ततः शमदमाभ्यां च ब्रह्मचर्येण चानघ। ब्रह्मा प्रीतमनास्तस्य तपसा नियमेन च
Then, by self-control, restraint, and celibacy, O sinless one, Brahmā became pleased in mind with his austerity and discipline.
ततः स्वयम्भूर्भगवान्स्वयमागम्य भूपते। विमानेनार्कवर्णेन हंसयुक्तेन भास्वता
Then the self-born Lord, O king, came himself, shining, in a chariot as radiant as the sun, drawn by swans.
आदित्यैर्वसुभिः साध्यैर्मरुद्भिर्दैवतैस्तथा। रुद्रैर्विश्वसहायैश्च यक्षराक्षसकिन्नरैः
With him came the Ādityas, Vasus, Sādhyas, Maruts, other deities, Rudras, Viśvas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, and Kinnaras.
दिशाभिर्विदिशाभिश्च नदीभिः सागरैः सह। नक्षत्रैश्च मुहूर्तैश्च खेचरैश्चापरैर्ग्रहैः
He was accompanied by the quarters and intermediate directions, by rivers and oceans, by stars and moments, and by other planets moving in the sky.
देवर्षिभिस्तपोयुक्तैः सिद्धैः सप्तर्षिभिस्तदा। राजर्षिभिः पुण्यतमैर्गन्धर्वैरप्सरोगणैः
Then, the gods, sages endowed with austerity, perfected beings, the seven great seers, royal sages of utmost merit, along with hosts of Gandharvas and Apsarases, gathered there.
चराचरगुरुः श्रीमान्वृतः सर्वसुरैस्तथा। ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मविदां श्रेष्ठो दैत्यमागम्य चाब्रवीत्
The illustrious Brahmā, teacher of all moving and unmoving beings, surrounded by all the gods, approached the Daitya and spoke—he who is the foremost knower of Brahman.
प्रीतोऽस्मि तव भक्तस्य तपसाऽनेन सुव्रत। वरं वरय भद्रं ते यथेष्टं काममाप्नुहि
I am pleased with your devotion and this austerity, O steadfast one; choose a boon, good fortune to you—ask for whatever you desire.
न देवा न च गन्धर्वा न यक्षोरगराक्षसाः। न मानुषाः पिशाचाश्च हन्युर्मां देवसत्तम
Let neither gods, nor Gandharvas, nor Yakṣas, nor Nāgas or Rākṣasas, nor humans or Piśācas, O best of the gods, be able to kill me.
ऋषयो वा न मां शापैः क्रुद्धा लोकपितामह। शपेयुस्तपसा युक्ता वर एष वृतो मया
Nor may seers, even if angered and endowed with austerity, curse me, O Grandfather of the worlds; this is the boon I have chosen.
न शस्त्रेण नचास्त्रेण गिरिणा पादपेन च। न शुष्केण न चार्देण स्यान्न वाऽन्येन मे वधः
Let there be no death for me by weapon or missile, by mountain or tree, nor by anything dry or wet, nor by any other means.
नाकाशे नाथ भूमौ वा रात्रौ वा दिवसेपि वा। नान्तर्वा न बहिर्वापि स्याद्वधो मे पितामह
Let my death not occur in the sky, nor on earth, neither at night nor by day, nor inside nor outside, O Grandfather.
पशुभिर्वा मृगैर्न स्यात्पक्षिभिर्वा सरीसृपैः। ददासि चेद्वरानेतन्देवदेव वृणोम्यहम्
Let it not be by beasts or wild animals, nor by birds or reptiles; if you grant these boons, O god of gods, I choose them.
एते दिव्या वरास्तात मया दत्तास्तवाद्भुताः। सर्वकामवरांस्तात प्राप्स्यसि त्वमसंशयम्
These wondrous divine boons, dear one, have been granted to you by me; without doubt, you shall obtain all desired blessings.
एवमुक्त्वा स भगवाञ्जगामाकाशमेव हि। रराज ब्रह्मलोके हि ब्रह्मर्षिगणसेवितः
Having spoken thus, the Blessed One went into the sky; in Brahmā's world, he shone, attended by hosts of Brahmarṣis.
ततो देवाश्च नागाश्च गन्धर्वा मुनयस्तथा। वरप्रदानं श्रुत्वैव ते ब्रह्माणमुपस्थितः
Then, the gods, Nāgas, Gandharvas, and sages, having heard of the granting of the boon, approached Brahmā.
वरेणाने भगवन्बाधिष्यति स नोऽसुरः। तत्प्रसीदस्व भगवन्वधोपायोऽस्य चिन्त्यताम्
O Blessed One, with these boons that Asura will oppress us; therefore, be gracious, O Lord, and consider a means for his destruction.
ततो लोकहितं वाक्यं श्रुत्वा देवः प्रजापतिः। प्रोवाच भगवान्वाक्यं सर्वदेवगणांस्तदा
Then, having heard these words for the good of the worlds, the god Prajāpati, the Blessed One, spoke to all the assembled gods.
अवश्यं त्रिदशास्तेन प्राप्तव्यं तपसः फलम्। तपसोऽन्तेऽस्य भगवान्वधं कृष्णः करिष्यति
Certainly, the gods must allow him to obtain the fruit of his austerity; at the end of his penance, the Blessed Kṛṣṇa will bring about his death.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा सुराः सर्वे ब्रह्मणा तस्य वै वधम्। स्वानि स्थानानि दिव्यानि जग्मुस्ते वै मुदान्विताः
Hearing from Brahmā about his destined death, all the gods, filled with joy, returned to their own divine abodes.
लब्धमात्रे वरे चापि सर्वास्ता बाधते प्रजाः। हिरण्यकशिपुर्दैत्यो वरदानेन दर्पितः
But as soon as he obtained the boon, that Daitya Hiraṇyakaśipu, made arrogant by the granting of the boon, began to oppress all beings.
राज्यं चकार दैत्येन्द्रो दैत्यसङ्घैः समावृतः। सप्तद्वीपान्वशेचके लोकालोकान्तरं बलात्
The lord of the Daityas, surrounded by hosts of Daityas, established his rule and forcibly conquered the seven islands and the regions beyond the world.
दिव्यभोगान्समस्तान्वै लोके सर्वानवाप सः। देवांस्त्रिभुवनस्थांस्तु पराजित्य महासुरः
He enjoyed all the celestial pleasures in the world, having defeated the gods dwelling in the three worlds, that great Asura.
त्रैलोक्यं वशमानीय स्वर्गे वसति दानवः। यदा वरमदोन्मत्तो न्यवसद्दानवो दिवि
Having brought the three worlds under his control, the demon dwelt in heaven; intoxicated with the boon, the demon resided in the celestial realm.
अथ लोकान्सगस्तांश्च विजित्य स महाबलः। भवेयमहमेवेन्द्रः सोमोऽग्निर्मारुतो रविः
Then, having conquered those worlds and beings, that mighty one thought: 'I alone shall be Indra, Soma, Agni, Vāyu, and the Sun.'
सलिलं चान्तरिक्षं च नक्षत्राणि दिशो दश। अहं क्रोधश्च कामश्च वरुणो वसवोऽर्यमा
‘I shall be the waters, the atmosphere, the stars, the ten directions; I am wrath and desire, Varuṇa, the Vasus, and Aryaman.’
धनदश्च धनाध्यक्षो यक्षकिम्पुरुषाधिपः। एते भवेयमित्युक्त्वा स्वयं भूत्वा बलात्स च
‘I shall be the Lord of Wealth, the overseer of treasures, the ruler of Yakṣas and Kimpuruṣas’—having declared thus, by force he himself assumed those forms.
एषां गृहीत्वा स्थानानि तेषां कार्याण्यवाप सः। इज्यश्चासीन्मखवरैर्देवकिन्नरसत्तमैः
Seizing their stations, he performed their duties; and he was worshipped with great sacrifices by the foremost of gods and kinnaras.
नरकस्थान्समानीय स्वर्गस्थांश्च चकार सः। एवमादीनि कर्माणि कृत्वा दैत्यपतिर्बली
He brought those dwelling in hell to heaven, and made those in heaven dwell elsewhere; thus, after performing such deeds, the powerful lord of the Daityas—
आश्रमेषु महाभागान्मुनीन्वै शंसितव्रतान्। सत्यधर्मपरान्दान्तान्पुरा धर्षितवांस्तु सः
In the hermitages, he violated the great and virtuous sages, those devoted to truth and righteousness, self-controlled and steadfast in their vows.
याज्ञीयान्कृतबान्दैत्यन्याजकांश्चैव देवताः। यत्रयत्र सुरा जग्मुस्तत्रतत्र व्रजत्युत
He bound those who performed sacrifices, and made the gods unable to offer oblations; wherever the gods went, there he would go as well.