आसुरो मास्तु मे भावः सन्तु लोका ममाक्षयाः तपस्येव रतिर् मेऽस्तु शरीरस्यास्तु वर्तनम्
May I not possess a demonic nature; may my worlds be imperishable; may I have delight in ascetic practice, and may my body continue to exist.
एवमस्त्विति तं देवो जगाम स्वकमालयम् वज्राङ्गो ऽपि समाप्ते तु तपसि स्थिरसंयमः
The god replied, 'So be it,' and returned to his own abode; Vajrāṅga, having completed his austerity with firm discipline,
आहारमिच्छन्भार्यां स्वां न ददर्शाश्रमे स्वके क्षुधाविष्टः स शैलस्य गहनं प्रविवेश ह
Desiring food and seeking his wife, he did not find her in his own hermitage; overcome by hunger, he entered the mountain's dense forest.
आदातुं फलमूलानि स च तस्मिन्व्यलोकयत् रुदतीं तां प्रियां दीनां तनुप्रच्छादिताननाम् तां विलोक्य स दैत्येन्द्रः प्रोवाच परिसान्त्वयन्
There, as he went to gather fruits and roots, he saw his beloved, weeping and distressed, her face veiled by her garment; seeing her, the lord of the Daityas spoke, gently consoling her.
केन ते ऽपकृतं भीरु यमलोकं यियासुना कं वा कामं प्रयच्छामि शीघ्रं मे ब्रूहि भामिनि
By whom have you been wronged, O timid one, by someone desiring to go to Yama's realm? Or what desire shall I fulfill for you? Quickly tell me, beautiful one.
त्रासितास्म्यपविद्धास्मि ताडिता पीडितापि च रौद्रेण देवराजेन नष्टनाथेव भूरिशः
I have been frightened, cast away, struck, and tormented by the fierce king of the gods, as one bereft of her protector, again and again.
दुःखपारमपश्यन्ती प्राणांस्त्यक्तुं व्यवस्थिता पुत्रं मे तारकं देहि दुःखशोकमहार्णवात्
Seeing no end to my suffering, I am resolved to abandon my life; give me my son Tāraka, that I may escape this vast ocean of grief and sorrow.
एवमुक्तः स दैत्येन्द्रः कोपव्याकुललोचनः शक्तो ऽपि देवराजस्य प्रतिकर्तुं महासुरः
Thus addressed, the lord of the Daityas, his eyes agitated with anger, though able to retaliate against the king of the gods, that great Asura—
तपः कर्तुं पुनर्दैत्यो व्यवस्वेत महाबलः ज्ञात्वा तु तस्य संकल्पं ब्रह्मा क्रूरतरं पुनः
—resolved once more to undertake austerity, mighty as he was; but knowing his fierce intention, Brahmā again—
आजगाम तदा तत्र यत्रासौ दितिनन्दनः उवाच तस्मै भगवान् प्रभुर्मधुरया गिरा
—then came there, where that son of Diti was; the blessed Lord spoke to him with gentle words.
किमर्थं पुत्रं भूयस्त्वं नियमं क्रूरमिच्छसि आहाराभिमुखो दैत्य तन्नो ब्रूहि महाव्रत
For what reason, my son, do you again wish to undertake such harsh discipline? O Daitya, intent on food, tell us, O great vow-keeper.
यावदब्दसहस्रेण निराहारस्य यत्फलम् क्षणेनैकेन तल्लभ्यं त्यक्त्वाहारमुपस्थितम्
The fruit obtained by a thousand years of fasting can be gained in a single moment by renouncing food, when the time is right.
त्यागो ह्यप्राप्तकामानां कामेभ्यो न तथा गुरुः यथा प्राप्तं परित्यज्य कामं कमललोचन
For the renunciation of unattained desires is not as weighty as the abandonment of a desire already attained, O lotus-eyed one.
श्रुत्वैतद्ब्रह्मणो वाक्यं दैत्यः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत् चिन्तयंस्तपसा युक्तो हृदि ब्रह्ममुखेरितम्
Hearing these words of Brahmā, the Daitya, with joined palms, spoke, reflecting on the words uttered by Brahmā, his mind absorbed in austerity.
उत्थितेन मया दृष्टा समाधानात्त्वदाज्ञया महिषी भीषिता दीना रुदती शाखिनस्तले
As I rose from meditation at your command, I saw my queen, frightened, distressed, and weeping beneath a tree.
सा मयोक्ता तु तन्वङ्गी दूयमानेन चेतसा किमेवं वर्तसे भीरु वद त्वं किं चिकीर्षसि
I spoke to her, slender-limbed, my mind troubled: 'Why are you like this, timid one? Tell me, what do you wish to do?'
इत्युक्ता सा मया देव प्रोवाच स्खलिताक्षरम् वाक्यं चोवाच तन्वङ्गी भीता सा हेतुसंहितम्
Thus addressed by me, O god, she replied with faltering words; that slender one, afraid, spoke words joined with their reason.
त्रासितास्म्यपविद्धास्मि कर्षिता पीडितास्मि च रौद्रेण देवराजेन नष्टनाथेव भूरिशः
I have been frightened, cast away, harassed, and tormented by the fierce king of the gods, as one bereft of her protector, again and again.
दुःखस्यान्तमपश्यन्ती प्राणांस्त्यक्तुं व्यवस्थिता पुत्रं मे तारकं देहि ह्य् अस्माद्दुःखमहार्णवात्
Seeing no end to my suffering, I am resolved to give up my life. Grant me a son, Tāraka, to rescue me from this vast ocean of misery.
एवमुक्तस्तु संक्षुब्धस् तस्याः पुत्रार्थमुद्यतः तपो घोरं करिष्यामि जयाय त्रिदिवौकसाम्
Thus addressed, he became agitated and, for the sake of her son, resolved: I will undertake fierce austerity to triumph over the dwellers of heaven.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचो देवः पद्मगर्भोद्भवस्तदा उवाच दैत्यराजानं प्रसन्नश्चतुराननः
Hearing these words, the god born from the lotus, pleased, spoke to the king of the demons, his face serene, the four-faced one.
अलं ते तपसा वत्स मा क्लेशे दुस्तरे विश पुत्रस्ते तारको नाम भविष्यति महाबलः
Enough of austerity, child; do not enter this difficult hardship. Your son will be named Tāraka, and he will possess great strength.
देवसीमन्तिनीनां तु धम्मिल्लस्य विमोक्षणः इत्युक्तो दैत्यनाथस्तु प्रणिपत्य पितामहम्
The liberation of Dhammilla among the divine women—so said, the lord of the demons bowed to the grandsire.
आगत्यानन्दयामास महिषीं हर्षिताननः तौ दम्पती कृतार्थौ तु जग्मतुः स्वाश्रमं मुदा
Returning, he delighted his queen, his face radiant with joy. The couple, their wish fulfilled, went to their own hermitage in happiness.
वज्राङ्गेणाहितं गर्भं वराङ्गी वरवर्णिनी पूर्णं वर्षसहस्रं च दधारोदर एव हि
The splendid, beautiful Varāṅgī carried the embryo placed by Vajrāṅga for a full thousand years within her womb.
ततो वर्षसहस्रान्ते वराङ्गी सुषुवे सुतम् जायमाने तु दैत्येन्द्रे तस्मिंल्लोकभयंकरे
Then, at the end of a thousand years, Varāṅgī gave birth to a son. As the lord of demons was born, he became a terror to the worlds.
चचाल सकला पृथ्वी समुद्राश्च चकम्पिरे चेलुर्महीधराः सर्वे ववुर्वाताश्च भीषणाः
The whole earth trembled, the oceans quaked, all the mountains shook, and fierce winds blew.
जेपुर्जप्यं मुनिवरा नेदुर्व्यालमृगा अपि चन्द्रसूर्यौ जहुः कान्तिं सनीहारा दिशो ऽभवन्
The great sages recited sacred chants, wild beasts roared, the moon and sun lost their radiance, and the directions became misty.
जाते महासुरे तस्मिन् सर्वे चापि महासुराः आजग्मुर्हृषितास्तत्र तथा चासुरयोषितः
When that great demon was born, all the mighty demons and their women came there, delighted.
जगुर्हर्षसमाविष्टा ननृतुश्चासुराङ्गनाः ततो महोत्सवो जातो दानवानां द्विजोत्तमाः
Filled with joy, the demon women sang and danced. Then a great festival arose among the Dānavas, O best of twice-born.