Chapter 15
“Salya said, ‘Thus addressed by Sachi, the illustrious god said to heragain, ‘This is not the time for putting forth valour. Nahusha isstronger than I am. O beautiful lady, he hath been strengthened by theRishis with the merits of offerings to the gods and the Pitris. I shallhave recourse to policy now. Thou wilt have to carry it out, O goddess. Olady, thou must do it secretly and must not disclose it to any person. Olady of a beautiful waist, going to Nahusha in private, tell him, O lordof the Universe, thou must visit me mounted on a nice vehicle borne byRishis. In that case I shall be pleased and shall place myself at thydisposal. This shouldst thou tell him.’ And thus addressed by the king ofthe gods, his lotus-eyed consort expressed her consent and went toNahusha. And Nahusha, having seen her, smilingly addressed her, saying,’I welcome thee, O lady of lovely thighs. What is thy pleasure, O thou ofsweet smiles. Accept me, O lady of propitious looks, who am devoted tothee. What is thy will, O spirited dame. I shall do thy wish, O lady ofpropitious looks and slender waist. Nor needst thou be bashful, O thou oflovely hips. Have trust in me. In the name of truth I swear, O goddess,that I shall do thy bidding.’
“Sachi said, ‘O lord of Universe, I wanted the time that thou hastassigned to me. Thereafter, O lord of the gods, thou shalt be my husband.I have a wish. Attend and hear, O king of the gods. What it is I shallsay, O king, so that thou mayst do what I like. This is an indulgencethat I ask from thy love for me. If thou grantest it, I shall be at thydisposal. Indra had horses for carrying him, and elephants, and cars. Iwant thee to have, O king of the gods, a novel vehicle, such as neverbelonged to Vishnu, or Rudra, or the Asuras, or the Rakshasas, O lord.Let a number of highly dignified Rishis, united together, bear thee in apalanquin. This is what commends itself to me. Thou shouldst not likenthyself to the Asuras or the gods. Thou absorbest the strength of all bythy own strength as soon as they look at thee. There is none so strong asto be able to stand before thee.’
“Salya continued, ‘Thus addressed, Nahusha was very much pleased. And thelord of the deities said to that lady of faultless features, ‘O lady ofthe fairest complexion, thou hast spoken of a vehicle never heard ofbefore. I like it exceedingly, O goddess. I am in thy power, O thou oflovely face. He cannot be a feeble person who employeth Rishis forbearing him. I have practised austerities, and am mighty. I am the lordof the past, the present, and the future. The Universe would be no moreif I were in rage. The whole Universe is established in me. O thou ofsweet smiles, the gods, the Asuras and Gandharvas, and snakes, andRakshasas are together unable to cope with me when I am in rage.Whomsoever I gaze upon I divest him of his energy. Therefore, thy requestI shall no doubt fulfil, O goddess. The seven Rishis, and also theregenerate Rishis, shall carry me. See our greatness and splendour, Olady of lovely complexion.’
“Salya continued, ‘Having thus addressed that goddess of lovely face, andhaving dismissed her thus, he harnessed to his heavenly car a number ofsaints devoted to the practice of austerities. A disregarder ofBrahmanas, endued with power and intoxicated with pride, capricious, andof vicious soul, he employed those saints to carry him. Meanwhile,dismissed by Nahusha, Sachi went to Vrihaspati and said, ‘But littleremaineth of the term assigned by Nahusha to me. But compassionate untome who respect thee so, and quickly find out Indra.’
“The illustrious Vrihaspati then said to her, ‘Very good, thou needstnot, O goddess, fear, Nahusha of vicious soul. Surely, he shall not longretain his power. The wretch, in fact, is already gone, being regardlessof virtue and because, O lovely dame, of his employing the great saintsto carry him. And I shall perform a sacrifice for the destruction of thisvicious wretch, and I shall find out Indra. Thou needst not fear. Farethee well.’ And Vrihaspati of great power then kindled a fire in theprescribed form, and put the very best offerings upon it in order toascertain where the king of the gods was. And having put his offerings, Oking, he said to the Fire, ‘Search out Indra.’ And there upon thatrevered god, the eater of burnt offerings, assumed of his own accord awonderful feminine form and vanished from sight at that very spot. Andendued with speed of the mind, he searched everywhere, mountains andforests, earth and sky, and came back to Vrihaspati within the twinklingof the eye. And Agni said, Vrihaspati, nowhere in these places do I findthe king of the gods. The waters alone remain to be searched. I am alwaysbackward in entering the waters. I have no ingress therein. O Brahmana,what I am to do for thee.’ The preceptor of the gods then said to him, ‘Oillustrious god, do thou enter the water.’
“Agni said, ‘I cannot enter the water. Therein it is extinction thatawaits me. I place myself in thy hand, O thou of great effulgence. Maystthou fare well! Fire rose from water, the military caste rose from thepriestly caste; and iron had its origin in stone. The power of thesewhich can penetrate all other things, hath no operation upon the sourcesfrom which they spring.'”
