Bhagavata Purana

ब्राह्मणैः क्षत्रबन्धुर्हि गृहपालो निरूपितः । स कथं तद्‍गृहे द्वाःस्थः सभाण्डं भोक्तुमर्हति

Though a kṣatriya by birth, he has been appointed by the brāhmaṇas as the guardian of the house; how then should such a doorkeeper be entitled to partake of the household’s provisions?

कृष्णे गते भगवति शास्तर्युत्पथगामिनाम् । तद् भिन्नसेतूनद्याहं शास्मि पश्यत मे बलम्

With Kṛṣṇa, the Lord, departed—the guide for those who stray from the path—I now punish those who have broken the bridge of righteousness; behold my power.

इत्युक्त्वा रोषताम्राक्षो वयस्यान् ऋषिबालकः । कौशिक्याप उपस्पृश्य वाग्वज्रं विससर्ज ह

Having spoken thus, his eyes reddened with anger, the young sage among his friends, after purifying himself at the Kauśikī river, released a thunderbolt of words.

इति लङ्‌घितमर्यादं तक्षकः सप्तमेऽहनि । दङ्क्ष्यति स्म कुलाङ्गारं चोदितो मे ततद्रुहम्

Thus, having transgressed the boundary, Takṣaka, urged by me, will bite this destroyer of the dynasty on the seventh day.

ततोऽभ्येत्याश्रमं बालो गले सर्पकलेवरम् । पितरं वीक्ष्य दुःखार्तो मुक्तकण्ठो रुरोद ह

Then, the boy approached the hermitage and, seeing his father with a serpent’s body around his neck, was overcome with sorrow and cried out loudly.

स वा आङ्‌गिरसो ब्रह्मन् श्रुत्वा सुतविलापनम् । उन्मील्य शनकैर्नेत्रे दृष्ट्वा चांसे मृतोरगम्

O brāhmaṇa of the Āṅgirasa lineage, hearing his son’s lament, he slowly opened his eyes and, seeing the dead serpent on his shoulder—

विसृज्य तं च पप्रच्छ वत्स कस्माद्धि रोदिषि । केन वा तेऽपकृतं इत्युक्तः स न्यवेदयत्

He cast off the serpent and asked, 'Child, why are you crying? Who has wronged you?' Thus questioned, the boy explained everything.

निशम्य शप्तमतदर्हं नरेन्द्रं स ब्राह्मणो नात्मजमभ्यनन्दत् । अहो बतांहो महदद्य ते कृतं अल्पीयसि द्रोह उरुर्दमो धृतः

Hearing that the king had been cursed undeservedly, the brāhmaṇa did not rejoice at his son; alas, what a great calamity you have caused today, though your offense is small, the punishment is severe.

न वै नृभिर्नरदेवं पराख्यं सम्मातुमर्हस्यविपक्वबुद्धे । यत्तेजसा दुर्विषहेण गुप्ता विन्दन्ति भद्राण्यकुतोभयाः प्रजाः

You should not judge the king, O immature-minded one; by his invincible power, the people enjoy prosperity and safety from all sides.

अलक्ष्यमाणे नरदेवनाम्नि रथाङ्गपाणावयमङ्ग लोकः । तदा हि चौरप्रचुरो विनङ्क्ष्यति अरक्ष्यमाणोऽविव रूथवत् क्षणात्

When the king, named Naradeva, wielder of the chariot wheel, is disregarded, O dear one, the world will be overrun by thieves and, unprotected, will perish in an instant, like sheep without a shepherd.

तदद्य नः पापमुपैत्यनन्वयं यन्नष्टनाथस्य वसोर्विलुम्पकात् । परस्परं घ्नन्ति शपन्ति वृञ्जते पशून् स्त्रियोऽर्थाम् पुरुदस्यवो जनाः

Today, sin comes upon us without interruption, as people plunder the wealth of those who have lost their protector; they kill each other, curse, rob, and seize cattle, women, and property.

तदाऽऽर्यधर्मः प्रविलीयते नृणां वर्णाश्रमाचारयुतस्त्रयीमयः । ततोऽर्थकामाभिनिवेशितात्मनां शुनां कपीनामिव वर्णसङ्करः

Then, noble dharma dissolves among men, along with the practices of varṇa and āśrama, which are rooted in the three Vedas; thereafter, those absorbed in wealth and pleasure, like dogs and monkeys, cause the mixing of castes.

धर्मपालो नरपतिः स तु सम्राड् बृहच्छ्रवाः । साक्षान् महाभागवतो राजर्षिर्हयमेधयाट्

The king, guardian of dharma, is the great emperor Bṛhacchrava, a royal sage, a true devotee, who performed horse sacrifices.

अपापेषु स्वभृत्येषु बालेनापक्वबुद्धिना । पापं कृतं तद्‍भगवान् सर्वात्मा क्षन्तुमर्हति

A sin has been committed against the innocent king by a child of immature understanding; may the Lord, the soul of all, forgive this offense.

तिरस्कृता विप्रलब्धाः शप्ताः क्षिप्ता हता अपि । नास्य तत्प्रतिकुर्वन्ति तद्‍भक्ताः प्रभवोऽपि हि

Even when insulted, deceived, cursed, abused, or killed, the devotees of the Lord do not retaliate against him, even if they possess the power to do so.

इति पुत्रकृताघेन सोऽनुतप्तो महामुनिः । स्वयं विप्रकृतो राज्ञा नैवाघं तदचिन्तयत्

Thus, due to his son’s offense, the great sage was filled with remorse; though he himself had been wronged by the king, he did not dwell upon the offense.

प्रायशः साधवो लोके परैर्द्वन्द्वेषु योजिताः । न व्यथन्ति न हृष्यन्ति यत आत्मागुणाश्रयः

Generally, the virtuous in this world are placed in situations of duality by others; yet they neither grieve nor rejoice, for their reliance is upon the qualities of the self.

नाधौतपादाप्रयता नार्द्रपादा उदक्शिराः। शयीत नापराङ्नान्यैर्न नग्ना न च सन्ध्ययोः

One should not lie down without washing the feet, nor with wet feet, nor with the head wet; nor should one eat food offered by others, nor lie naked, nor at the times of dawn or dusk.

धौतवासा शुचिर्नित्यं सर्वमङ्गलसंयुता। पूजयेत्प्रातराशात्प्राग्गोविप्राञ्श्रियमच्युतम्

Always pure, clothed in clean garments, endowed with all auspiciousness, one should worship cows, Brahmins, fortune, and the infallible Lord before breakfast.

स्त्रियो वीरवतीश्चार्चेत्स्रग्गन्धबलिमण्डनैः। पतिं चार्च्योपतिष्ठेत ध्यायेत्कोष्ठगतं च तम्

Women and those possessing valor should worship with garlands, fragrances, offerings, and ornaments; having worshipped her husband, she should attend to him and meditate upon him as residing within her womb.

सांवत्सरं पुंसवनं व्रतमेतदविप्लुतम्। धारयिष्यसि चेत्तुभ्यं शक्रहा भविता सुतः

If you uphold this unbroken vow of puṃsavana for a year, then a son who will defeat Indra shall be born to you.

बाढमित्यभ्युपेत्याथ दिती राजन्महामनाः। कश्यपाद्गर्भमाधत्त व्रतं चाञ्जो दधार सा

Having agreed, saying 'So be it,' Diti, of great resolve, received the seed from Kaśyapa and faithfully undertook the vow.

मातृष्वसुरभिप्रायमिन्द्र आज्ञाय मानद। शुश्रूषणेनाश्रमस्थां दितिं पर्यचरत्कविः

Indra, knowing his maternal aunt's intention, O bestower of honor, served Diti, who dwelled in the hermitage, with attentive service.

नित्यं वनात्सुमनसः फलमूलसमित्कुशान्। पत्राङ्कुरमृदोऽपश्च काले काल उपाहरत्

He regularly brought from the forest flowers, fruits, sacred grass, kusha, leaves, sprouts, clay, and water at the appropriate times.

एवं तस्या व्रतस्थाया व्रतच्छिद्रं हरिर्नृप। प्रेप्सुः पर्यचरज्जिह्मो मृगहेव मृगाकृतिः

Thus, while she observed the vow, Hari, desiring to break it, served her in a crooked manner, like a deer in the form of a deer.

नाध्यगच्छद्व्रतच्छिद्रं तत्परोऽथ महीपते। चिन्तां तीव्रां गतः शक्रः केन मे स्याच्छिवं त्विह

But he did not find any breach in her vow, being intent upon it, O King; Indra then fell into intense anxiety, wondering by what means he might achieve his purpose here.

एकदा सा तु सन्ध्यायामुच्छिष्टा व्रतकर्शिता। अस्पृष्टवार्यधौताङ्घ्रिः सुष्वाप विधिमोहिता

One evening, exhausted by the vow and having eaten, with her feet unwashed and not cleansed by water, Diti, confused by fate, fell asleep.

लब्ध्वा तदन्तरं शक्रो निद्रा पहृतचेतसः। दितेः प्रविष्ट उदरं योगेशो योगमायया

Seizing that opportunity, Indra, master of yoga, entered Diti's womb by his yogic power while her mind was overcome by sleep.

चकर्त सप्तधा गर्भं वज्रेण कनकप्रभम्। रुदन्तं सप्तधैकैकं मा रोदीरिति तान्पुनः

With his thunderbolt, he split the golden-hued embryo into seven parts; as each cried, he said to them again, 'Do not cry.'