कं वा कामं प्रयच्छामि शीघ्रं प्रब्रूहि मानिनि। वरांग्युवाच। त्रासितास्म्यपविद्धास्मि ताडिता पीडितास्मि च
'What wish shall I grant you? Speak quickly, proud lady.' Varangi said, 'I am frightened, cast aside, beaten, and tormented.'
रौद्रेण देवराजेन नष्टनाथेव भूरिशः। दुःखस्यांतमपश्यंती प्राणांस्त्यक्तुं व्यवस्थिता
'By the fierce king of the gods, I have been deprived of my husband many times; unable to see an end to my suffering, I am resolved to give up my life.'
पुत्रं मे तारकं देहि तस्माद्दुःखमहार्णवात्। एवमुक्तस्तु दैत्येंद्रः कोपव्याकुललोचनः
'Give me my son Taraka, so that I may escape this vast ocean of sorrow.' Thus addressed, the lord of demons, his eyes filled with anger,
शक्तोपि देवराजस्य प्रतिकर्तुं महासुरः। तप एव पुनश्चर्तुं व्यवस्यत महाबलः
Though able to oppose the king of the gods, the mighty demon resolved to perform austerities again.
ज्ञात्वा तस्य तु संकल्पं ब्रह्मा क्रूरतरं पुनः। आजगाम त्वरायुक्तो यत्रासौ दितिनंदनः
Knowing his intention, Brahma, more severe than before, came swiftly to where the son of Diti was.
ब्रह्मोवाच। किमर्थं पुत्र भूयस्त्वं कर्तुं नियममुद्यतः। तदहं ते पुनर्दद्मि कांक्षितं पुत्रमोजसा
Brahma said, 'Why, my son, are you again intent on undertaking austerities? I shall once more grant you the desired son by my power.'
वज्रांग उवाच। उत्थितेन मया दृष्टा समाधानात्त्वदाज्ञया। त्रासितेंद्रेण मामाह सा वरांगी सुतार्थिनी
Vajranga said, 'When I rose from meditation at your command, I saw her, frightened by Indra, and she asked me for a son.'
पुत्रं मे तारकं देहि तुष्टो मे त्वं पितामह। ब्रह्मोवाच। अलं ते तपसा वीर मा क्लेशे दुस्तरे विश
'Give me my son Taraka; be pleased with me, O grandsire.' Brahma said, 'Enough of austerity, hero; do not enter this difficult hardship.'
पुत्रस्तु तारको नाम भविष्यति महाबलः। देवसीमंतिनीनां तु धम्मिल्लक विमोक्षकः
'Your son will be named Taraka, mighty in strength; he will be the liberator of the damsels among the gods.'
इत्युक्तो दैत्यनाथस्तु प्रणम्य प्रपितामहम्। गत्वा तां नंदयामास महिषीं कर्शितांतराम्
Thus addressed, the lord of demons, bowing to the grandsire, went and cheered his emaciated queen.
तौ दंपती कृतार्थौ तु जग्मतुः स्वाश्रमं तदा। आहितं तु तदा गर्भं वरांगी वरवर्णिनी1.42.
The couple, having achieved their desire, then returned to their hermitage; Varangi, of excellent complexion, conceived at that time.
पूर्णं वर्षसहस्रं तु दधारोदर एव हि। ततो वर्षसहस्रांते वरांगी सा प्रसूयत
For a full thousand years she carried the child in her womb; then, at the end of a thousand years, Varangi gave birth.
जायमाने तु दैत्ये तु तस्मिन्लोकभयंकरे। चचाल सर्वा पृथिवी प्रोद्भूताश्च महार्णवाः
As the demon, terrifying to the worlds, was being born, the whole earth trembled and great oceans surged forth.
चेलुर्धराधराश्चापि ववुर्वाताश्च भीषणाः। जेपुर्जप्यं मुनिवरा नेदुर्व्यालमृगा अपि
Mountains shook, fierce winds blew, the great sages recited sacred chants, and wild beasts roared.
जहौ कांतिश्चंद्रसूर्यौ नीहारच्छादिता दिशः। जाते महासुरे तस्मिन्सर्वे चापि महासुराः
The moon and sun lost their radiance, the directions were covered in mist; when the great demon was born, all the mighty demons
आजग्मुर्हर्षितास्तत्र तथा चासुरयोषितः। जगुर्हर्षसमाविष्टा ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः
Arrived there joyfully, as did the demon women; filled with delight, they sang, and the hosts of apsaras danced.
ततो महोत्सवे जाते दानवानां महाद्युते। विषण्णमनसो देवाः सहेंद्रा अभवंस्तदा
Then, when a great festival arose among the demons in their grand contest, the gods, along with Indra, became despondent in spirit.
वरांगी तु सुतं दृष्ट्वा हर्षेणापूरिता तदा। बहुमेने च दैत्येंद्रो विजातं तं तदा तया
Varangi, upon seeing her son, was filled with joy at that time; and the lord of the demons, by her, regarded that newborn as highly significant.
जातमात्रस्तु दैत्येंद्रस्तारकश्चोग्रविक्रमः। अभिषिक्तो सुरैर्मुख्यैः कुजंभमहिषादिभिः
As soon as he was born, the demon lord Taraka, fierce in prowess, was anointed by the foremost gods—Kujamba, Mahisha, and others.
सर्वासुरमहाराज्ये पृथिवीतुलनक्षमे। स तु प्राप्तमहाराज्यस्तारको नृपसत्तम
In the entire great kingdom of the asuras, vast as the earth, Taraka, O best of kings, attained supreme sovereignty.
उवाच दानवश्रेष्ठो युक्तियुक्तमिदं वचः। तारक उवाच। शृणुध्वमसुराः सर्वे वाक्यं मम महाबलाः
The foremost among the demons spoke these words, full of reason: Taraka said, 'Hear me, all you mighty asuras, my statement.'
वंशक्षयकरा देवाः सर्वेषामेव दानवाः। अस्माकं जातिधर्मेण विरूढं वैरमक्षयम्
The gods are destroyers of our lineage, O demons; by the law of our birth, enmity has grown and remains unending.
वयं तपश्चरिष्यामः सुराणां निग्रहाय तु। स्वबाहुबलमाश्रित्य सर्व एव न संशयः
We shall undertake austerities for the subjugation of the gods, relying on the strength of our own arms, all of us without doubt.
तच्छ्रुत्वा संमतं कृत्वा पारियात्रं ययौ गिरिं। निराहारः पंचतपाः पत्रभुग्वारिभोजनः
Having heard this and agreed, he went to the mountain Pariyatra, fasting, practicing the fivefold austerity, subsisting on leaves and water.
शतंशतं समानां तु तपांस्येतान्यथाकरोत्। एवं तु कर्शिते देहे तपोराशित्वमागते
For hundreds upon hundreds of years, he performed these austerities; thus, when his body was emaciated and the accumulation of austerity was attained,
ब्रह्मागत्याह दैत्येंद्रं वरं वरय सुव्रत। स वव्रे सर्वभूतेभ्यो न मे मृत्युर्भवेदिति
Brahma came and said to the demon lord, 'Choose a boon, O steadfast one.' He requested, 'Let there be no death for me from any being.'
तमुवाच ततो ब्रह्मा देहिनां मरणं ध्रुवम्। यतस्ततोपि वरय मृत्युं यस्मान्न शंकसे
Then Brahma said to him, 'Death is certain for embodied beings; therefore, choose a death from whom you do not fear.'
ततः संचिंत्य दैत्येंद्रः शिशोर्वै सप्तवासरात्। वव्रे महासुरो मृत्युं मोहितो ह्यवलेपतः
Then, after considering, the demon lord, deluded by pride, the great asura, requested death only from a child after seven days.
जगामोमित्युदाहृत्य ब्रह्मा दैत्यो निजं गृहम्। अथाह मंत्रिणस्तूर्णं बलं मे संप्रयुज्यताम्
Having said 'So be it,' Brahma departed, and the demon returned to his own house; then he quickly said to his ministers, 'Let my army be assembled.'
यदि वो मत्प्रियं कार्यं निग्राह्याः सुरसत्तमाः। निगृहीतेषु मे प्रीतिर्जायते चातुलाऽसुराः
'If you wish to please me, the foremost gods must be subdued; when they are restrained, my joy will be boundless, O asuras.'