Adhyaya 11

Verse 1

श्रीशुक उवाच त एवं शंसतो धर्मं वच: पत्युरचेतस: । नैवागृह्णन्त सम्भ्रान्ता: पलायनपरा नृप ॥ १ ॥

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, Vṛtrāsura, the asuras’ commander in chief, instructed his lieutenants in the principles of dharma, but those cowardly demoniac leaders—bent on fleeing the battlefield—were so shaken by fear that they could not accept his words.

Verse 2

विशीर्यमाणां पृतनामासुरीमसुरर्षभ: । कालानुकूलैस्त्रिदशै: काल्यमानामनाथवत् ॥ २ ॥ द‍ृष्ट्वातप्यत सङ्‌कुद्ध इन्द्रशत्रुरमर्षित: । तान् निवार्यौजसा राजन् निर्भर्त्स्येदमुवाच ह ॥ ३ ॥

O King, seizing a favorable moment granted by time, the demigods attacked the asuras’ army from the rear and drove the soldiers away, scattering them as if the host had no leader. Seeing his troops in such a pitiable state, Vṛtrāsura—the best of the asuras, known as Indraśatru, Indra’s enemy—was stricken with grief and rage. Unable to bear the setback, he halted them by force, rebuked the demigods, and in anger spoke the following words.

Verse 3

विशीर्यमाणां पृतनामासुरीमसुरर्षभ: । कालानुकूलैस्त्रिदशै: काल्यमानामनाथवत् ॥ २ ॥ द‍ृष्ट्वातप्यत सङ्‌कुद्ध इन्द्रशत्रुरमर्षित: । तान् निवार्यौजसा राजन् निर्भर्त्स्येदमुवाच ह ॥ ३ ॥

O King Parīkṣit, seizing a favorable moment granted by time, the demigods attacked the asuras’ army from the rear and drove the soldiers away, scattering them as if the host had no leader. Seeing his troops in such a pitiable state, Vṛtrāsura—the best of the asuras, known as Indraśatru, Indra’s enemy—was stricken with grief and rage. Unable to bear the setback, he halted them by force, rebuked the demigods, and in anger spoke the following words.

Verse 4

किं व उच्चरितैर्मातुर्धावद्भ‍ि: पृष्ठतो हतै: । न हि भीतवध: श्लाघ्यो न स्वर्ग्य: शूरमानिनाम् ॥ ४ ॥

O demigods, these asuric soldiers have been born in vain—issuing from their mothers’ bodies like filth. What gain is there in killing enemies from behind while they flee in fear? One who calls himself a hero does not slay a frightened foe. Such killing is neither glorious nor a path to heaven.

Verse 5

यदि व: प्रधने श्रद्धा सारं वा क्षुल्लका हृदि । अग्रे तिष्ठत मात्रं मे न चेद ग्राम्यसुखे स्पृहा ॥ ५ ॥

O insignificant demigods, if you truly have faith in your valor in battle, if patience abides in the core of your hearts, and if you do not hanker for worldly sense pleasure, then stand before me for but a moment.

Verse 6

एवं सुरगणान् क्रुद्धो भीषयन् वपुषा रिपून् । व्यनदत् सुमहाप्राणो येन लोका विचेतस: ॥ ६ ॥

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Vṛtrāsura, the angry hero of immense might, terrified the demigods with his stout, powerfully built body. When he roared with a thunderous voice, the beings of the worlds nearly fainted.

Verse 7

तेन देवगणा: सर्वे वृत्रविस्फोटनेन वै । निपेतुर्मूर्च्छिता भूमौ यथैवाशनिना हता: ॥ ७ ॥

Hearing Vṛtrāsura’s tumultuous roar, all the demigods fainted and fell upon the ground, as though struck down by thunderbolts.

Verse 8

ममर्द पद्‌भ्यां सुरसैन्यमातुरं निमीलिताक्षं रणरङ्गदुर्मद: । गां कम्पयन्नुद्यतशूल ओजसा नालं वनं यूथपतिर्यथोन्मद: ॥ ८ ॥

On the battlefield, as the demigods shut their eyes in fear, Vṛtrāsura—mad with martial pride—trampled their distressed army beneath his feet. Raising his trident and making the earth tremble by his might, he was like a frenzied lordly elephant crushing hollow bamboos in the forest.

Verse 9

विलोक्य तं वज्रधरोऽत्यमर्षित: स्वशत्रवेऽभिद्रवते महागदाम् । चिक्षेप तामापततीं सुदु:सहां जग्राह वामेन करेण लीलया ॥ ९ ॥

Seeing Vṛtrāsura’s fierce bearing, Indra, wielder of the vajra, became intolerably enraged and hurled at his enemy a mighty club, most difficult to counter. Yet as it flew toward him, Vṛtrāsura caught it with his left hand, effortlessly, as if in play.

Verse 10

स इन्द्रशत्रु: कुपितो भृशं तया महेन्द्रवाहं गदयोरुविक्रम: । जघान कुम्भस्थल उन्नदन्मृधे तत्कर्म सर्वे समपूजयन्नृप ॥ १० ॥

O King Parīkṣit, the powerful Vṛtrāsura, the enemy of King Indra, angrily struck the head of Indra’s elephant with that club, making a tumultuous sound on the battlefield. For this heroic deed, the soldiers on both sides glorified him.

Verse 11

ऐरावतो वृत्रगदाभिमृष्टो विघूर्णितोऽद्रि: कुलिशाहतो यथा । अपासरद् भिन्नमुख: सहेन्द्रो मुञ्चन्नसृक् सप्तधनुर्भृशार्त: ॥ ११ ॥

Struck with the club by Vṛtrāsura like a mountain struck by a thunderbolt, the elephant Airāvata, feeling great pain and spitting blood from its broken mouth, was pushed back fourteen yards. In great distress, the elephant fell, with Indra on its back.

Verse 12

न सन्नवाहाय विषण्णचेतसे प्रायुङ्क्त भूय: स गदां महात्मा । इन्द्रोऽमृतस्यन्दिकराभिमर्श वीतव्यथक्षतवाहोऽवतस्थे ॥ १२ ॥

When he saw Indra’s carrier elephant thus fatigued and injured and when he saw Indra morose because his carrier had been harmed in that way, the great soul Vṛtrāsura, following religious principles, refrained from again striking Indra with the club. Taking this opportunity, Indra touched the elephant with his nectar-producing hand, thus relieving the animal’s pain and curing its injuries. Then the elephant and Indra both stood silently.

Verse 13

स तं नृपेन्द्राहवकाम्यया रिपुं वज्रायुधं भ्रातृहणं विलोक्य । स्मरंश्च तत्कर्म नृशंसमंह: शोकेन मोहेन हसञ्जगाद ॥ १३ ॥

O King, when the great hero Vṛtrāsura saw Indra, his enemy, the killer of his brother, standing before him with a thunderbolt in his hand, desiring to fight, Vṛtrāsura remembered how Indra had cruelly killed his brother. Thinking of Indra’s sinful activities, he became mad with lamentation and forgetfulness. Laughing sarcastically, he spoke as follows.

Verse 14

श्रीवृत्र उवाच दिष्ट्या भवान् मे समवस्थितो रिपु- र्यो ब्रह्महा गुरुहा भ्रातृहा च । दिष्ट्यानृणोऽद्याहमसत्तम त्वया मच्छूलनिर्भिन्नद‍ृषद्‌धृदाचिरात् ॥ १४ ॥

Śrī Vṛtrāsura said: He who has killed a brāhmaṇa, he who has killed his spiritual master — indeed, he who has killed my brother — is now, by good fortune, standing before me face to face as my enemy. O most abominable one, when I pierce your stonelike heart with my trident, I shall be freed from my debt to my brother.

Verse 15

यो नोऽग्रजस्यात्मविदो द्विजाते- र्गुरोरपापस्य च दीक्षितस्य । विश्रभ्य खड्‍गेन शिरांस्यवृश्चत् पशोरिवाकरुण: स्वर्गकाम: ॥ १५ ॥

Only for the sake of living in the heavenly planets, you killed my elder brother — a self-realized, sinless, qualified brāhmaṇa who had been appointed your chief priest. He was your spiritual master, but although you entrusted him with the performance of your sacrifice, you later mercilessly severed his heads from his body the way one butchers an animal.

Verse 16

श्रीह्रीदयाकीर्तिभिरुज्झितं त्वां स्वकर्मणा पुरुषादैश्च गर्ह्यम् । कृच्छ्रेण मच्छूलविभिन्नदेह- मस्पृष्टवह्निं समदन्ति गृध्रा: ॥ १६ ॥

Indra, you are bereft of all shame, mercy, glory and good fortune. Deprived of these good qualities by the reactions of your fruitive activities, you are to be condemned even by the man-eaters [Rākṣasas]. Now I shall pierce your body with my trident, and after you die with great pain, even fire will not touch you; only the vultures will eat your body.

Verse 17

अन्येऽनु ये त्वेह नृशंसमज्ञा यदुद्यतास्त्रा: प्रहरन्ति मह्यम् । तैर्भूतनाथान् सगणान् निशात त्रिशूलनिर्भिन्नगलैर्यजामि ॥ १७ ॥

You are naturally cruel. If the other demigods, unaware of my prowess, follow you by attacking me with raised weapons, I shall sever their heads with this sharp trident. With those heads I shall perform a sacrifice to Bhairava and the other leaders of the ghosts, along with their hordes.

Verse 18

अथो हरे मे कुलिशेन वीर हर्ता प्रमथ्यैव शिरो यदीह । तत्रानृणो भूतबलिं विधाय मनस्विनां पादरज: प्रपत्स्ये ॥ १८ ॥

But if in this battle you cut off my head with your thunderbolt and kill my soldiers, O Indra, O great hero, I shall take great pleasure in offering my body to other living entities [such as jackals and vultures]. I shall thus be relieved of my obligations to the reactions of my karma, and my fortune will be to receive the dust from the lotus feet of great devotees like Nārada Muni.

Verse 19

सुरेश कस्मान्न हिनोषि वज्रं पुर: स्थिते वैरिणि मय्यमोघम् । मा संशयिष्ठा न गदेव वज्र: स्यान्निष्फल: कृपणार्थेव याच्ञा ॥ १९ ॥

O King of the demigods, since I, your enemy, am standing before you, why don’t you hurl your thunderbolt at me? Although your attack upon me with your club was certainly useless, like a request of money from a miser, the thunderbolt you carry will not be useless. You need have no doubts about this.

Verse 20

नन्वेष वज्रस्तव शक्र तेजसा हरेर्दधीचेस्तपसा च तेजित: । तेनैव शत्रुं जहि विष्णुयन्त्रितो यतो हरिर्विजय: श्रीर्गुणास्तत: ॥ २० ॥

O Śakra (Indra), the thunderbolt you bear to slay me has been empowered by the splendor of Śrī Hari Viṣṇu and by the strength of Dadhīci’s austerity. Since you act under Viṣṇu’s command, strike down the foe with that very vajra; for Hari stands on your side, your victory, opulence, and all noble qualities are assured.

Verse 21

अहं समाधाय मनो यथाह न: सङ्कर्षणस्तच्चरणारविन्दे । त्वद्वज्ररंहोलुलितग्राम्यपाशो गतिं मुनेर्याम्यपविद्धलोक: ॥ २१ ॥

By the force of your vajra I shall be cut free from material bondage, abandoning this body and this world of desire. Fixing my mind upon the lotus feet of Śrī Saṅkarṣaṇa, just as He has spoken, I shall attain the destination of great sages such as Nārada Muni.

Verse 22

पुंसां किलैकान्तधियां स्वकानां या: सम्पदो दिवि भूमौ रसायाम् । न राति यद्‌द्वेष उद्वेग आधि- र्मद: कलिर्व्यसनं सम्प्रयास: ॥ २२ ॥

Those who, with single-minded devotion, surrender to the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord and ever remember those feet are accepted by Him as His own servants. Yet the Lord does not grant such devotees the dazzling opulences of the higher, middle, or lower worlds, for material prosperity breeds enmity, anxiety, inner turmoil, pride, strife, calamity, and exhausting endeavor—and when it is lost, one suffers great sorrow.

Verse 23

त्रैवर्गिकायासविघातमस्मत्- पतिर्विधत्ते पुरुषस्य शक्र । ततोऽनुमेयो भगवत्प्रसादो यो दुर्लभोऽकिञ्चनगोचरोऽन्यै: ॥ २३ ॥

O Indra, our Lord—the Supreme Personality of Godhead—checks His devotees from futile toil for dharma, wealth, and sense pleasure. From this one may infer the tenderness of the Lord’s prasāda. Such mercy is attained only by pure, desireless devotees, not by those who seek material gain.

Verse 24

अहं हरे तव पादैकमूल- दासानुदासो भवितास्मि भूय: । मन: स्मरेतासुपतेर्गुणांस्ते गृणीत वाक् कर्म करोतु काय: ॥ २४ ॥

O Hari, may I again become the servant of the servants of Your eternal servants, who take shelter only at Your lotus feet? O Lord of my life, grant me once more to be their servant, so that my mind may ever remember Your transcendental qualities, my words may ever glorify them, and my body may ever engage in loving service to You.

Verse 25

न नाकपृष्ठं न च पारमेष्ठ्यं न सार्वभौमं न रसाधिपत्यम् । न योगसिद्धीरपुनर्भवं वा समञ्जस त्वा विरहय्य काङ्‌क्षे ॥ २५ ॥

O my Lord, I desire neither Dhruvaloka nor the heavenly realms nor Brahmā’s abode; nor do I seek supreme dominion over earth or the lower worlds. I do not want yogic perfections, nor even liberation, if it means forsaking Your lotus feet.

Verse 26

अजातपक्षा इव मातरं खगा: स्तन्यं यथा वत्सतरा: क्षुधार्ता: । प्रियं प्रियेव व्युषितं विषण्णा मनोऽरविन्दाक्ष दिद‍ृक्षते त्वाम् ॥ २६ ॥

O lotus-eyed Lord, as wingless fledglings long for their mother’s return, as hungry calves yearn for the time to drink their mothers’ milk, and as a sorrowing wife longs for her absent beloved, so my mind ever hankers to behold You and to serve You directly.

Verse 27

ममोत्तमश्लोकजनेषु सख्यं संसारचक्रे भ्रमत: स्वकर्मभि: । त्वन्माययात्मात्मजदारगेहे- ष्वासक्तचित्तस्य न नाथ भूयात् ॥ २७ ॥

O my Lord and master, by the fruits of my own deeds I wander in the wheel of samsara. Therefore I seek only friendship in the company of Your pure and enlightened devotees. By Your external māyā my mind remains attached to body, wife, children, and home; let that attachment cease, and let my mind and all my consciousness be bound to You alone.