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.
विषण्णमनसो देवाः समहेन्द्रास्तदाभवन् वराङ्गी स्वसुतं दृष्ट्वा हर्षेणापूरिता तदा
The gods, along with Indra, became despondent. Varāṅgī, seeing her own son, was filled with happiness.
बहु मेने न देवेन्द्रविजयं तु तदेव सा जातमात्रस्तु दैत्येन्द्रस् तारकश्चण्डविक्रमः
She did not consider Indra's victory to be of much importance. The newly born demon lord, Tāraka, was fierce in his valor.
अभिषिक्तो ऽसुरैः सर्वैः कुजम्भमहिषादिभिः सर्वासुरमहाराज्ये पृथिवीतुलनक्षमैः
He was anointed by all the demons—Kujambha, Mahiṣa, and others—for the supreme kingship of all demons, fit to shake the earth.
स तु प्राप्य महाराज्यं तारको मुनिसत्तमाः उवाच दानवश्रेष्ठान् युक्तियुक्तमिदं वचः
Having attained the great kingdom, Tāraka, O best of sages, addressed the foremost Dānavas with these words, full of reason.
शृणुध्वमसुराः सर्वे वाक्यं मम महाबलाः श्रेयसे क्रियतां बुद्धिः सर्वैः कृत्यस्य संविधौ
Hear, O mighty demons, all of you, my words. Let all deliberate together for the welfare and proper conduct of our affairs.
वंशक्षयकरा देवाः सर्वेषामेव दानवाः अस्माकं जातिधर्मो वै विरूढं वैरमक्षयम्
The gods bring destruction to our lineage; all Dānavas, our inherent nature is to have unending enmity with them.
वयमद्य गमिष्यामः सुराणां निग्रहाय तु स्वबाहुबलमाश्रित्य सर्व एव न संशयः
Today we shall go forth to subdue the gods, relying on our own strength of arms, all of us together—there is no doubt.
किंतु नातपसा युक्तो मन्ये ऽहं सुरसंगमम् अहमादौ करिष्यामि ततो घोरं दितेः सुताः
Yet, I do not think it right to confront the gods without austerity; first, I shall undertake ascetic practice, then the sons of Diti will wage fierce battle.
ततः सुरान्विजेष्यामो भोक्ष्यामो ऽथ जगत्त्रयम् स्थिरोपायो हि पुरुषः स्थिरश्रीरपि जायते
After that, we shall defeat the gods and enjoy the three worlds; for a man with steadfast resolve surely attains lasting fortune.
रक्षितुं नैव शक्नोति चपलश्चपलाः श्रियः तच्छ्रुत्वा दानवाः सर्वे वाक्यं तस्यासुरस्य तु
But one who is fickle cannot protect, for prosperity itself is unstable; hearing this, all the Dānavas listened to the words of that Asura.