Sarga 98: The Death of Vritra

Hearing Lakshmana speak thus, Rama, the Slayer of His Foes, said to him:—“O You faithful to your duty, do you relate the rest of the history of Vritra’s destruction!”

At these words of Raghava’s, the virtuous Lakshmana, increaser of Sumitra’s delight, continued his exalted theme, saying:—

“Such was the entreaty addressed by all the inhabitants of heaven led by that Lord of a Thousand Eyes, to Vishnu, who answered all those Gods with Indra at their head, saying:—

“‘An ancient tie binds me to the magnanimous Vritra, therefore I am unable to favour you by slaying that great Asura; it is not possible for me to grant you that supreme felicity but I will indicate the means whereby the Thousand-eyed God may destroy him. I shall divide my natural essence into three parts, O Foremost of the Gods, and by these means, that God of a Thousand Eyes can undoubtedly slay Vritra. A third of my being will enter Vasava, a second part into the thunderbolt and a third will enter the bosom of the earth, thus Vritra will perish!’

“Thus spoke the Lord of the Gods, and the Deities answered him saying:—

“‘O Slayer of Daityas, assuredly what You have uttered will come to pass! May victory be Thine, we shall now take our leave infused by Your power in order to slay the Asura Vritra, O Lord!’

“Then all the magnanimous Gods with Sahasraksha at their head went to the great Asura Vritra’s retreat. There they beheld the most powerful of Asuras, effulgent in his own radiance that seemed to consume the worlds and space itself. Beholding the foremost of the Asuras, the Gods were seized with terror and reflected, ‘How shall we kill him?’ ‘How may we avoid defeat 1’

“As they were thinking thus, Sahasraksha, the Destroyer of Cities, taking the thunderbolt in his hands, hurled it at Vritra, striking his head. Like unto the Fire of Time, formidable, blazing with its wreath of flame, that thunderbolt falling on Vritra’s head caused terror to all the worlds.

“Then the extremely illustrious King of the Gods, reflecting on the iniquity he had perpetrated in slaying his enemy, fled in all haste to the ends of the world; and the sin of brahmanicide pursued him in his flight and entered into him, so that Indra was subject to great affliction.

“The enemy destroyed, but deprived of their leader, the Gods with Agni at their head, lavished homage on Vishnu, Lord of the Three Worlds, saying:—

“‘You are the way, O Supreme Master, the First-born, Father of the Universe! For the protection of the world you have assumed the form of Vishnu. By your favour, Vritra is slain, but the sin of brahmanicide holds Vasava in bondage, do you liberate him!’

“Then Vishnu answered the Gods who had spoken thus and said:—

“‘Let Shakra, he who bears the thunderbolt, perform a sacrifice in mine honour and I will cleanse him of his sin. Let him who destroyed Paka, offer up the sacred Horse-sacrifice and he will become King of the Gods once more, without having anything to fear.’

“Having thus addressed the Gods in these words like unto Amrita, Vishnu, the Lord of the Celestials, while they were yet acclaiming him, returned to Trivishtapa.”