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.
प्रतस्थेऽमरयुद्धाय बहुपत्तिपताकिकम्। एतस्मिन्नंतरे वायुर्देवदूतोऽसुरालये
It set forth for battle with the immortals, bearing many infantry and banners; at that moment, Vāyu, the divine messenger, entered the abode of the Asuras.
दृष्ट्वा तद्दानवबलं जगामेंद्रस्य शंसितुं। स गत्वा तु सभां दिव्यां महेंद्रस्य महात्मनः
Seeing that host of Dānavas, he went to inform Indra; reaching the divine assembly of the great-souled Mahendra,
शशंस मध्ये देवानां तत्कार्यं समुपस्थितम्। तच्छ्रुत्वा देवराजस्तु निमीलितविलोचनः
He announced in the midst of the gods the matter that had arisen; hearing this, the king of the gods closed his eyes.
बृहस्पतिमुवाचेदं वाक्यं काले महाभुजः। इंद्र उवाच। संप्राप्नोति विमर्दोयं देवानां दानवैः सह
The mighty-armed Indra then spoke these words to Bṛhaspati at the proper time: Indra said: Now a clash between the gods and Dānavas is approaching.
कार्यं किमत्र तद्ब्रूहि नीत्युपायोपबृंहितम्। एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं महेंद्रस्य गिरां पतिः
What should be done in this matter? Tell me, supported by policy and strategy; hearing these words of Mahendra,
इत्युवाच महाभागो बृहस्पतिरुदारधीः। बृहस्पतिरुवाच। सामपूर्वा श्रुता नीतिश्चतुरंगा पताकिनी
The greatly wise Bṛhaspati spoke thus: Bṛhaspati said: The policy, as heard, begins with conciliation; the fourfold army, with banners,
जिगीषतां सुरश्रेष्ठ स्थितिरेषा सनातनी। सामभेदस्तथा दानं दंडश्चांगचतुष्टयम्
This is the eternal stance for those who seek victory, O best of gods: conciliation, division, gifts, and force—the four means.
न सांत्वगोचरे लुब्धानभेद्यास्त्वेकधर्मिणः। न दानमत्त्र संसिद्ध्यै प्रसह्यैवापहारिणाम्
But those who are greedy and united in purpose are not susceptible to conciliation or division; nor will gifts succeed with those who seize by force.
एकोभ्युपायो दंडोऽत्र भवतां यदि रोचते। एवमुक्तः सहस्राक्ष एवमेतदुवाच ह
Here, force alone is the means, if it pleases you; thus addressed, the thousand-eyed one spoke as follows:
कर्त्तव्यतां च संचिंत्य प्रोवाचामरसंसदि। इंद्र उवाच। अवधानेन मे वाचं शृणुध्वं नाकवासिनः
Having considered what must be done, he spoke in the assembly of the immortals: Indra said: Listen attentively to my words, O dwellers of heaven.