The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2: Books 4, 5, 6 and 7
General
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2: Books 4, 5, 6 and 7
Epic literature, Sanskrit
“Salya continued, ‘While that best of Angira’s race was thus speaking,
there came that guardian of the world, Kuvera, and also Yama the son of
Surya, and the old god Soma, and Varuna. And arrived there they said to
the great Indra, “How lucky that the son of Twashtri hath been killed,
and Vritra also! How lucky, O Indra, that we are beholding thee safe and
sound, while all thy enemies have been killed!” Indra received all those
guardians of the worlds, and with a glad heart greeted them in proper
form with a view to requesting them in connection with Nahusha. And he
said, “Nahusha of terrible mien is the king of the gods; therein lend me
your assistance.” They replied, “Nahusha is of awful mien; his sight is
poison; we are afraid of him, O God. If thou overthrowest Nahusha, then
we shall be entitled to our shares of sacrificial offerings, O Indra.”
Indra said, “Let it be so. You and the ruler of the waters, and Yama, and
Kuvera shall this day be crowned along with me. Aided by all the gods,
let us overthrow the foe Nahusha of terrible gaze.” Then Agni also said
to Indra, “Give me a share in sacrificial offerings. I also shall lend
you my assistance.” Indra said to him, “O Agni, thou also shalt get a
share in great sacrifices,--there will be a single share (in such) for
both Indra and Agni.”’
“Salya continued, ‘Thus did the illustrious lord Indra, the chastiser of
Paka, the giver of boons, bestow, after deliberation upon Kuvera the
sovereignty over the Yakshas, and all the wealth of the world; upon Yama,
the sovereignty over the Pitris; and upon Varuna, that over the waters.’”
SECTION XVII
“Salya said, ‘Now when the great Indra, the intelligent chief of the
gods, was deliberating with the guardians of the world and other deities
upon the means of slaying Nahusha, there appeared at that spot the
venerable ascetic Agastya. And Agastya honoured the lord of the gods and
said, “How fortunate that thou art flourishing after the destruction of
that being of universal form, as also that of Vritra. And how fortunate,
O Purandara, Nahusha hath been hurled from the throne of heaven. How
fortunate, O slayer of Vala, that I behold thee with all thy enemies
killed.”
“‘Indra said, “Hath thy journey hither been pleasant, O great saint, I am
delighted to see thee. Accept from me water for washing thy feet and
face, as also the Arghya and the cow.”’
“Salya continued, ‘Indra, well-pleased, began to question that best of
saints and greatest of Brahmanas when he was seated on a seat after
receiving due honours, thus, O revered saint, O best of Brahmanas, I wish
to have it recited by thee how Nahusha of vicious soul was hurled from
heaven.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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