The gods said We shall bring here the wife of Indra as you wish, O lord of the heaven; O hero put aside this anger and be propitious, o lord of the gods.

Shalya said Saying this, the gods accompanied by the Rishis, O on of Bharata, went to tell this unwelcome news to Brihaspati and the wife of Indra.

And they said we are aware that the queen of Indra has placed herself under your protection at your abode, O chief among the Brahmanas and that she has been accorded (your) protection, 0 chief among the Devarshis.

They, the gods with the Gandharvas and Rishis, pray you, O you of great luster, to make over the Queen of Indra to Nahusha.

The king of the gods Nahusha of great luster is superior to Indra. Let this lady with slender waist and bright complexion, choose him as her husband.

The goddess being thus spoken to, became depressed and sobbed aloud with tears in her eyes and then crying said these words to Brihaspati.

O you best among the Devarshis, I have no inclination for Nahusha; I have thrown myself under your protection, O Brahmanas, save me from this great calamity.

Brihaspati said It is settled that the queen of Indra, who has thrown herself under my protection, will not be turned out by me. I shall not turn out, O you who know what virtue is, the truthful and blameless.

I do not wish to do a wrong thing, especially as I am a Brahmanas, who have heard what virtue is and know the rules of virtue and am truthful.

I shall not do this; go, you best among the gods; listen to what has before been sung by Brahma, with regard to this matter, in days of old.

He that makes over a man, stricken with fear who has sought refuge with him, to the enemy, does not get protection himself when he desires it. His seed cannot be sown at seed time nor does he get rain at the time for rains.

The gods do not favour the undertakings of him who makes over a man stricken with fear, who has sought refuge with him, to his enemy. The offering made by such a weak-hearted person is refused by the gods and he loses the kingdom of heaven, as if shorn of all power.

The gods with Indra will level his thunderbolt on him who makes over a man stricken with fear, who has sought refuse with him, to his enemy. And his children will die untimely deaths and his fathers ever engage themselves in quarrels.

Knowing it to be so, I shall not give up this Sachi, the queen of Indra, known in this world as the beloved queen of Shakra.

What will be of benefit to her will also be of benefit to me. Do that then, O chief among the gods. I shall not give up Sachi.

Shalya said Then the gods with the Gandharvas said to their preceptor O Brihaspati, deliberate on what will be good policy.

Brihaspati said Let this auspicious goddess ask time of Nahusha; this will be of benefit to herself and the same to us.

O God, time is full of impediments. Time will lead time (i.e. we are in the dark as to what will happen hereafter). Nahusha is haughty and powerful alike by virtue of the boon granted him.

Shalya said Being thus addressed by Brihaspati the gods became well pleased and said-O Brahmanas, it is well said by you; this will be of benefit to all the denizens of heaven.

O chief among the twice born, this is so. Let us propitiate this goddess. Then all the gods headed by Indra addressed these quiet words to the queen of Indra, through a desire to do good to the worlds.

The gods said This entire world, with all its movable and immovable, is held by you, you are an only wife and truthful; go to Nahusha.

That doer of vicious deeds Nahusha, desirous of you, O goddess, will soon be destroyed and Shakra will regain the lordship of the gods.

Making herself sure on this point, the queen of Indra went with bashful looks to Nahusha (now) fearful to look at, for the accomplishment of the object.

And Nahusha seeing her, possessed of youth and beauty, became pleased; the consciousness of that vicious soul was stricken with passion.