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.
चकार सप्तधा गर्भं कुलिशेन तु देवराट् एकैकं तु पुनः खण्डं चकार मघवा ततः
The king of the gods split the embryo into seven parts with his thunderbolt; then Maghavan divided each part again.
सप्तधा सप्तधा कोपात् प्राबुध्यत ततो दितिः विबुध्योवाच मा शक्र घातयेथाः प्रजां मम
Out of anger, each of the seven parts was split again into seven. Then Diti awoke and said, 'Do not, O Indra, destroy my offspring.'
तच्छ्रुत्वा निर्गतः शक्रः स्थित्वा प्राञ्जलिरग्रतः उवाच वाक्यं संत्रस्तो मातुर्वै वदनेरितम्
Hearing this, Indra emerged, stood before her with joined palms, and, fearful, spoke words uttered by his mother.
दिवास्वप्नपरा मातः पादाक्रान्तशिरोरुहा सप्तसप्तभिरेवातस् तव गर्भः कृतो मया
'Mother, you were absorbed in daydreams, your hair pressed under your feet. With seven times seven blows, I have divided your embryo.'
एकोनपञ्चाशत्कृता भागा वज्रेण ते सुताः दास्यामि तेषां स्थानानि दिवि दैवतपूजिते
I will give you the places in heaven, revered by the gods, for your sons who were slain by the thunderbolt fifty-four times.
इत्युक्ता सा तदा देवी सैवमस्त्वित्यभाषत पुनश्च देवी भर्तारम् उवाचासितलोचना
Thus addressed, the goddess replied, 'So be it,' and then, with her eyes dark as night, again spoke to her husband.
पुत्रं प्रजापते देहि शक्रजेतारमूर्जितम् यो नास्त्रशस्त्रैर्वध्यत्वं गच्छेत्त्रिदिववासिनाम्
Grant me, O Lord of creatures, a son—powerful, conqueror of Indra—who cannot be slain by any weapon or missile of the gods dwelling in heaven.
इत्युक्तः स तथोवाच तां पत्नीमतिदुःखिताम् दश वर्षसहस्राणि तपः कृत्वा तु लप्स्यसे
Thus addressed, he spoke to his deeply grieving wife: 'By performing austerities for ten thousand years, you shall obtain such a son.'
वज्रासारमयैर् अङ्गैर् अछेद्यैरायसैर् दृढैः वज्राङ्गो नाम पुत्रस्ते भविता पुत्रवत्सले
With limbs made of adamant, unbreakable and strong as iron, your son, O devoted mother, will be named Vajrāṅga.
सा तु लब्धवरा देवी जगाम तपसे वनम् दश वर्षसहस्राणि सा तपो घोरमाचरत्
Having received the boon, the goddess went to the forest for austerities, and for ten thousand years she practiced severe penance.
तपसो ऽन्ते भगवती जनयामास दुर्जयम् पुत्रमप्रतिकर्माणम् अजेयं वज्रदुश्छिदम्
At the end of her penance, the blessed one gave birth to a son, unconquerable, invincible, and unassailable by any weapon.
स जातमात्र एवाभूत् सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रपारगः उवाच मातरं भक्त्या मातः किं करवाण्यहम्
Immediately upon birth, he became skilled in all weapons and missiles, and with devotion asked his mother, 'Mother, what shall I do?'
तमुवाच ततो हृष्टा दितिर्दैत्याधिपं च सा बहवो मे हताः पुत्राः सहस्राक्षेण पुत्रक
Then Diti, delighted, spoke to her son, the lord of the Daityas: 'Many of my sons have been slain by the thousand-eyed one, my child.'
तेषां त्वं प्रतिकर्तुं वै गच्छ शक्रवधाय च बाढमित्येव तामुक्त्वा जगाम त्रिदिवं बली
'Go, avenge them and slay Indra.' Having thus spoken to her, the mighty one departed for heaven.
बद्ध्वा ततः सहस्राक्षं पाशेनामोघवर्चसा मातुरन्तिकमागच्छद् व्याघ्रः क्षुद्रमृगं यथा
Then, binding the thousand-eyed one with a noose of unfailing brilliance, he brought him before his mother, as a tiger brings a small deer.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे ब्रह्मा कश्यपश्च महातपाः आगतौ तत्र यत्रास्तां मातापुत्रावभीतकौ
At that moment, Brahmā and the great ascetic Kaśyapa arrived there, where the mother and son stood, fearless.
दृष्ट्वा तु तावुवाचेदं ब्रह्मा कश्यप एव च मुञ्चैनं पुत्र देवेन्द्रं किमनेन प्रयोजनम्
Seeing them, Brahmā and Kaśyapa said: 'Release Indra, my son; what purpose is served by holding him?'
अपमानो वधः प्रोक्तः पुत्र संभावितस्य च अस्मद्वाक्येन यो मुक्तो विद्धि तं मृतमेव च
'The killing of a respected one is called disgrace, my son. Know that one who is released at our word is as good as dead.'
परस्य गौरवान्मुक्तः शत्रूणां भारमावहेत् जीवन्नेव मृतो वत्स दिवसे दिवसे स तु
'Released out of regard for another, he bears the burden of his enemies. Though alive, my child, he is dead day after day.'
महतां वशमायाते वैरं नैवास्ति वैरिणि एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वज्राङ्गः प्रणतो वाक्यमब्रवीत्
'For those who are under the sway of the great, there is no enmity with an enemy.' Hearing this, Vajrāṅga bowed and spoke these words.