---
title: "Uttara Kanda, Sarga 87"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/uttara-kanda/sarga-87"
lang: "en"
---

# Uttara Kanda, Sarga 87

> लक्ष्मणस्य तु तद् वाक्यं श्रुत्वा शत्रुनिबर्हणः।  
> वृत्रघातमशेषेण कथयेत्याह सुव्रत॥ १॥

Hearing those words of Lakṣmaṇa, the extirpator of foes, Śrī Rāma, said: ‘O observer of vows, narrate in totality the killing of Vṛtra.’ (1)

> राघवेणैवमुक्तस्तु सुमित्रानन्दवर्धनः।  
> भूय एव कथां दिव्यां कथयामास सुव्रतः॥ २॥

Being thus spoken to by the scion of Raghu, Śrī Rāma, the enhancer of the joy of Sumitrā, Lakṣmaṇa, the observer of vows, narrated the divine story of the killing of Vṛtra again. (2)

> सहस्राक्षवचः श्रुत्वा सर्वेषां च दिवौकसाम्।  
> विष्णुर्देवानुवाचेदं सर्वानिन्द्रपुरोगमान्॥ ३॥

‘Having heard the words of the thousand-eyed one, Indra, and also of all the gods, Viṣṇu spoke thus to all the gods headed by Indra. (3)

> पूर्वं सौहृदबद्धोऽस्मि वृत्रस्येह महात्मनः।  
> तेन युष्मत्प्रियार्थं हि नाहं हन्मि महासुरम्॥ ४॥

‘Formerly I was attached affectionately to Vṛtra here and thus for your good indeed I am not killing the great Asura. (4)

> अवश्यं करणीयं च भवतां सुखमुत्तमम्।  
> तस्मादुपायमाख्यास्ये सहस्राक्षो वधिष्यति॥ ५॥

‘That which leads to your great happiness, has indeed to be performed: Therefore, I shall tell you the means by which Vṛtra will be killed; the thousand-eyed one, Indra, will kill Vṛtra. (5)

> त्रेधाभूतं करिष्यामि आत्मानं सुरसत्तमाः।  
> तेन वृत्रं सहस्राक्षो वधिष्यति न संशयः॥ ६॥

‘O best among gods, I shall divide myself threefold, by that the thousand-eyed one, Indra, will indeed kill Vṛtra. There is no doubt about it. (6)

> एकांशो वासवं यातु द्वितीयो वज्रमेव तु।  
> तृतीयो भूतलं यातु तदा वृत्रं हनिष्यति॥ ७॥

‘One part of mine may go to Vāsava (Indra), the second part may enter the thunderbolt and third, the earth; then Indra shall kill Vṛtra.’ (7)

> तथा ब्रुवति देवेशे देवा वाक्यमथाब्रुवन्।  
> एवमेतन्न संदेहो यथा वदसि दैत्यहन्॥ ८॥

On the lord of gods, Viṣṇu, speaking thus, the gods then said: ‘This is as You say, there is no doubt, O killer of the Daityas, sons of Diti. (8)

> भद्रं तेऽस्तु गमिष्यामो वृत्रासुरवधैषिणः।  
> भजस्व परमोदार वासवं स्वेन तेजसा॥ ९॥

‘Let welfare be with You, we shall now depart desiring the killing of the Asura, Vṛtra. O extremely liberal one, Viṣṇu, may you bestow Vāsava with your power.’ (9)

> ततः सर्वे महात्मानः सहस्राक्षपुरोगमाः।  
> तदरण्यमुपाक्रामन् यत्र वृत्रो महासुरः॥ १०॥

Then all the noble ones headed by the thousand-eyed god, Indra, went to that forest where the great Asura, Vṛtra, was. (10)

> तेऽपश्यंस्तेजसा भूतं तप्यन्तमसुरोत्तमम्।  
> पिबन्तमिव लोकांस्त्रीन् निर्दहन्तमिवाम्बरम्॥ ११॥

They saw the mighty Asura possessed of his own power performing penance, as if drinking the three worlds and burning up the sky. (11)

> दृष्ट्वैव चासुरश्रेष्ठं देवास्त्रासमुपागमन्।  
> कथमेनं वधिष्यामः कथं न स्यात् पराजयः॥ १२॥

On seeing the best of Asuras, gods were frightened, and thought ‘how shall we kill him, and how indeed we shall not be conquered by him?’ (12)

> तेषां चिन्तयतां तत्र सहस्राक्षः पुरंदरः।  
> वज्रं प्रगृह्य पाणिभ्यां प्राहिणोद् वृत्रमूर्धनि॥ १३॥

While the gods were thus contemplating, the thousand-eyed one, the destroyer of fortress, Indra, taking hold of the thunderbolt with both of his hands, hurled it at the head of Vṛtra. (13)

> कालाग्निनेव घोरेण दीप्तेनेव महार्चिषा।  
> पतता वृत्रशिरसा जगत् त्रासमुपागमत्॥ १४॥

When the head of Vṛtra struck by the thunderbolt, blazing like fire of destruction and inflamed by its own lustre, fell down, it simultaneously terrified the whole universe. (14)

> असम्भाव्यं वधं तस्य वृत्रस्य विबुधाधिपः।  
> चिन्तयानो जगामाशु लोकस्यान्तं महायशाः॥ १५॥

The lord of the gods, possessed of fame, Indra, thinking that the killing of Vṛtra was not proper, fled soon to the ends of the earth out of fear. (15)

> तमिन्द्रं ब्रह्महत्याऽऽशु गच्छन्तमनुगच्छति।  
> अपतच्चास्य गात्रेषु तमिन्द्रं दुःखमाविशत्॥ १६॥

The slaughter of a Brāhmaṇa pursued Indra, fleeing fast and pervaded his limbs; sorrow came upon Indra. (16)

> हतारयः प्रणष्टेन्द्रा देवाः साग्निपुरोगमाः।  
> विष्णुं त्रिभुवनेशानं मुहुर्मुहुरपूजयन्॥ १७॥

With their foe killed, and bereft of Indra, the gods, with Agni at their head, worshipped Viṣṇu, the lord of the three worlds again and again. (17)

> त्वं गतिः परमेशान पूर्वजो जगतः पिता।  
> रक्षार्थं सर्वभूतानां विष्णुत्वमुपजग्मिवान्॥ १८॥

‘O mightiest of all, you are the resort, and being born first, the father of this earth, you assumed the form of Viṣṇu for the protection of all beings. (18)

> हतश्चायं त्वया वृत्रो ब्रह्महत्या च वासवम्।  
> बाधते सुरशार्दूल मोक्षं तस्य विनिर्दिश॥ १९॥

‘By you Vṛtra is killed; the slaughter of a Brāhmaṇa afflicts Vāsava (Indra), O lion among gods. Kindly arrange for his deliverance.’ (19)

> तेषां तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा देवानां विष्णुरब्रवीत्।  
> मामेव यजतां शक्रः पावयिष्यामि वज्रिणम्॥ २०॥

Hearing those words of the gods, Viṣṇu said “Let Indra worship me, I shall purify the carrier of the thunderbolt. (20)

> पुण्येन हयमेधेन मामिष्ट्वा पाकशासनः।  
> पुनरेष्यति देवानामिन्द्रत्वमकुतोभयः॥ २१॥

“Having propitiated me through the holy Aśvamedha, the humbler of Pāka, Indra, shall again attain the position of Indra among the gods, without fear from anywhere.” (21)

> एवं संदिश्य तां वाणीं देवानां चामृतोपमाम्।  
> जगाम विष्णुर्देवेशः स्तूयमानस्त्रिविष्टपम्॥ २२॥

Thus pronouncing those nectar-like words before the gods, the lord of the gods, Viṣṇu, being eulogized by the gods, proceeded to heaven. (22)

Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana

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