धन्यास्ते मुनयः शान्ता जितो यैर्लोभ एव च । वैखानसैः शमपरैः प्रतिग्रहपराङ्मुखैः
"Blessed are those sages who are peaceful, who have conquered greed, who are Vaikhanasas devoted to tranquility and who turn away from accepting gifts."
संसारे बलवाञ्छत्रुर्लोभोऽमेध्योऽवरः सदा । कश्यपोऽपि दुराचारः कृतस्नेहो दुरात्मना
"In worldly existence, the enemy greed is always strong, unclean, and base; even Kashyapa, acting wrongly, formed attachment with a wicked mind."
ब्रह्मापि तं शशापाथ कश्यपं मुनिसत्तमम् । मर्यादारक्षणार्थं हि पौत्रं परमवल्लभम्
Even Brahma cursed the eminent sage Kashyapa, his most beloved grandson, for the sake of preserving proper boundaries.
अंशेन त्वं पृथिव्यां वै प्राप्य जन्म यदोः कुले । भार्याभ्यां संयुतस्तत्र गोपालत्वं करिष्यसि
By a portion of yourself, you will take birth on earth in the lineage of Yadu, and there, united with two wives, you will assume the role of a cowherd.
व्यास उवाच एवं शप्तः कश्यपोऽसौ वरुणेन च ब्रह्मणा । अंशावतरणार्थाय भूभारहरणाय च
Vyasa said: Thus Kashyapa was cursed by Varuna and Brahma, for the purpose of partial incarnation and for removing the burden of the earth.
तथा दित्यादितिः शप्ता शोकसन्तप्तया भृशम् । जाता जाता विनश्येरंस्तव पुत्रास्तु सप्त वै
Likewise, Aditi was cursed by Diti, who was greatly afflicted by sorrow, so that your seven sons would perish as soon as they were born.
जनमेजय उवाच कस्माद्दित्या च भगिनी शप्तेन्द्रजननी मुने । कारणं वद शापे च शोकस्तु मुनिसत्तम
Janamejaya said: Why did Aditi, the sister and mother of Indra, receive a curse, O sage? Tell me the cause of the curse and the sorrow, O eminent sage.
सूत उवाच पारीक्षितेन पृष्टस्तु व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः । राजानं प्रत्युवाचेदं कारणं सुसमाहितः
Suta said: Vyasa, son of Satyavati, was questioned by Parikshit, and he carefully explained the cause to the king.
व्यास उवाच राजन् दक्षसुते द्वे तु दितिश्चादितिरुत्तमे । कश्यपस्य प्रिये भार्ये बभूवतुरुरुक्रमे
Vyasa said: O king, Daksha's two daughters, Diti and Aditi, both excellent, became the beloved wives of Kashyapa, the great sage.
अदित्यां मघवा पुत्रो यदाभूदतिवीर्यवान् । तदा तु तादृशं पुत्रं चकमे दितिरोजसा
When Maghavan, a son of Aditi, was born with extraordinary strength, Diti then desired to have such a powerful son herself.
पतिमाहासितापाङ्गी पुत्रं मे देहि मानद । इन्द्रख्यबलं वीरं धर्मिष्ठं वीर्यवत्तमम्
With a smiling glance, she said to her husband: Grant me a son, O giver of honor, a hero equal in strength to Indra, righteous and most powerful.
तामुवाच मुनिः कान्ते स्वस्था भव मयोदिते । व्रतान्ते भविता तुभ्यं शतक्रतुसमः सुतः
The sage replied to her, O beautiful one, remain composed as I have spoken; at the end of your vow, a son equal to Shatakratu will be born to you.
सा तथेति प्रतिश्रुत्य चकार व्रतमुत्तमम् । निषिक्तं मुनिना गर्भं बिभ्राणा सुमनोहरम्
She promised, 'So be it,' and undertook the excellent vow, bearing the delightful embryo implanted by the sage.
भूमौ चकार शयनं पयोव्रतपरायणा । पवित्रा धारणायुक्ता बभूव वरवर्णिनी
Absorbed in the vow of subsisting on milk, she made her bed on the ground; adorned with purity and self-restraint, she became radiant in beauty.
एवं जातः सुसंपूर्णो यदा गर्भोऽतिवीर्यवान् । शुभ्रांशुमतिदीप्ताङ्गीं दितिं दृष्ट्वा तु दुःखिता
When the embryo, full and exceedingly strong, was thus formed, Aditi, seeing Diti's shining and radiant form, became distressed.
मघवत्सदृशः पुत्रो भविष्यति महाबलः । दित्यास्तदा मम सुतस्तेजोहीनो भवेत्किल
A son equal to Maghavan, of great strength, will be born to Diti; then my own son will surely be deprived of his brilliance.
इति चिन्तापरा पुत्रमिन्द्रं चोवाच मानिनी । शत्रुस्तेऽद्य समुत्पन्नो दितिगर्भेऽतिवीर्यवान्
Absorbed in such thoughts, the proud Aditi spoke to her son Indra: Today, your enemy has arisen in Diti's womb, exceedingly powerful.
उपायं कुरु नाशाय शत्रोरद्य विचिन्त्य च । उत्पत्तिरेव हन्तव्या दित्या गर्भस्य शोभन
Devise a means for the destruction of the enemy today, considering carefully; the birth itself of Diti's embryo, O splendid one, must be prevented.
वीक्ष्य तामसितापाङ्गीं सपत्नीभावमास्थिताम् । दुनोति हृदये चिन्ता सुखमर्मविनाशिनी
Seeing her with dark, sidelong glances, established in the state of a rival wife, anxiety arose in the heart, destroying the joy of the body.
राजयक्ष्मेव संवृद्धो नष्टो नैव भवेद्रिपुः । तस्मादङ्कुरितं हन्याद्बुद्धिमानहितं किल
Like a disease of the king's body, the enemy, once grown, cannot be destroyed; therefore, the wise must destroy what has sprouted, for it is harmful.
लोहशङ्कुरिव क्षिप्तो गर्भो वै हृदये मम । येन केनाप्युपायेन पातयाद्य शतक्रतो
Like an iron spike thrust into my heart is this embryo; by any means, O Indra, let it be made to fall today.
सामदानबलेनापि हिंसनीयस्त्वया सुतः । दित्या गर्भो महाभाग मम चेदिच्छसि प्रियम्
By conciliation, gifts, or even by force, you must destroy Diti's embryo, O most fortunate one, if you wish to please me.
व्यास उवाच श्रुत्वा मातृवचः शक्रो विचिन्त्य मनसा ततः । जगामापरमातुः स समीपममराधिपः
Vyasa said: Hearing his mother's words, Indra then reflected in his mind and went to the presence of his other mother, O king.
ववन्दे विनयात्पादौ दित्याः पापमतिर्नृप । प्रोवाच विनयेनासौ मधुरं विषगर्भितम्
With humility he bowed at Diti's feet, though his mind was wicked, O king; with deference he spoke sweet words laced with poison.
इन्द्र उवाच मातस्त्वं व्रतयुक्तासि क्षीणदेहातिदुर्बला । सेवार्थमिह सम्प्राप्तः किं कर्तव्यं वदस्व मे
Indra said: Mother, you are devoted to vows, your body is emaciated and very weak; I have come here to serve you—tell me what should be done.
पादसंवाहनं तेऽहं करिष्यामि पतिव्रते । गुरुशुश्रूषणात्पुण्यं लभते गतिमक्षयाम्
I will massage your feet, O chaste one; by serving the guru, one attains inexhaustible merit and the highest state.
न मे किमपि भेदोऽस्ति तथादित्या शपे किल । इत्युक्त्वा चरणौ स्पृष्टा संवाहनपरोऽभवत्
There is no deception in me toward you—thus I swear by Aditi; having said this, he touched her feet and devoted himself to massaging them.
संवाहनसुखं प्राप्य निद्रामाप सुलोचना । श्रान्ता व्रतकृशा सुप्ता विश्वस्ता परमा सती
Receiving the comfort of the massage, the fair-eyed lady fell asleep; exhausted, emaciated by her vow, she slept, utterly trusting and supremely virtuous.
तां निद्रावशमापन्नां विलोक्य प्राविशत्तनुम् । रूपं कृत्वातिसूक्ष्मञ्च शस्त्रपाणिः समाहितः
Seeing her overcome by sleep, he entered her body, having assumed a very subtle form, weapon in hand, with his mind intent.
उदरं प्रविवेशाशु तस्या योगबलेन वै । गर्भं चकर्त वज्रेण सप्तधा पविनायकः
By the power of yoga, he quickly entered her womb and, with his thunderbolt, Indra cut the embryo into seven pieces.