महेन्द्र दानवान् हत्वा लोकास् त्रातास् त्वया विभो ॥
अपां फेनं समासाद्य विष्णुतेजोपबृंहितम् ॥
त्वया वृत्रो हतः पूर्वं देवराज जगत्पते ॥
त्वं सर्वभूतेषु वरेण्य ईड्यस्; त्वया समं विद्यते नेह भूतम् ॥
त्वया धार्यन्ते सर्वभूतानि शक्र; त्वं देवानां महिमानं चकर्थ ॥
पाहि देवान् सलोकांश् च महेन्द्र बलम् आप्नुहि ॥
एवं संस्तूयमानश् च सो ऽवर्धत शनैः शनैः ॥
स्वं चैव वपुर् आस्थाय बभूव स बलान्वितः ॥
अब्रवीच् च गुरुं देवो बृहस्पतिम् उपस्थितम् ॥
किं कार्यम् अवशिष्टं वो हतस् त्वाष्ट्रो महासुरः ॥
वृत्रश् च सुमहाकायो ग्रस्तुं लोकान् इयेष यः ॥
mahendra dānavān hatvā lokās trātās tvayā vibho ||
apāṃ phenaṃ samāsādya viṣṇutejopabṛṃhitam ||
tvayā vṛtro hataḥ pūrvaṃ devarāja jagatpate ||
tvaṃ sarvabhūteṣu vareṇya īḍyas; tvayā samaṃ vidyate neha bhūtam ||
tvayā dhāryante sarvabhūtāni śakra; tvaṃ devānāṃ mahimānaṃ cakartha ||
pāhi devān salokāṃś ca mahendra balam āpnuhi ||
evaṃ saṃstūyamānaś ca so 'vardhata śanaiḥ śanaiḥ ||
svaṃ caiva vapur āsthāya babhūva sa balānvitaḥ ||
abravīc ca guruṃ devo bṛhaspatim upasthitam ||
kiṃ kāryam avaśiṣṭaṃ vo hatas tvāṣṭro mahāsuraḥ ||
vṛtraś ca sumahākāyo grastuṃ lokān iyeṣa yaḥ ||
And thus praised, Indra grew little by little; and, assuming his own form, he became strong and addressed the preceptor Brihaspati standing before him. And he said: 'What still remains for you to tell? The great asura, the son of Tvashtri, has been slain, as has Vritra, whose form was exceedingly vast and who destroyed the worlds.' Brihaspati said: 'The man Nahusha, a king who has attained the heavenly throne through the power of the divine sages, causes us tremendous trouble.' Indra said: 'How did Nahusha obtain the heavenly throne, which is so hard to attain? What austerities did he practice? How great is his strength, O Brihaspati!' Brihaspati said: 'The gods, frightened, desired a king of heaven, for you had abandoned the great dignity of heaven's ruler. Then the gods, the pitris of the universe, the sages, and the chief gandharvas gathered together, O Indra, and went to Nahusha and said: "Be our king and the protector of the universe!"'
7b81f5734463 · published Jul 17, 2026, 3:31:49 AM UTC
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This passage (5.16.16-20) develops the central theme of the Udyoga-parva: the effort for peace is already under way against the backdrop of an inevitable war. Dharma is revealed here through speech, the choice of envoys, faithfulness to promises, and the responsibility kings bear for the consequences of their decisions.