> Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 6
> Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupâda
> (for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)

> Canto 6

> *******

> Chapter Twelve: Vrtrâsura's Glorious Death

> *******

> TEXT 1

> srî-rsir uvâca

> evam jihâsur nrpa deham ajau

> mrtyum varam vijayân manyamânah

> sûlam pragrhyâbhyapatat surendram

> yathâ mahâ-purusam kaitabho 'psu

> srî-rsih uvâca--Srî Sukadeva Gosvâmî said; evam--thus; jihâsuh--very eager to give up; nrpa--O King Parîksit; deham--the body; âjau--in battle; mrtyum--death; varam--better; vijayât--than victory; manyamânah--thinking; sûlam--trident; pragrhya--taking up; abhyapatat--attacked; sura-indram--the King of heaven, Indra; yathâ--just as; mahâ-purusam--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kaitabhah--the demon Kaitabha; apsu--when the whole universe was inundated.

> TRANSLATION

> Sukadeva Gosvami said: Desiring to give up his body, Vrtrasura considered death in the battle preferable to victory. O King Pariksit, he vigorously took up his trident and with great force attacked Lord Indra, the King of heaven, just as Kaitabha had forcefully attacked the Supreme Personality of Godhead when the universe was inundated.

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> TEXT 2

> tato yugântâgni-kathora jihvam

> âvidhya sûlam tarasâsurendrah

> ksiptvâ mahendrâya vinadya vîro

> hato 'si pâpeti rusâ jagâda

> tatah--thereafter; yuga-anta-agni--like the fire at the end of every millennium; kathora--sharp; jihvam--possessing points; âvidhya--twirling; sûlam--the trident; tarasâ--with great force; asura-indrah--the great hero of the demons, Vrtrâsura; ksiptvâ--throwing; mahâ-indrâya--unto King Indra; vinadya--roaring; vîrah--the great hero (Vrtrâsura); hatah--killed; asi--you are; pâpa--O sinful one; iti--thus; rusâ--with great anger; jagâda--be cried out.

> TRANSLATION

> Then Vrtrasura, the great hero of the demons, whirled his trident, which had points like the flames of the blazing fire at the end of the millennium. With great force and anger he threw it at Indra, roaring and exclaiming loudly, "O sinful one, thus shall I kill you!"

> *******

> TEXT 3

> kha âpatat tad vicalad graholkavan

> nirîksya duspreksyam ajâta-viklavah

> vajrena vajrî sata-parvanâcchinad

> bhujam ca tasyoraga-râja-bhogam

> khe--in the sky; âpatat--flying toward him; tat--that trident; vicalat--rotating; graha-ulka-vat--like a falling star; nirîksya--observing; duspreksyam--unbearable to see; ajâta-viklavah--not afraid; vajrena--with the thunderbolt; vajrî--Indra, the holder of the thunderbolt; sata-parvanâ--possessing one hundred joints; âcchinat--cut; bhujam--the arm; ca--and; tasya--of him (Vrtrâsura); uraga-râja--of the great serpent Vâsuki; bhogam--like the body.

> TRANSLATION

> Flying in the sky, Vrtrasura's trident resembled a brilliant meteor. Although the blazing weapon was difficult to look upon, King Indra, unafraid, cut it to pieces with his thunderbolt. Simultaneously, he cut off one of Vrtrasura's arms, which was as thick as the body of Vasuki, the King of the serpents.

> *******

> TEXT 4

> chinnaika-bâhuh parighena vrtrah

> samrabdha âsâdya grhîta-vajram

> hanau tatâdendram athâmarebham

> vajram ca hastân nyapatan maghonah

> chinna--cut off; eka--one; bâhuh--whose arm; parighena--with a mace of iron; vrtrah--Vrtrâsura; samrabdhah--being very angry; âsâdya--reaching; grhîta--taking up; vajram--the thunderbolt; hanau--on the jaw; tatâda--struck; indram--Lord Indra; atha--also; amara-ibham--his elephant; vajram--the thunderbolt; ca--and; hastât--from the hand; nyapatat--fell; maghonah--of King Indra.

> TRANSLATION

> Although one of his arms was severed from his body, Vrtrasura angrily approached King Indra and struck him on the jaw with an iron mace. He also struck the elephant that carried Indra. Thus Indra dropped the thunderbolt from his hand.

> *******

> TEXT 5

> vrtrasya karmâti-mahâdbhutam tat

> surâsurâs cârana-siddha-sanghâh

> apûjayams tat puruhûta-sankatam

> nirîksya hâ heti vicukrusur bhrsam

> vrtrasya--of Vrtrâsura; kamaa--the accomplishment; ati--very: mahâ--greatly; adbhutam--wonderful; tat--that; sura--the demigods; asurâh--and the demons; cârana--the Câranas; siddha-sanghâh--and the society of Siddhas; apûjayan--glorified; tat--that; puruhûta-sankatam--the dangerous position of Indra; nirîksya--seeing; hâ hâ--alas, alas; iti--thus; vicukrusuh--lamented; bhrsam--very much.

> TRANSLATION

> The denizens of various planets, like the demigods, demons, Caranas and Siddhas, praised Vrtrasura's deed, but when they observed that Indra was in great danger, they lamented, "Alas! Alas!"

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> TEXT 6

> indro na vajram jagrhe vilajjitas

> cyutam sva-hastâd ari-sannidhau punah

> tam âha vrtro hara âtta-vajro

> jahi sva-satrum na visâda-kâlah

> indrah--King Indra; na--not; vajram--the thunderbolt; jagrhe--took up; vilajjitah--being ashamed; cyutam--fallen; sva-hastât--from his own hand; ari-sannidhau--in front of his enemy; punah--again; tam--unto him; âha--said; vrtrah--Vrtrâsura; hare--O Indra; âtta-vajrah--taking up your thunderbolt; jahi--kill; sva-satrum--your enemy; na--not; visâda-kâlah--the time for lamentation.

> TRANSLATION

> Having dropped the thunderbolt from his hand in the presence of his enemy, Indra was practically defeated and was very much ashamed. He dared not pick up his weapon again. Vrtrasura, however, encouraged him, saying, "Take up your thunderbolt and kill your enemy. This is not the time to lament your fate."

> *******

> TEXT 7

> yuyutsatâm kutracid âtatâyinâm

> jayah sadaikatra na vai parâtmanâm

> vinaikam utpatti-laya-sthitîsvaram

> sarvajnam âdyam purusam sanâtanam

> yuyutsatâm--of those who are belligerent; kutracit--sometimes; âtatâyinâm--armed with weapons; jayah--victory; sadâ--always; ekatra--in one place; na--not; vai--indeed; para-âtmanâm--of the subordinate living entities, who work only under the direction of the Supersoul; vinâ--except; ekam--one; utpatti--of the creation; laya--annihilation; sthiti--and maintenance; îsvaram--the controller; sarvajnam--who knows everything (past, present and future); âdyam--the original; purusam--enjoyer; sanâtanam--eternal.

> TRANSLATION

> Vrtrasura continued: O Indra, no one is guaranteed of being always victorious but the original enjoyer, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan. He is the cause of creation, maintenance and annihilation, and He knows everything. Being dependent and being obliged to accept material bodies, belligerent subordinates are sometimes victorious and sometimes defeated.

> *******

> TEXT 8

> lokâh sapâlâ yasyeme

> svasanti vivasâ vase

> dvijâ iva sicâ baddhâh

> sa kâla iha kâranam

> lokâh--the worlds; sa-pâlâh--with their chief deities or controllers; yasya--of whom; ime--all these; svasanti--live; vivasâh--fully dependent; vase--under the control; dvijâh--birds; iva--like; sicâ--by a net; baddhâh--bound; sah--that; kâlah--time factor; iha--in this; kâranam--the cause.

> TRANSLATION

> All living beings in all the planets of this universe, including the presiding deities of all the planets, are fully under the control of the Lord. They work like birds caught in a net, who cannot move independently.

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> TEXT 9

> ojah saho balam prânam

> amrtam mrtyum eva ca

> tam ajnâya jano hetum

> âtmânam manyate jadam

> ojah--the strength of the senses; sahah--the strength of the mind; balam--the strength of the body; prânam--the living condition; amrtam--immortality; mrtyum--death; eva--indeed; ca--also; tam--Him (the Supreme Lord); ajnâya--without knowing; janah--a foolish person; hetum--the cause; âtmânam--the body; manyate--considers; jadam--although as good as stone.

> TRANSLATION

> Our sensory prowess, mental power, bodily strength, living force, immortality and mortality are all subject to the superintendence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Not knowing this, foolish people think the dull material body to be the cause of their activities.

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> TEXT 10

> yathâ dârumayî nârî

> yathâ patramayo mrgah

> evam bhûtâni maghavann

> îsa-tantrâni viddhi bhoh

> yathâ--just as; dâru-mayî--made of wood; nârî--a woman; yathâ--just as; patra-mayah--made of leaves; mrgah--an animal; evam--thus; bhûtâni--all things; maghavan--O King Indra; îsa--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tantrâni--depending upon; viddhi--please know; bhoh--O sir.

> TRANSLATION

> O King Indra, as a wooden doll that looks like a woman or as an animal made of grass and leaves cannot move or dance independently, but depends fully on the person who handles it, all of us dance according to the desire of the supreme controller, the Personality of Godhead. No one is independent.

> *******

> TEXT 11

> purusah prakrtir vyaktam

> âtmâ bhûtendriyâsayâh

> saknuvanty asya sargâdau

> na vinâ yad-anugrahât

> purusah--the generator of the total material energy; prakrtih--the material energy or material nature; vyaktam--the principles of manifestation (mahat-tattva); âtmâ--the false ego; bhûta--the five material elements; indriya--the ten senses; âsayâh--the mind, intelligence and consciousness; saknuvanti--are able; asya--of this universe; sarga-âdau--in the creation, etc.; na--not; vinâ--without; yat--of whom; anugrahât--the mercy.

> TRANSLATION

> The three purusas--Karanodakasayi Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu and Ksirodakasayi-Visnu--the material nature, the total material energy, the false ego, the five material elements, the material senses, the mind, the intelligence and consciousness cannot create the material manifestation without the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

> *******

> TEXT 12

> avidvân evam âtmânam

> manyate 'nîsam îsvaram

> bhûtaih srjati bhûtâni

> grasate tâni taih svayam

> avidvân--one who is foolish, without knowledge; evam--thus; âtmânam--himself; manyate--considers; anîsam--although totally dependent on others; îsvaram--as the supreme controller, independent; bhûtaih--by the living entities; srjati--He (the Lord) creates; bhûtâni--other living entities; grasate--He devours; tâni--them; taih--by other living beings; svayam--Himself.

> TRANSLATION

> A foolish, senseless person cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although always dependent, he falsely thinks himself the Supreme. If one thinks, "According to one's previous fruitive actions, one's material body is created by the father and mother, and the same body is annihilated by another agent, as another animal is devoured by a tiger," this is not proper understanding. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself creates and devours the living beings through other living beings.

> *******

> TEXT 13

> âyuh srîh kîrtir aisvaryam

> âsisah purusasya yâh

> bhavanty eva hi tat-kâle

> yathânicchor viparyayâh

> âyuh--longevity; srîh--opulence; kîrtih--fame; aisvaryam--power; âsisah--benedictions; purusasya--of the living entity; yâh--which; bhavanti--arise; eva--indeed; hi--certainly; tat-kâle--at that proper time; yathâ--just as; anicchoh--of one not desiring; viparyayâh--reverse conditions.

> TRANSLATION

> Just as a person not inclined to die must nonetheless give up his longevity, opulence, fame and everything else at the time of death, so, at the appointed time of victory, one can gain all these when the Supreme Lord awards them by His mercy.

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> TEXT 14

> tasmâd akîrti-yasasor

> jayâpajayayor api

> samah syât sukha-duhkhâbhyâm

> mrtyu jîvitayos tathâ

> tasmât--therefore (because of being fully dependent on the pleasure of the Supreme Personality of Godhead); akîrti--of defamation; yasasoh--and fame; jaya--of victory; apajayayoh--and defeat; api--even; samah--equal; syât--one should be; sukha-duhkhâbhyâm--with the distress and happiness; mrtyu--of death; jîvitayoh--or of living; tathâ--as well as.

> TRANSLATION

> Since everything is dependent on the supreme will of the Personality of Godhead, one should be equipoised in fame and defamation, victory and defeat, life and death. In their effects, represented as happiness and distress, one should maintain oneself in equilibrium, without anxiety.

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> TEXT 15

> sattvam rajas tama iti

> prakrter nâtmano gunâh

> tatra sâksinam âtmânam

> yo veda sa na badhyate

> sattvam--the mode of goodness; rajah--the mode of passion; tamah--the mode of ignorance; iti--thus; prakrteh--of the material nature; na--not; âtmanah--of the spirit soul; gunâh--the qualities; tatra--in such a position; sâksinam--an observer; âtmânam--the self; yah--anyone who; veda--knows; sah--he; na--not; badhyate--is bound.

> TRANSLATION

> One who knows that the three qualities--goodness, passion and ignorance--are not qualities of the soul but qualities of material nature, and who knows that the pure soul is simply an observer of the actions and reactions of these qualities, should be understood to be a liberated person. He is not bound by these qualities.

> *******

> TEXT 16

> pasya mâm nirjitam satru

> vrknâyudha-bhujam mrdhe

> ghatamânam yathâ-sakti

> tava prâna jihîrsayâ

> pasya--look; mâm--at me; nirjitam--already defeated; satru--O enemy; vrkna--cut off; âyudha--my weapon; bhujam--and my arm; mrdhe--in this fight; ghatamânam--still trying; yathâ-sakti--according to my ability; tava--of you; prâna--the life; jihîrsayâ--with the desire to take away.

> TRANSLATION

> O my enemy, just look at me. I have already been defeated, for my weapon and arm have been cut to pieces. You have already overwhelmed me, but nonetheless, with a desire to kill you, I am trying my best to fight. I am not at all morose, even under such adverse conditions. Therefore you should give up your moroseness and continue fighting.

> *******

> TEXT 17

> prâna-glaho 'yam samara

> isv-akso vâhanâsanah

> atra na jnâyate 'musya

> jayo 'musya parâjayah

> prâna-glahah--life is the stake; ayam--this; samarah--battle; isu-aksah--the arrows are the dice; vâhana-âsanah--the carriers such as the horses and elephants are the game board; atra--here (in this gambling match); na--not; jnâyate--is known; amusya--of that one; jayah--victory; amusya--of that one; parâjayah--defeat.

> TRANSLATION

> O my enemy, consider this battle a gambling match in which our lives are the stakes, the arrows are the dice, and the animals acting as carriers are the game board. No one can understand who will be defeated and who will be victorious. It all depends on providence.

> *******

> TEXT 18

> srî-suka uvâca

> indro vrtra-vacah srutvâ

> gatâlîkam apûjayat

> grhîta-vajrah prahasams

> tam âha gata-vismayah

> srî-sukah uvâca--Srî Sukadeva Gosvâmî said; indrah--King Indra; vrtra-vacah--the words of Vrtrâsura; srutvâ--hearing; gata-alîkam--without duplicity; apûjayat--worshiped; grhîta-vajrah--taking up the thunderbolt; prahasan--smiling; tam--unto Vrtrâsura; âha--said; gata-vismayah--giving up his wonder.

> TRANSLATION

> Sukadeva Gosvami said: Hearing the straightforward, instructive words of Vrtrasura, King Indra praised him and again took the thunderbolt in his hand. Without bewilderment or duplicity, he then smiled and spoke to Vrtrasura as follows.

> *******

> TEXT 19

> indra uvâca

> aho dânava siddho 'si

> yasya te matir îdrsî

> bhaktah sarvâtmanâtmânam

> suhrdam jagad-îsvaram

> indrah uvâca--Indra said; aho--hello; dânava--O demon; siddhah asi--you are now perfect; yasya--whose; te--your; matih--consciousness; îdrsî--such as this; bhaktah--a great devotee; sarva-âtmanâ--without diversion; âtmânam--to the Supersoul; suhrdam--the greatest friend; jagat-îsvaram--to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

> TRANSLATION

> Indra said: O great demon, I see by your discrimination and endurance in devotional service, despite your dangerous position, that you are a perfect devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul and friend of everyone.

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> TEXT 20

> bhavân atârsin mâyâm vai

> vaisnavîm jana-mohinîm

> yad vihâyâsuram bhâvam

> mahâ-purusatâm gatah

> bhavân--your good self; atârsît--has surmounted; mâyâm--the illusory energy; vai--indeed; vaisnavîm--of Lord Visnu; jana-mohinîm--which deludes the mass of people; yat--since; vihâya--giving up; âsuram--of the demons; bhâvam--the mentality; mahâ-purusatâm--the position of an exalted devotee; gatah--obtained.

> TRANSLATION

> You have surmounted the illusory energy of Lord Visnu, and because of this liberation, you have given up the demoniac mentality and have attained the position of an exalted devotee.

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> TEXT 21

> khalv idam mahad âscaryam

> yad rajah-prakrtes tava

> vâsudeve bhagavati

> sattvâtmani drdhâ matih

> khalu--indeed; idam--this; mahat âscaryam--great wonder; yat--which; rajah--influenced by the mode of passion; prakrteh--whose nature; tava--of you; vâsudeve--in Lord Krsna; bhagavati--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sattva-âtmani--who is situated in pure goodness; drdhâ--firm; matih--consciousness.

> TRANSLATION

> O Vrtrasura, demons are generally conducted by the mode of passion. Therefore, what a great wonder it is that although you are a demon, you have adopted the mentality of a devotee and have fixed your mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva, who is always situated in pure goodness.

> *******

> TEXT 22

> yasya bhaktir bhagavati

> harau nihsreyasesvare

> vikrîdato 'mrtâmbhodhau

> kim ksudraih khâtakodakaih

> yasya--of whom; bhaktih--devotional service; bhagavati--to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; harau--Lord Hari; nihsreyasa-îsvare--the controller of the supreme perfection of life, or supreme liberation; vikrîdatah--swimming or playing; amrta-ambhodhau--in the ocean of nectar; kim--what is the use; ksudraih--with small; khâtaka-udakaih--ditches of water.

> TRANSLATION

> A person fixed in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord, Hari, the Lord of the highest auspiciousness, swims in the ocean of nectar. For him what is the use of the water in small ditches?

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> TEXT 23

> srî-suka uvâca

> iti bruvânâv anyonyam

> dharma jijnâsayâ nrpa

> yuyudhâte mahâ-viryâv

> indra-vrtrau yudhâm patî

> srî-sukah uvâca--Srî Sukadeva Gosvâmî said; iti--thus; bruvânau--speaking; anyonyam--to one another; dharma jijnâsayâ--with a desire to know the supreme, ultimate religious principle (devotional service); nrpa--O King; yuyudhâte--fought; mahâ-vîryau--both very powerful; indra--King Indra; vrtrau--and Vrtrâsura; yudhâm patî--both great military commanders.

> TRANSLATION

> Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: Vrtrasura and King Indra spoke about devotional service even on the battlefield, and then as a matter of duty they again began fighting. My dear King, both of them were great fighters and were equally powerful.

> *******

> TEXT 24

> âvidhya parigham vrtrah

> kârsnâyasam arindamah

> indrâya prâhinod ghoram

> vâma-hastena mârisa

> âvidhya--whirling; parigham--the club; vrtrah--Vrtrâsura; kârsna-ayasam--made of iron; arim-damah--who was competent to subdue his enemy; indrâya--at Indra; prâhinot--threw; ghoram--very fearful; vâma-hastena--with his left hand; mârisa--O best of kings, Mahârâja Parîksit.

> TRANSLATION

> O Maharaja Pariksit, Vrtrasura, who was completely able to subdue his enemy, took his iron club, whirled it around, aimed it at Indra and then threw it at him with his left hand.

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> TEXT 25

> sa tu vrtrasya parigham

> karam ca karabhopamam

> ciccheda yugapad devo

> vajrena sata-parvanâ

> sah--he (King Indra); tu--however; vrtrasya--of Vrtrâsura; parigham--the iron club; karam--his hand; ca--and; karabha-upamam--as strong as the trunk of an elephant; ciccheda--cut to pieces; yugapat--simultaneously; devah--Lord Indra; vajrena--with the thunderbolt; sata-parvanâ--having one hundred joints.

> TRANSLATION

> With his thunderbolt named Sataparvan, Indra simultaneously cut to pieces Vrtrasura's club and his remaining hand.

> *******

> TEXT 26

> dorbhyâm utkrtta-mûlâbhyâm

> babhau rakta-sravo 'surah

> chinna-pakso yathâ gotrah

> khâd bhrasto vajrinâ hatah

> dorbhyâm--from the two arms; utkrtta-mûlâbhyam--cut from the very root; babhau--was; rakta-sravah--profusely discharging blood; asurah--Vrtrâsura; chinna-paksah--whose wings are cut; yathâ--just as; gotrah--a mountain; khât--from the sky; bhrastah--falling; vajrinâ--by Indra, the carrier of the thunderbolt; hatah--struck.

> TRANSLATION

> Vrtrasura, bleeding profusely, his two arms cut off at their roots, looked very beautiful, like a flying mountain whose wings have been cut to pieces by Indra.

> *******

> TEXT 27-29

> mahâ-prâno mahâ-vîryo

> mahâ-sarpa iva dvipam

> krtvâdharâm hanum bhûmau

> daityo divy uttarâm hanum

> nabho-gambhîra-vaktrena

> leliholbana jihvayâ

> damstrâbhih kâla-kalpâbhir

> grasann iva jagat-trayam

> atimâtra-mahâ-kâya

> âksipams tarasâ girîn

> giri-rât pâda-cârîva

> padbhyâm nirjarayan mahîm

> jagrâsa sa samâsâdya

> vajrinam saha-vâhanam

> mahâ-prânah--very great in bodily strength; mahâ-vîryah--showing uncommon prowess; mahâ-sarpah--the biggest snake; iva--like; dvipam--an elephant; krtvâ--placing; adharâm--the lower; hanum--jaw; bhûmau--on the ground; daityah--the demon; divi--in the sky; uttarâm hanum--the upper jaw; nabhah--like the sky; gambhîra--deep; vaktrena--with his mouth;

> leliha--like a snake; ulbana--fearful; jihvayâ--with a tongue; damstrâbhih--with teeth; kâla-kalpâbhih--exactly like the time factor, or death; grasan--devouring; iva--as if; jagat-trayam--the three worlds; ati-mâtra--very high; mahâ-kâyah--whose great body;

> âksipan--shaking; tarasâ--with great force; girîn--the mountains; giri-rât--the Himalaya Mountains; pâda-cârî--moving on foot; iva--as if; padbhyâm--by his feet; nirjarayan--crushing; mahîm--the surface of the world; jagrâsa--swallowed; sah--he; samâsâdya--reaching; vajrinam--Indra, who carries the thunderbolt; saha-vâhanam--with his carrier, the elephant.

> TRANSLATION

> Vrtrasura was very powerful in physical strength and influence. He placed his lower jaw on the ground and his upper jaw in the sky. His mouth became very deep, like the sky itself, and his tongue resembled a large serpent. With his fearful, deathlike teeth, he seemed to be trying to devour the entire universe. Thus assuming a gigantic body, the great demon Vrtrasura shook even the mountains and began crushing the surface of the earth with his legs, as if he were the Himalayas walking about. He came before Indra and swallowed him and Airavata, his carrier, just as a big python might swallow an elephant.

> *******

> TEXT 30

> vrtra-grastam tam âlokya

> saprajâpatayah surâh

> hâ kastam iti nirvinnâs

> cukrusuh samaharsayah

> vrtra-grastam--swallowed by Vrtrâsura; tam--him (Indra); âlokya--seeing; sa-prajâpatayah--with Lord Brahma and other prajâpatis; surâh--all the demigods; hâ--alas; kastam--what a tribulation; iti--thus; nirvinnâh--being very morose; cukrusuh--lamented; sa-mahâ-rsayah--with the great sages.

> TRANSLATION

> When the demigods, along with Brahma, other prajapatis and other great saintly persons, saw that Indra had been swallowed by the demon, they became very morose. "Alas," they lamented. "What a calamity ! What a calamity !"

> *******

> TEXT 31

> nigîrno 'py asurendrena

> na mamârodaram gatah

> mahâpurusa-sannaddho

> yogamâyâ-balena ca

> nigîrnah--swallowed; api--although; asura-indrena--by the best of the demons, Vrtrâsura; na--not; mamâra--died; udaram--the abdomen; gatah--reaching; mahâ-purusa--by the armor of the Supreme Lord, Nârâyana; sannaddhah--being protected; yoga-mâyâ-balena--by the mystic power that Indra himself possessed; ca--also.

> TRANSLATION

> The protective armor of Narayana, which Indra possessed, was identical with Narayana Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Protected by that armor and by his own mystic power, King Indra, although swallowed by Vrtrasura, did not die within the demon's belly.

> *******

> TEXT 32

> bhittvâ vajrena tat-kuksim

> niskramya bala-bhid vibhuh

> uccakarta sirah satror

> gri-srngam ivaujasâ

> bhittvâ--piercing; vajrena--by the thunderbolt; tat-kuksim--the abdomen of Vrtrâsura; niskramya--getting out; bala-bhit--the slayer of the demon Bala; vibhuh--the powerful Lord Indra; uccakarta--cut off; sirah--the head; satroh--of the enemy; giri-srngam--the peak of a mountain; iva--like; ojasâ--with great force.

> TRANSLATION

> With his thunderbolt, King Indra, who was also extremely powerful, pierced through Vrtrasura's abdomen and came out. Indra, the killer of the demon Bala, then immediately cut off Vrtrasura's head, which was as high as the peak of a mountain.

> *******

> TEXT 33

> vajras tu tat-kandharam âsu-vegah

> krntan samantât parivartamânah

> nyapâtayat tâvad ahar-ganena

> yo jyotisâm ayane vârtra-hatye

> vajrah--the thunderbolt; tu--but; tat-kandharam--his neck; âsu-vegah--although very fast; krntan--cutting; samantât--all around; parivartamânah--revolving; nyapâtayat--caused to fall; tâvat--so many; ahah-ganena--by days; yah--which; jyotisâm--of the luminaries like the sun and moon; ayane--in moving to both sides of the equator; vârtra-hatye--at the time suitable for killing Vrtrâsura.

> TRANSLATION

> Although the thunderbolt revolved around Vrtrasura's neck with great speed, separating his head from his body took one complete year--360 days, the time in which the sun, moon and other luminaries complete a northern and southern journey. Then, at the suitable time for Vrtrasura to be killed, his head fell to the ground.

> *******

> TEXT 34

> tadâ ca khe dundubhayo vinedur

> gandharva-siddhâh samaharsi-sanghâh

> vârtra-ghna-lingais tam abhistuvânâ

> mantrair mudâ kusumair abhyavarsan

> tadâ--at that time; ca--also; khe--in the higher planetary systems in the sky; dundubhayah--the kettledrums; vineduh--sounded; gandharva--the Gandharvas; siddhâh--and the Siddhas; sa-maharsi-sanghâh--with the assembly of saintly persons; vârtra-ghna-lingaih--celebrating the prowess of the killer of Vrtrâsura; tam--him (Indra); abhistuvânâh--praising; mantraih--by various mantras; mudâ--with great pleasure; kusumaih--with flowers; abhyavarsan--showered.

> TRANSLATION

> When Vrtrasura was killed, the Gandharvas and Siddhas in the heavenly planets beat kettledrums in jubilation. With Vedic hymns they celebrated the prowess of Indra, the killer of Vrtrasura, praising Indra and showering flowers upon him with great pleasure.

> *******

> TEXT 35

> vrtrasya dehân niskrântam

> âtma-jyotir arindama

> pasyatâm sarva-devânâm

> alokam samapadyata

> vrtrasya--of Vrtrâsura; dehât--from the body; niskrântam--coming out; âtma-jyotih--the spirit soul, which was as brilliant as the effulgence of Brahman; arim-dama--O King Parîksit, subduer of enemies; pasyatâm--were watching; sarva-devânâm--while all the demigods; alokam--the supreme abode, filled with the Brahman effulgence; samapadyata--achieved.

> TRANSLATION

> O King Pariksit, subduer of enemies, the living spark then came forth from Vrtrasura's body and returned home, back to Godhead. While all the demigods looked on, he entered the transcendental world to become an associate of Lord Sankarsana.

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