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.'
तारकस्य वचः श्रुत्वा ग्रसनो नाम दानवः। सेनानीर्दैत्यराजस्य सज्जं चक्रे बलं च तत्
Hearing Taraka's words, the demon named Grasana, commander of the demon king's army, made the forces ready.
आहत्य भेरीं गंभीरां दैत्यानाहूय सत्वरः। दशकोटीश्वरा दैत्या दैत्यानां चंडविक्रमाः
Beating the deep drum, he swiftly summoned the demons; ten crore demon lords, fierce in valor, assembled.
तेषामग्रेसरो जंभः कुजंभोनंतरोऽसुरः। महिषः कुंजरो मेघः कालनेमिर्निमिस्तथा
Among them, Jambha was foremost; Kujamba was next, then Mahisha, Kunjara, Megha, Kalanemi, and Nimi as well.
मंथनो जंभकः शुम्भो दैत्येंद्रा दशनायकाः। अन्ये च शतशस्तत्र पृथिवीतुलनक्षमाः
Manthana, Jambhaka, Shumbha, the ten demon commanders, and hundreds of others there, vast as the earth, assembled.
गरुडानां सहस्रेण चक्राष्टकविभूषितः। सकूबरपरीवारश्चतुर्योजनविस्तृतः
Adorned with eight wheels and accompanied by a retinue bearing clubs, his chariot, four yojanas wide, was drawn by a thousand Garuḍas.
स्यंदनस्तारकस्यासीत्व्याघ्रसिंहखरार्वभिः। युक्ता रथास्तु ग्रसन जंभकौ जंभकुंभिनां
The chariot of Tāra was yoked with tigers, lions, donkeys, and camels; the chariots of Grasana and Jambhaka were drawn by Jambhakuṃbhi elephants.
मेघस्य द्वीपिभिर्युक्तः कूष्मांडैः कालनेमिनः। पर्वताभश्चतुर्दंष्ट्रो निमेश्चैव महागजः
Megha's chariot was yoked with island-dwelling beasts and Kūṣmāṇḍa demons; Kālanemi's with four-fanged, mountain-like elephants, and Nimeṣa's with a great elephant.
शतहस्ततुरंगस्थो मंथनो नाम दैत्यराट्। जंभकस्तूष्ट्रमारूढो गिरींद्राभं महाबलः
Maṃthana, the mighty king of the Daityas, mounted a horse with a hundred hands; Jambhaka, of great strength and mountain-like form, rode a camel.
शुंभो मेषं समारूढोऽन्येप्येवं चित्रवाहनाः। प्रचंडाश्चित्रवर्माणः कुंडलोष्णीषभूषिताः
Śuṃbha rode a ram, and others likewise had wondrous mounts; fierce and splendidly armored, adorned with earrings and turbans.
तद्बलं दैत्यसिंहस्य भीमरूपं व्यजायत। प्रमत्तमत्तमातंगतुरंगरथसंकुलम्
That army of the Daitya lion appeared in a terrifying form, crowded with intoxicated elephants, horses, and chariots.