Vayu Purana

शक्रहन्तारमिच्छेयं पुत्रं दीर्घतपोऽन्वितम्। अहं तपश्चरिष्यामि गर्भ माधातुमर्हसि ।। ६.

'I desire a son, endowed with long austerity, who will be the slayer of Indra; I shall undertake penance, and you should grant me conception.'

तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा मारीचः कश्यपस्तथा। प्रत्युवाच महातेजा दितिं परमदुःखिताम् ।। ६.

Hearing her words, Mārīca Kaśyapa, of great splendor, replied to Diti, who was deeply afflicted.

एवं भवतु भद्रन्ते शुचिर्भव तपोधने। जनयिष्यसि सत्पुत्रं शक्रहन्तारमाहवे ।। ६.

'So be it, may good fortune be yours; remain pure, O treasure of austerity. You shall give birth to a noble son, a slayer of Indra in battle.'

पूर्णं वर्षशतं तावत् शुचिर्यदि भविष्यसि । पुत्रं त्रिलोकप्रचरमथत्वं जनयिष्यसि ।। ६.

'If you remain pure for a full hundred years, then you will bear a son who will be renowned throughout the three worlds.'

एवमुक्त्वा महातेजास्तया समवसत् प्रभुः । तामालिङ्ग्य त्रिभुवनं जगाम भगवानृषिः ।। ६.

Having spoken thus, the radiant Lord dwelt with her; embracing her, the divine sage departed for the three worlds.

गते भर्त्तरि सा देवी दितिः परमहर्षिता। कुशलं वनमासाद्य तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम् ।। ६.

When her husband had gone, the goddess Diti, filled with great joy, reached a suitable forest and undertook severe penance.

तपस्तस्यान्तु कुर्वन्त्यां परिचर्याञ्चकार ह। सहस्राक्षः सुरश्रेष्ठः परया गुणसम्पदा ।। ६.

While she was performing her penance, the thousand-eyed Indra, best of the gods, served her with utmost excellence.

अग्निं समित्कुशं काष्ठं फलं मूलं तथैव च। न्यवेदयत् सहस्राक्षो यच्चान्यदपि किञ्चन ।। ६.

Indra provided her with fire, sacrificial grass, wood, fruit, roots, and whatever else was needed.

गात्रसंवाहनैश्चैव श्रमापनयनैस्तथा। शक्रः सर्वेषु (लोकेषु) कालेषु दितिं परिचचार ह । एवमाराधिता शक्रमुवाचाथ दितिस्तथा ।। ६.

With massages and by relieving her fatigue, Indra attended to Diti at all times and in all worlds; thus honored, Diti then spoke to Indra.

प्रीता तेऽहं सुरश्रेष्ठ दशवर्षाणि पुत्रक। अवशिष्टानि भद्रान्ते भ्रातरं द्रक्ष्यसे ततः ।। ६.

'I am pleased with you, best of the gods; ten years remain, O child, and then, O fortunate one, you will see your brother.'

जयलिप्सां समाधास्ये लब्ध्वाहं तादृशं सुतम्। त्रैलोक्यविजयं पूत्र प्राप्स्यामि सह तेन वै ।। ६.

'I will set my mind on victory; having obtained such a son, I shall, together with him, achieve conquest of the three worlds.'

एवमुक्त्वा दितिः शक्रं मध्यं प्राप्ते दिवाकरे । निद्रयापहृता देवी जान्वोः कृत्वा शिरस्तदा ।। ६.

Having spoken thus to Indra, when the sun had reached its zenith, Diti, overcome by sleep, lay down with her head at her knees.

दृष्ट्वा तामशुचिं शक्रः पादयोर्गतमूर्द्धजाम् । तस्यास्तदन्तरं लब्ध्वा जहास च मुमोद च ।। ६.

Seeing her impure, with her hair fallen at her feet, Indra found his opportunity, and both laughed and rejoiced.

तस्याः शरीरं विवृतं विवेशाथ पुरन्दरः। प्रविश्य चामितं दृष्ट्वा गर्भमिन्द्रो महौजसम्। अभिनत्स प्रधानन्तु कुलिशेन महायशाः ।। ६.

Then Purandara entered her open body; having entered and seen the immense embryo, Indra of great might struck the main part with his thunderbolt.

भिद्यमानस्तदा गर्भो वज्रेण शतपर्वणा। रुरोद सस्वरं भीमं वेपमानः पुनः पुनः । मारोदीरिति तं गर्भं शक्रः पुनरभाषत ।। ६.

As the embryo was being split by the thunderbolt with a hundred spikes, it cried out terribly, trembling again and again; and Śakra spoke to the embryo, 'Do not cry.'

तं गर्भं सप्तधाभूतं ह्येकैकं सप्तधा पुनः। कुलिशेन बिभेदेन्द्रस्ततो दितिरबुध्यत ।। ६.

That embryo, having become sevenfold, was again divided into seven parts by Indra with the thunderbolt; then Diti awoke.

न हन्तव्यो न हन्तव्य इत्येवं दितिरब्रवीत् । निष्पपातोदराद्वज्री मातुर्वचनगौरवात्। प्राञ्जलिर्वज्रसहितो दितिं शक्रोऽभ्यभाषत ।। ६.

Diti said, 'Do not kill, do not kill!' Thus, out of respect for his mother's words, the thunderbolt-bearer emerged from her womb, with joined palms and thunderbolt in hand, and addressed Diti.

अशुचिर्देवि सुप्तासि पादयोर्गतमूर्द्धजा। तदन्तरमहं लब्ध्वा शक्रहन्तारमाहवे। भिन्नवान् गर्भमेतन्ते बहुधा क्षन्तुमर्हसि ।। ६.

O goddess, you were impure and asleep, with your hair at your feet; finding that opportunity, I, Śakra, destroyer of foes in battle, have split this embryo of yours in many ways—you should forgive this.

तस्मिस्तु विफले गर्भे दितिः परमदुःखिता। सहस्राक्षं ततो वाक्यं मातुर्नयनमब्रवीत् ।। ६.

With her embryo thus rendered fruitless, Diti was deeply distressed; then the thousand-eyed one spoke words to his mother.

ममापराधाद्गर्भोऽयं यदि ते विफलीकृतः। नापराधोऽस्ति देवेश ऋषिपुत्र महाबल ।। ६.

If this embryo of yours has been made fruitless because of my fault, O lord of gods, O mighty son of a sage, you are not at fault.

शत्रोर्वधे न दोषोऽस्ति तेन त्वां न शपामि भोः। प्रियन्तु कर्त्तुमिच्छामि श्रेयो गर्भस्य मे कुरु ।। ६.

There is no blame in slaying an enemy; therefore, I do not curse you. I wish to do what is dear—grant my embryo a blessing.

भवन्तु मम पुत्राणां सप्त स्थानानि वै दिवि। वातस्कन्धानिमान् सप्त चरन्तु मम पुत्रकाः। मरुतश्चेति विख्याता गणास्ते सप्त सप्तकाः ।। ६.

Let there be seven stations in heaven for my sons; let these seven wind-clusters be traversed by my sons. Let those groups, seven times seven, be renowned as the Maruts.

पृथिव्यां प्रथमस्कन्धो द्वितीयश्चैव भास्करे। सोमे तृतीयो विज्ञेयश्चतुर्थो ज्योतिषां गणे ।। ६.

On earth is the first cluster; the second is with the sun; the third is known with the moon; the fourth among the group of stars.

ग्रहेषु पञ्चमश्चैव षष्ठः सप्तर्षिमण्डले। ध्रुवे तु सप्तमश्चैव वातस्कन्धः परस्तु सः ।। ६.

The fifth is among the planets; the sixth in the circle of the Seven Sages; the seventh, however, is the highest wind-cluster at the pole star.

तान्येते विचरन्त्वद्य काले काले ममात्मजाः। वातस्कन्धानिमान् भूत्वा चरन्तु मम पुत्रकाः ।। ६.

Today, at various times, my sons wander in these places; let my sons move as these wind-clusters.

पृथिव्यां प्रथमस्कन्धो अमेध्येभ्यो य आवहः। चरन्तु मम पुत्रास्ते प्रथमश्चरताङ्गणः ।। ६.

The first cluster on earth is that which brings impure things; let my sons move as the first group, traversing the earth.

द्वितीयश्चापि मेध्येभ्य आसूर्यात् प्रवहस्तु यः। वातस्कन्धं द्वितीयन्तु द्वितीयश्चरताङ्गणः ।। ६.

The second, which blows from pure things towards the sun, is the second wind-cluster; let the second group of my sons move there.

सूर्योर्द्ध्वन्तु ततः सोमादुद्वहो यस्तु वै स्मृतः। वातस्कन्धन्तु तं प्राहुस्तृतीयश्चरताङ्गणः ।। ६.

Above the sun, then from the moon, is the one called the upward wind; that is called the third wind-cluster; let the third group move there.

सोमादूर्द्ध्वं तथर्क्षेभ्यश्चतुर्थः सुवहस्तु यः। चतुर्थो मम पुत्राणां गणस्तु चरतां विभो ।। ६.

Above the moon, and from the stars, is the fourth, called the good wind; let the fourth group of my sons move there, O mighty one.