Mahabharata: Volume 4 (21 page)

‘Yudhishthira asked, “O Indra among kings! How did the great-souled Indra confront supreme and terrible unhappiness, together with his wife? I wish to know this.”

‘Shalya said, “O king! O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Listen to this old and ancient historical account, about how Indra had to face unhappiness, together with his wife. There was Tvashtra Prajapati.
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He was foremost among the gods and was a great ascetic. Out of hatred for Indra, he created a son with three heads. This immensely radiant one,
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who was universal in form, coveted Indra’s station. His three faces were terrible and were like the sun, the moon and the fire. He studied the Vedas with one mouth, he drank liquor with another. With another, he glanced at all the directions, as if he was going to drink them up. He was an ascetic, mild and self-controlled. He was engaged in dharma and austerities. O destroyer of enemies! His austerities were so great and terrible that they were extremely difficult to accomplish. Having witnessed his austerities, valour, truthfulness, Shakra was depressed that he might become Indra.
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‘How can one get him addicted to desire, so that he does not torment through these great austerities? If Trishira continues to
grow, he will swallow up the three worlds.’
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O bull among the Bharata lineage! That intelligent one thought about this in many ways. He then instructed the apsaras to seduce Tvashtra’s son. ‘Go quickly, without any delay. Seduce Trishira and get him addicted to the pleasures of desire. O ones with the beautiful hips! Wear the garments of love. Adopt a charming demeanour. O fortunate ones! Tempt him and pacify my fear. O one with the beautiful limbs! I feel ill. I do not feel like myself. O ladies! Swiftly take away my extremely terrible fear.’ The apsaras replied, ‘O Shakra! O destroyer of Bala!
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We will make endeavours to seduce him, so that you have nothing to fear. That treasure among ascetics seems to burn everything down with his eyes. O god! We will go together and try to seduce him. We will try to bring him under our control and remove your fear.’ Being instructed by Indra, they went to Trishira. There, the ones with the beautiful limbs adopted all kinds of allurements to seduce him. They showed their dances. They exhibited the beauty of their limbs. But having seen this, the great ascetic was not perturbed. He was in control of his senses and was as calm as the full ocean. They made supreme efforts and returned to Shakra. All of them joined their hands in salutation and told the king of the gods, ‘O lord! This one is extremely difficult to distract. It is impossible to sway him from his firmness. O immensely fortunate one! Do what must be done hereafter.’ The immensely wise Shakra honoured the apsaras and sent them away.

‘“He began to think about a way of killing the great-souled one. The brave and powerful king of the gods began to think about this in silence. The wise one began to think about a means of killing Trishira. He thought, ‘I will swiftly strike him with the vajra today, so that he quickly ceases to exist. One who is stronger must not ignore a weak enemy who is strengthening.’ Deciding on a course of action that was in accordance with the sacred texts, he firmly made up his mind to kill him. In great anger, Shakra hurled his vajra at
Trishira. It was fearsome and terrible in form. It was like the fire. Injured and slain by the firm vajra, he fell down dead on the ground, like a mountain peak that has been shattered. On seeing him slain by the vajra and lying down like a mountain, Indra of the gods still found no peace, because his energy still blazed forth. Though he had been killed, his energy blazed forth, as if he was still alive. Shachi’s consort
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saw a woodcutter who had arrived there, engaged in his work. On seeing him, the chastiser of Paka
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quickly said, ‘Listen to my words. Immediately cut off his heads.’ The woodcutter replied, ‘His shoulders are extremely broad and my axe will not be able to cut through. Besides, I am incapable of performing a deed that is condemned by the virtous.’ Indra said, ‘Do not be afraid. Swiftly act according to my words. Through my favours, your weapon will become as strong as the vajra.’ The woodcutter replied, ‘I must know who you are and why you have performed this terrible deed today. I wish to hear all this. Tell me everything accurately.’ Indra said, ‘O woodcutter! I am Indra. Know me to be the king of the gods. Act according to my words. O woodcutter! Do not reflect on this.’ The woodcutter replied, ‘O Shakra! How is it that you are not ashamed of this cruel deed? Having killed the son of a rishi, are you not scared of the sin that comes from killing a brahmana?’ Indra said, ‘To purify myself, I will perform an extremely difficult task of dharma later. This was an extremely valorous enemy and I have killed him with my vajra. O woodcutter! I am anxious and frightened about this even now. Swiftly cut off his heads and I will show you my favours. When animals are sacrificed, men will give you their heads as a share. O woodcutter! This is the favour that I will show to you. Swiftly do that which brings me pleasure.’ Having heard these words of the great Indra, the woodcutter sliced off Trishira’s heads with his axe. When the heads had been cut off, birds like
kapinjala
s,
tittira
s and
kalavimka
s issued from them.
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From the mouth through which the Vedas had been studied and
soma
juice had been drunk, kapinjalas
quickly flew away. O king! O Pandava! From the mouth through which he glanced in every direction and seemed to drink them up, tittiras flew out. O bull among the Bharata lineage! From the mouth through which Trishira used to drink liquor, kalavimkas flew away. When the heads had been cut off, Maghavan
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was freed from his fever and happily went to heaven. The woodcutter also returned to his own home.

‘“On hearing that his son had been killed by Shakra, Tvashtra Prajapati’s eyes reddened in rage and he spoke these words. ‘My son was always intent on austerities. He was forgiving, self-controlled and the master of his senses. He committed no crime. Yet violence has been done to him. For this reason, I will create Vritra, with a view to destroying Shakra. Let the worlds witness my valour and the great strength of my austerities. Let the evil-souled and evil-minded Indra of the gods also behold.’ That extremely famous and enraged ascetic touched water. He offered oblations into the fire. Having created the terrible Vritra, he told him, ‘O enemy of Indra! Through the strength of my asceticism, increase in power.’ He grew and touched the sky and was like the sun and the fire. ‘What shall I do?’ he asked, like the sun at the time of destruction. Having been told that he should kill Shakra, he went to heaven. O supreme among the Kuru lineage! There ensued an angry and extremely terrible battle and the valorous Vritra grasped Shatakratu Indra of the gods. Overcome with rage, Vritra opened his mouth and swallowed him. When Shakra had been swallowed by Vritra, the lords of heaven were terrified. Those greatly spirited ones created a yawn that would be Vritra’s destruction. When Vritra yawned, the destroyer of Bala contracted his limbs and emerged from the gaping mouth. Ever since then, the yawn has remained in all living beings. On seeing Shakra emerge, all the gods were delighted. Vritra and Vasava again engaged in a battle. O bull among the Bharata lineage! It was a terrible fight that went on for a long time. Because of the power of Tvashtra’s austerities, Vritra’s power increased in that battle and Shakra retreated. When he retreated, the gods were immersed in supreme
despondency. They were deluded because of Tvashtra’s energy. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! Together with Shakra, they sought the advice of all the sages. O king! Deluded by fear, they reflected about what should be done. In their minds,
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all of them went to the imperishable and great-souled Vishnu. All of them seated themselves on the peak of Mandara, wishing to kill Vritra.”’

‘“Indra said, ‘O gods! This entire indestructible universe has been pervaded by Vritra. There is nothing that is equal to him and can stand up to him. I was capable in earlier times. But I am now incapable. O fortunate ones! What can I do? It seems to me that it is extremely difficult to overcome him. This energetic and great-souled one is infinitely valorous in battle. He will devour the three worlds, with all the gods, the asuras and men. O residents of heaven! Therefore, listen to what I have decided. We must approach the abode of the great-souled Vishnu. We must consult with him about the means for killing this evil-souled one.’”

‘Shalya said, “At these words of Maghavan, the gods, together with the masses of rishis, then sought refuge with the immensely strong god Vishnu, one with whom refuge should be sought. All of them were oppressed with the fear of Vritra and spoke to Vishnu, the lord of all the gods. ‘O lord! You covered the three worlds in three strides.
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O Vishnu! You killed the daityas in battle and obtained the
amrita
.
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Having bound down the great daitya Bali, you made Shakra the lord of the gods. You are the lord of all the worlds. Everything is vested in you. You are the god who is the great god.
You are revered by all the worlds. O supreme among the immortals! Become the salvation of Indra and the gods. O destroyer of asuras! The entire universe has become pervaded by Vritra.’ Vishnu replied, ‘I will certainly do that which ensures your supreme welfare. I will tell you a means whereby he will cease to exist. With all the rishis and the gandharvas, go to the spot where the one with the universal form resides. Use conciliation towards him. You will then be able to vanquish him. O gods! Shakra will go there. Using my energy, I will invisibly enter his supreme weapon, the vajra. O supreme among gods! Go there with the rishis and the gandharvas. Without any delay, bring about a truce between Vritra and Shakra.’ Having been thus addressed by the god, the rishis and the denizens of heaven went together, having placed Shakra at the forefront.

‘“All those greatly energetic ones approached him. He was burning the ten directions with the radiance of his energy. He seemed to be swallowing the three worlds and was like the sun and the moon. Together with Shakra, the gods saw Vritra there. The rishis approached and spoke to Vritra in pleasant words. ‘O invincible one! The entire universe is pervaded by your energy. But you will not be able to vanquish Vasava, who is supremely valorous. Since the two of you began to fight, a very long period of time has elapsed. All the beings, including the gods, the asuras and men, are oppressed. O Vritra! Let there always be friendship between you and Shakra. You will then obtain happiness and eternally dwell in Shakra’s world.’ Hearing these words of the rishis, the greatly strong asura Vritra bowed his head in obeisance before all of them and said, ‘O immensely fortunate ones! O all the gandharvas! O unblemished ones! I have heard everything that you have said. Now listen to me. O gods! We are both extremely energetic. How can there be friendship between us?’ The rishis replied, ‘Righteous ones should meet, at least once. After that, what is destined will happen. No one transgresses an agreement with a righteous person. Therefore, there should be an agreement between those who are righteous. An agreement between the righteous is firm and eternal. Even in times of difficulties, the wise say that this is desirable. Great welfare derives from an agreement with a righteous person. That is the reason wise ones do not cause
violence to righteous ones. Indra is honoured by righteous ones and great-souled ones reside with him. He also speaks the truth, isn’t mean, follows dharma and is determined in his decisions. Let there always be peace between you and Shakra. You must have trust. Do not think otherwise.’ Having heard the words of the maharshis, the immensely radiant one told them, ‘O illustrious ones! I must certainly revere ascetics. O gods! If you carry out everything that I am asking you to, I will do everything that these bulls among the brahmanas have asked me to do. O Indras among brahmanas! I will be incapable of being killed by Shakra, together with the gods, by anything that is dry, anything that is wet, anything made of stone or wood, by any weapon, by the vajra,
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and during the day or during the night. Such an agreement with Shakra will always please me.’ O bull among the Bharata lineage! The rishis said that it would be this way. When this agreement had been made, Vritra was delighted.

‘“But Shakra was always full of resentment. He kept thinking about a means of killing Vritra. The destroyer of Bala and Vritra was always anxious and kept looking for a weakness. One day, he saw the great asura on the shores of the ocean. It was evening and the extremely lovely, but terrible, muhurta had arrived.
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He thought about the boon that the great-souled one had been granted. ‘It is the terrible evening. It is not night or day. He is the enemy who has robbed me of everything. I can certainly kill him now. He is immensely powerful and has a gigantic body. If I do not kill the great asura Vritra through deceit today, it will not be good for me.’ Shakra thought in this way and remembered Vishnu. He saw the foam in the ocean, as large as a mountain. ‘This is not wet, nor dry. Nor is it a weapon. If I fling it at Vritra, he will perish in an instant.’ With the vajra, he swiftly flung the foam at Vritra. Vishnu entered the foam and destroyed Vritra. With Vritra dead, the darkness vanished from all the directions. An auspicious breeze began to blow and the beings
rejoiced. All the gods, the gandharvas, the yakshas, the rakshasas, the serpents and the rishis praised the great Indra with many hymns. Having been honoured by all the beings, he pronounced benedictions on all the beings. With the enemy having been slain, Vasava was delighted, and together with the gods, showed his homage to Vishnu, who is learned in dharma and is supreme in the three worlds.

‘“After the extremely valorous Vritra, who had terrified the gods, had been killed, Shakra was overcome by falsehood
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and was extremely depressed. After having killed Trishira earlier, he had taken on the sin of killing a brahmana. Bereft of his senses and consciousness, Indra of the gods went to the extremities of the world. Overcome by his own sins, he no longer possessed any wisdom. He remained immersed in water, writhing like a serpent. Thanks to the fear of having killed a brahmana, Indra of the gods was destroyed. The earth seemed to be ravaged.
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There were no trees and the groves dried up. The flows stopped in the rivers and the ponds were without water. Because of the lack of rains, there was great distress among the beings and the gods. All the maharshis were extremely terrified. The entire universe was without a king and was confronted with calamities. The frightened gods thought, ‘Who will be our king now?’ The gods and the rishis in heaven no longer had a king of the gods. And none of the gods had a desire to be the king.”’