एतदाश्चर्यमभवत्संग्रामे तारकामये। दानवानां च विष्णोश्च यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि
This was the marvel that occurred in the battle of Tārakāmaya—concerning the Dānavas and Viṣṇu, which you have asked me about.
भीष्म उवाच। श्रुतः पद्मोद्भवो ब्रह्मन्विस्तरेण त्वयेरितः। समासाद्भवमाहात्म्यमुत्पत्तिं च गुहस्य च
Bhīṣma said: 'O Brāhmaṇa, the account of the lotus-born has been heard, narrated by you in detail; also the greatness and origin of Guha.'
श्रोतुमिच्छामि ते ब्रह्मन्यथाभूतः कृतं च यत्। तारकश्च कथं भूतो दानवो बलवत्तरः
O Brahman, I wish to hear from you the true account of what happened, and how Tāraka became such a powerful Dānava.
कार्त्तिकेयेन स ब्रह्मन्कथं ध्वस्तो महासुरः। कथं रुद्रेण मुनयः प्रेषिता मंदरं गिरिम्
How was that great Asura destroyed by Kārttikeya, O Brahman? And how were the sages sent by Rudra to Mount Mandara?
कथं लब्धा उमा तत्र रुद्रेण परमेष्ठिना। एतदाख्याहि मे सर्वं यथाभूतं महामुने
How did Rudra, the supreme lord, obtain Umā there? O great sage, tell me all this as it truly happened.
पुलस्त्य उवाच। कश्यपेन पुरा प्रोक्ता दितिर्दैत्यारणिः शुभा। वज्रसारमयैश्चांगैः पुत्रो देवि भविष्यति
Pulastya said: Once, Kaśyapa spoke to Diti, the auspicious mother of the Daityas: 'O goddess, you will have a son with limbs as hard as thunderbolts.'
वज्रांगो नाम पुत्रस्तु भविता धर्मवत्सलः। सा च लब्धवरा देवी सुषुवे वज्रदुश्छिदम्
That son will be named Vajrāṅga, devoted to righteousness; and the goddess, having obtained a boon, gave birth to Vajrāṅga, whose body could not be pierced by thunderbolts.
स जातमात्र एवाभूत्सर्वशास्त्रार्थपारगः। उवाच मातरं भक्त्या मातः किं करवाण्यहम्
As soon as he was born, he mastered the meaning of all the scriptures, and with devotion said to his mother: 'Mother, what shall I do?'
तस्योवाच ततो हृष्टा दितिर्दैत्याधिपस्य तु। बहवो मे हताः पुत्राः सहस्राक्षेण पुत्रक
Then Diti, delighted, spoke to her son, the lord of the Daityas: 'Many of my sons, dear child, have been slain by the thousand-eyed one.'
तेषामपचितिं कर्तुं गच्छ शक्रवधाय तु। बाढमित्येव तां चोक्त्वा जगाम त्रिदिवं बलात्
'Go, therefore, to slay Indra, and perform the funeral rites for them.' Saying 'So be it,' he forcefully went to the realm of the gods.
बध्वा ततः सहस्राक्षं पाशेनामोघवर्चसा। मातुरंतिकमागच्छद्व्याधः क्षुद्रमृगं यथा
Then, binding the thousand-eyed one with a noose of unfailing brilliance, he brought him to his mother, like a hunter bringing a small animal.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे ब्रह्मा कश्यपश्च महातपाः। आगतौ तत्र यत्रास्तां मातापुत्रावभीतकौ
Meanwhile, Brahmā and the great ascetic Kaśyapa arrived there, where mother and son stood without fear.
दृष्ट्वा तु तावुवाचेदं ब्रह्मा कश्यप एव च। मुंचैनं पुत्र देवेंद्रं किमनेन प्रयोजनम्
Seeing them, Brahmā and Kaśyapa said: 'Release this Indra, my son; what purpose does he serve for you?'
अवमानो वधः प्रोक्तः पुत्र संभावितस्य तु। अस्मद्वाक्येन यो मुक्तस्त्वद्धस्तान्मृत एव सः
'Disrespect is said to be the death of an honored person, my son; one who is released from your hand at our word is as good as dead.'
परस्य गौरवान्मुक्तः शत्रूणां शत्रुराहवे। सजीवन्नेव हि मृतो दिवसे दिवसे पुनः
'An enemy released out of respect for another, though alive, is as if dead in battle, day after day.'
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वज्रांगः प्रणतो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। न मे कृत्यमनेनास्ति मातुराज्ञा कृता हि मे
Hearing this, Vajrāṅga bowed and said: 'I have nothing more to do with him; my mother's command has been fulfilled.'
त्वं सुरासुरनाथो वै मान्यश्च प्रपितामहः। करिष्ये त्वद्वचो देव एष मुक्तः शतक्रतुः
'You are the lord of gods and asuras, and worthy of honor, O great grandsire; I will do as you say, O god—let Śatakratu be released.'
तपसेमेरतिर्देवनिर्विघ्नंतच्चमेभवेत्। त्वत्प्रसादेन भगवन्नित्युक्त्वा विरराम ह
'May my ascetic practice proceed without obstacle, O god; by your grace, let this be so.' Having said this, he became silent.
तस्मिंस्तूष्णीं स्थिते दैत्ये प्रोवाचेदं पितामहः। ब्रह्मोवाच। तपस्त्वं कुरु मापन्नः सोस्मच्छासनसंस्थितः
As the Daitya stood silent, the grandsire spoke these words: Brahmā said: 'Perform ascetic practice, do not despair, remain steadfast in my command.'
अनया चित्तशुद्ध्या हि पर्याप्तं जन्मनः फलम्। इत्युक्त्वा पद्मजः कन्यां ससर्जायतलोचनाम्
'With this purity of mind, the fruit of birth is fully attained.' Having said this, the lotus-born one created a maiden with wide eyes.
तामस्मै प्रददौ देवः पत्न्यर्थे पद्मसंभवः। वरांगीति च नामास्याः कृत्वा यातः पितापहः
For the sake of marriage, the god born from the lotus gave her to him, naming her Varāṅgī, and then her father departed.
वज्रांगोपि तया सार्द्धं जगाम तपसे वनम्। ऊर्द्ध्वबाहुस्स दैत्येंद्रो चरद्वर्षसहस्रकम्
Vajrāṅga, together with her, went to the forest for austerities; the lord of the Daityas practiced penance with upraised arms for a thousand years.
कालं कमलपत्राक्षः शुद्धबुद्धिर्महातपाः। तावच्चाधोमुखः कालं तावत्पंचाग्निमध्यगः
That lotus-eyed, pure-minded, and greatly austere Kāla remained with his head down for that time, and for that time he stood amidst five fires.
निराहारो घोरतपास्तपोराशिरजायत। ततः सोंतर्जले चक्रे वासं वर्षसहस्रकम्
Without food, performing terrible austerity, he became a heap of penance; then he made his dwelling in water for a thousand years.
जलांतरं प्रविष्टस्य तस्य पत्नी महाव्रता। तस्यैव तीरे सरसः स्थिताऽसौ मौनमाश्रिता
As he entered the water, his wife, steadfast in great vows, stood in silence on the very bank of that lake.
निराहारं तपो घोरं प्रविवेश महाद्युतिः। तस्यां तपसि वर्तंत्यामिंद्रश्चक्रे विभीषिकाम्
That radiant woman, without food, entered into severe austerity; while she was engaged in penance, Indra created terror.
गत्वा तु मर्कटाकारस्तदाश्रमपदं महत्। ब्रसीं चकर्ष बलवान्गंधाद्यर्चाकरंडकम्
Then, taking the form of a monkey, Indra went to that great hermitage and, being strong, pulled at the vessel of offerings and the basket of flowers.
ततस्तु सिंहरूपेण भीषयामास भामिनीम्। ततो भुजंगरूपेणाप्यदशच्चरणद्वयम्
Then, in the form of a lion, he frightened the beautiful woman; then, taking the form of a serpent, he bit both her feet.
तपोबलवशात्सा तु नवध्यत्वं जगाम ह। भीषिकाभिरनेकाभिः क्लेशयन्पाकशासनः
But by the power of her penance, she did not waver; Pākaśāsana tormented her with many terrors.
विरराम यदा नैव वज्रांगमहिषी तदा। शैलस्यदुष्टतां मत्वा शापं दातुं समुद्यता
When Vajrāṅga's wife did not cease her penance, considering the mountain to be at fault, she prepared to pronounce a curse.