दातारं च महात्मानं भर्तारं कश्यपं तदा । भक्त्या प्रणम्य विप्रेन्द्र तमुवाच महामतिम्
She bowed with devotion to her husband, the great-souled Kashyapa, the generous and wise, and addressed him, O best of Brahmins.
भगवन्नष्टपुत्राहं कृता देवेन चक्रिणा । दैतेया दानवाः सर्वे देवैश्चैव निपातिताः
O Lord, I am bereft of sons, destroyed by the god with the discus; all the daityas and danavas have been slain by the gods.
पुत्रशोकानलेनाहं संतप्ता मुनिसत्तम । ममानंदकरं पुत्रं सर्वतेजोहरं विभो
O foremost sage, I am scorched by the fire of grief for my sons; grant me a son who brings me joy and surpasses all in power, O master.
सुबलं चारुसर्वांगं देवराजसमप्रभम् । बुद्धिमंतं सुसर्वज्ञं ज्ञातारं सर्वपंडितम्
Strong, with beautiful limbs, radiant like the king of gods, intelligent, wise in all things, and knower of all wisdom—
तपस्तेजः समायुक्तं सबलं चारुलक्षणम् । ब्रह्मण्यं ज्ञानवेत्तारं देवब्राह्मणपूजकम्
Endowed with ascetic power, strength, and auspicious marks, devoted to Brahman, knower of knowledge, worshipper of gods and Brahmins—
जेतारं सर्वलोकानां ममानंदकरं द्विज । सर्वलक्षणसंपन्नं पुत्रं मे देहि त्वं विभो
A conqueror of all worlds, a son who brings me joy, O Brahmin; grant me a son endowed with all qualities, O master.
एवमाकर्ण्य वै तस्याः कश्यपो वाक्यमुत्तमम् । कृपाविष्टमनास्तुष्टो दुःखिताया द्विजोत्तम
Hearing her thus, Kashyapa, filled with compassion and pleased, addressed the sorrowful lady, O best of Brahmins.
तामुवाच महाभाग कृपणां दीनमानसाम् । तस्याः शिरसि संन्यस्य स्वहस्तं भावतत्परः
He spoke to her, O blessed one, wretched and downcast; placing his own hand on her head, intent on her welfare,
भविष्यति महाभागे यादृशो वांछितः सुतः । एवमुक्त्वा जगामासौ मेरुं गिरिवरोत्तमम्
O blessed lady, you will have the son you desire; having said this, he departed for Meru, the supreme mountain.
तपस्तेपे निरालंबः साधयन्परमव्रतः । एतस्मिन्नंतरे सा तु दधार गर्भमुत्तमम्
He practiced austerity, unsupported, fulfilling the supreme vow; meanwhile, she conceived an excellent embryo.
सा दितिः सर्वधर्मज्ञा चारुकर्मा मनस्विनी । शतवर्षप्रमाणं सा शुचि स्वांता बभूव ह
Diti, wise in all dharmas, beautiful in action, and thoughtful, remained pure in mind for a period of one hundred years.
तया वै जनितः पुत्रो ब्रह्मतेजः समन्वितः । अथ कश्यप आयातो हर्षेण महतान्वितः
By her, a son was born, endowed with Brahmanic brilliance; then Kashyapa arrived, filled with great joy.
चकार नाम मेधावी तस्य पुत्रस्य सत्तमः । बलमित्यब्रवीत्पुत्रं नामतः सदृशो महान्
The wise one gave the name Bala to his excellent son, saying, 'He is great and worthy of this name.'
एवं नाम चकाराथ व्रतबंधं चकार सः । प्राह पुत्र महाभाग ब्रह्मचर्यं प्रसाधय
Thus he gave him the name, and then established a vow for him; he said, 'O highly fortunate son, practice brahmacharya.'
एवमेवं करिष्यामि तव वाक्यं द्विजोत्तम । वेदस्याध्ययनं कुर्यां ब्रह्मचर्येण सत्तम
'So it shall be; I will do as you say, best of twice-born. I will study the Veda with steadfast brahmacharya, O noble one.'
एवं वर्षशतं साग्रं गतं तस्य तपस्यतः । मातुः समक्षमायातस्तपस्तेजः समन्वितः
In this way, a full hundred years passed as he performed austerities; then, endowed with the radiance of his penance, he came before his mother.
तपोवीर्यमयं दिव्यं ब्रह्मचर्यं महात्मनः । दितिः पश्यति पुत्रस्य हर्षेण महतान्विता
Diti beheld her son's divine brahmacharya, filled with the power of austerity, and was overcome with great joy.
तमुवाच महात्मानं बलं पुत्रं तपस्विनम् । मेधाविनं महात्मानं प्रज्ञाज्ञानविशारदम्
She spoke to her son Bala, the great-souled ascetic, wise and learned, skilled in discernment and knowledge.
त्वयि जीवति मेधाविन्प्रजीवंति सुता मम । हिरण्यकशिपाद्यास्ते ये हताश्चक्रपाणिना
'As long as you live, O wise one, my sons—those like Hiraṇyakaśipu and the others, who were slain by the wielder of the discus—live on in you.'
वैरं साधय मे वत्स जहि देवान्रिपून्रणे । सा दनुस्तमुवाचेदं बलं पुत्रं महाबलम्
'Fulfill my enmity, dear child; slay the gods, our enemies, in battle.' Thus Diti spoke to her mighty son Bala.
आदाविंद्रं हि देवेंद्रं द्रुतं सूदय पुत्रक । पश्चाद्देवा निपात्यंतां ततो गरुडवाहनः
'First, swiftly destroy Indra, the lord of the gods, my son; afterwards, let the other gods be struck down, and then the one who rides Garuḍa.'
तयोराकर्ण्य सा देवी अदितिः पतिदेवता । दुःखेन महताविष्टा पुत्रमिंद्रमभाषत
Hearing this, the goddess Aditi, devoted to her husband, was seized by great sorrow and spoke to her son Indra.
दितिपुत्रो महाकायो वर्द्धते ब्रह्मतेजसा । देवानां हि वधार्थाय तपस्तेपे निरंजने
'The son of Diti, of great stature, grows in the radiance of Brahman; he has performed pure austerity for the destruction of the gods.'
एवं जानीहि देवेश यदि क्षेममिहेच्छसि । एवमाकर्ण्य तद्वाक्यं स मातुः पाकशासनः
'Know this, lord of the gods, if you desire safety here.' Hearing these words of his mother, the wielder of the thunderbolt—Indra—
चिंतामवाप दुःखेन महतीं देवराट्तदा । महाभयेन संत्रस्तश्चिंतयामास वै ततः
The king of the gods then fell into deep anxiety and great distress, and, terrified by immense fear, began to ponder.
कथमेनं हनिष्यामि देवधर्मविदूषकम् । इति निश्चित्य देवेशो बलस्य निधनं प्रति
'How shall I slay him, who transgresses the law of the gods?' Thus resolved, the lord of the gods considered the destruction of Bala.
एकदा हि बलः सोपि संध्यार्थं सिंधुमाश्रितः । कृष्णाजिनेन दिव्येन दंडकाष्ठेन राजितः
Once, Bala too, for the purpose of twilight rites, went to the ocean, adorned with a divine black antelope skin and a staff of sacred wood.
अमलेनापि पुण्येन ब्रह्मचर्येण तेन सः । सागरस्योपकंठे तं संध्यासनमुपागतम्
With pure and meritorious brahmacharya, he approached his seat for twilight prayers on the shore of the ocean.
जपमानं सुशांतं तं ददृशे पाकशासनः । वज्रेण तेन दिव्येन ताडितो दितिनंदनः
Indra saw him, tranquil and engaged in recitation; then, with his divine thunderbolt, struck down Diti's son.
बलं निपतितं दृष्ट्वा गतसत्वं गतं भुवि । हर्षेण महताविष्टो देवराण्मुमुदे तदा
Seeing Bala fallen, his life departed and lying on the ground, the king of the gods was filled with great joy and rejoiced.