ब्रह्मतेजोमयं तीव्रं दुःसहं सर्वदैवतैः । पुत्रैकं दीयतां कांत सुप्रियाहं यदा विभो
Grant me a son, O lord, radiant with Brahma's energy, fierce and unbearable even for the gods, so that I may be pleased.
कश्यप उवाच- निहतौ बलवृत्रौ च मम पुत्रौ महाबलौ । अघमाश्रित्य देवेन इंद्रेणापि दुरात्मना
Kaśyapa said: My mighty sons, Bala and Vṛtra, have been slain by Indra, the evil-minded god, relying on sin.
तस्यैव च वधार्थाय पुत्रमेकं ददाम्यहम् । वर्षाणां तु शतैकं त्वं शुचिर्भव यशस्विनि
For the purpose of his destruction, I will grant you a single son; but for one hundred years, O illustrious one, you must remain pure.
एवमुक्त्वा स योगींद्रो हस्तं शिरसि वै तदा । दत्त्वादित्या सहैवासौ गतो मेरुं तपोवनम्
Having spoken thus, the lord of yogis placed his hand on her head; then, together with Aditi, he went to the hermitage on Mount Meru.
तपस्तताप सा देवी तपोवननिवासिनी । शुचिष्मती सदा भूत्वा पुत्रार्था द्विजसत्तम
That goddess, dwelling in the hermitage, undertook austerities; always remaining pure, she performed penance for the sake of a son, O best of twice-born.
ततो देवः सहस्राक्षो ज्ञात्वा उद्यममेव च । दित्याश्चैव महाभाग अंतरप्रेक्षकोऽभवत्
Then the thousand-eyed god, knowing her effort, became an observer in secret, O greatly fortunate one.
पंचविंशाब्दिको भूत्वा देवराड्दैवतोपमः । ब्राह्मणस्य च रूपेण तस्याश्चांतिकमागतः
Having reached the age of twenty-five, the king of gods, equal to the deities, approached her in the form of a Brahmin.
स तां प्रणम्य धर्मात्मा मातरं तपसान्विताम् । तयोक्तस्तु सहस्राक्षो भवान्को द्विजसत्तम
He bowed to her, the mother endowed with austerity; then the thousand-eyed one was addressed by her: 'Who are you, O best of twice-born?'
तामुवाच सहस्राक्षः पुत्रोऽहं तव शोभने । ब्राह्मणो वेदविद्वांश्च धर्मं जानामि भामिनि
The thousand-eyed one said to her: 'O beautiful lady, I am your son, a Brahmin, learned in the Vedas, and I know righteousness, O radiant one.'
तपसस्तव साहाय्यं करिष्ये नात्र संशयः । शुश्रूषति स तां देवीं मातरं तपसान्विताम्
I will assist you in your austerities; there is no doubt about this. He served her, the mother endowed with austerity.
तमिंद्रं सा न जानाति आगतं दुष्टकारिणम् । धर्मपुत्रं विजानाति शुश्रूषंतं दिने दिने
She did not recognize that Indra, the doer of wicked deeds, had come; she recognized only the righteous son, who served her day by day.
अंगं संवाहयेद्देव्याः पादौ प्रक्षालयेत्ततः । पत्रं मूलं फलं तत्र वल्कलाजिनमेव च
He would massage the queen's limbs, then wash her feet; he would provide leaves, roots, fruits, as well as bark and deerskin there.
ददात्येवं स धर्मात्मा तस्यै दित्यै सदैव हि । भक्त्या संतोषिता तस्य संतुष्टा तमभाषत
Thus, that righteous one always gave these to her, the goddess; pleased by his devotion, she, being satisfied, spoke to him.
पुत्रे जाते महापुण्ये इंद्रे च निहते सति । कुरु राज्यं महाभाग पुत्रेण मम दैवकम्
When a son is born, greatly virtuous, and when Indra is slain, rule the kingdom, O highly fortunate one, with my son as the ordained ruler.
एवमस्तु महाभागे ते प्रसादाद्भविष्यति । तस्याश्चैवांतरं प्रेप्सुरभवत्पाकशासनः
So be it, O highly fortunate one; by your favor it shall come to pass. Desiring to create an obstacle for her, Pākashāsana (Indra) became intent.
ऊने वर्षशते चास्या ददर्शांतरमच्युतः । अकृत्वा पादयोः शौचं दितिः शयनमाविशत्
When a hundred years were not yet complete, Acyuta saw an opening; Diti entered her bed without cleansing her feet.
शय्यांते सा शिरः कृत्वा मुक्तकेशातिविह्वला । निद्रामाहारयामास तस्याः कुक्षिं प्रविश्य ह
She lay down with her head at the foot of the bed, her hair loosened, greatly agitated; sleep overcame her, and he entered her womb.
वज्रपाणिस्ततो गर्भं सप्तधा तं न्यकृंतत । वज्रेण तीक्ष्णधारेण रुरोद उदरे स्थितः
Then Vajrapāṇi (Indra), with his sharp-edged thunderbolt, cut the embryo into seven parts; while still in the womb, it cried out.
स गर्भस्तत्र विप्रेंद्रा इंद्रहस्तगतेन वै । रोदमानं महागर्भं तमुवाच पुनः पुनः
That embryo, O best of Brahmins, held in Indra's hand, cried out greatly; again and again he spoke to that great embryo.
शतक्रतुर्महातेजा मा रोदीरित्यभाषत । सप्तधा कृतवाञ्छक्रस्तं गर्भं दितिजं पुनः
Śatakratu, of great splendor, said, 'Do not cry.' Again, Śakra divided that Diti-born embryo into seven parts.
एकैकं सप्तधा च्छित्त्वा रुदमानं स देवराट् । एवं वै मरुतो जातास्ते तु देवा महौजसः
The king of the gods, cutting each one into seven, though they cried, thus the Maruts were born—those gods of great might.
यथा इंद्रेण ते प्रोक्ता बभूवुर्नामभिस्ततः । अतिवीर्य महाकायास्तीव्र तेजः पराक्रमाः
As they were addressed by Indra, so they became known by those names; exceedingly powerful, of great form, with intense energy and valor.
एकोना वै बभूवुस्ते पंचाशन्मरुतस्ततः । मरुतो नाम ते ख्याता इंद्रमेव समाश्रिताः
They became forty-nine in number, one less than fifty; they are renowned as the Maruts, always devoted to Indra.
भूतानामेव सर्वेषां रोचयंति गणं महत् । निकायेषु निकायेषु हरिः प्रादात्प्रजापतिः
They delight the great host of all beings; in every group, Hari, the Lord of creatures, bestowed them.
क्रमशस्तानि राज्यानि पृथुपूर्वाणि तानि वै । स देवः पुरुषः कृष्णः सर्वव्यापी जगद्गुरुः
Those ancient kingdoms, beginning with Prithu, were established in order; that god, the dark Purusha, all-pervading, the teacher of the world.
तपोजिष्णुर्महातेजाः सर्व एकः प्रजापतिः । पर्जन्यः पावकः पुण्यः सर्वात्मा सर्व एव हि
He, the lord of creatures, is one, excelling in austerity, of great splendor; he is Parjanya, Pāvaka, holy, the soul of all, indeed all.
तस्य सर्वमिदं पुण्यं जगत्स्थावरजंगमम् । भूतसर्गमिमं सम्यग्जानतो द्विजसत्तम
All this world, moving and unmoving, belongs to him, the holy one; O best of twice-born, knowing well this creation of beings.
नावृत्तिभयमस्तीह परलोकभयं कुतः । इमां सृष्टिं महापुण्यां सर्वपापहरां शुभाम्
Here, there is no fear of return, so why fear the next world? This creation, supremely holy, removes all sins and is auspicious.
यः शृणोति नरो भक्त्या सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते । स हि धन्यश्च पुण्यश्च स हि सत्यसमन्वितः
Whoever listens with devotion is freed from all sins; such a person is truly blessed, virtuous, and endowed with truth.
यः शृणोति इमां सृष्टिं स याति परमां गतिम् । सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति
Whoever hears this account of creation attains the highest state; purified from all sins, he goes to the world of Vishnu.