पृष्टस्तु मनुना देवो मत्स्यरूपी जनार्दनः कथं शरवणे जातो देवः षड्वदनो विभो
Thus questioned by Manu, the god Janārdana in the form of a fish was asked: How was the six-faced god born in Śaravaṇa, O mighty one?
एतत्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा पार्थिवस्यामितौजसः उवाच भगवान्प्रीतो ब्रह्मसूनुर्महामतिम्
Hearing these words of the king of great energy, the blessed son of Brahmā, pleased, spoke with great wisdom.
वज्राङ्गो नाम दैत्यो ऽभूत् तस्य पुत्रस्तु तारकः सुरानुद्वासयामास पुरेभ्यः स महाबलः
There was a demon named Vajrāṅga, and his son was Tāraka. That mighty one drove the gods out from their cities.
ततस्ते ब्रह्मणो ऽभ्याशं जग्मुर्भयनिपीडिताः भीतांश्च त्रिदशान्दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्मा तेषामुवाच ह
Then, afflicted by fear, they went to Brahmā. Seeing the gods terrified, Brahmā spoke to them.
संत्यजध्वं भयं देवाः शंकरस्यात्मजः शिशुः तुहिनाचलदौहित्रस् तं हनिष्यति दानवम्
Abandon your fear, O gods. The son of Śaṅkara, a child, the grandson of the snowy mountain, will slay that demon.
ततः काले तु कस्मिंश्चिद् दृष्ट्वा वै शैलजां शिवः स्वरेतो वह्निवदने व्यसृजत्कारणान्तरे
Then, at a certain time, seeing the daughter of the mountain, Śiva emitted his seed into the mouth of Agni for another purpose.
तत्प्राप्तं वह्निवदने रेतो देवानतर्पयत् विदार्य जठराण्येषाम् अजीर्णं निर्गतं मुने
That seed, received by Agni, burned the gods; splitting their bellies, it emerged undigested, O sage.
पतितं तत्सरिद्वरां ततस्तु शरकानने तस्मात्तु स समुद्भूतो गुहो दिनकरप्रभः
That which fell entered the sacred river, then into the reed forest; from there, Guha, radiant as the sun, was born.
स सप्तदिवसो बालो निजघ्ने तारकासुरम् एवं श्रुत्वा ततो वाक्यं तम् ऊचुर् ऋषिसत्तमाः
That boy, seven days old, slew the demon Tāraka. Hearing this, the best of sages spoke these words.
अत्याश्चर्यवती रम्या कथेयं पापनाशिनी विस्तरेण हि नो ब्रूहि याथातथ्येन शृण्वताम्
This tale is most wondrous and delightful, a destroyer of sin. Tell it to us in detail and truthfully as we listen.
वज्राङ्गो नाम दैत्येन्द्रः कस्य वंशोद्भवः पुरा यस्याभूत्तारकः पुत्रः सुरप्रमथनो बली
Who was the progenitor of the demon king Vajrāṅga of old, from whose line was he born, and whose son was Tāraka, the mighty oppressor of the gods?
निर्मितः को वधे चाभूत् तस्य दैत्येश्वरस्य तु गुहजन्म तु कार्त्स्न्येन अस्माकं ब्रूहि मानद
Who created him, and for what reason was that lord of demons slain? Tell us in full, O bestower of honor, the story of Guha's birth.
मानसो ब्रह्मणः पुत्रो दक्षो नाम प्रजापतिः षष्टिं सो ऽजनयत्कन्या वैरिण्यामेव नः श्रुतम्
The mind-born son of Brahmā was Dakṣa, the lord of creatures. He begot sixty daughters, as we have heard from Vairiṇī.
ददौ स दश धर्माय कश्यपाय त्रयोदश सप्तविंशतिं सोमाय चतस्रो ऽरिष्टनेमये
He gave ten to Dharma, thirteen to Kaśyapa, twenty-seven to Soma, and four to Ariṣṭanemi.
द्वे वै बाहुकपुत्राय द्वे वै चाङ्गिरसे तथा द्वे कृशाश्वाय विदुषे प्रजापतिसुतः प्रभुः
Two he gave to Bāhuka's son, two likewise to Aṅgiras, and two to the wise Kṛśāśva, O mighty son of the lord of creatures.
अदितिर्दितिर्दनुर्विश्वा ह्य् अरिष्टा सुरसा तथा सुरभिर्विनता चैव ताम्रा क्रोधवशा इरा
Aditi, Diti, Danu, Viśvā, Ariṣṭā, Surasā, Surabhi, Vinatā, Tāmrā, Krodhavaśā, and Irā.
कद्रूर्मुनिश्च लोकस्य मातरो गोषु मातरः तासां सकाशाल्लोकानां जङ्गमस्थावरात्मनाम्
Kadru and the sage Kadrū are mothers of the world; among cows, the mothers are also so. From them arise all beings, both moving and unmoving.
जन्म नानाप्रकाराणां ताभ्यो ऽन्ये देहिनः स्मृताः देवेन्द्रोपेन्द्रपूषाद्याः सर्वे ते दितिजा मताः
From them are born beings of various kinds; other embodied ones are said to be from them. All such as the gods, Indra, Upendra, Pūṣan, and others are considered children of Diti.
दितेः सकाशाल्लोकास्तु हिरण्यकशिपादयः दानवाश्च दनोः पुत्रा गावश्च सुरभीसुताः
From Diti came beings like Hiraṇyakaśipu and others; the Dānavas are known as the sons of Danu, and cows are the offspring of Surabhi.
पक्षिणो विनतापुत्रा गरुडप्रमुखाः स्मृताः नागाः कद्रूसुता ज्ञेयाः शेषाश्चान्ये ऽपि जन्तवः
Birds are known as the sons of Vinatā, with Garuḍa at their head; serpents are to be understood as the children of Kadru, and there are also many other creatures.
त्रैलोक्यनाथं शक्रं तु सर्वामरगणप्रभुम् हिरण्यकशिपुश्चक्रे जित्वा राज्यं महाबलः
Hiraṇyakaśipu, of great might, conquered and defeated Indra, lord of the three worlds and master of all the hosts of immortals, and took the kingdom.
ततः केनापि कालेन हिरण्यकशिपादयः निहता विष्णुना संख्ये शेषाश्चेन्द्रेण दानवाः
Then, after some time, Hiraṇyakaśipu and his kin were slain in battle by Viṣṇu, and the remaining Dānavas were killed by Indra.
ततो निहतपुत्राभूद् दितिर् वरमयाचत भर्तारं कश्यपं देवं पुत्रमन्यं महाबलम्
After her sons were killed, Diti sought a boon from her husband, the god Kaśyapa, for another son of great strength.
समरे शक्रहन्तारं स तस्या अददात्प्रभुः
He, the lord, granted her a son who would be the slayer of Indra in battle.
नियमे वर्त हे देवि सहस्रं शुचिमानसा वर्षाणां लप्स्यसे पुत्रम् इत्युक्ता सा तथाकरोत्
He said, 'O goddess, if you observe a vow of purity in mind for a thousand years, you will obtain a son.' She did as she was told.
वर्तन्त्या नियमे तस्याः सहस्राक्षः समाहितः उपासामाचरत्तस्याः सा चैनमन्वमन्यत
While she was observing the vow, Indra, intent and watchful, served her, and she accepted him.
दशवत्सरशेषस्य सहस्रस्य तदा दितिः उवाच शक्रं सुप्रीता वरदा तपसि स्थिता
When only ten years remained of the thousand, Diti, pleased and steadfast in her austerity, spoke to Indra.
पुत्रोत्तीर्णव्रतां प्रायो विद्धि मां पाकशासन भविष्यति च ते भ्राता तेन सार्धमिमां श्रियम्
'Know me, O slayer of Vṛtra, as one who has nearly completed the vow for a son. Your brother will be born, and with him you will share this prosperity.'
भुङ्क्ष्व वत्स यथाकामं त्रैलोक्यं हतकण्टकम् इत्युक्त्वा निद्रयाविष्टा चरणाक्रान्तमूर्धजा
'Enjoy, dear child, the three worlds as you wish, now that their thorns are removed.' Having said this, she, overcome by sleep, lay with her hair at Indra's feet.
स्वयं सुष्वापानियता भाविनो ऽर्थस्य गौरवात् तत्तु रन्ध्रं समासाद्य जठरं पाकशासनः
She herself, unguarded, fell asleep because of the weight of what was to come. Indra, finding that opening, entered her womb.