Hiranyaksha, fierce and powerful among the Daityas, had two sons: Mahanabha and Bhutasantapana. Their strength was such that even the gods regarded them with awe. These two gave rise to sons and grandsons who became known as the Badeya clan. Along with their vast following—numbering in the hundreds of thousands—they met their end in the great Tarakamaya war. Hiranyakashipu, Hiranyaksha’s brother, had four mighty sons: Prahlada, the eldest and most renowned; Anuhlada; Samhrada; and Hrada. Of Hrada’s lineage, Hrada himself had two sons—Hrada and Nisunda. Nisunda fathered the valiant brothers Sundā and Upasunda. Hrada’s line also included Brahmaghna, a being of great might, and Muka. Sunda’s wife Tadaka bore Maricha, who would later be slain by the mighty Raghava, Rama himself. Muka, too, was killed by a skilled archer among the Kiratas. From severe austerity and discipline, thirty million Daityas came into being, dwelling at Manivarta. Though they were invulnerable even to the gods, they too were destroyed by the left-handed archer. Anuhlada’s son was Vayu, and also Shinivali. Their followers, numbering a hundred thousand, became known as the Halahala host. Prahlada’s son was Virochana, who in turn had five sons: Gaveshthi, Kalanemi, Jambha, Bashkala, and Shambhu, the youngest. These formed the lineage of Prahlada. Gaveshthi’s sons were Shumbha, Nishumbha, and Vishvaksena, each formidable in their own right. Jambha’s sons were Shatadundubhi, Daksha, and Khanda. Bashkala’s sons were Virodha, Manu, Vriksayu, and Kushalimukha. Kalanemi’s sons were Brahmajit, Kshatrajit, Devantaka, and Narantaka. Shambhu’s sons included Dhanuka, Asiloma, Nabala, Sagomukha, Gavaksha, and Gomans. Virochana’s son was the renowned Bali, famed for his strength and valor. Bali was blessed with a hundred sons, all of whom became kings. Among them, four stood out as the foremost: Sahasrabahu, the eldest; Bana, esteemed by the Dravidas; Kumbhanabha; Gardabhaksha; and Kushi. Bali also had two daughters, Śakunī and Pūtanā. His sons and grandsons multiplied by the hundreds and thousands, spreading his mighty lineage far and wide. Bali himself was celebrated as a host of great valor and strength. From Bana, Candra, and Manas descended the lineage known as Lauhitya. Meanwhile, Diti, grieving the loss of her sons, sought to please her husband, Kaśyapa. With humility and devotion, she honored him, and Kaśyapa, his heart appeased, offered her a boon. Diti, with palms joined, addressed Mārīca Kaśyapa: “O Lord, your sons, the Ādityas, have slain my own. I desire a son, born of long austerity, who will be the slayer of Indra. I shall undertake penance, and you should grant me conception.” Hearing her plea, Kaśyapa, radiant and compassionate, replied: “So be it. Remain pure, O treasure of austerity. You shall bear a noble son, a slayer of Indra in battle. If you maintain purity for a full hundred years, your son will be renowned throughout the three worlds.” Having spoken thus, the divine sage embraced Diti and departed for the three worlds. Filled with joy, Diti went to a suitable forest and began her severe penance. As she performed her austerities, Indra, the thousand-eyed king of the gods, attended to her with great care. He provided her with fire, sacrificial grass, wood, fruit, roots, and whatever else she needed. Indra massaged her and relieved her fatigue, serving her in all ways and in all worlds. Honored by his service, Diti spoke to Indra: “I am pleased with you, best of the gods. Ten years remain, O child, and then you will see your brother. I set my mind on victory; with such a son, I shall conquer the three worlds with him.” When the sun reached its zenith, Diti, overcome by sleep, lay down with her head at her knees, her hair falling at her feet. Indra saw her in this state of impurity and seized the opportunity. Both laughed and rejoiced. Purandara, Indra, entered her open body. Finding the immense embryo within, Indra struck its main part with his thunderbolt. As the embryo was split by the thunderbolt’s hundred spikes, it cried out terribly and trembled again and again. Śakra, Indra, spoke to the embryo, “Do not cry.” The embryo then became sevenfold, and Indra again divided each part into seven with his thunderbolt. At that moment, Diti awoke. Diti cried out, “Do not kill, do not kill!” Out of respect for his mother’s words, Indra, the thunderbolt-bearer, emerged from her womb with joined palms and thunderbolt in hand, and addressed her: “O goddess, you were impure and asleep, with your hair at your feet. Seizing that opportunity, I, Śakra, destroyer of foes in battle, have split this embryo of yours in many ways. You should forgive me.” With her embryo thus rendered fruitless, Diti was deeply distressed. The thousand-eyed Indra then spoke words of comfort to his mother.