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.
साधु साध्वित्यवोचंस्ते तत्र दैत्याः सविस्मयाः सो ऽगच्छत्पारियात्रस्य गिरेः कन्दरमुत्तमम्
The Daityas, amazed, exclaimed, 'Well said! Well said!' and he went to the finest cave of the Pāriyātra mountain.
सर्वर्तुकुसुमाकीर्णं नानौषधिविदीपितम् नानाधातुरसस्रावचित्रं नानागुहागृहम्
It was adorned with flowers of all seasons, illuminated by various herbs, filled with streams of many minerals, and dotted with diverse caves and dwellings.
गहनैः सर्वतो गूढं चित्रकल्पद्रुमाश्रयम् अनेकाकारबहुलं पृथक्पक्षिकुलाकुलम्
Hidden on all sides by dense thickets, sheltered by wondrous wish-fulfilling trees, teeming with countless forms and flocks of birds of every kind.
नानाप्रस्रवणोपेतं नानाविधजलाशयम् प्राप्य तत्कन्दरं दैत्यश् चचार विपुलं तपः
Endowed with many springs and reservoirs of various waters, he reached that cave and undertook great austerity.
निराहारः पञ्चतपाः पत्त्रभुग्वारिभोजनः शतं शतं समानां तु तपांस्येतानि सो ऽकरोत्
He fasted, practiced the fivefold austerity, subsisted on leaves and water; for hundreds upon hundreds of years, he performed these ascetic practices.
ततः स्वदेहादुत्कृत्य कर्षं कर्षं दिने दिने मांसस्याग्नौ जुहावासौ ततो निर्मांसतां गतः
Then, day by day, he cut flesh from his own body and offered it into the fire; thus, he became devoid of flesh.
तस्मिन्निर्मांसतां याते तपोराशित्वमागते जज्वलुः सर्वभूतानि तेजसा तस्य सर्वतः
When he had become fleshless and amassed ascetic power, all beings everywhere blazed with the radiance of his energy.
उद्विग्नाश्च सुराः सर्वे तपसा तस्य भीषिताः एतस्मिन्नन्तरे ब्रह्मा परमं तोषमागतः
All the gods were troubled, frightened by his austerity; meanwhile, Brahmā attained supreme satisfaction.
तारकस्य वरं दातुं जगाम त्रिदशालयात् प्राप्य तं शैलराजानं स गिरेः कन्दरस्थितम् उवाच तारकं देवो गिरा मधुरया युतः
To grant Tāraka a boon, he came from the abode of the gods; finding him in the cave of the mountain king, the god addressed Tāraka with sweet words.
पुत्रालं तपसा ते ऽस्तु नास्त्यसाध्यं तवाधुना वरं वृणीष्व रुचिरं यत्ते मनसि वर्तते
Enough, child, with your austerity; nothing is unattainable for you now. Choose a splendid boon, whatever dwells in your mind.
इत्युक्तस्तारको दैत्यः प्रणम्यात्मभुवं विभुम् उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा प्रणतः पृथुविक्रमः
Thus addressed, Tāraka the Daitya, bowing to the self-born Lord, spoke with joined palms, humbly, mighty in valor.
देवभूतमनोवास वेत्सि जन्तुविचेष्टितम् कृतप्रतिकृताकाङ्क्षी जिगीषुः प्रायशो जनः
You know the hearts of gods and the actions of creatures; people, desiring reward or retaliation, generally strive for victory.
वयं च जातिधर्मेण कृतवैराः सहामरैः तैश्च निःशेषिता दैत्याः क्रूरैः संत्यज्य धर्मिताम् तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता भवेयमिति मे मतिः
By birth and duty, we have enmity with the immortals; the Daityas have been destroyed by them, forsaking righteousness. My resolve is to be their deliverer.
अवध्यः सर्वभूतानाम् अस्त्राणां च महौजसाम् स्यामहं परमो ह्येष वरो मम हृदि स्थितः
Let me be invulnerable to all beings and to mighty weapons; this supreme boon is firmly fixed in my heart.
एतन्मे देहि देवेश नान्यो मे रोचते वरः तमुवाच ततो दैत्यं विरिञ्चिः सुरनायकः
Grant me this boon, O Lord of the gods; no other favor pleases me. Then the leader of the gods, Brahmā, spoke thus to the demon.
न युज्यन्ते विना मृत्युं देहिनो दैत्यसत्तम यतस्ततो ऽपि वरय मृत्युं यस्मान्न शङ्कसे
Without death, embodied beings cannot exist, O best of demons; therefore, choose another boon, except for death, since you do not fear it.
ततः संचिन्त्य दैत्येन्द्रः शिशोर्वै सप्तवासरात् वव्रे महासुरो मृत्युम् अवलेपेन मोहितः
Then, after reflecting, the lord of demons, deluded by pride, asked for death only after seven days from his birth as a child.
ब्रह्मा चास्मै वरं दत्त्वा यत्किंचिन्मनसेप्सितम् जगाम त्रिदिवं देवो दैत्यो ऽपि स्वकमालयम्
Brahmā, having granted him whatever boon he desired in his mind, departed to heaven, and the demon returned to his own abode.
उत्तीर्णं तपसस्तं तु दैत्यं दैत्येश्वरास्तथा परिवव्रुः सहस्राक्षं दिवि देवगणा यथा
When that demon had completed his austerities, the lords of the demons gathered around him, just as the hosts of gods surround Indra in heaven.
तस्मिन्महति राज्यस्थे तारके दैत्यनन्दने ऋतवो मूर्तिमन्तश्च स्वकालगुणबृंहिताः
As Tāraka, the delight of the demons, held great sovereignty, the seasons themselves appeared in form, enhanced by their own qualities.