शल्य उवाच क्रुद्धं तु नहुषं दृष्ट्वा देवा ऋषिपुरोगमाः। अब्रुवन् देवराजानां नहुषं घोरदर्शनम्॥
Shalya said The gods and the foremost among the Rishis seeing Nahusha enraged said to the (now) terrible looking king of the gods.
देवराज जहि क्रोधं त्वयि क्रुद्धे जगद् विभो। त्रस्तं सासुरगन्धर्वं सकिन्नरमहोरगम्॥
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.
जहि क्रोधमिमं साधो न कुप्यन्ति भवधिधाः। परस्य पत्नी सा देवी प्रसीदस्व सुरेश्वर॥
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.
निवर्तय मनः पापात् परदाराभिमर्शनात्। देवराजोऽसि भद्रं ते प्रजा धर्मेण पालय॥
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.
एवमुक्तो न जग्राह तद्वचः काममोहितः। अथ देवानुवाचेदमिन्द्रं प्रति सुराधिपः॥
Being thus addressed, he, struck with passion, listened not to those words. The protector of the gods then said to the gods regarding Indra.
अहल्या थर्षिता पूर्वमृषिपत्नी यशस्विनी। जीवतो भर्तुरिन्द्रेण स वः किं न निवारितः॥
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.
बहूनि च नृशंसानि कृतानीन्द्रेण वै पुरा। वैधाण्युपधाश्चैव स वः किं न निवारितः॥
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.
उपतिष्ठतु देवी पामेतदस्या हितं परम्। युष्याकं च सदा देवाः शिवमेवं भविष्यति॥
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.
देवा ऊचुः इन्द्राणीमानयिष्यामो यथेच्छसि दिवस्पते। जहि क्रोधमिमं वीर प्रीतो भव सुरेश्वर॥
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.
शल्य उवाच इत्युक्त्वा तं तदा देवा ऋषिभिः सह भारत। जग्मुर्ब्रहस्पतिं वक्तुमिन्द्राणीं चाशुभं वचः॥
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.
जानीमः शरण प्राप्तामिन्द्राणीं तव वेश्मनि। दत्ताभयां च विप्रेन्द्र त्वया देवर्षिसत्तम॥
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.
ते त्वां देवाः सगन्धर्वा ऋषयश्च महाद्युते। प्रसादयन्ति चेन्द्राणी नहुषाय प्रदीयताम्॥
They, the gods with the Gandharvas and Rishis, pray you, O you of great luster, to make over the Queen of Indra to Nahusha.
इन्द्रादं विशिष्टो नहुषो देवराजो महाद्युतिः। वृणोत्विमं वरारोहा भर्तृत्वे वरवर्णिनी॥
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.
एवमुक्ते तु सा देवी बाष्पमुत्सृज्य सस्वनम्। उवाच रुदती दीना बृहस्पतिमिदं वचः॥
The goddess being thus spoken to, became depressed and sobbed aloud with tears in her eyes and then crying said these words to Brihaspati.
नाहमिच्छामि नहुषं पतिं देवर्षिसत्तम। शरणागतास्मि ते ब्रह्मस्त्रायस्व महतो भयात्॥
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.
बृहस्पतिरुवाच शरणागतं न त्यजेयमिद्राणि मम निश्चयः। धर्मज्ञां सत्यशीलां च न त्यजेयमनिन्दिते॥
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.
नाकार्यं कर्तुमिच्छामि ब्राह्मणः सन् विशेषतः। श्रुतधर्मा सत्यशीलो जानन् धर्मानुशासनम्॥
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.
नाहमेतत् करिष्यामि गच्छध्वं वै सुरोत्तमाः। अस्मिंश्चार्थं पुरा गीतं ब्रह्मणा श्रुयतामिदम्॥
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.
न तस्य बीजं रोहति रोहकाले न तस्य वर्ष वर्षति वर्षकाले। भीतं प्रपन्नं प्रददति शत्रवे न स त्रातारं लभते त्राणमिच्छन्॥
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.
मोघमन्नं विन्दति चाप्यचेताः स्वर्गाल्लोकाद् भ्रश्यति नष्टचेष्टः। भीतं प्रपन्नं प्रददाति यो वै न तस्य हव्यं प्रगतिगृह्णन्ति देवाः॥
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.
प्रमीयते चास्य प्रजा ह्यकाले सदाविवासं पितरोऽस्य कुर्वते। भीतं प्रपन्नं प्रददाति शत्रवे सेन्द्रा देवाः प्रहरन्त्यस्य वज्रम्॥
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.
एतदेवं विजानन् वै न दास्यामि शचीमिमाम्। इन्द्राणी विश्रुतां लोके शक्रस्य महिषीं प्रियाम्॥
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.
अस्या हितं भवेद् यच्च मम चापि हितं भवेत्। क्रियातां तत् सुरश्रेष्ठा नहि दास्याम्यहं शचीम्॥
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.
शल्य उवाच अथ देवाः सगन्धर्वा गुरुमाहुरिदं वचः। कथं सुनीतं नु भवेन्मन्त्रयस्व बृहस्पते॥
Shalya said Then the gods with the Gandharvas said to their preceptor O Brihaspati, deliberate on what will be good policy.
बृहस्पतिरुवाच नहुषं याचतां देवी किंचित् कालान्तरं शुभा। इन्द्राणी हितमेतद्वि तथाऽस्माकं भविष्यति॥
Brihaspati said Let this auspicious goddess ask time of Nahusha; this will be of benefit to herself and the same to us.
बहुविनः सुराः कालः कालः कालं नयिष्यति। गर्वितो बलवांश्चापि नहुषो वरसंश्रयात्॥
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.
शल्य उवाच ततस्तेन तथोक्ते तु प्रीता देवास्तथाऽब्रुवन्। ब्रह्मन् साध्विदमुक्तं ते हितं सर्वदिवौकसाम्॥
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.
एवमेतद् द्विजश्रेष्ठ देवी चेयं प्रसाद्यताम्। ततः समस्ता इन्द्राणी देवाश्चाग्निपुरोगमाः। ऊचुर्वचनमव्यग्रा लोकानां हितकाम्यया॥
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.
देवा ऊचुः त्वया जगदिदं सर्वं धृतं स्थावजङ्गमम्। एकपल्यसि सत्या च गच्छस्व नहुषं प्रति॥
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.
क्षिप्रं त्वामभिकामश्च विनशिष्यति पापकृत्। नहुषो देवि शक्रश्च सुरेश्वर्यमवाप्स्यति॥
That doer of vicious deeds Nahusha, desirous of you, O goddess, will soon be destroyed and Shakra will regain the lordship of the gods.
एवं विनिश्चयं कृत्वा इन्द्राणी कार्यसिद्धये। अभ्यगच्छत सव्रीडा नहुषं घोरदर्शनम्॥
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.
दृष्ट्वा तां नहुषश्चापि वयोरूपसमन्विताम्। समहष्यत दुष्टात्मा कामोपहतचेतनः॥
And Nahusha seeing her, possessed of youth and beauty, became pleased; the consciousness of that vicious soul was stricken with passion.