तस्मिन्विनिहते दैत्ये दानवानां धुरंधरे। नाभूत्कश्चित्तदा दुःखी नरकेष्वपि पापकृत्
When that demon, the burden-bearer of the demons, was slain, none was sorrowful then, not even the wicked in hell.
स्तुवंतः षण्मुखं देवाः प्राक्रीडन्नागतस्मिताः। जग्मुः स्वानेव भुवनान्निरस्यासंस्तथोत्सुकाः
The gods, praising Ṣaṇmukha, played joyfully with smiles returned; eager, they departed to their own worlds.
ददुश्चापि वरं सर्वे देवाश्च षण्मुखं प्रति। तुष्टाः संप्राप्तसर्वार्थास्सहसिद्धैस्तपोधनैः
All the gods, pleased and having attained all their desires, granted a boon to Ṣaṇmukha, accompanied by ascetics endowed with miraculous powers.
देवा ऊचुः। यः पठेत्स्कंदसंबंधां कथामेतां महामतिः। शृणुयाच्छ्रावयेद्वापि स भवेत्कीर्तिमान्नरः
The gods said: 'Whoever, of great intellect, recites, hears, or causes to be heard this tale of Skanda, he shall become renowned among men.'
बह्वायुः सुभगः श्रीमान्कीर्तिमान्शुभदर्शनः। भूतेभ्यो निर्भयश्चापि सर्वदुःखविवर्जितः
He will be long-lived, fortunate, prosperous, renowned, and of auspicious appearance; fearless among beings and free from all suffering.
संध्यामुपास्य यः पूर्वां स्कंदस्य चरितं पठेत्। स युक्तः किन्नरैः सर्वैर्महाधनपतिर्भवेत्
Whoever, after worshipping the morning twilight, recites the deeds of Skanda, shall, accompanied by all Kinnaras, become lord of great wealth.
भीष्म उवाच-। इदानीं श्रोतुमिच्छामि हिरण्यकशिपोर्वधम्। नरसिंहस्य माहात्म्यं तथा पापविनाशनम्
Bhīṣma said: 'Now I wish to hear of the slaying of Hiraṇyakaśipu, the greatness of Narasiṃha, and the destruction of sin.'
पुलस्त्य उवाच-। पुरा कृतयुगे राजन्हिरण्यकशिपुः प्रभुः। दैत्यानामादिपुरुषश्चकार सुमहत्तपः
Pulastya said: 'Once, in the Krita age, O king, Hiraṇyakaśipu, lord of the demons and their primeval ancestor, performed a great austerity.'
दशवर्षसहस्राणि दशवर्षशतानि च। जलवासी समभवत्स्नानमौनधृतव्रतः
For ten thousand years and also for a thousand years, he dwelled in water, observing vows of bathing and silence.
वृतः शमदमाभ्यां च ब्रह्मचर्येण चैव हि। ब्रह्मा प्रीतोऽभवत्तस्य तपसा नियमेन च
He was endowed with tranquility and self-control, and indeed with celibacy; Brahmā was pleased with his austerity and discipline.
ततः स्वयंभूर्भगवान्स्वयमागत्य तत्र हि। विमानेनार्कवर्णेन हंसयुक्तेन भास्वता
Then the self-born, blessed Lord himself came there, in a radiant aerial chariot the color of the sun, yoked with swans.
आदित्यैर्वसुभिः साध्यैर्मरुद्भिर्दैवतैस्सह। रुद्रैर्विश्वसहायैश्च यक्षराक्षसपन्नगैः
Together with the Ādityas, Vasus, Sādhyas, Maruts, and other deities, with Rudras, Viśvas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, and serpents.
दिग्भिश्चैव विदिग्भिश्च नदीभिः सागरैस्तथा। नक्षत्रैश्च मुहूर्तैश्च खचरैश्च महाग्रहैः
With the directions and intermediate directions, with rivers and also oceans, with stars, moments, celestial beings, and great planets.
देवैर्ब्रह्मर्षिभिः सार्द्धं सिद्धैः सप्तर्षिभिस्तथा। राजर्षिभिः पुण्यकृद्भिर्गंधर्वाप्सरसांगणैः
With gods, Brahmarṣis, Siddhas, the seven sages, royal sages, the virtuous, and hosts of Gandharvas and Apsarases.
चराचरगुरुः श्रीमान्वृतः सर्वैर्दिवौकसैः। ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मविदां श्रेष्ठो दैत्यं वचनमब्रवीत्
The glorious preceptor of all beings, surrounded by all the dwellers of heaven, Brahmā, the foremost knower of Brahman, spoke to the Daitya.
प्रीतोस्मि तव भक्तस्य तपसाऽनेन सुव्रत। वरं वरय भद्रं ते यथेष्टं काममाप्नुहि
I am pleased with your devotion and this austerity, O virtuous one; choose a boon, good fortune to you, obtain whatever desire you wish.
हिरण्यकशिपुरुवाच-। न देवासुरगंधर्वा न यक्षोरगराक्षसाः। न मानुषाः पिशाचाश्च हन्युर्मां देवसत्तम
Hiraṇyakaśipu said: Let neither gods, nor Asuras, nor Gandharvas, nor Yakṣas, nor serpents, nor Rākṣasas, nor humans, nor Piśācas kill me, O best of gods.
ऋषयो मानवाः शापैर्न शपेयुः पितामह। यदि मे भगवान्प्रीतो वर एष वृतो मया
Let neither sages nor men curse me with imprecations, O Grandfather; if the Lord is pleased with me, this is the boon I choose.
न शस्त्रेण न चास्त्रेण गिरिणा पादपेन वा। न शुष्केण न चार्द्रेण न स्याच्चान्येन मे वधः
Let my death not come by weapon or missile, nor by mountain or tree, nor by something dry or wet, nor by anything else.
भवेयमहमेवार्कः सोमो वायुर्हुताशनः। सलिलं चांतरिक्षं च नक्षत्राणि दिशो दश
Let me become the sun, the moon, the wind, the fire, water, the sky, the stars, and the ten directions.
अहं क्रोधश्च कामश्च वरुणो वासवो यमः। धनदश्च धनाध्यक्षो यक्षः किंपुरुषाधिपः
Let me be anger and desire, Varuṇa, Indra, Yama, the lord of wealth, the overseer of riches, a Yakṣa, and the lord of Kiṃpuruṣas.
ब्रह्मोवाच -। एष दिव्यो वरस्तात मया दत्तस्तवाद्भुतः। सर्वकामप्रदो वत्स प्राप्स्यसि त्वं न संशयः
Brahmā said: O dear one, this divine and wondrous boon has been granted to you by me; you will obtain all desires, without doubt.
एवमुक्त्वा स भगवान्जगामाकाशमेव हि। वैराजं ब्रह्मसदनं ब्रह्मर्षिगणसेवितम्
Having spoken thus, the blessed Lord went into the sky, to the celestial abode of Brahmā, attended by hosts of Brahmarṣis.
ततो देवाश्च गंधर्वा ऋषिभिः सह चारणाः। वरप्रदानं श्रुत्वैवं पितामहमुपस्थिताः
Then the gods and Gandharvas, together with sages and Cāraṇas, having heard of the granting of the boon, approached the Grandfather.
देवा ऊचुः-। वरप्रदानाद्भगवन्वधिष्यति स नोऽसुरः। तत्प्रसादश्च भगवन्वधोप्यस्य विचिंत्यताम्
The gods said: O Lord, by granting this boon, that Asura will kill us; therefore, O Lord, let the means of his death also be considered.
भगवान्सर्वभूतानामादिकर्त्ता स्वयंप्रभुः। स्रष्टा च हव्यकव्यानामव्यक्तप्रकृतिः परः
The blessed Lord, the self-existent master, the original creator of all beings, the maker of offerings to gods and ancestors, the transcendent unmanifest nature.
सर्वलोकहितं वाक्यं श्रुत्वा देवः प्रजापतिः। आश्वासयामास तदा सुशीतैर्वचनांबुभिः
Hearing the words spoken for the welfare of all worlds, the god Prajāpati then comforted them with gentle, soothing words.
अवश्यं त्रिदशानेन प्राप्तव्यं तपसः फलं। तपसोऽन्तेऽस्य भगवान्वधं विष्णुः करिष्यति
Certainly, the fruit of his austerity must be obtained by this god; at the end of his penance, Lord Viṣṇu will bring about his death.
तच्छ्रुत्वा विबुधा वाक्यं सर्वे पंकजजाननात्। स्वानि स्थानानि दिव्यानि विप्रजग्मुर्मुदान्विताः
Hearing these words from the lotus-born one, all the gods joyfully returned to their own divine abodes.
लब्धमात्रे वरे सोथ प्रजास्सर्वा अबाधत। हिरण्यकशिपुर्दैत्यो वरदानेन गर्वितः
As soon as he obtained the boon, the Daitya Hiraṇyakaśipu, proud of the boon granted to him, began to trouble all the beings.