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.
एवं निपात्य तं दैत्यं दितिनंदनमेव च । राज्यं चकार धर्मात्मा सुखेन पाकशासनः
Thus, having struck down that demon and the son of Diti, the righteous Pakaśāsana happily established his rule.
सूत उवाच- हतं श्रुत्वा दितिः पुत्रं सुबलं बलमेव च । रुदितं करुणं कृत्वा हा हा कष्टं भृशं मम
Sūta said: Hearing that her son Subala and his strength were slain, Diti cried out in anguish, lamenting, 'Alas! How terrible this is for me!'
एवं सुकरुणं कृत्वा बहुकालं तपस्विनी । सा गता कश्यपं कांतं तमुवाच यशस्विनी
Having mourned so deeply for a long time, that ascetic woman went to her beloved Kaśyapa and spoke to him, renowned as she was.
तव पुत्रो महापाप इंद्रः सुरगणेश्वरः । सागरोपगतं दृष्ट्वा बलं मे ब्रह्मलक्षणम्
Your son Indra, lord of the gods, committed a great sin; seeing my son Bala, marked by Brahma, near the ocean,
वज्रेण घातयामास संध्यामास्यंतमेव हि । एवं श्रुत्वा ततः क्रुद्धो मरीचितनयस्तदा
He killed him with the thunderbolt at twilight, right at the end; hearing this, Marīci's son became enraged.
क्रोधेन महताविष्टः प्रजज्वालेव वह्निना । अवलुंच्य जटामेकां शुच्यग्नौ स द्विजोत्तमः
Filled with intense anger, blazing like fire, that foremost of twice-born men tore out a single lock of hair and cast it into the pure fire.
इंद्रस्यैव वधार्थाय पुत्रमुत्पादयाम्यहम् । तस्मात्कुंडात्समुत्पन्नो हुताशनमुखादपि
For the purpose of killing Indra, I will produce a son; thus, from that altar, he was born from the mouth of the sacrificial fire.
कृष्णांजनचयोपेतः पिंगाक्षो भीषणाकृतिः । दंष्ट्राकरालवक्त्रांतो जगतां भयदायकः
He was dark as black ointment, with tawny eyes and a fearsome form; his mouth was terrible with fangs, causing fear among all beings.
महाचर्वरिको घोरः खड्गचर्मधरस्तथा । सर्वांगतेजसा दीप्तो महामेघोपमो बली
A dreadful, great eater, bearing sword and shield, he shone with power throughout his body, mighty as a great cloud.
उवाच कश्यपं विप्रमादेशो मम दीयताम् । कस्मादुत्पादितो विप्र भवता कारणं वद
He spoke to Kaśyapa, the sage: 'Give me your command; why have you created me, O sage? Tell me the reason.'