निर्मांसाश्च ततो जाताः कृशा धमनिसंतताः तेषां तपःप्रभावेन प्रभावविधुतं यथा
Thus, they became fleshless, thin, with veins prominent; by the power of their austerity, their radiance was as if swept away.
निष्प्रभं तु जगत्सर्वं मन्दमेवाभिभाषितम् दह्यमानेषु लोकेषु तैस्त्रिभिर्दानवाग्निभिः
All the worlds became dim, and speech was feeble, as the worlds were scorched by the three fires of those Danavas.
तेषामग्रे जगद्बन्धुः प्रादुर्भूतः पितामहः ततः साहसकर्तारः प्राहुस्ते सहसागतम्
Then, before them, the grandsire of the world, Pitamaha, appeared; and those heroes, seeing him arrive suddenly, spoke to him.
स्वकं पितामहं दैत्यास् तं वै तुष्टुवुरेव च अथ तान्दानवान्ब्रह्मा तपसा तपनप्रभान्
The Daityas praised their own grandsire, Pitamaha; and then Brahma, seeing the Danavas radiant with the heat of their austerity,
उवाच हर्षपूर्णाक्षो हर्षपूर्णमुखस्तदा वरदो ऽहं हि वो वत्सास् तपस्तोषित आगतः
spoke with eyes and face full of joy: 'I am come, O children, pleased by your austerity, to grant you a boon.'
व्रियताम् ईप्सितं यच्च साभिलाषं तदुच्यताम् इत्येवमुच्यमानास्तु प्रतिपन्नं पितामहम्
'Ask for whatever you desire, whatever you wish for—let it be spoken.' Thus addressed, they approached Pitamaha.
विश्वकर्मा मयः प्राह प्रहर्षोत्फुल्ललोचनः देव दैत्याः पुरा देवैः संग्रामे तारकामये
Visvakarma Maya, his eyes wide with delight, spoke: 'O god, formerly the Daityas were defeated by the gods in the battle of Taraka.'
निर्जितास्ताडिताश्चैव हताश्चाप्यायुधैरपि देवैर्वैरानुबन्धाच्च धावन्तो भयवेपिताः
'They were struck, slain even by weapons, and, pursued by enmity, fled trembling in fear from the gods.'
शरणं नैव जानीमः शर्म वा शरणार्थिनः सो ऽहं तपःप्रभावेन तव भक्त्या तथैव च
'We knew neither refuge nor safety, though seeking shelter. By the power of austerity and by devotion to you, I—'
इच्छामि कर्तुं तद्दुर्गं यद्देवैरपि दुस्तरम् तस्मिंश्च त्रिपुरे दुर्गे मत्कृते कृतिनां वर
'wish to build that fortress which even the gods find difficult to overcome. In that triple fortress, O bestower of boons, for my sake—'
भूम्यानां जलजानां च शापानां मुनितेजसाम् देवप्रहरणानां च देवानां च प्रजापतेः
'let it be invulnerable to the earth-born, to those born of water, to the curses of sages, to the weapons of the gods, and to the gods themselves, O Lord of creatures.'
अलङ्घनीयं भवतु त्रिपुरं यदि ते प्रियम् विश्वकर्मा इतीवोक्तः स तदा विश्वकर्मणा
'Let Tripura be unassailable, if it pleases you.' Thus addressed by Visvakarma, he then—
उवाच प्रहसन्वाक्यं मयं दैत्यगणाधिपम् सर्वामरत्वं नैवास्ति असद्वृत्तस्य दानव
He spoke, laughing, to Maya, the leader of the demon hosts: Immortality is not granted to one of wicked conduct, O Danava.
तस्माद्दुर्गविधानं हि क्षणादपि विधीयताम् पितामहवचः श्रुत्वा तदैवं दानवो मयः
Therefore, let the construction of a fortress be undertaken at once; hearing the words of the grandsire, the demon Maya did so.
प्राञ्जलिः पुनरप्याह ब्रह्माणं पद्मसम्भवम् यस्तदेकेषुणा दुर्गं सकृन्मुक्तेन निर्दहेत्
With joined palms, he again addressed Brahma, born from the lotus: Whoever destroys the fortress with a single arrow, released just once—
समं स संयुगे हन्याद् अवध्यं शेषतो भवेत् एवमस्त्विति चाप्युक्त्वा मयं देवः पितामहः
Let him slay equally in battle; let the remainder be invulnerable. So be it, said the god, the grandsire, to Maya.
स्वप्ने लब्धो यथार्थो वै तत्रैवादर्शनं ययौ गते पितामहे दैत्या गता मयरविप्रभाः
As in a dream, the vision was obtained and vanished there; when the grandsire departed, the demons left with Maya as their leader.
वरदानाद्विरेजुस्ते तपसा च महाबलाः स मयस्तु महाबुद्धिर् दानवो वृषसत्तमः
From the granting of boons, they rejoiced, and with their great ascetic power; but Maya, the great-minded Danava, was the foremost among bulls.
दुर्गं व्यवसितः कर्तुम् इति चाचिन्तयत्तदा कथं नाम भवेद्दुर्गं तन्मया त्रिपुरं कृतम्
He resolved to build a fortress, and pondered then: How might such a fortress be made by me, since Tripura was constructed by me?
वत्स्यते तत्पुरं दिव्यं मत्तो नान्यैर्न संशयः यथाचैकेषुणा तेन तत्पुरं न हि हन्यते
That divine city will be inhabited by me alone, not by others, without doubt; and as it cannot be destroyed by a single arrow, so it shall be.
देवैस्तथा विधातव्यं मया मतिविचारणम् विस्तारो योजनशतम् एकैकस्य पुरस्य तु
Thus, the gods must arrange, according to my consideration; the extent of each city shall be a hundred yojanas.
कार्यस्तेषां च विष्कम्भश् चैकैकशतयोजनम् पुष्ययोगेण निर्माणं पुराणं च भविष्यति
The breadth of each shall also be a hundred yojanas; at the conjunction of Pushya, the construction will be completed, and the city will be ancient.
पुष्ययोगेण च दिवि समेष्यन्ति परस्परम् पुष्ययोगेण युक्तानि यस्तान्यासादयिष्यति
At the conjunction of Pushya, they will unite in the sky; joined at Pushya, whoever reaches them—
पुराण्येकप्रहारेण शतानि निहनिष्यति आयसं तु क्षितितले राजतं तु नभस्तले
With a single blow, hundreds of ancient cities will be destroyed; one of iron on the earth, one of silver in the sky.
राजतस्योपरिष्टात्तु सौवर्णं भविता पुरम् एवं त्रिभिः पुरैर्युक्तं त्रिपुरं तद्भविष्यति शतयोजनविष्कम्भैर् अन्तरैस्तद्दुरासदम्
Above the silver one, there will be a golden city; thus, with these three cities, Tripura will be formed, joined by hundred-yojana breadths, difficult to approach.
अट्टालकैर् यन्त्रशतघ्निभिश्च सचक्रशूलोपलकम्पनैश्च द्वारैर्महामन्दरमेरुकल्पैः प्राकारशृङ्गैः सुविराजमानम्
Adorned with towers, engines for hurling hundreds of missiles, wheels, spears, and shaking mechanisms, with gates like great Mandara and Meru, and shining rampart peaks.
सतारकाख्येन मयेन गुप्तं स्वस्थं च गुप्तं तडिन्मालिनापि को नाम हन्तुं त्रिपुरं समर्थो मुक्त्वा त्रिनेत्रं भगवन्तमेकम्
Protected by Maya, called Satāraka, secure and guarded, wreathed in lightning—who indeed is able to destroy Tripura, except the one blessed with three eyes?
इति चिन्तायुतो दैत्यो दिव्योपायप्रभावजम् चकार त्रिपुरं दुर्गं मनःसंचारचारितम्
Thus, filled with thought, the demon, by the power of divine means, constructed Tripura, the fortress, moved by the workings of his mind.
प्राकारो ऽनेन मार्गेण इह वामुत्र गोपुरम् इह चाट्टालकद्वारम् इह चाट्टालगोपुरम्
The rampart is here, the path is here or elsewhere, the gateway; here is the towered gate, here is the towered gateway.
राजमार्ग इतश्चापि विपुलो भवतामिति रथ्योपरथ्याः सत्त्रिका इह चत्वर एव च
The royal road is also broad here; streets and lanes, assembly halls, and squares are here as well.