ऋते युद्धान् महाबाहो शक्र युध्यस्व निर्गते मयि तस्मान् नैतद् एवं तव युक्तं भविष्यति
Except in battle, mighty-armed one, fight only when I have departed. Therefore, this is not fitting for you, O Śakra.
शतक्रतुः सहस्राक्षः शचीभर्ता पुरंदरः वज्रपाणिः सुरेन्द्रस् त्वं ते न युक्तं भवेत् प्रभो
You are Śatakratu, thousand-eyed, husband of Śacī, Purandara, wielder of the thunderbolt, lord of the gods; such an act is not proper for you, O master.
अथवा युद्धकामस् त्वं मम निष्क्रमणं यथा तथा कुरु महाबाहो मार्गाद् अस्माद् अपासर
Or, if you desire battle, mighty-armed one, arrange for my exit as you wish; move me away from this path.
कुमार्गे न प्रवर्तन्ते महान्तो ऽपि विपद्गताः अविद्यश् चाप्य् अशस्त्रश् च नैव चायुधसंग्रहः
Even great ones, when in danger, do not act wrongly; one who is ignorant and unarmed should not be engaged in combat.
त्वं विद्यावान् वज्रपाणे मां निघ्नन् किं न लज्जसे कुर्वन्ति गर्हितं कर्म न कुलीनाः कदाचन
You are learned, O wielder of the thunderbolt; do you not feel shame in striking me? Noble people never perform blameworthy deeds.
हत्वा वा किं तु जायेत यशो वा पुण्यम् एव वा वध्यन्ते भ्रातरः कामाद् गर्भस्थाः किं नु पौरुषम्
What fame or merit arises from killing, or from slaying brothers out of desire while they are still in the womb? What manliness is there in that?
यदि वा युद्धभक्तिस् ते मयि भ्रातर् असंशयम् ततो मुष्टिं पुरस्कृत्य वज्रिणे ऽसौ व्यवस्थितः
If your devotion to battle is truly directed at me, O brother, then, without doubt, I stand before you, O wielder of the thunderbolt, with my fist raised.
बालघाती ब्रह्मघाती तथा विश्वासघातकः एवंभूतं फलं शक्र कस्मान् मां हन्तुम् उद्यतः
A slayer of children, a slayer of Brahmins, a betrayer of trust—such a person reaps the fruit of these acts. Why, O Śakra, are you intent on killing me?
यस्याज्ञया सर्वम् इदं वर्तते सचराचरम् स हन्ता बालकं मां वै किं यशः किं तु पौरुषम्
By whose command all this, moving and unmoving, exists—he would kill a child like me. What fame or manliness is there in that?
एवं ब्रुवन्तं तं गर्भं चिच्छेद कुलिशेन सः क्रोधान्धानां लोभिनां च न घृणा क्वापि विद्यते
As he spoke thus, Indra cut the embryo with his thunderbolt; for those blinded by anger and greed, compassion is found nowhere.
न ममार ततो दुःखाद् आहुस् ते भ्रातरो वयम् पुनश् चिच्छेद तान् खण्डान् मा वधीर् इति चाब्रुवन्
He did not die from sorrow; his brothers said, 'We are still alive.' Indra cut them again, and they said, 'Do not kill us.'
विश्वस्तान् मातृगर्भस्थान् निजभ्रातॄञ् शतक्रतो द्वेषविध्वस्तबुद्धीनां न चित्ते करुणाकणः
Indra, with a mind destroyed by hatred, felt not a drop of compassion for his own brothers, trusting and still in their mother's womb.
एवं तु खण्डितं खण्डं हस्तपादादिजीववत् निर्विकारं ततो दृष्ट्वा सप्तसप्त सुविस्मितः
Thus, the embryo was cut into pieces, each living with hands, feet, and other limbs; seeing this, seven times seven, he was greatly astonished.
एकवद् बहुरूपाणि गर्भस्थानि शुभानि च रुदन्ति बहुरूपाणि मा रुतेत्य् अब्रवीद् धरिः
Though one, the embryos took many forms, auspicious and beautiful, and cried out in many forms; Hari said, 'Do not cry.'
ततस् ते मरुतो जाता बलवन्तो महौजसः गर्भस्था एव ते ऽन्योन्यम् ऊचुः शक्रं गतभ्रमाः
Then those Maruts were born, strong and of great energy; even while in the womb, they spoke to each other, their confusion gone, and addressed Indra.
अगस्त्यं मुनिशार्दूलं माता यस्याश्रमे स्थिता अस्मत्पिता तव भ्राता सख्यं ते बहु मन्यते
Their mother, staying in the hermitage of Agastya, the tiger among sages, whose father is our father and your brother, values your friendship highly.
अस्मान् उपरि सस्नेहं मनस् ते विद्महे मुने न यत् करोति श्वपचः प्रवृत्तस् तत्र वज्रधृक्
O sage, we know your mind is affectionate toward us; what the outcaste does, Indra, wielder of the thunderbolt, does not act thus.
इत्य् एतद् वचनं श्रुत्वा अगस्त्यो ऽगात् ससंभ्रमः दितिं संबोधयाम् आस व्यथितां गर्भवेदनात्
Hearing these words, Agastya departed in agitation and spoke to Diti, who was distressed by the pain of her pregnancy.
तत्रागस्त्यः शचीकान्तम् अशपत् कुपितो भृशम्
There, Agastya, greatly angered, cursed the beloved of Śacī.
संग्रामे रिपवः पृष्ठं पश्येयुस् ते सदा हरे जीवताम् एव मरणम् एतद् एव हि मानिनाम् पृष्ठं पलायमानानां यत् पश्यन्त्य् अहिता रणे
O Hari, in battle, may your enemies always see your back; for the proud, this is death while living—when foes see the backs of those fleeing in combat.
सापि तं गर्भसंस्थं च शशापेन्द्रं रुषा दितिः
Diti, enraged, cursed Indra, who was still within her womb.
न पौरुषं कृतं तस्माच् छापो ऽयं भविता तव स्त्रीभिः परिभवं प्राप्य राज्यात् प्रभ्रश्यसे हरे
Since no manly act was done, this curse shall befall you; having suffered humiliation by women, O Hari, you will lose your kingdom.
एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे तत्र कश्यपो वै प्रजापतिः प्रायाच् च व्यथितो ऽगस्त्याच् छ्रुत्वा शक्रविचेष्टितम् गर्भान्तरगतः शक्रः पितरं प्राह भीतवत्
Meanwhile, there Prajāpati Kaśyapa, troubled after hearing from Agastya about Indra's actions, approached; Indra, still within the womb, spoke to his father in fear.
अगस्त्याच् च दितेश् चैव बिभेमि क्रमितुं बहिः
I am afraid to emerge, both because of Agastya and Diti.
एतस्मिन्न् अन्तरे प्राप्य कश्यपो ऽपि प्रजापतिः पुत्रकर्म च तद् दृष्ट्वा गर्भान्तःस्थितिम् एव च दितिशापम् अगस्त्यस्य श्रुत्वासौ दुःखितो ऽभवत्
Meanwhile, Prajāpati Kaśyapa arrived, and seeing the ritual for the child and Indra's presence in the womb, hearing Diti's curse and Agastya's words, he became sorrowful.
निर्गच्छ शक्र पुत्रैतत् पापं किं कृतवान् असि न निर्मलकुलोत्पन्ना मनः कुर्वन्ति पातके
Come out, Indra; son, what sin have you committed? Those born in pure lineages do not set their minds on wrongdoing.
स निर्गतो वज्रपाणिः सव्रीडो ऽधोमुखो ऽब्रवीत् तन्मूर्तिर् एव वदति सदसच्चेष्टितं नृणाम्
Indra, wielder of the thunderbolt, emerged, ashamed and with head bowed, and spoke; his very form declares the true and false deeds of men.
यद् उक्तम् अत्र श्रेयः स्यात् तत्कर्ताहम् असंशयम्
Whatever is said here as beneficial, I shall certainly do.
ततो ममान्तिकं प्रायाल् लोकपालैः स कश्यपः सर्वं वृत्तम् अथोवाच पुनः पप्रच्छ मां सुरैः
Then Kaśyapa, accompanied by the guardians of the world, approached me; he recounted everything that had happened and again questioned me along with the gods.
दितिगर्भस्य वै शान्तिं सहस्राक्षविशापताम् गर्भस्थानां च सर्वेषाम् इन्द्रेण सह मित्रताम्
Peace for Diti's womb, removal of Indra's curse, and friendship between all those within the womb and Indra.