Uttara Kanda, Sarga 86

तदा वृत्रवधं सर्वमखिलेन स लक्ष्मणः । कथयित्वा नरश्रेष्ठः कथाशेषं प्रचक्रमे ।। 7.86.1 ।।

tadā vṛtravadhaṃ sarvamakhilena sa lakṣmaṇaḥ | kathayitvā naraśreṣṭhaḥ kathāśeṣaṃ pracakrame || 7.86.1 ||

Then, Lakshmana, the best among men, having completely narrated the entire story of Vritra's slaying, proceeded to tell the rest of the tale.

ततो हते महावीर्ये वृत्रे देवभयङ्करे । ब्रह्महत्यावृतः शक्रः सञ्ज्ञां लेभे न वृत्रहा ।। 7.86.2 ।।

tato hate mahāvīrye vṛtre devabhayaṅkare | brahmahatyāvṛtaḥ śakraḥ sañjñāṃ lebhe na vṛtrahā || 7.86.2 ||

After the mighty Vritra, who was a terror to the gods, was slain, Indra, the slayer of Vritra, became enveloped by the sin of Brahmanicide and did not regain his consciousness.

सो ऽन्तमाश्रित्य लोकानां नष्टसञ्ज्ञो विचेतनः । कालं तत्रावसत्कञ्चिद्वेष्टमान इवोरगः ।। 7.86.3 ।।

so 'ntamāśritya lokānāṃ naṣṭasañjño vicetanaḥ | kālaṃ tatrāvasatkañcidveṣṭamāna ivoragaḥ || 7.86.3 ||

Having lost his senses and consciousness, he (Indra) took refuge at the ends of the worlds and remained there for some time, writhing like a serpent.

अथ नष्टे सहस्राक्षे उद्विग्नमभवज्जगत् । भूमिश्च ध्वस्तसङ्काशा निःस्नेहा शुष्ककानना ।। 7.86.4 ।।

atha naṣṭe sahasrākṣe udvignamabhavajjagat | bhūmiśca dhvastasaṅkāśā niḥsnehā śuṣkakānanā || 7.86.4 ||

Then, with the disappearance of the thousand-eyed Indra, the world became distressed, and the earth appeared devastated, devoid of moisture, and with dry forests.

निःस्रोतसश्च ते सर्वे तु ह्रदाश्च सरितस्तथा । सङ्क्षोभश्चैव सत्त्वानामनावृष्टिकृतो ऽभवत् ।। 7.86.5 ।।

niḥsrotasaśca te sarve tu hradāśca saritastathā | saṅkṣobhaścaiva sattvānāmanāvṛṣṭikṛto 'bhavat || 7.86.5 ||

All those lakes and rivers became dried up without streams, and a great agitation among living beings occurred, caused by the drought.

क्षीयमाणे तु लोके ऽस्मिन्सम्भ्रान्तमनसः सुराः । यदुक्तं विष्णुना पूर्वं तं यज्ञं समुपानयन् ।। 7.86.6 ।।

kṣīyamāṇe tu loke 'sminsambhrāntamanasaḥ surāḥ | yaduktaṃ viṣṇunā pūrvaṃ taṃ yajñaṃ samupānayan || 7.86.6 ||

With bewildered minds, the gods performed that sacrifice which Vishnu had previously instructed, as this world was diminishing.

ततः सर्वे सुरगणाः सोपाध्यायाः सहर्षिभिः । तं देशं समुपाजग्मुर्यत्रेन्द्रो भयमोहितः ।। 7.86.7 ।।

tataḥ sarve suragaṇāḥ sopādhyāyāḥ saharṣibhiḥ | taṃ deśaṃ samupājagmuryatrendro bhayamohitaḥ || 7.86.7 ||

Then, all the hosts of gods, accompanied by their preceptors and sages, approached that place where Indra was deluded by fear.

ते तु दृष्ट्वा सहस्राक्षमावृतं ब्रह्महत्यया । तं पुरस्कृत्य देवेशमश्वमेधमुपाक्रमन् ।। 7.86.8 ।।

te tu dṛṣṭvā sahasrākṣamāvṛtaṃ brahmahatyayā | taṃ puraskṛtya deveśamaśvamedhamupākraman || 7.86.8 ||

Having seen the thousand-eyed Indra enveloped by the sin of Brahmanicide, they honored him and commenced the Ashwamedha sacrifice.

ततो ऽश्वमेधः सुमहान्महेन्द्रस्य महात्मनः । ववृधे ब्रह्महत्ययाः पावनार्थं नरेश्वर ।। 7.86.9 ।।

tato 'śvamedhaḥ sumahānmahendrasya mahātmanaḥ | vavṛdhe brahmahatyayāḥ pāvanārthaṃ nareśvara || 7.86.9 ||

O king of men, then the very great Ashwamedha sacrifice of the great-souled Mahendra prospered for the purification from the sin of Brahmanicide.

ततो यज्ञे समाप्ते तु ब्रह्महत्या महात्मनः । अभिगम्याब्रवीद्वाक्यं क्व मे स्थानं विधास्यथ ।। 7.86.10 ।।

tato yajñe samāpte tu brahmahatyā mahātmanaḥ | abhigamyābravīdvākyaṃ kva me sthānaṃ vidhāsyatha || 7.86.10 ||

When the sacrifice was completed, the personified sin of brahmin-slaughter that clung to the great-souled Indra approached and asked, 'Where will you appoint a dwelling place for me?'

ते तामूचुस्तदा देवास्तुष्टाः प्रीतिसमन्विताः । चतुर्धा विभजात्मानमात्मनैव दुरासदे ।। 7.86.11 ।।

te tāmūcustadā devāstuṣṭāḥ prītisamanvitāḥ | caturdhā vibhajātmānamātmanaiva durāsade || 7.86.11 ||

Then, the gods, pleased and filled with affection, said to her (Brahmahatya), "O difficult to approach one, divide yourself into four parts by yourself."

देवानां भाषितं श्रुत्वा ब्रह्महत्या महात्मनाम् । सन्निधौ स्थानमन्यत्र वरयामास दुर्वसा ।। 7.86.12 ।।

devānāṃ bhāṣitaṃ śrutvā brahmahatyā mahātmanām | sannidhau sthānamanyatra varayāmāsa durvasā || 7.86.12 ||

Having heard the words of the great gods, the personified sin of Brahman-killing, named Durvasa, chose a different dwelling place in their presence.

एकेनांशेन वत्स्यामि पूर्णोदासु नदीषु वै । चतुरो वार्षिकान्मासान्दर्पघ्नी कामवारिणी ।। 7.86.13 ।।

ekenāṃśena vatsyāmi pūrṇodāsu nadīṣu vai | caturo vārṣikānmāsāndarpaghnī kāmavāriṇī || 7.86.13 ||

She declared that with one part of herself, she would dwell for four months of the rainy season in full-watered rivers, causing pride to be destroyed and desires to be obstructed.

भूम्यामहं सर्वकालमेकेनांशेन सर्वदा । वसिष्यामि न सन्देहः सत्येनैतद्ब्रवीमि वः ।। 7.86.14 ।।

bhūmyāmahaṃ sarvakālamekenāṃśena sarvadā | vasiṣyāmi na sandehaḥ satyenaitadbravīmi vaḥ || 7.86.14 ||

She further stated that with another part, she would always dwell on the earth at all times, declaring this truth to them without a doubt.

यो ऽयमंशस्तृतीयो मे स्त्रीषु यौवनशालिषु । त्रिरात्रं दर्पपूर्णासु वशिष्ये दर्पघातिनी ।। 7.86.15 ।।

yo 'yamaṃśastṛtīyo me strīṣu yauvanaśāliṣu | trirātraṃ darpapūrṇāsu vaśiṣye darpaghātinī || 7.86.15 ||

She announced that her third part would dwell for three nights in young women full of pride, acting as a destroyer of their arrogance.

हन्तारो ब्राह्मणान्ये तु मृषापूर्वमदूषकान् । तांश्चतुर्थेन भागेन संश्रयिष्ये सुरर्षभाः ।। 7.86.16 ।।

hantāro brāhmaṇānye tu mṛṣāpūrvamadūṣakān | tāṃścaturthena bhāgena saṃśrayiṣye surarṣabhāḥ || 7.86.16 ||

She concluded by stating, "O best of gods, I shall resort with my fourth part to those who kill innocent Brahmins after falsely accusing them."

प्रत्यूचुस्तां ततो देवा यथा वदसि दुर्वसे । तथा भवतु तत्सर्वं साधयस्व यदीप्सितम् ।। 7.86.17 ।।

pratyūcustāṃ tato devā yathā vadasi durvase | tathā bhavatu tatsarvaṃ sādhayasva yadīpsitam || 7.86.17 ||

Then the gods replied to him, "O sage, as you say, so let it be; accomplish all that is desired."

ततः प्रीत्या ऽन्विता देवाः सहस्राक्षं ववन्दिरे । विज्वरः स च पूतात्मा वासवः समपद्यत ।। 7.86.18 ।।

tataḥ prītyā 'nvitā devāḥ sahasrākṣaṃ vavandire | vijvaraḥ sa ca pūtātmā vāsavaḥ samapadyata || 7.86.18 ||

Then the gods, filled with joy, saluted the thousand-eyed Indra, and Indra himself became free from distress and purified in soul.

प्रशान्तं च जगत्सर्वं सहस्राक्षे प्रतिष्ठिते । यज्ञं चाद्भुतसङ्काशं तदा शक्रो ऽभ्यपूजयत् ।। 7.86.19 ।।

praśāntaṃ ca jagatsarvaṃ sahasrākṣe pratiṣṭhite | yajñaṃ cādbhutasaṅkāśaṃ tadā śakro 'bhyapūjayat || 7.86.19 ||

And when the thousand-eyed Indra was re-established, the entire world became peaceful, and then Indra worshipped the wondrous sacrifice.

ईदृशो ह्यश्वमेधस्य प्रसादो रघुनन्दन । यजस्व सुमहाभाग हयमेधेन पार्थिव ।। 7.86.20 ।।

īdṛśo hyaśvamedhasya prasādo raghunandana | yajasva sumahābhāga hayamedhena pārthiva || 7.86.20 ||

O Rama, such indeed is the efficacy of the Ashwamedha sacrifice; therefore, O greatly fortunate king, perform the horse sacrifice.

इति लक्ष्मणवाक्यमुत्तमं नृपतिरतीव मनोहरं महात्मा । परितोषमवाप हृष्टचेता निशमय्येन्द्रसमानविक्रमौजाः ।। 7.86.21 ।।

iti lakṣmaṇavākyamuttamaṃ nṛpatiratīva manoharaṃ mahātmā | paritoṣamavāpa hṛṣṭacetā niśamayyendrasamānavikramaujāḥ || 7.86.21 ||

Having heard these excellent and exceedingly charming words of Lakshmana, the great-souled king, whose valor and energy were equal to Indra's, felt great satisfaction with a joyful mind. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे षडशीतितमः सर्गः ।। 86 ।। Thus ends the eighty-sixth sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.