Text 16] Indra Afflicted by Sinful Reaction 261
TRANSLATION
Always thinking of how he could be relieved from the sinful
reaction for killing a brahmana, 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
yajfias, but because the fire-god was afraid to enter the water,
Indra was practically starving.
TEXT 16
Raa |
a are eaae uate
atatercat afettexrerat 112 811
tavat trinakam nahusah SsaSsasa
vidya-tapo-yoga-balanubhavah
sa sampad-aisvarya-madéndha-buddhir
nitas tirascam gatim indra-patnya
tavat—for so long; trinakam—the heavenly planet; nahusah—
Nahusa; sSasdsa—ruled; vidya—by education; tapah—austeri-
ties; yoga—mystic power; bala—and strength; anubhavah—being
equipped: sah—he (Nahusa); sampat—of so much wealth; aisvarya—
and opulence; mada—by the madness; andha—blinded; buddhih—his
intelligence; nitah—was brought; tirascdm—of a snake; gatim—to the
destination; indra-patnya—by Indra’s wife Sacidevi.
TRANSLATION
As long as King Indra lived in the water, wrapped in the stem of
the lotus, Nahusa was equipped with the ability to rule the
heavenly kingdom, due to his knowledge, austerity and mystic
power. Nahusa, however, blinded and maddened by power and
opulence, made undesirable proposals to Indra’s wife with a desire
to enjoy her. Thus Nahusa was cursed by a brahmana and later
became a snake.
