Text 16]
Indra Afflicted by Sinful Reaction
261
TRANSLATION
Always thinking of how he could be relieved from the sinful reaction for killing a brāhmaṇa, King Indra, invisible to everyone, lived in the lake for one thousand years in the subtle fibers of the stem of a lotus. The fire-god used to bring him his share of all yajñas, but because the fire-god was afraid to enter the water, Indra was practically starving.
TEXT 16
तावत्त्रिणाकं नहुषः शशास विद्यातपोयोगबलानुभावः । स सम्पदैश्वर्यमदान्धबुद्धि- नीतस्तिरश्चां गतिमिन्द्रपत्न्या ॥१६॥
tāvat triṇākaṁ nahuṣaḥ śaśāsa vidyā-tapo-yoga-balānubhāvaḥ sa sampad-aiśvarya-madāndha-buddhir nītas tiraścāṁ gatim indra-patnyā
tāvat—for so long; triṇākaṁ—the heavenly planet; nahuṣaḥ—Nahuṣa; śaśāsa—ruled; vidyā—by education; tapaḥ—austerities; yoga—mystic power; bala—and strength; anubhāvaḥ—being equipped; saḥ—he (Nahuṣa); sampat—of so much wealth; aiśvarya—and opulence; mada—by the madness; andha—blinded; buddhiḥ—his intelligence; nītaḥ—was brought; tiraścāṁ—of a snake; gatim—to the destination; indra-patnyā—by Indra's wife Śacīdevī.
TRANSLATION
As long as King Indra lived in the water, wrapped in the stem of the lotus, Nahuṣa was equipped with the ability to rule the heavenly kingdom, due to his knowledge, austerity and mystic power. Nahuṣa, however, blinded and maddened by power and opulence, made undesirable proposals to Indra's wife with a desire to enjoy her. Thus Nahuṣa was cursed by a brāhmaṇa and later became a snake.