सेनोद्योग पर्व — अगस्त्यको इन्द्रलाई समाचार

Shalya said While the wise king of the gods was fixing on means of killing Nahusha, along with the ruler of the worlds and the gods, the ascetic, who had the six attributes of a godly being, Agastya, appeared there and having delay greeted the king of the gods, said-It is fortunate that you are gaining in strength, having already killed the great Aşura who had assumed a universal form; it is fortunate, O Purandara the Nahusha is this day ousted from the kingdom of heaven; it is fortunate, O slayer of Bala, that I see you with all your enemies, killed.

Indra said Welcome to you, O great Rishi; I am pleased at seeing you; be so good as to accept from me water for washing your feet and your face and also the things suitable for your worship and a cow.

Shalya said That best among the Rishis being duly worshipped and seated on a seat, the chief of the gods, well pleased, asked that best among the Brahmanas.

O you best among the twice born, having the six attributes, narrate how Nahusha of vicious purpose came to be ousted from heaven. I want to hear that.

Agastya said Listen, O Shakra, to this story as to how the vicious-souled Nahusha, of bad habits, vain of his strength, has been ousted from heaven.

The Devarshis of great attributes and the Brahmarshis of spotless fame wearied with bearing Nahusha, the doer of vicious deeds, asked him (Nahusha), O best of victors, if the hymns prescribed to be chanted by Brahma, at the time of sprinkling the cows, were authentic. And also if he believed in their authenticity, told them that it was not authentic.

The Rishis said You are going along the path of vice; you do not act virtuously. “That they are authentic" has before been said by our great Rishis.

Agastya said Then, O Vasava, he began quarreling with the Rishis and then the one, ruled by vice, touched my head with his feet.

By that act did the king lose his strength and became shorn of prosperity; and then as he was agitated and oppressed with fear and had lost the power of speech, I said-

Since, O king, you call into question, the hymns authorized by our ancestors and chanted by Brahmarshis and since you have touched me with your feet and since, O fool, you have your conveyance carried by Rishis equal to Brahma and unapproachable, whom you have made your bearers, therefore be shorn of your power. O Vice, be destroyed and turned out of heaven, go you to the earth where there is little virtue.

For ten thousand years, assuming the form of a large snake, shall you roam about and at the completion of that period shall you again get into heaven.

The wicked-souled one was thus turned out of the kingdom of the gods, O you subduer of foes. It is lucky, O Shakra, that we are now on the ascendant and that thorn, of the Brahmanas, has been killed.

O you lord of Sachi, go you to heaven and rule over the world, after conquering your senses and subduing your enemies and being propitiated by the great Rishis.

Shalya said Then the gods were highly pleased, along with the great Rishis and the Pitris and the Yakshas and the Rakshasas and the Gandharvas and the celestial nymphs and all the fairies; and all the tanks and the lakes and the mountains and the rivers rejoiced.

They all coming there said-it is fortunate, Oslayer of enemies, that you are on the ascendant; it is fortunate that the vicious Nahusha has been killed by the wise Agastya; it is fortunate that being of vicious habits has been turned into a snake in the earth.