Vṛtrāsura’s Glorious Death
VERSE 6.12.1
śrī-ṛṣir uvāca
evaṁ jihāsur nṛpa deham ājau
mṛtyuṁ varaṁ vijayān manyamānaḥ
śūlaṁ pragṛhyābhyapatat surendraṁ
yathā mahā-puruṣaṁ kaiṭabho ’psu
SYNONYMS
śrī-ṛṣiḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; evam — thus; jihāsuḥ — very eager to give up; nṛpa — O King Parīkṣit; deham — the body; ājau — in battle; mṛtyum — death; varam — better; vijayāt — than victory; manyamānaḥ — thinking; śūlam — trident; pragṛhya — taking up; abhyapatat — attacked; sura-indram — the King of heaven, Indra; yathā — just as; mahā-puruṣam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kaiṭabhaḥ — the demon Kaiṭabha; apsu — when the whole universe was inundated.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Desiring to give up his body, Vṛtrāsura considered death in the battle preferable to victory. O King Parīkṣit, he vigorously took up his trident and with great force attacked Lord Indra, the King of heaven, just as Kaiṭabha had forcefully attacked the Supreme Personality of Godhead when the universe was inundated.
VERSE 6.12.2
tato yugāntāgni-kaṭhora-jihvam
āvidhya śūlaṁ tarasāsurendraḥ
kṣiptvā mahendrāya vinadya vīro
hato ’si pāpeti ruṣā jagāda
SYNONYMS
tataḥ — thereafter; yuga-anta-agni — like the fire at the end of every millennium; kaṭhora — sharp; jihvam — possessing points; āvidhya — twirling; śūlam — the trident; tarasā — with great force; asura-indraḥ — the great hero of the demons, Vṛtrāsura; kṣiptvā — throwing; mahā-indrāya — unto King Indra; vinadya — roaring; vīraḥ — the great hero (Vṛtrāsura); hataḥ — killed; asi — you are; pāpa — O sinful one; iti — thus; ruṣā — with great anger; jagāda — be cried out.
TRANSLATION
Then Vṛtrāsura, 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!”
VERSE 6.12.3
kha āpatat tad vicalad graholkavan
nirīkṣya duṣprekṣyam ajāta-viklavaḥ
vajreṇa vajrī śata-parvaṇācchinad
bhujaṁ ca tasyoraga-rāja-bhogam
SYNONYMS
khe — in the sky; āpatat — flying toward him; tat — that trident; vicalat — rotating; graha-ulka-vat — like a falling star; nirīkṣya — observing; duṣprekṣyam — unbearable to see; ajāta-viklavaḥ — not afraid; vajreṇa — with the thunderbolt; vajrī — Indra, the holder of the thunderbolt; śata-parvaṇā — possessing one hundred joints; ācchinat — cut; bhujam — the arm; ca — and; tasya — of him (Vṛtrāsura); uraga-rāja — of the great serpent Vāsuki; bhogam — like the body.
TRANSLATION
Flying in the sky, Vṛtrāsura’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 Vṛtrāsura’s arms, which was as thick as the body of Vāsuki, the King of the serpents.
VERSE 6.12.4
chinnaika-bāhuḥ parigheṇa vṛtraḥ
saṁrabdha āsādya gṛhīta-vajram
hanau tatāḍendram athāmarebhaṁ
vajraṁ ca hastān nyapatan maghonaḥ
SYNONYMS
chinna — cut off; eka — one; bāhuḥ — whose arm; parigheṇa — with a mace of iron; vṛtraḥ — Vṛtrāsura; saṁrabdhaḥ — being very angry; āsādya — reaching; gṛhīta — taking up; vajram — the thunderbolt; hanau — on the jaw; tatāḍa — struck; indram — Lord Indra; atha — also; amara-ibham — his elephant; vajram — the thunderbolt; ca — and; hastāt — from the hand; nyapatat — fell; maghonaḥ — of King Indra.
TRANSLATION
Although one of his arms was severed from his body, Vṛtrāsura 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.
VERSE 6.12.5
vṛtrasya karmāti-mahādbhutaṁ tat
surāsurāś cāraṇa-siddha-saṅghāḥ
apūjayaṁs tat puruhūta-saṅkaṭaṁ
nirīkṣya hā heti vicukruśur bhṛśam
SYNONYMS
vṛtrasya — of Vṛtrāsura; karma — the accomplishment; ati — very; mahā — greatly; adbhutam — wonderful; tat — that; sura — the demigods; asurāḥ — and the demons; cāraṇa — the Cāraṇas; siddha-saṅghāḥ — and the society of Siddhas; apūjayan — glorified; tat — that; puruhūta-saṅkaṭam — the dangerous position of Indra; nirīkṣya — seeing; hā hā — alas, alas; iti — thus; vicukruśuḥ — lamented; bhṛśam — very much.
TRANSLATION
The denizens of various planets, like the demigods, demons, Cāraṇas and Siddhas, praised Vṛtrāsura’s deed, but when they observed that Indra was in great danger, they lamented, “Alas! Alas!”
VERSE 6.12.6
indro na vajraṁ jagṛhe vilajjitaś
cyutaṁ sva-hastād ari-sannidhau punaḥ
tam āha vṛtro hara ātta-vajro
jahi sva-śatruṁ na viṣāda-kālaḥ
SYNONYMS
indraḥ — King Indra; na — not; vajram — the thunderbolt; jagṛhe — took up; vilajjitaḥ — being ashamed; cyutam — fallen; sva-hastāt — from his own hand; ari-sannidhau — in front of his enemy; punaḥ — again; tam — unto him; āha — said; vṛtraḥ — Vṛtrāsura; hare — O Indra; ātta-vajraḥ — taking up your thunderbolt; jahi — kill; sva-śatrum — your enemy; na — not; viṣāda-kālaḥ — 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. Vṛtrāsura, however, encouraged him, saying, “Take up your thunderbolt and kill your enemy. This is not the time to lament your fate.”
VERSE 6.12.7
yuyutsatāṁ kutracid ātatāyināṁ
jayaḥ sadaikatra na vai parātmanām
vinaikam utpatti-laya-sthitīśvaraṁ
sarvajñam ādyaṁ puruṣaṁ sanātanam
SYNONYMS
yuyutsatām — of those who are belligerent; kutracit — sometimes; ātatāyinām — armed with weapons; jayaḥ — victory; sadā — always; ekatra — in one place; na — not; vai — indeed; para-ātmanām — of the subordinate living entities, who work only under the direction of the Supersoul; vinā — except; ekam — one; utpatti — of the creation; laya — annihilation; sthiti — and maintenance; īśvaram — the controller; sarva-jñam — who knows everything (past, present and future); ādyam — the original; puruṣam — enjoyer; sanātanam — eternal.
TRANSLATION
Vṛtrāsura continued: O Indra, no one is guaranteed of being always victorious but the original enjoyer, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān. 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.
VERSE 6.12.8
lokāḥ sapālā yasyeme
śvasanti vivaśā vaśe
dvijā iva śicā baddhāḥ
sa kāla iha kāraṇam
SYNONYMS
lokāḥ — the worlds; sa-pālāḥ — with their chief deities or controllers; yasya — of whom; ime — all these; śvasanti — live; vivaśāḥ — fully dependent; vaśe — under the control; dvijāḥ — birds; iva — like; śicā — by a net; baddhāḥ — bound; saḥ — that; kālaḥ — time factor; iha — in this; kāraṇam — 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.
VERSE 6.12.9
ojaḥ saho balaṁ prāṇam
amṛtaṁ mṛtyum eva ca
tam ajñāya jano hetum
ātmānaṁ manyate jaḍam
SYNONYMS
ojaḥ — the strength of the senses; sahaḥ — the strength of the mind; balam — the strength of the body; prāṇam — the living condition; amṛtam — immortality; mṛtyum — death; eva — indeed; ca — also; tam — Him (the Supreme Lord); ajñāya — without knowing; janaḥ — a foolish person; hetum — the cause; ātmānam — the body; manyate — considers; jaḍam — 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.
VERSE 6.12.10
yathā dārumayī nārī
yathā patramayo mṛgaḥ
evaṁ bhūtāni maghavann
īśa-tantrāṇi viddhi bhoḥ
SYNONYMS
yathā — just as; dāru-mayī — made of wood; nārī — a woman; yathā — just as; patra-mayaḥ — made of leaves; mṛgaḥ — an animal; evam — thus; bhūtāni — all things; maghavan — O King Indra; īśa — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tantrāṇi — depending upon; viddhi — please know; bhoḥ — 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.
VERSE 6.12.11
puruṣaḥ prakṛtir vyaktam
ātmā bhūtendriyāśayāḥ
śaknuvanty asya sargādau
na vinā yad-anugrahāt
SYNONYMS
puruṣaḥ — the generator of the total material energy; prakṛtiḥ — the material energy or material nature; vyaktam — the principles of manifestation (mahat-tattva); ātmā — the false ego; bhūta — the five material elements; indriya — the ten senses; āśayāḥ — the mind, intelligence and consciousness; śaknuvanti — are able; asya — of this universe; sarga-ādau — in the creation, etc; na — not; vinā — without; yat — of whom; anugrahāt — the mercy.
TRANSLATION
The three puruṣas — Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī-Viṣṇu — 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.
VERSE 6.12.12
avidvān evam ātmānaṁ
manyate ’nīśam īśvaram
bhūtaiḥ sṛjati bhūtāni
grasate tāni taiḥ svayam
SYNONYMS
avidvān — one who is foolish, without knowledge; evam — thus; ātmānam — himself; manyate — considers; anīśam — although totally dependent on others; īśvaram — as the supreme controller, independent; bhūtaiḥ — by the living entities; sṛjati — He (the Lord) creates; bhūtāni — other living entities; grasate — He devours; tāni — them; taiḥ — 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.
VERSE 6.12.13
āyuḥ śrīḥ kīrtir aiśvaryam
āśiṣaḥ puruṣasya yāḥ
bhavanty eva hi tat-kāle
yathānicchor viparyayāḥ
SYNONYMS
āyuḥ — longevity; śrīḥ — opulence; kīrtiḥ — fame; aiśvaryam — power; āśiṣaḥ — benedictions; puruṣasya — of the living entity; yāḥ — which; bhavanti — arise; eva — indeed; hi — certainly; tat-kāle — at that proper time; yathā — just as; anicchoḥ — of one not desiring; viparyayāḥ — 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.
VERSE 6.12.14
tasmād akīrti-yaśasor
jayāpajayayor api
samaḥ syāt sukha-duḥkhābhyāṁ
mṛtyu-jīvitayos tathā
SYNONYMS
tasmāt — therefore (because of being fully dependent on the pleasure of the Supreme Personality of Godhead); akīrti — of defamation; yaśasoḥ — and fame; jaya — of victory; apajayayoḥ — and defeat; api — even; samaḥ — equal; syāt — one should be; sukha-duḥkhābhyām — with the distress and happiness; mṛtyu — of death; jīvitayoḥ — or of living; tathā — 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.
VERSE 6.12.15
sattvaṁ rajas tama iti
prakṛter nātmano guṇāḥ
tatra sākṣiṇam ātmānaṁ
yo veda sa na badhyate
SYNONYMS
sattvam — the mode of goodness; rajaḥ — the mode of passion; tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance; iti — thus; prakṛteḥ — of the material nature; na — not; ātmanaḥ — of the spirit soul; guṇāḥ — the qualities; tatra — in such a position; sākṣiṇam — an observer; ātmānam — the self; yaḥ — anyone who; veda — knows; saḥ — 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.
VERSE 6.12.16
paśya māṁ nirjitaṁ śatru
vṛkṇāyudha-bhujaṁ mṛdhe
ghaṭamānaṁ yathā-śakti
tava prāṇa-jihīrṣayā
SYNONYMS
paśya — look; mām — at me; nirjitam — already defeated; śatru — O enemy; vṛkṇa — cut off; āyudha — my weapon; bhujam — and my arm; mṛdhe — in this fight; ghaṭamānam — still trying; yathā-śakti — according to my ability; tava — of you; prāṇa — the life; jihīrṣayā — 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.
VERSE 6.12.17
prāṇa-glaho ’yaṁ samara
iṣv-akṣo vāhanāsanaḥ
atra na jñāyate ’muṣya
jayo ’muṣya parājayaḥ
SYNONYMS
prāṇa-glahaḥ — life is the stake; ayam — this; samaraḥ — battle; iṣu-akṣaḥ — the arrows are the dice; vāhana-āsanaḥ — the carriers such as the horses and elephants are the game board; atra — here (in this gambling match); na — not; jñāyate — is known; amuṣya — of that one; jayaḥ — victory; amuṣya — of that one; parājayaḥ — 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.
VERSE 6.12.18
śrī-śuka uvāca
indro vṛtra-vacaḥ śrutvā
gatālīkam apūjayat
gṛhīta-vajraḥ prahasaṁs
tam āha gata-vismayaḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; indraḥ — King Indra; vṛtra-vacaḥ — the words of Vṛtrāsura; śrutvā — hearing; gata-alīkam — without duplicity; apūjayat — worshiped; gṛhīta-vajraḥ — taking up the thunderbolt; prahasan — smiling; tam — unto Vṛtrāsura; āha — said; gata-vismayaḥ — giving up his wonder.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Hearing the straightforward, instructive words of Vṛtrāsura, King Indra praised him and again took the thunderbolt in his hand. Without bewilderment or duplicity, he then smiled and spoke to Vṛtrāsura as follows.
VERSE 6.12.19
indra uvāca
aho dānava siddho ’si
yasya te matir īdṛśī
bhaktaḥ sarvātmanātmānaṁ
suhṛdaṁ jagad-īśvaram
SYNONYMS
indraḥ uvāca — Indra said; aho — hello; dānava — O demon; siddhaḥ asi — you are now perfect; yasya — whose; te — your; matiḥ — consciousness; īdṛśī — such as this; bhaktaḥ — a great devotee; sarva-ātmanā — without diversion; ātmānam — to the Supersoul; suhṛdam — the greatest friend; jagat-īśvaram — 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.
VERSE 6.12.20
bhavān atārṣīn māyāṁ vai
vaiṣṇavīṁ jana-mohinīm
yad vihāyāsuraṁ bhāvaṁ
mahā-puruṣatāṁ gataḥ
SYNONYMS
bhavān — your good self; atārṣīt — has surmounted; māyām — the illusory energy; vai — indeed; vaiṣṇavīm — of Lord Viṣṇu; jana-mohinīm — which deludes the mass of people; yat — since; vihāya — giving up; āsuram — of the demons; bhāvam — the mentality; mahā-puruṣatām — the position of an exalted devotee; gataḥ — obtained.
TRANSLATION
You have surmounted the illusory energy of Lord Viṣṇu, and because of this liberation, you have given up the demoniac mentality and have attained the position of an exalted devotee.
VERSE 6.12.21
khalv idaṁ mahad āścaryaṁ
yad rajaḥ-prakṛtes tava
vāsudeve bhagavati
sattvātmani dṛḍhā matiḥ
SYNONYMS
khalu — indeed; idam — this; mahat āścaryam — great wonder; yat — which; rajaḥ — influenced by the mode of passion; prakṛteḥ — whose nature; tava — of you; vāsudeve — in Lord Kṛṣṇa; bhagavati — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sattva-ātmani — who is situated in pure goodness; dṛḍhā — firm; matiḥ — consciousness.
TRANSLATION
O Vṛtrāsura, 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, Vāsudeva, who is always situated in pure goodness.
VERSE 6.12.22
yasya bhaktir bhagavati
harau niḥśreyaseśvare
vikrīḍato ’mṛtāmbhodhau
kiṁ kṣudraiḥ khātakodakaiḥ
SYNONYMS
yasya — of whom; bhaktiḥ — devotional service; bhagavati — to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; harau — Lord Hari; niḥśreyasa-īśvare — the controller of the supreme perfection of life, or supreme liberation; vikrīḍataḥ — swimming or playing; amṛta-ambhodhau — in the ocean of nectar; kim — what is the use; kṣudraiḥ — with small; khātaka-udakaiḥ — 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?
VERSE 6.12.23
śrī-śuka uvāca
iti bruvāṇāv anyonyaṁ
dharma-jijñāsayā nṛpa
yuyudhāte mahā-vīryāv
indra-vṛtrau yudhām patī
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; bruvāṇau — speaking; anyonyam — to one another; dharma-jijñāsayā — with a desire to know the supreme, ultimate religious principle (devotional service); nṛpa — O King; yuyudhāte — fought; mahā-vīryau — both very powerful; indra — King Indra; vṛtrau — and Vṛtrāsura; yudhām patī — both great military commanders.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Vṛtrāsura 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.
VERSE 6.12.24
āvidhya parighaṁ vṛtraḥ
kārṣṇāyasam arindamaḥ
indrāya prāhiṇod ghoraṁ
vāma-hastena māriṣa
SYNONYMS
āvidhya — whirling; parigham — the club; vṛtraḥ — Vṛtrāsura; kārṣṇa-ayasam — made of iron; arim-damaḥ — who was competent to subdue his enemy; indrāya — at Indra; prāhiṇot — threw; ghoram — very fearful; vāma-hastena — with his left hand; māriṣa — O best of kings, Mahārāja Parīkṣit.
TRANSLATION
O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Vṛtrāsura, 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.
VERSE 6.12.25
sa tu vṛtrasya parighaṁ
karaṁ ca karabhopamam
ciccheda yugapad devo
vajreṇa śata-parvaṇā
SYNONYMS
saḥ — he (King Indra); tu — however; vṛtrasya — of Vṛtrāsura; 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; devaḥ — Lord Indra; vajreṇa — with the thunderbolt; śata-parvaṇā — having one hundred joints.
TRANSLATION
With his thunderbolt named Śataparvan, Indra simultaneously cut to pieces Vṛtrāsura’s club and his remaining hand.
VERSE 6.12.26
dorbhyām utkṛtta-mūlābhyāṁ
babhau rakta-sravo ’suraḥ
chinna-pakṣo yathā gotraḥ
khād bhraṣṭo vajriṇā hataḥ
SYNONYMS
dorbhyām — from the two arms; utkṛtta-mūlābhyām — cut from the very root; babhau — was; rakta-sravaḥ — profusely discharging blood; asuraḥ — Vṛtrāsura; chinna-pakṣaḥ — whose wings are cut; yathā — just as; gotraḥ — a mountain; khāt — from the sky; bhraṣṭaḥ — falling; vajriṇā — by Indra, the carrier of the thunderbolt; hataḥ — struck.
TRANSLATION
Vṛtrāsura, 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.
VERSE 6.12.27-29
mahā-prāṇo mahā-vīryo
mahā-sarpa iva dvipam
kṛtvādharāṁ hanuṁ bhūmau
daityo divy uttarāṁ hanum
nabho-gambhīra-vaktreṇa
leliholbaṇa-jihvayā
daṁṣṭrābhiḥ kāla-kalpābhir
grasann iva jagat-trayam
atimātra-mahā-kāya
ākṣipaṁs tarasā girīn
giri-rāṭ pāda-cārīva
padbhyāṁ nirjarayan mahīm
jagrāsa sa samāsādya
vajriṇaṁ saha-vāhanam
SYNONYMS
mahā-prāṇaḥ — very great in bodily strength; mahā-vīryaḥ — showing uncommon prowess; mahā-sarpaḥ — the biggest snake; iva — like; dvipam — an elephant; kṛtvā — placing; adharām — the lower; hanum — jaw; bhūmau — on the ground; daityaḥ — the demon; divi — in the sky; uttarām hanum — the upper jaw; nabhaḥ — like the sky; gambhīra — deep; vaktreṇa — with his mouth; leliha — like a snake; ulbaṇa — fearful; jihvayā — with a tongue; daṁṣṭrābhiḥ — with teeth; kāla-kalpābhiḥ — exactly like the time factor, or death; grasan — devouring; iva — as if; jagat-trayam — the three worlds; ati-mātra — very high; mahā-kāyaḥ — whose great body; ākṣipan — shaking; tarasā — with great force; girīn — the mountains; giri-rāṭ — the Himālaya Mountains; pāda-cārī — moving on foot; iva — as if; padbhyām — by his feet; nirjarayan — crushing; mahīm — the surface of the world; jagrāsa — swallowed; saḥ — he; samāsādya — reaching; vajriṇam — Indra, who carries the thunderbolt; saha-vāhanam — with his carrier, the elephant.
TRANSLATION
Vṛtrāsura 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 Vṛtrāsura shook even the mountains and began crushing the surface of the earth with his legs, as if he were the Himālayas walking about. He came before Indra and swallowed him and Airāvata, his carrier, just as a big python might swallow an elephant.
VERSE 6.12.30
vṛtra-grastaṁ tam ālokya
saprajāpatayaḥ surāḥ
hā kaṣṭam iti nirviṇṇāś
cukruśuḥ samaharṣayaḥ
SYNONYMS
vṛtra-grastam — swallowed by Vṛtrāsura; tam — him (Indra); ālokya — seeing; sa-prajāpatayaḥ — with Lord Brahmā and other prajāpatis; surāḥ — all the demigods; hā — alas; kaṣṭam — what a tribulation; iti — thus; nirviṇṇāḥ — being very morose; cukruśuḥ — lamented; sa-mahā-ṛṣayaḥ — with the great sages.
TRANSLATION
When the demigods, along with Brahmā, other prajāpatis 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!”
VERSE 6.12.31
nigīrṇo ’py asurendreṇa
na mamārodaraṁ gataḥ
mahāpuruṣa-sannaddho
yoga-māyā-balena ca
SYNONYMS
nigīrṇaḥ — swallowed; api — although; asura-indreṇa — by the best of the demons, Vṛtrāsura; na — not; mamāra — died; udaram — the abdomen; gataḥ — reaching; mahā-puruṣa — by the armor of the Supreme Lord, Nārāyaṇa; sannaddhaḥ — being protected; yoga-māyā-balena — by the mystic power that Indra himself possessed; ca — also.
TRANSLATION
The protective armor of Nārāyaṇa, which Indra possessed, was identical with Nārāyaṇa Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Protected by that armor and by his own mystic power, King Indra, although swallowed by Vṛtrāsura, did not die within the demon’s belly.
VERSE 6.12.32
bhittvā vajreṇa tat-kukṣiṁ
niṣkramya bala-bhid vibhuḥ
uccakarta śiraḥ śatror
giri-śṛṅgam ivaujasā
SYNONYMS
bhittvā — piercing; vajreṇa — by the thunderbolt; tat-kukṣim — the abdomen of Vṛtrāsura; niṣkramya — getting out; bala-bhit — the slayer of the demon Bala; vibhuḥ — the powerful Lord Indra; uccakarta — cut off; śiraḥ — the head; śatroḥ — of the enemy; giri-śṛṅgam — the peak of a mountain; iva — like; ojasā — with great force.
TRANSLATION
With his thunderbolt, King Indra, who was also extremely powerful, pierced through Vṛtrāsura’s abdomen and came out. Indra, the killer of the demon Bala, then immediately cut off Vṛtrāsura’s head, which was as high as the peak of a mountain.
VERSE 6.12.33
vajras tu tat-kandharam āśu-vegaḥ
kṛntan samantāt parivartamānaḥ
nyapātayat tāvad ahar-gaṇena
yo jyotiṣām ayane vārtra-hatye
SYNONYMS
vajraḥ — the thunderbolt; tu — but; tat-kandharam — his neck; āśu-vegaḥ — although very fast; kṛntan — cutting; samantāt — all around; parivartamānaḥ — revolving; nyapātayat — caused to fall; tāvat — so many; ahaḥ-gaṇena — by days; yaḥ — which; jyotiṣām — of the luminaries like the sun and moon; ayane — in moving to both sides of the equator; vārtra-hatye — at the time suitable for killing Vṛtrāsura.
TRANSLATION
Although the thunderbolt revolved around Vṛtrāsura’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 Vṛtrāsura to be killed, his head fell to the ground.
VERSE 6.12.34
tadā ca khe dundubhayo vinedur
gandharva-siddhāḥ samaharṣi-saṅghāḥ
vārtra-ghna-liṅgais tam abhiṣṭuvānā
mantrair mudā kusumair abhyavarṣan
SYNONYMS
tadā — at that time; ca — also; khe — in the higher planetary systems in the sky; dundubhayaḥ — the kettledrums; vineduḥ — sounded; gandharva — the Gandharvas; siddhāḥ — and the Siddhas; sa-maharṣi-saṅghāḥ — with the assembly of saintly persons; vārtra-ghna-liṅgaiḥ — celebrating the prowess of the killer of Vṛtrāsura; tam — him (Indra); abhiṣṭuvānāḥ — praising; mantraiḥ — by various mantras; mudā — with great pleasure; kusumaiḥ — with flowers; abhyavarṣan — showered.
TRANSLATION
When Vṛtrāsura 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 Vṛtrāsura, praising Indra and showering flowers upon him with great pleasure.
VERSE 6.12.35
vṛtrasya dehān niṣkrāntam
ātma-jyotir arindama
paśyatāṁ sarva-devānām
alokaṁ samapadyata
SYNONYMS
vṛtrasya — of Vṛtrāsura; dehāt — from the body; niṣkrāntam — coming out; ātma-jyotiḥ — the spirit soul, which was as brilliant as the effulgence of Brahman; arim-dama — O King Parīkṣit, subduer of enemies; paśyatām — were watching; sarva-devānām — while all the demigods; alokam — the supreme abode, filled with the Brahman effulgence; samapadyata — achieved.
TRANSLATION
O King Parīkṣit, subduer of enemies, the living spark then came forth from Vṛtrāsura’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 Saṅkarṣaṇa.