इन्द्र उवाच कच्चित्सुखं स्वपिषि त्वं बृहस्पते कच्चिन्मनोज्ञाः परिचारकास्ते। कच्चिद्देवानां सुखकामोऽसि विप्र कच्चिद्देवास्त्वां परिपालयन्ति॥
Do you, O Brihaspati, sleep in peace, and do you like your servants, do you seek the welfare of the celestials, and do the celestials, O Brahmana, protect you.
बृहस्पति उवाच सुखं शये शयने देवराज तथा मनोज्ञाः परिचारका मे। तथा देवानां सुखकामोऽस्मि नित्यं देवाश्च मां सुभृशं पालयन्ति॥
Brihaspati said I do sleep in peace, in my bed, O Lord of the celestials, and my servants are to iny liking, and I always seek the well being of the celestials, and they cherish me well.
इन्द्र उवाच कुतो दुःखं मानसं देहजं वा पाण्डुर्विवर्णश्च कुतस्त्वमद्या आचक्ष्व मे ब्राह्मण यावदेतान् निहन्मि सर्वांस्तव दुःखकर्तृन्॥
Indra said Whence then is this pain, mental or physical, and why are you pale and changed in appearance at present, tell me, O Brahmana, who those people are, who have caused you pain, so that I may slay them all.
बृहस्पति उवाच मरुत्तमाहुर्मघवन् यक्ष्यमाणं महायज्ञेनोत्तमदक्षिणेन। संवर्तो याजयतीति मे श्रुतं तदिच्छामि न स तं याजयेत॥
O Indra, I have heard that Marutta will celebrate a great sacrifice at which rich presents will be given by him (to Brahmanas) and that at his sacrifice Samvarta will act as the officiating priest, and, therefore, do I wish that he may not officiate as priest at that sacrifice.
इन्द्र उवाच सर्वान् कामाननुयातोऽसि विप्र यस्त्वं देवानां मन्त्रवित्सुपुरोधाः। उभौ च ते जरामृत्यू व्यतीतौ किं संवर्तस्तव कर्ताऽद्य विप्र॥
Indra said-You, O Brahmana, has attained all the objects of your desire when you have become the excellent priest of the celestials, versed in all the sacred hymns, and have got over the influence of death and decrepitude, what can Samvarta do to you now?
बृहस्पति उवाच देवैः सह त्वमसुरान् प्रणुद्य जिघांससे चाप्युत सानुबन्धान्। यं यं समृद्धं पश्यसि तत्र तत्र दुःखं सपत्नेषु समृद्धिभावः॥ अतोऽस्मि देवेन्द्र विवर्णरूपः सपत्नो मे वर्धते तन्निशम्य। सर्वोपायैर्मघवन् संनियच्छ संवर्त वा पार्थिवं वा मरुत्तम्॥
Prosperity of al rival is always painful, and do you, therefore, with your attendant gods persecute the Asuras with their kith and kin, and slay the most prosperous among them; hence, O Lord of the gods, am I changed in appearance at the thought that my rival is prospering, therefore, O Indra, do you, by all means, restrain Samvarta and king Marutta.
इन्द्र उवाच एहि गच्छ प्रहितो जातवेदो बृहस्पतिं परिदातुं मरुत्ते। स्तथाऽमरं चैव करिष्यतीति॥
Do you, O Jataveda, following my direction, go to king Maruttato present Brihaspati to him and say to him that this Brihaspati will officiate at his sacrifice and make him immortal.
अग्नि उवाच अहं गच्छामि मघवन् दूतोऽद्य बृहस्पतिं परिदातुं मरुत्ते। वाचं सत्यां पुरुहूतस्य कर्तुं बृहस्पतेश्चापचितिं चिकीर्षुः॥
Agni said I shall presently, O worshipful one, go there, as your messenger, to present Brihaspati to king Marutta; and to make Indra's words true, and to show respect to Brihaspati, Agni departed.
व्यास उवाच ततः प्रायाद् धूमकेतुर्महात्मा वनस्पतीन् वीरुधश्चाप्यमृद्नन्। कामाद्धिमान्ते परिवर्तमानः काष्ठातिगो मातरिश्वेव नर्दन्॥
Vyasa said Then the great Fire-God went on his errand, laying waste all the forests and trees, like the powerful wind, roaring and revolving at random at the end of the winter season.
मरुत उवाच आश्चर्यमद्य पश्यामि रूपिणं वह्निमागतम्। आसनं सलिलं पाद्यं गां चोपानय वै मुने॥
Marutta said See! I find the Fire-God come in his own embodiment, this day, therefore, do you, O Muni, offer him a seat and water, and a cow and water for washing the feet.
अग्नि उवाच आसनं सलिलं पाद्यं प्रतिनन्दामि तेऽनघ। इन्द्रेण तु समादिष्टं विद्धि मां दूतमागतम्॥
Agni said I accept your offerings of water, seat, and water for washing the feet, O sinless one, do you know me as the messenger of Indra, come to you as ordered by him.
मरुत उवाच कच्चिच्छ्रीमान् देवराजः सुखी च कच्चिच्चास्मान् प्रीयते धूमकेतो। कच्चिद्देवा अस्य वशे यथावत् प्रब्रूहि त्वं मम कात्स्न्येन देव॥
Marutta said O Fire-God, is the glorious King of the Celestials happy, and is he pleased with us, and are the other celestials loyal to him? Do you enlighten me duly on all these matters.
अग्नि उवाच शक्रो भृशं सुसुखी पार्थिवेन्द्र प्रीतिं चेच्छत्यजरां वै त्वया सः। देवाश्च सर्वे वशगास्तस्य राजन् संदेशं त्वं शृणु मे देवराज्ञः॥
Agni said O king, Shakra is perfectly happy, he is pleased with you, and wishes to make you free from decrepitude, and all the other gods are loyal to him, do you, O king, listen to the message of the King of the Celestials.
यदर्थं मां प्राहिणोत् त्वत्सकाशं बृहस्पतिं परिदातुं मरुत्ते। अयं गुरुर्याजयतां नृप त्वां मर्यं सन्तममरं त्वां करोतु॥
And the object for which he has sent me to you is to present Brihaspati to Marutta; O prince, let this priest perform your sacrifice, and make you who are only a mortal, attain immortality.
मरुत उवाच संवर्गोऽयं याजयिता द्विजो मां बृहस्पतेरञ्जलिरेष तस्य। न चैवासौ याजयित्वा महेन्द्र मर्यं सन्तं याजयन्नद्य शोभेत्॥
Marutta said This twice-born Brahmana Samvarta will perform your sacrifice, and I pray to Brihaspati, that he having acted as priest to Mahendra it does not appear well for him now to act as priest to mortal men.
अग्नि उवाच ये वै लोका देवलोके महान्त सम्प्राप्स्यसे तान् देवराजप्रसादात्। नूनं स्वर्ग त्वं जयेः कीर्तियुक्तः॥
If this Brihaspati officiate as your priest, then you will by the blessings of the King of the Celestials attain the highest place in the celestial mansion and acquiring fame you will, forsooth, conquer the heavenly region.
तथा लोका मानुषा ये च दिव्याः प्रजापतेश्चापि ये वै महान्तः। ते ते जिता देवराज्यं च कृत्स्नं बृहस्पतिर्याजयेच्चेन्नरेन्द्र॥
And, O king, if Brihaspati act as your priest you will be able to conquer all the regions inhabited by men, and the heavenly regions and all the highest regions created by Prajapati and even the entire kingdom of the celestials.
संवर्त उवाच मा स्मैव त्वं पुनरागाः कथंचित् बृहस्पतिं परिदातुं मरुत्ते। मां त्वां धक्ष्ये चक्षुषा दारुणेन संक्रुद्धोऽहं पावक त्वं निबोध॥
You must never come again thus to present Brihaspati to Marutta; for know, O Pavaka, (Agni), if you do, I losing my temper, will burn you with my fierce evil eyes.
व्यास उवाच र्दाहाद् भीतो व्यथितोऽश्वत्थपर्णवत्। तं वै दृष्ट्वा प्राह शक्रो महात्मा बृहस्पतेः संनिधौ हव्यवाहम्॥
Vyasa said Then fearing destruction by fire, and trembling like the leaves of the Ashvatha tree (Ficus religiosa), Agni returned to the gods, and the great Shakra seeing that carrier of oblations (Agni) in the company of Brihaspati said as follows:
इन्द्र उवाच यस्त्वं गतः प्रहितो जातवेदो बृहस्पतिं परिदातुं मरुत्ते। तत् किं प्राह स नृपो यक्ष्यमाण: कच्चिद् वचः प्रतिगृह्णाति तच्च॥
Indra said You, O Jatavada (Agni), went to present Brihaspati to Marutta according to my direction, now what did that sacrificing king say to you, and did he accept my command?
अग्नि उवाच न ते वाचं रोचयते मरुत्तो बृहस्पतेरञ्जलिं प्राहिणोत् सः। संवर्तो मां याजयितेत्युवाच पुनः पुनः स मया याच्यमानः॥
Agni said, Your message was not acceptable by Maruita and when urged by me, he clasping the hands of Brihaspati, said again and again, that Samvarta would act as his priest.
उवाचेदं मानुषा ये च दिव्याः प्रजापतेर्ये च लोका महान्तः। तांश्चेल्लभेयं संविदं तेन कृत्वा तथापि नेच्छेयमिति प्रतीतः॥
And he also observed that he did not wish to attain the worldly and the heavenly regions, and all the highest regions of Prajapati, and that if he were so minded, he would accept the terms of Indra.
इन्द्र उवाच पुनर्गत्वा पार्थिवं त्वं समेत्य वाक्यं मदीयं प्रापय स्वार्थयुक्तम्। स्त्वत्तो वज्रं सम्प्रहर्तास्मि तस्मै॥
Do you return to that king and meeting him, tell him these words of mine, full of meaning and if he obey them not, I shall strike him with my thunderbolt.
अग्नि उवाच गन्धर्वराड् यात्वयं तत्र दूतो बिभेम्यहं वासव तत्र गन्तुम्। संरब्धो मामब्रवीत् तीक्ष्णरोषः संवर्तो वाक्यं चरितब्रह्मचर्यः॥ यद्यागच्छः पुनरेवं कथंचिद् बृहस्पतिं परिदातुं मरुत्ते। दहेयं त्वां चक्षुषा दारुणेन संक्रुद्ध इत्येतदवैहि शक्र॥
Agni said Let this king of the Gandharvas go there as your messenger, O Vasava, for I am afraid to go there myself, Know, O Shakra, that highly enraged Samvarta, addicted to ascetic practices, told me these words in anger, 'I shall burn you with my fierce evil eyes if you on any account come again here to present Brihaspati to king Marutta.'
शक्र उवाच त्वमेवान्यान् दहसे जातवेदो न हि त्वदन्यो विद्यते भस्मकर्ता। त्वत्संस्पर्शात् सर्वलोको बिभेति अश्रद्धेयं वदसे हव्यवाह॥
Shakra said Jataveda, it is you who burns all other things and there is none else who can reduce you to ashes; all the world is afraid to come in contact with you, O carrier of oblation, these words of yours are worthy of no credence.
अग्नि उवाच दिवं राजन् पृथिवीं च सर्वा संवेष्टयेस्त्वं स्वबलेनैव शक्र। एवंविधस्येह सतस्तवासौ कथं वृत्रस्त्रिदिवं प्राग् जहा॥
You, O Shakra, have encompassed the dominion of the heaven and the earth and the sky by the strength of your own arms, but even thus how could Vritra (of old) wrest from you the sovereignty of the celestial regions?
इन्द्र उवाच न गण्डिकाकारयोगं करेऽj न चारिसोमं प्रपिवामि वह्ने। न क्षीणशक्तौ प्रहरामि वज्रं को मेऽसुखाय प्रहरेत मर्त्यः॥
Indra said I can reduce my enemies to submission and can even reduce the size of a mountain to an atom, if I will it. But, O Vahni, as I do not accept the libation of Soma drink if offered by an enemy, and as I do not strike the weak with my thunderbolt (Vritra got the better of me for a time) But who among mortals can live in peace by creating enmity with me.
प्रव्राजयेयं कालकेयान् पृथिव्या मपाकर्षन् दानवानन्तरिक्षात्। दिवः प्रह्लादमवसानमानयं को मेऽसुखाय प्रहरेत मानवः॥
I have banished the Kalakeyas to the earth, and removed the Danavas from the celestial region, and have terminated the existence of Prahlada in heaven, can there be any man who can leave in peace by exciting my enmity.
अग्नि उवाच यत्र शर्यातिं च्यवनो याजियिष्यन् सहाश्विभ्यां सोममगृह्णदेकः। तं त्वं क्रुद्धः प्रत्यषेधीः पुरस्ताच्छर्यातियज्ञं स्मर तं महेन्द्र।॥ वज्रं गृहीत्वा च पुरन्दर त्वं सम्प्राहार्षीश्च्यवनस्यातिघोरम्। मपागृह्णात् तपसा जातमन्युः॥
Agni said Do you, O Mahendra, remember that formerly when the sage Chyavana officiated at the sacrifice of Sharyati with the twin gods Ashvins, and himself appropriated the Soma offering alone, you were filled with anger, and when bent upon preventing preventing Sharyati's sacrifice, you did violently strike Chyavana with your thunderbolt, that Brahmana, O Purandara, yielding to anger, was able by the power of his devotions to seize and hold fast your hand with your thunderbolt in it.
ततो रोषात् सर्वतो घोररूपं सपत्नं ते जनयामास भूयः। मदं नामासुरं विश्वरूपं यं त्वं दृष्ट्वा चक्षुषी संन्यमीलः॥ भीतः हनुरेका जगतीस्था तथैका दिवं गता महतो दानवस्य। सहस्रं दन्तानां शतयोजनानां सुतीक्ष्णानां घोररूपं बभूव।॥ वृत्ताः स्थूला रजतस्तम्भव दंष्ट्राश्चतस्रो द्वे शते योजनानाम्। ज्जिघांसया शूलमुद्यम्य घोरम्॥ अपश्यस्त्वं तं तदा घोररूपं सर्वे वै त्वां ददृशुर्दर्शनीयम्। यस्माद् प्राञ्जलिस्त्वं महर्षिमागच्छेथाः शरणं दानवघ्न॥
And in anger, he again created a terrible loO king enemy of yours, the Asura named Mada assuming all shapes, on seeing whom you did shut your eyes with fear, whose one huge jaw was placed on earth, and the other extended to the celestial regions, and who looked terrible with his thousand sharp teeth extending over a hundred Yojanas, and had four prominent ones thick a set, and shining like a pillar of silver, and extending over two hundred Yojanas. And when grinding his teeth he followed you with his terrible and uplifted pike with the object of slaying you, you on seeing that terrible monster, presented a (pitiful) sight to all the bystanders. Then, O destroyer of Danavas, overcome with fear of the monster, with your hands clasped in prayer, you did seek the protection of the great sage.
क्षात्राद् बलाद् ब्रह्मवलं गरीयो न ब्रह्मतः किंचिदन्यद् गरीयः। सोऽहं जानन् ब्रह्मतेजो यथावन्न संवर्त जेतुमिच्छामि शक्र॥
The power of Brahmana,s O Shakra, is greater than that of the Kshatriyas, none are more powerful than Brahmanas and knowing duly, as I do, the power of Brahmanas I do not, O Shakra, wish to quarrel with Samvarta.