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.
महिषस्य तु गोमायुः केतोर्हैमस्तदाभवत् ध्वाङ्क्षो ध्वजे तु शुम्भस्य कृष्णायोमयमुच्छ्रितम्
Mahisha's banner bore a golden jackal; Shumbha's banner was raised high with a black iron vulture.
अनेकाकारविन्यासाश् चान्येषां तु ध्वजास्तथा शतेन शीघ्रवेगाणां व्याघ्राणां हेममालिनाम्
The banners of the others were arranged in many forms; a hundred swift tigers adorned with gold garlands were also present.
ग्रसनस्य रथो युक्तां किङ्किणीजालमालिनाम् शतेनापि च सिंहानां रथो जम्भस्य दुर्जयः
Grasaṇa's chariot was yoked with a hundred lions adorned with jingling bells; Jambha's formidable chariot too was drawn by lions.
कुजम्भस्य रथो युक्तः पिशाचवदनैः खरैः रथस्तु महिषस्योष्ट्रैर् गजस्य तु तुरंगमैः
Kujambha's chariot was drawn by donkeys with demonic faces; Mahisha's chariot by camels, and Kunjara's by horses.
मेषस्य द्वीपिभिर्भीमैः कुञ्जरैः कालनेमिनः पर्वताभैः समारूढो निमिर्मत्तैर्महागजैः
Mesha's was drawn by fierce leopards; Kalanemi's by elephants like mountains; Nimi rode on intoxicated great elephants.
चतुर्दन्तैर्गन्धवद्भिः शिक्षितैर्मेघभैरवैः शतहस्तायतैः कृष्णैस् तुरंगैर्हेमभूषणैः
With four-tusked, fragrant, well-trained elephants of thunderous roar; with black, gold-adorned horses, each a hundred hands long.
सितचामरजालेन शोभिते दक्षिणां दिशम् सितचन्दनचार्वङ्गो नानापुष्पस्रजोज्ज्वलः
The southern quarter shone, adorned with white yak-tail fans; their bodies smeared with white sandal, radiant with garlands of many flowers.
मथनो नाम दैत्येन्द्रः पाशहस्तो व्यराजत जम्भकः किङ्किणीजालमालमुष्ट्रं समास्थितः
Mathana, the Daitya lord, holding a noose, shone forth; Jambhaka mounted a camel adorned with jingling bells.
कालशुक्लमहामेषम् आरूढः शुम्भदानवः अन्ये ऽपि दानवा वीरा नानावाहनगामिनः
Shumbha the demon mounted a great ram, black as time; other heroic Dānavas rode various mounts.
प्रचण्डचित्रकर्माणः कुण्डलोष्णीषभूषणाः नानाविधोत्तरासङ्गा नानामाल्यविभूषणाः
Fierce and wondrous in their deeds, adorned with earrings and turbans, wearing garments of many kinds, and decked with various garlands.