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.
रुरोद च तदा बालो वज्रेणाभिहतस्तथा । मा रुदेति शनैर्वाक्यमुवाच मघवानमुम्
Then the child, struck by the thunderbolt, cried out; Maghavan gently spoke to him, saying, 'Do not cry.'
शकलानि पुनः सप्त सप्तधा कर्तितानि च । तदा चैकोनपञ्चाशन्मरुतश्चाभवन्नृप
Again, each of the seven pieces was divided into seven; thus, O king, forty-nine Maruts were born.
तदा प्रबुद्धा सुदती ज्ञात्वा गर्भं तथाकृतम् । इन्द्रेण छलरूपेण चुकोप भृशदुःखिता
Then, awakened, the beautiful-toothed lady, realizing her embryo had been so treated by Indra in a deceitful form, became furious and deeply distressed.
भगिनीकृतं तु सा बुद्ध्वा शशाप कुपिता तदा । अदितिं मघवन्तञ्च सत्यव्रतपरायणा
Knowing her child had been destroyed, she, devoted to truth and vows, angrily cursed Aditi and Maghavan at that moment.
यथा मे कर्तितो गर्भस्तव पुत्रेण छद्मना । तथा तन्नाशमायातु राज्यं त्रिभुवनस्य तु
Just as my embryo was destroyed by your son through deceit, so may the sovereignty of the three worlds come to ruin.
यथा गुप्तेन पापेन मम गर्भो निपातितः । अदित्या पापचारिण्या यथा मे घातितः सुतः
Just as my embryo was cast down by a hidden crime, and my son was slain by the sinful Aditi—
तस्याः पुत्रास्तु नश्यन्तु जाता जाताः पुनः पुनः । कारागारे वसत्वेषा पुत्रशोकातुरा भृशम्
May her sons perish again and again as they are born; may she dwell in prison, greatly afflicted by the grief of her children.
अन्यजन्मनि चाप्येव मृतापत्या भविष्यति । व्यास उवाच इत्युत्सृष्टं तदा श्रुत्वा शापं मरीचिनन्दनः
And even in another birth, she will be one whose children die. Vyasa said: Thus, hearing the curse pronounced at that time, the son of Marichi—
उवाच प्रणयोपेतो वचनं शमयन्निव । मा कोपं कुरु कल्याणि पुत्रास्ते बलवत्तराः
He spoke with affection, as if soothing her words: 'Do not be angry, O blessed one; your sons are stronger.'
भविष्यन्ति सुराः सर्वे मरुतो मघवत्सखाः । शापोऽयं तव वामोरु त्वष्टाविंशेऽथ द्वापरे
All the gods will become Maruts, companions of Maghavan; this curse of yours, O lovely-thighed one, will manifest in the twenty-eighth Dvapara.