An Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s6.157
An Index to the Names in the Mahābhārata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s6.157
- Language
- English
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Nahuṣa reminded of Indra's behaviour towards Ahalyā (d), etc.; at last the gods promised to bring him Ḉacī; but Bṛhaspati, as a brahman, would not abandon her, quoting a saying of Brahmán (e); he told her to ask for time from Nahuṣa, and so did the gods, led by Agni (V, 12). Ḉacī obtained the boon from Nahuṣa, and returned to Bṛhaspati. D., with Agni, repaired to Viṣṇu, who said: "Let Indra offer sacrifice to me; having performed the horse-sacrifice, he will regain his dignity." D. and R. and Bṛhaspati proceeded to the spot where Indra was, performed a horse-sacrifice, and divided the brahmahatyā among trees and rivers and mountains and earth and women; and Indra was free from fever, but vanished again from fear of Nahuṣa. Ḉacī worshipped Niçā (Night), who caused Upaçruti to appear, and Ḉacī prayed to Upaçruti (V, 13). Upaçruti, followed by Ḉacī, crossed the heavenly groves and many mountains and came to the northern side of Himavat, and thence to the sea; in an island there was a large lake with an assemblage of lotuses; there they found Indra in the fibres of a lotus-stalk, and, praising him, Ḉacī implored his help against Nahuṣa (V, 14). Indra said that Nahuṣa had been strengthened by the R. with the merits of offerings to D. and P. Ḉacī should tell Nahuṣa to visit her on a vehicle borne by R. Nahuṣa consented. Ḉacī prevailed upon Bṛhaspati to find out Indra, which he did by means of a sacrifice, prevailing upon Agni to search for him.
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Agni came back within the twinkling of an eye, having searched everywhere except in the waters, which he dared not enter ("fire rose from water, the kṣatriya caste from the brāhmaṇa caste, and iron from stone; the power of these, which can penetrate all other things, has no operation upon the sources from which they sprang") (V, 15). Bṛhaspati praised Agni (f) and strengthened him with hymns of the Veda; Agni then found out Indra (cf. ch. 14), and soon returned and informed Bṛhaspati. This came with D.-r. and G., and praised Indra by referring to his former deeds (that he had killed the great Asura Namuci and the Asura Çambara and Vala and Vṛtra, as supra). Indra increased little by little, and having assumed his original form he grew strong, and asked what business yet remained, as he had killed Viçvarūpa and Vṛtra. Bṛhaspati told him of Nahuṣa, who had been strengthened by the power of the D.-r., etc. (v. ch. 11), and how Nahuṣa, carried by M.-r., journeyed from world to world. Lp. Kubera and Yama Vaivasvata and Soma and Varuṇa came and rejoiced that Viçvarūpa and Vṛtra had been killed, and they and Agni promised him their assistance against Nahuṣa on the condition that they and Agni should have their shares in sacrifices, and that Kubera (g), Yama (h), and Varuṇa (i) should this day be crowned along with Indra (V, 16). While Indra, with Lp. and D., was considering the means of slaying Nahuṣa, the M.-r.
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Agastya came and rejoiced that Viçvarūpa and Vṛtra had been killed, and related how Nahuṣa had been hurled from heaven (Svarga). The D.-r. and B.-r., weary with carrying him, had questioned him if certain mantras (prokṣaṇa gavām) pronounced by Brahmán (so B.) were authentic (pramāṇam), to which Nahuṣa, bewildered by the dark principle (tamas), had answered in the negative; R. reproached him, as M.-r. had formerly declared them to be authentic. Nahuṣa touched Agastya's head with his foot, and instantly lost his power and luck (çrī), and was agitated with fear. Then Agastya cursed him: "Fall thou from heaven, the effect of all thy good deeds (puṇya) has been exhausted; for 10,000 years thou shalt be a snake upon earth; then thou mayst come back to Svarga.” D., M.-r., P., Y., Sp. (bhujagāḥ), Rā., G., devakanyāḥ, and the bands of Aps., and tanks, rivers, mountains, and the sea came and rejoiced (V, 17). Indra, glorified by G. and Aps., mounted Airāvata. Agni, the M.-r., Bṛhaspati, Yama, Varuṇa, and Kubera accompanied him. Indra went to the three worlds with D., G., and Aps., and was praised by Aṅgiras (i.e. Bṛhaspati?) with hymns of the Atharvaveda. Then he granted Atharvāṅgiras (= Aṅgiras) the boon that his name would be connected with this Veda and that he would get a share in sacrifices. United with Çacī he protected the world virtuously (V, 18).