23 shlokas
लक्ष्मणस्य तु तद्वाक्यं श्रुत्वा शत्रुनिबर्हणः । वृत्रघातमशेषेण कथयेत्याह सुव्रत ।। 7.85.1 ।।
lakṣmaṇasya tu tadvākyaṃ śrutvā śatrunibarhaṇaḥ | vṛtraghātamaśeṣeṇa kathayetyāha suvrata || 7.85.1 ||
Translation
Having heard those words of Lakshmana, Rama, the destroyer of foes, said: "O you of excellent vows, recount to me in full the slaying of Vritra."
राघवेणैवमुक्तस्तु सुमित्रानन्दवर्धनः । भूय एव कथां दिव्यां कथयामास सुव्रतः ।। 7.85.2 ।।
rāghaveṇaivamuktastu sumitrānandavardhanaḥ | bhūya eva kathāṃ divyāṃ kathayāmāsa suvrataḥ || 7.85.2 ||
Translation
Thus addressed by Raghava, that strict observer of vows, the augmenter of Sumitra's joy, once again related the divine tale.
सहस्राक्षवचः श्रुत्वा सर्वेषां च दिवौकसाम् । विष्णुर्देवानुवाचेदं सर्वानिन्द्रपुरोगमान् ।। 7.85.3 ।।
sahasrākṣavacaḥ śrutvā sarveṣāṃ ca divaukasām | viṣṇurdevānuvācedaṃ sarvānindrapurogamān || 7.85.3 ||
Translation
Having heard the words of the thousand-eyed one and of all the dwellers in heaven, Vishnu spoke this to all the gods led by Indra.
पूर्वं सौहृदबद्धो ऽस्मि वृत्रस्य ह महात्मनः । तेन युष्मत्प्रियार्थं हि नाहं हन्मि महासुरम् ।। 7.85.4 ।।
pūrvaṃ sauhṛdabaddho 'smi vṛtrasya ha mahātmanaḥ | tena yuṣmatpriyārthaṃ hi nāhaṃ hanmi mahāsuram || 7.85.4 ||
Translation
"In former times I was bound by friendship to the great-souled Vritra; therefore, for your sake, I do not slay that mighty demon."
अवश्यं करणीयं च भवतां सुखमुत्तमम् । तस्मादुपायमाख्यास्ये येन वृत्रो निहन्यते ।। 7.85.5 ।।
avaśyaṃ karaṇīyaṃ ca bhavatāṃ sukhamuttamam | tasmādupāyamākhyāsye yena vṛtro nihanyate || 7.85.5 ||
Translation
"Yet your supreme welfare must surely be brought about; therefore I shall declare the means by which Vritra may be slain."
त्रिधाभूतं करिष्यामि ह्यात्मानं सुरसत्तमाः । तेन वृत्रं सहस्राक्षो वधिष्यति न संशयः ।। 7.85.6 ।।
tridhābhūtaṃ kariṣyāmi hyātmānaṃ surasattamāḥ | tena vṛtraṃ sahasrākṣo vadhiṣyati na saṃśayaḥ || 7.85.6 ||
Translation
"I shall make myself threefold, O best of the gods; by that the thousand-eyed one shall slay Vritra, of this there is no doubt."
एकांशो वासवं यातु द्वितीयो वज्रमेव तु । तृतीयो भूतलं शक्रस्तदा वृत्रं वधिष्यति ।। 7.85.7 ।।
ekāṃśo vāsavaṃ yātu dvitīyo vajrameva tu | tṛtīyo bhūtalaṃ śakrastadā vṛtraṃ vadhiṣyati || 7.85.7 ||
Translation
"Let one portion enter Vasava (Indra), the second the thunderbolt, and the third the surface of the earth; then Shakra shall slay Vritra."
तथा ब्रुवति देवेशे देवा वाक्यमथाब्रुवन् । एवमेतन्न सन्देहो यथा वदसि दैत्यहन् ।। 7.85.8 ।।
tathā bruvati deveśe devā vākyamathābruvan | evametanna sandeho yathā vadasi daityahan || 7.85.8 ||
Translation
When the lord of the gods had thus spoken, the gods then said these words: "This is so, there is no doubt, just as you say, O slayer of the Daityas."
भद्रं ते ऽस्तु गमिष्यामो वृत्रासुरवधैषिणः । भजस्व परमोदार वासवं स्वेन तेजसा ।। 7.85.9 ।।
bhadraṃ te 'stu gamiṣyāmo vṛtrāsuravadhaiṣiṇaḥ | bhajasva paramodāra vāsavaṃ svena tejasā || 7.85.9 ||
Translation
"Blessings be upon you; we shall go, desiring the slaying of the demon Vritra. O most generous one, endow Vasava (Indra) with your own splendor."
ततः सर्वे महात्मानः सहस्राक्षपुरोगमाः । तदारण्यमुपाक्रामन्यत्र वृत्रो महासुरः ।। 7.85.10 ।।
tataḥ sarve mahātmānaḥ sahasrākṣapurogamāḥ | tadāraṇyamupākrāmanyatra vṛtro mahāsuraḥ || 7.85.10 ||
Translation
Then all those great-souled ones, with the thousand-eyed one at their head, advanced upon that forest where Vritra, the mighty demon, dwelt.
ते पश्यंस्तेजसा भूतं तप्यन्तमसुरोत्तमम् । पिबन्तमिव लोकांस्त्रीन्निर्दहन्तमिवाम्बरम् ।। 7.85.11 ।।
te paśyaṃstejasā bhūtaṃ tapyantamasurottamam | pibantamiva lokāṃstrīnnirdahantamivāmbaram || 7.85.11 ||
Translation
They beheld that best of the asuras, blazing with splendor and performing austerities, as if drinking up the three worlds and as if consuming the sky.
दृष्ट्वैव चासुरश्रेष्ठं देवास्त्रासमुपागमन् । कथमेनं वधिष्यामः कथं न स्यात्पराजयः ।। 7.85.12 ।।
dṛṣṭvaiva cāsuraśreṣṭhaṃ devāstrāsamupāgaman | kathamenaṃ vadhiṣyāmaḥ kathaṃ na syātparājayaḥ || 7.85.12 ||
Translation
And the very moment they saw that foremost of asuras, the gods were seized with terror: "How shall we slay him? How may there be no defeat for us?"
तेषां चिन्तयतां तत्र सहस्राक्षः पुरन्दरः । वज्रं प्रगृह्य पाणिभ्यां प्राहिणोद्वृत्रमूर्धनि ।। 7.85.13 ।।
teṣāṃ cintayatāṃ tatra sahasrākṣaḥ purandaraḥ | vajraṃ pragṛhya pāṇibhyāṃ prāhiṇodvṛtramūrdhani || 7.85.13 ||
Translation
While they were thus pondering, the thousand-eyed Purandara, grasping the thunderbolt with both hands, hurled it upon Vritra's head.
कालाग्निनेव घोरेण तप्तेनैव महार्चिषा । पतता वृत्रशिरसा जगत्ऺत्रासमुपागमत् ।। 7.85.14 ।।
kālāgnineva ghoreṇa taptenaiva mahārciṣā | patatā vṛtraśirasā jagatऺtrāsamupāgamat || 7.85.14 ||
Translation
As Vritra's head fell, dreadful like the fire of doom, glowing and blazing with mighty flame, the world was seized with terror.
असम्भाव्यं वधं तस्य वृत्रस्य विबुधाधिपः । चिन्तयानो जगामाशु लोकस्यान्तं महायशाः ।। 7.85.15 ।।
asambhāvyaṃ vadhaṃ tasya vṛtrasya vibudhādhipaḥ | cintayāno jagāmāśu lokasyāntaṃ mahāyaśāḥ || 7.85.15 ||
Translation
That lord of the gods, of great fame, reflecting that the slaying of Vritra was an inconceivable deed, swiftly fled to the end of the world.
तमिन्द्रं ब्रह्महत्या ऽ ऽशु गच्छन्तमनुगच्छति । अपतच्चास्य गात्रेषु तमिन्द्रं दुःखमाविशत् ।। 7.85.16 ।।
tamindraṃ brahmahatyā ' 'śu gacchantamanugacchati | apataccāsya gātreṣu tamindraṃ duḥkhamāviśat || 7.85.16 ||
Translation
As Indra went swiftly, the sin of brahmin-slaughter pursued him; it fell upon his limbs, and grief took possession of Indra.
हतारयः प्रनष्टेन्द्रा देवाः साग्निपुरोगमाः । विष्णुं त्रिभुवनेशानं मुहुर्मुहुरपूजयन् ।। 7.85.17 ।।
hatārayaḥ pranaṣṭendrā devāḥ sāgnipurogamāḥ | viṣṇuṃ tribhuvaneśānaṃ muhurmuhurapūjayan || 7.85.17 ||
Translation
Their foes slain but their Indra vanished, the gods, led by Agni, worshipped again and again Vishnu, the lord of the three worlds.
त्वं गतिः परमेशान पूर्वजो जगतः पिता । रक्षार्थं सर्वभूतानां विष्णुत्वमुपजग्मिवान् ।। 7.85.18 ।।
tvaṃ gatiḥ parameśāna pūrvajo jagataḥ pitā | rakṣārthaṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ viṣṇutvamupajagmivān || 7.85.18 ||
Translation
"You are the refuge, O supreme lord, the firstborn, the father of the universe; for the protection of all beings you assumed the state of Vishnu."
हतश्चायं त्वया वृत्रो ब्रह्महत्या च वासवम् । बाधते सुरशार्दूल मोक्षं तस्या विनिर्दिश ।। 7.85.19 ।।
hataścāyaṃ tvayā vṛtro brahmahatyā ca vāsavam | bādhate suraśārdūla mokṣaṃ tasyā vinirdiśa || 7.85.19 ||
Translation
"This Vritra has been slain by you, yet the sin of brahmin-slaughter afflicts Vasava (Indra); O tiger among the gods, ordain the release from it."
तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा देवानां विष्णुरब्रवीत् । मामेव यजतां शक्रः पावयिष्यामि वज्रिणम् ।। 7.85.20 ।।
teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā devānāṃ viṣṇurabravīt | māmeva yajatāṃ śakraḥ pāvayiṣyāmi vajriṇam || 7.85.20 ||
Translation
Having heard those words of the gods, Vishnu said: "Let Shakra sacrifice to me alone; I shall purify the wielder of the thunderbolt."
पुण्येन हयमेधेन मामिष्ट्वा पाकशासनः । पुनरेष्यति देवानामिन्द्रत्वमकुतोभयम् ।। 7.85.21 ।।
puṇyena hayamedhena māmiṣṭvā pākaśāsanaḥ | punareṣyati devānāmindratvamakutobhayam || 7.85.21 ||
Translation
Having worshipped me with the meritorious horse-sacrifice, Pakashasana (Indra), the chastiser of Paka, shall once again attain the lordship of the gods, free from any fear.
एवं सन्दिश्य तां वाणीं देवानाममृतोपमाम् । जगाम विष्णुर्देवेशः स्तूयमानस्त्रिविष्टपम् ।। 7.85.22 ।।
evaṃ sandiśya tāṃ vāṇīṃ devānāmamṛtopamām | jagāma viṣṇurdeveśaḥ stūyamānastriviṣṭapam || 7.85.22 ||
Translation
Having thus delivered to the gods that speech which was like nectar, Vishnu, the lord of the gods, departed for heaven, praised on every side.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे पञ्चाशीतितमः सर्गः ।। 85 ।।
ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye śrīmaduttarakāṇḍe pañcāśītitamaḥ sargaḥ || 85 ||
Translation
Thus ends the eighty-fifth canto in the venerable Uttara Kanda of the sacred Ramayana, the first poem, composed by the seer Valmiki.