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वृत्रवध (vRtravadha)

 
Spoken Sanskrit
English
वृत्रवध vRtravadha
m.
 killing of vRtra
Monier Williams Cologne
English
वृत्र—वध
m.
 the killing of V°,
Nir.
Hariv.
 (also
N.
 of a drama and of partic. chapters of the
R.
 and the
PadmaP.
 )
Mahabharata
English
[Vṛtra-vadha(ḥ)]
(“the killing of Vṛtra”): § 693b (Mokshadh.). Bhīshma said: In days of yore, Indra, accompanied by the celestial forces, proceeded in his chariot, and beheld As: Vṛtra, stationed before him like a mountain, 500 yojanas in height and 300 in circumference. Indra was struck with palsy in the lower extremities. On the eve of that great battle between D. and As. there arose loud shouts from both sides, etc. Vṛtra felt neither awe nor fear. Then the encounter commenced
the entire welking was enveloped by the combatants of both sides
all the gods with Brahmán, and Ṛ., Si., G., and Aps. on their chariots had assembled in order to see the battle. Vṛtra shot rocks, the gods arrows
Vṛtra employed illusion
Indra was stupefied
Vasishṭha restored him to his senses by the Rathantara, pointing out to him Brahmán, etc. (). Indra, by yoga, dispelled the illusions of Vṛtra. Bṛhaspati (the son of Aṅgiras) and Ṛ. repaired to Śiva, whose energy became a fever and penetrated Vṛtra
Vishṇu entered the thunderbolt of Indra
Bṛhaspati, Vasishṭha, and Ṛ. urged Indra to slay Vṛtra, and so did Śiva, saying that Vṛtra was the soul of the universe, capable of going everywhere
for 60, 000 years Vṛtra had practised penances in order to obtain strength
Brahmán had given him the boons he had solicited: the greatness of yogins, large powers of illusions, excess of might, etc.
Śiva told Indra to slay him with yoga, and imparted to him his own energy. D. and Ṛ. uttered loud cheers, etc. Suddenly all As. were afflicted with the loss of memory
in a trice their powers of illusion also disappeared. Ṛ. and D. praised Śakra and Śiva (XII, 282). Description of the symptoms that appeared on the body of Vṛtra when he was overtaken by that fever
His memory issued out of his mouth in form of a dreadful jackal. Inauspicious omens. Indra looked hard at him
Vṛtra yawned and uttered superhuman cries
while Vṛtra was yawning Indra hurled his thunderbolt at him and slew him
[XII, 287, 58 ff. = 10, 267 ff.: the thunderbolt cut Vṛtra into two halves
Vṛtra then came to the highest region of Vishṇu, for it was by his devotion to Vishṇu that he had overwhelmed the universe]
then Indra entered heaven with that thunderbolt pervaded by Vishṇu. Then Brahmavadhyā (description) issued out of the body of the slain Vṛtra. A little while after, when Indra was proceeding towards heaven, she seized him and stuck to him. Indra entered the fibres of a lotus stalk and dwelt there for many years. But Brahmavadhyā pursued him closely, and deprived him of all his energy. At last he repaired to Brahmán, who made her leave Indra by apportioning one quarter to Agni (whence it should enter him who did not offer oblations of seed, etc. to Agni)
one quarter to the trees, herbs, and all kinds of grass (whence it should possess the men who would cut or tear any of them at parvan-days)
one quarter to the Apsarases (whence it should possess that man who would cohabit with women during their courses)
and one quarter to the waters (whence it should possess that man who would cast into the waters phlegm and urine and excrements). With Brahmán's permission Indra then performed a horse-sacrifice and thereby became cleansed, regained his prosperity, and slew thousands of foes. From the blood of Vṛtra were born the śikhaṇḍāḥ (the crests of cocks (?) or name of a plant, BR.), which, for this reason, must not be eaten by the twiceborn classes, etc. Blessing upon the reciter (XII, 283).