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.
अंशेन मानुषं जन्म प्राप्य भोक्ष्यति भामिनी । वरुणेनापि दत्तोऽस्ति शापः सन्तापितेन च
Receiving a human birth in part, O radiant one, he will enjoy its fruits; Varuna too has given a curse, being afflicted.
उभयोः शापयोगेन मानुषीयं भविष्यति । व्यास उवाच पतिनाश्वासिता देवी सन्तुष्टा साभवत्तदा
By the union of both curses, it will become human; Vyasa said: The goddess, comforted by her husband, was satisfied then.
नोवाच विप्रियं किञ्चित्ततः सा वरवर्णिनी । इति ते कथितं राजन् पूर्वशापस्य कारणम्
That beautiful one spoke nothing unpleasant thereafter; thus, O king, the cause of the former curse has been told to you.
अदितिर्देवकी जाता स्वांशेन नृपसत्तम
Aditi became Devaki, O best of kings, by her own portion.
अधमजगतः स्थितिवर्णनम् राजोवाच विस्मितोऽस्मि महाभाग श्रुत्वाख्यानं महामते । संसारोऽयं पापरूपः कथं मुच्येत बन्धनात्
Description of the state of the lowest world. The king said: I am astonished, O highly fortunate one, having heard this account, O wise sage; this world is of sinful nature—how can one be freed from its bondage?
कश्यपस्यापि दायादस्त्रिलोकीविभवे सति । कृतवानीदृशं कर्म को न कुर्याञ्चुगुप्सितम्
Even the heir of Kashyapa, possessing dominion over the three worlds, performed such an act—who would not do something to be despised?
गर्भे प्रविश्य बालस्य हननं दारुणं किल । सेवामिषेण मातुश्च कृत्वा शपथमद्भुतम्
Entering the womb, he killed the child—indeed a terrible deed; for the sake of service and meat, he made a wondrous oath to his mother.
शास्ता धर्मस्य गोप्ता च त्रिलोक्याः पतिरप्युत । कृतवानीदृशं कर्म को न कुर्यादसाम्प्रतम्
The ruler, protector of dharma, and lord of the three worlds, even he performed such an act—who would not now do the same?
पितामहा मे संग्रामे कुरुक्षेत्रेऽतिदारुणम् । कृतवन्तस्तथाश्चर्यं दुष्टं कर्म जगद्गुरो
My grandfathers in the battle of Kurukshetra did exceedingly terrible and astonishing deeds, O teacher of the world, wicked acts.
भीष्मोद्रोणः कृपः कर्णो धर्माशोऽपि युधिष्ठिरः । सर्वे विरुद्धधर्मेण वासुदेवेन नोदिताः
Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Karna, and even Yudhishthira, the righteous, all acted against dharma, urged by Vasudeva.