Srimad Bhagavatam: Canto 6

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Afraid and disturbed as they were in their intent to flee, oh King, they [the commanders of Vritrâsura] did not take heed of the words of their master who thus was stressing the dharma. (2-3) When the best of the Asuras saw that the Asura army, as if there was no one to protect them, was scattered and chased by the demigods now the moment offered the opportunity, the enemy of Indra was in great pain. Not able to tolerate this, he angrily with great force stepped in the way of the demigods to rebuke them with the following words: (4) 'Of what interest are these shitty mummy's boys to you? There is certainly no glory to be found in attacking from behind and killing someone who flees in fear. Someone who thus thinks to be a hero, will not attain a better world. (5) If you believe in your battle, if you have patience in your hearts and if you are free from desiring worldly happiness, oh insignificant souls, then just keep standing in front of me for a moment.'

(6) Indra marches against the
Asuras

This way with his extremely powerful, physical presence roaring, he full of anger threatened the demigods, his enemies, and scared everyone out of his wits. (7) Because of that outburst of Vritra, all the God-conscious souls fell unconscious to the ground, as if they were struck by lightning. (8) The entire Sura army, which in fear had closed its eyes, was trampled asunder. Arrogantly, like a mad elephant running through a forest of hollow bamboos, he, holding his trident high, stepped around that violently on the field that the earth shook beneath his feet. (9) Seeing him in such a rage, the carrier of the thunderbolt [Indra] indignantly ran towards his enemy and threw the mightiest of clubs at him. But the demon caught the difficult to withstand weapon in its flight very easily with his left hand. (10) That incensed Vritrâsura even more. Roaring loudly he thereupon with his club struck Indra's elephant, that was so famous for its strength, on the head. This feat commanded the respect of all the soldiers on the battlefield, oh ruler of man. (11) Airâvata, struck by the club in Vritra's hand, shook like a mountain hit by a thunderbolt and was, in great pain and spitting blood with a broken jaw, together with Indra thrown back a fourteen yards.

(12) The great soul [though] refrained from using the club again [when he saw how] Indra, innerly shaken about what had happened to his carrier that did not die, by the touch of his nectarean hand relieved the animal standing before him from all pains and injuries. (13) When he thus saw Indra who armed with a thunderbolt wanted to fight his enemy, oh King Parîkchit, he again remembered that Indra in the past had killed his brother. Mad in his grief about that great and cruel sin, he sarcastically laughing addressed him. (14) S'rî Vritra said: 'What a fortune to encounter your lordship as my enemy, you the slayer of a brahmin who was your guru and my brother. How lucky I am today to be soon relieved from my debt to my brother by piercing my trident straight through your heart of stone, oh complete falsehood in person! (15) You, desiring heaven, mercilessly severed with your sword the three heads from the trunk of our innocent elder brother, like he was an animal. He was a fully qualified and selfrealized brahmin. He was your spiritual teacher entrusted with the task of leading the sacrifices! (16) You, bereft of all shame, mercy, beauty and glory, are by your actions condemnable even to the creatures below the human level [like the Râkshasas]. You will have to die in great pain after my trident has pierced your body, that as a corpse will not be burned but be eaten by the vultures.

(17) You, who proved yourself so cruel, I shall, together with all the others who thoughtlessly following you attacked me with raised swords, with their severed heads on my pointy trident sacrifice to [Bhairava] the leader of the evil ghosts and his hordes. (18) But in case you, oh heroic lordship of mine, with your thunderbolt in this battle manage to cut off my head and destroy my army, I, having fallen prey to the scavengers, by contrast shall be relieved of all debts and achieve the dust of the feet of the great sages. (19) Oh master of the God-concious souls, why do you not hurl your thunderbolt at me, your enemy standing in front of you? Do not doubt its infallibility, the bolt may succeed, unlike the club that is just as useless as a request for money from a miser. (20) This thunderbolt of yours, oh Indra, that is empowered by the prowess of Vishnu and the penance of Dadhîci, for certain without fail will kill your enemy. Whatever that is established by Lord Vishnu will bring the Lord's victory and all His opulences and qualities. (21) By the force of your thunderbolt the rope of my material attachment will be cut. And when I give up this world I, with my mind fixed on the lotus feet of Lord Sankarshana, shall exactly as He said [see 5.25: 8] reach the destination of the munis. (22) Persons advanced in spiritual life He recognizes as His own. He will not bestow upon them the opulences found in the divine, earthly and hellish spheres, because they lead to envy, anxiety, agitation, pride, quarrel, distress and belligerence. (23) Oh Indra, the endeavors of a person to attain the three goals of life [of a settled religion, economy and sense gratification] are obstructed by our Lord. This is to be recognized as the special mercy of the Fortunate One [leading to stability, happiness and consciousness], which is easy to reach for unalloyed devotees, but so very difficult to attain by others [who always get entangled in the consequences of their actions]. (24) [And therefore I pray:] 'Oh my Lord, shall I be reborn as a servant of Your servant whose only shelter is Your lotus feet? May my mind remember the transcendental qualities of You, oh Lord of my life, may my words be of praise and my body be engaged in working for You! (25) I do not desire a place in heaven or the topmost position [of Brahmâ], not the rule over the world nor to dictate the lower worlds. I do not desire the perfections [the siddhis] of yoga nor to be freed from rebirth, oh source of all opportunity, all I want is not to be separated from You! (26) Like small birds that, unable to fly, are looking for their mother, like a calf that, distressed with hunger, looks for the udder, like a lover who is morose about the beloved who left, my mind, the same way, longs to see You, oh lotus-eyed One. (27) May there for me, who because of his karma wanders around in this world of birth and death, be the friendship with Your people [Your devotees], oh Lord praised in the scriptures, and not so much with those people whose minds by Your external manifestation are attached to their bodies, children, wife and home.'

S'rî S'uka said: 'Afraid and disturbed as they were in their intent to flee, oh King, they [the commanders of Vritrâsura] did not take heed of the words of their master who thus was stressing the dharma.

S'rî S'uka said: 'Afraid and intent upon fleeing with their minds divided, o King, did they [the commanders of Vritrâsura] not take heed of the words of their master who was thus stressing the dharma. (Vedabase)

Text 2-3

When the best of the Asuras saw that the Asura army, as if there was no one to protect them, was scattered and chased by the demigods, now the moment offered the opportunity, the enemy of Indra was in great pain. Not able to tolerate this, he angrily with great force stepped in the way of the demigods to rebuke them with the following words:

When the best of the Asuras saw that the asura army, chased by the demigods who took the opportunity, was being shattered like there was no one to protect them, was he, the enemy of Indra, pained and angry and did he, unable to bear that, stepping in their way rebuke them with great force, o King, saying: (Vedabase)

Text 4

'Of what interest are these shitty mummy's boys to you? There is certainly no glory to be found in attacking from behind and killing someone who flees in fear. Someone who thus thinks to be a hero, will not attain a better world.

'Of what interest are these cowardly sons to you? There is certainly no glory to be found in killing from behind someone who flees in fear nor will that lead those to a better world, who think themselves thus to be heroes. (Vedabase)

Text 5

If you believe in your battle, if you have patience in your hearts and if you are free from desiring worldly happiness, oh insignificant souls, then just keep standing in front of me for a moment.'

If you believe in your battle, have patience in your hearts and if you're free from desiring the sensual pleasures, o small ones, then just stand still in front of me for a minute.' (Vedabase)

Text 6

This way with his extremely powerful, physical presence roaring, he full of anger threatened the demigods, his enemies, and scared everyone out of his wits.

Thus being very angry were the demigods, his enemies, terrified by the roaring presence of that big mouth that scared the wits out of everyone. (Vedabase)

Text 7

Because of that outburst of Vritra, all the God-conscious souls fell unconscious to the ground, as if they were struck by lightning.

Of that tumult of Vritra swooned indeed all the godly, so that they fell to the ground as if they were struck by a thunderbolt. (Vedabase)

Text 8

The entire Sura army, which in fear had closed its eyes, was trampled asunder. Arrogantly, like a mad elephant running through a forest of hollow bamboos, he, holding his trident high, stepped around that violently on the field that the earth shook beneath his feet.

The sura army in fear having closed the eyes was trampled asunder as he arrogantly, just like a mad elephant running over a forest of hollow bamboos, holding his trident high with all his force stepped around the field that shook beneath his feet. (Vedabase)

Text 9

Seeing him in such a rage, the carrier of the thunderbolt [Indra] indignantly ran towards his enemy and threw the mightiest of clubs at him. But the demon caught the difficult to withstand weapon in its flight very easily with his left hand.

Seeing him in such a rage against his own kind, ran the carrier of the thunderbolt [Indra] at his enemy and threw he the mightiest club at him, but the demon caught the difficult to withstand weapon flying towards him very easily with his left hand. (Vedabase)

Text 10

That incensed Vritrâsura even more. Roaring loudly he thereupon with his club struck Indra's elephant, that was so famous for its strength, on the head. This feat commanded the respect of all the soldiers on the battlefield, oh ruler of man.

That incensed Vritrâsura even more and with the club he, roaring loudly in the fight, struck Indra's elephant so famous for its strength on the head. That feat was lauded by all the soldiers on the field, o ruler of man. (Vedabase)

Text 11

Airâvata, struck by the club in Vritra's hand, shook like a mountain hit by a thunderbolt and was, in great pain and spitting blood with a broken jaw, together with Indra thrown back a fourteen yards.

Airâvata, struck by the club in Vritra's hand shook like a mountain hit by a thunderbolt and was, in great pain and spitting blood with a broken mouth, together with Indra thrown back a fourteen yards. (Vedabase)

Text 12

The great soul [though] refrained from using the club again [when he saw how] Indra, innerly shaken about what had happened to his carrier that did not die, by the touch of his nectarean hand relieved the animal standing before him from all pains and injuries.

The great soul though refrained from using the club again when he saw that Indra, thus wasted and innerly shaken about what had happened to his carrier, relieved the animal by the touch of his nectarean hand from all pains and injuries and next stood up before him. (Vedabase)

Text 13

When he thus saw Indra who armed with a thunderbolt wanted to fight his enemy, oh King Parîkchit, he again remembered that Indra in the past had killed his brother. Mad in his grief about that great and cruel sin, he sarcastically laughing addressed him.

Seeing him he remembered that Indra, his enemy who desired to fight him with the thunderbolt made of Dadhîci, o King Parîkchit, once had killed his brother. In bewilderment of the lamentation about that great and cruel sin, he sarcastically laughing addressed him. (Vedabase)

Text 14

S'rî Vritra said: 'What a fortune to encounter your lordship as my enemy, you, the slayer of a brahmin who was your guru and my brother. How lucky I am today to be soon relieved from my debt to my brother by piercing my trident straight through your heart of stone, oh complete falsehood in person!

S'rî Vritra said: 'How fortunate am I to encounter your lordship as my enemy, you as the murderer of a brahmin, the killer of his own guru and the slayer of my own brother; how lucky I am today to be relieved from my debt to my brother, o you total falsehood, with me soon piercing my trident right through your heart of stone! (Vedabase)