महाभारतम् — ३.१०१

देवा ऊचुः ।

इतः प्रदानाद्वर्तन्ते प्रजाः सर्वाश्चतुर्विधाः ।
ता भाविता भावयन्ति हव्यकव्यैर्दिवौकसः ॥

M N Dutt The celestials said : All the four orders of creatures increase through your favour. They propitiate the dwellers of heaven with the offering of Habya and Kabya (sacrificial libations to the gods and oblations to the Pitris).

३.१०१.२

लोका ह्येवं वर्तयन्ति अन्योन्यं समुपाश्रिताः ।
त्वत्प्रसादान्निरुद्विग्नास्त्वयैव परिरक्षिताः ॥

M N Dutt Thus being protected by you and freed from troubles, people through your favour increase depending on one arrother. Now this great fear has overtaken the people. We do not know by whom the Brahmanas are killed at night.

३.१०१.३

इदं च समनुप्राप्तं लोकानां भयमुत्तमम् ।
न च जानीम केनेमे रात्रौ वध्यन्ति ब्राह्मणाः ॥

M N Dutt Thus being protected by you and freed from troubles, people through your favour increase depending on one arrother. Now this great fear has overtaken the people. We do not know by whom the Brahmanas are killed at night.

३.१०१.४

क्षीणेषु च ब्राह्मणेषु पृथिवी क्षयमेष्यति ।
ततः पृथिव्यां क्षीणायां त्रिदिवं क्षयमेष्यति ॥

M N Dutt If the Brahmanas are destroyed, the world will be also destroyed. If the world is destroyed, heaven itself will be destroyed.

३.१०१.५

त्वत्प्रसादान्महाबाहो लोकाः सर्वे जगत्पते ।
विनाशं नाधिगच्छेयुस्त्वया वै परिरक्षिताः ॥

M N Dutt O mighty armed lord of the universe, let not, through your favour, people, protected as they are by you, meet with destruction.

विष्णुरुवाच ।

३.१०१.६

विदितं मे सुराः सर्वं प्रजानां क्षयकारणम् ।
भवतां चापि वक्ष्यामि शृणुध्वं विगतज्वराः ॥

M N Dutt Vishnu said: O celestials, I know the reason of the destruction of all creatures. I shall tell you all about it. Having your mind freed form anxiety listen to it.

३.१०१.७

कालेय इति विख्यातो गणः परमदारुणः ।
तैश्च वृत्रं समाश्रित्य जगत्सर्वं प्रबाधितम् ॥

M N Dutt There are a fearful class (of Danavas) wellknown by the name of Kalkeyas. Placing Vritra at their head, they devasted the Universe.

३.१०१.८

ते वृत्रं निहतं दृष्ट्वा सहस्राक्षेण धीमता ।
जीवितं परिरक्षन्तः प्रविष्टा वरुणालयम् ॥

M N Dutt Having seen Vritra killed by the greatly intelligent deity of one thousand eyes (Indra), they entered into the ocean) the abode of Varuna, to save their lives,

३.१०१.९

ते प्रविश्योदधिं घोरं नक्रग्राहसमाकुलम् ।
उत्सादनार्थं लोकानां रात्रौ घ्नन्ति मुनीनिह ॥

M N Dutt Having entered the fearful ocean full of sharks and crocodiles, they (now) kill the Rishis at night with the intention of exterminating all creatures.

३.१०१.१०

न तु शक्याः क्षयं नेतुं समुद्राश्रयगा हि ते ।
समुद्रस्य क्षये बुद्धिर्भवद्भिः संप्रधार्यताम् ।
अगस्त्येन विना को हि शक्तोऽन्योऽर्णवशोषणे ॥

M N Dutt But they cannot be killed, as they have taken shelter under the sea. You should therefore find out some means to dry up the ocean.

३.१०१.११

एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो देवा विष्णुना समुदाहृतम् ।
परमेष्ठिनमाज्ञाप्य अगस्त्यस्याश्रमं ययुः ॥

M N Dutt Having heard these words of Vishnu about the drying up of the ocean, they took the permission of Parameshti (Brahma) and went to the hermitage of Agastya.

३.१०१.१२

तत्रापश्यन्महात्मानं वारुणिं दीप्ततेजसम् ।
उपास्यमानमृषिभिर्देवैरिव पितामहम् ॥

M N Dutt There they saw the high-souled son of Varuna, of blazing effulgence, waited upon by the Rishis, as Brahma is waited upon by the celestials.

३.१०१.१३

तेऽभिगम्य महात्मानं मैत्रावरुणिमच्युतम् ।
आश्रमस्थं तपोराशिं कर्मभिः स्वैरभिष्टुवन् ॥

M N Dutt Going to the high-souled and undeteriorating son of Mitra and Varuna (Agastya) Seated in his hermitage as a man of ascetic merits, they sang his glory by reciting his deeds.

देवा ऊचुः ।

३.१०१.१४

नहुषेणाभितप्तानां त्वं लोकानां गतिः पुरा ।
भ्रंशितश्च सुरैश्वर्याल्लोकार्थं लोककण्टकः ॥

M N Dutt The celestials said: You became in the days of yore the refuge of creatures when they were oppressed by Nahusha. Deprived of his heaven's affluence, he was thrown down, a thorn of the heaven as he was, from the celestials region.

३.१०१.१५

क्रोधात्प्रवृद्धः सहसा भास्करस्य नगोत्तमः ।
वचस्तवानतिक्रामन्विन्ध्यः शैलो न वर्धते ॥

M N Dutt That foremnost of mountains Vindhya being angry with the sun, suddenly in the days of yore) began to increase its height, but he has ceased to increase, as he could not disobey your command.

३.१०१.१६

तमसा चावृते लोके मृत्युनाभ्यर्दिताः प्रजाः ।
त्वामेव नाथमासाद्य निर्वृतिं परमां गताः ॥

M N Dutt When darkness covered the world, creatures were oppressed by death; but having got you as a protector, they obtained the greatest security.

३.१०१.१७

अस्माकं भयभीतानां नित्यशो भगवान्गतिः ।
ततस्त्वार्ताः प्रयाचामस्त्वां वरं वरदो ह्यसि ॥

M N Dutt O exalted one, whenever we are beset with danger, it is you from whom we ask for a boon, for you always grant the boon asked of you.