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.
अभवन्किंकरास्तस्य लोकपालाश्च सर्वशः कान्तिर्द्युतिर्धृतिर्मेधा श्रीरवेक्ष्य च दानवम्
All the guardians of the worlds became his attendants; beauty, splendor, fortitude, intelligence, and prosperity watched over the Dānava.
परिवव्रुर्गुणाकीर्णा निश्छिद्राः सर्व एव हि कालागुरुविलिप्ताङ्गं महामुकुटभूषणम्
They surrounded him, adorned with virtues and without any flaw, his body anointed with fragrant aloe, his head adorned with a great crown.
रुचिराङ्गदनद्धाङ्गं महासिंहासने स्थितम् वीजयन्त्यप्सरःश्रेष्ठा भृशं मुञ्चन्ति नैव ताः
His limbs were decorated with beautiful armlets, seated upon a great lion-throne; the foremost Apsarases fanned him constantly, never ceasing.
चन्द्रार्कौ दीपमार्गेषु व्यजनेषु च मारुतः कृतान्तो ऽग्रेसरस्तस्य बभूवुर्मुनिसत्तमाः
The moon and sun served as lamps along his path, the wind as his fan; Death himself led the way before him, O best of sages.
एवं प्रयाति काले तु वितते तारकासुरः बभाषे सचिवान्दैत्यः प्रभूतवरदर्पितः
Thus, as time passed, Tārakāsura, filled with the pride of many boons, addressed his demon ministers.
राज्येन कारणं किं मे त्व् अनाक्रम्य त्रिविष्टपम् अनिर्याप्य सुरैर्वैरं का शान्तिर्हृदये मम
What is the purpose of my kingdom if I do not conquer the heavens? How can my heart find peace without vanquishing the gods and ending our enmity?
भुञ्जते ऽद्यापि यज्ञांशान् अमरा नाक एव हि विष्णुः श्रियं न जहति तिष्ठते च गतभ्रमः
Even now, the immortals enjoy their shares of sacrifice in heaven; Viṣṇu does not abandon his fortune and remains free from delusion.
स्वस्थाभिः स्वर्गनारीभिः पीड्यन्ते ऽमरवल्लभाः सोत्पला मदिरामोदा दिवि क्रीडायनेषु च
The beloveds of the gods, the women of heaven, oppress them with their beauty, lotus in hand, intoxicated with wine, in their celestial sports and gardens.
लब्ध्वा जन्म न यः कश्चिद् घटयेत्पौरुषं नरः जन्म तस्य वृथा भूतम् अजन्मा तु विशिष्यते
A man who, having obtained birth, does not strive for valor—his birth is in vain; the unborn is even superior to him.
मातापितृभ्यां न करोति कामान् बन्धूनशोकान्न करोति यो वा कीर्तिं हि वा नार्जयते हिमाभां पुमान्स जातो ऽपि मृतो मतं मे
He who does not fulfill the desires of his parents, does not relieve the sorrows of his kin, nor attains fame as pure as the moon—such a man, though born, is as good as dead in my view.
तस्माज्जयायामरपुंगवानां त्रैलोक्यलक्ष्मीहरणाय शीघ्रम् संयोज्यतां मे रथमष्टचक्रं बलं च मे दुर्जयदैत्यचक्रम् ध्वजं च मे काञ्चनपट्टनद्धं छत्त्रं च मे मौक्तिकजालबद्धम्
Therefore, quickly prepare for me the eight-wheeled chariot for victory over the foremost of the immortals, to seize the fortune of the three worlds; assemble my invincible demon army, my banner adorned with golden cloth, and my umbrella covered with a net of pearls.
तारकस्य वचः श्रुत्वा ग्रसनो नाम दानवः सेनानीर् दैत्यराजस्य तथा चक्रे बलान्वितः
Hearing Tāraka's words, the demon named Grasana, commander of the demon king's army, did exactly as he was commanded, gathering the forces.
आहत्य भेरीं गम्भीरां दैत्यानाहूय सत्वरः तुरगाणां सहस्रेण चक्राष्टकविभूषितम्
Sounding a deep drum, he swiftly summoned the Daityas, with a chariot adorned with eight wheels, drawn by a thousand horses.
शुक्लाम्बरपरिष्कारं चतुर्योजनविस्तृतम् नानाक्रीडागृहयुतं गीतवाद्यमनोहरम्
Clad in white garments, it stretched four yojanas wide, filled with various pleasure-houses, enchanting with songs and music.
विमानमिव देवस्य सुरभर्तुः शतक्रतोः दशकोटीश्वरा दैत्या दैत्यानां चण्डविक्रमाः
Like the celestial chariot of Indra, lord of the gods, the Daityas—ten crores in number, fierce in valor—assembled.
तेषामग्रेसरो जम्भः कुजम्भो ऽनन्तरस्ततः महिषः कुञ्जरो मेघः कालनेमिर्निमिस्तथा
Foremost among them was Jambha; next was Kujambha, then Mahisha, Kunjara, Megha, Kalanemi, and Nimi.
मथनो जम्भकः शुम्भो दैत्येन्द्रा दश नायकाः अन्ये ऽपि शतशस्तस्य पृथिवीदलनक्षमाः
Mathana, Jambhaka, Shumbha—these ten Daitya lords were leaders; and hundreds of others, capable of shaking the earth, were with them.
दैत्येन्द्रा गिरिवर्ष्माणः सन्ति चण्डपराक्रमाः नानायुधप्रहरणा नानाशस्त्रास्त्रपारगाः
These Daitya lords were mountain-like in stature, fierce in might, skilled in many weapons and missiles of various kinds.
तारकस्याभवत्केतू रौद्रः कनकभूषणः केतुना मकरेणापि सेनानीर् ग्रसनो ऽरिहा
Tāraka's banner was dreadful, adorned with gold; Grasaṇa, the slayer of foes, was the army chief, with a makara as his emblem.
पैशाचं यस्य वदनं जम्भस्यासीदयोमयम् खरविधूतलाङ्गूलं कुजम्भस्याभवद्ध्वजे
Jambha's banner bore a demonic face of iron; Kujambha's standard displayed a donkey with a swinging tail.