साहं तपश्चरिष्यामि गर्भं मे दातुमर्हसि। ईश्वरं शक्रहन्तारं त्वमनुज्ञातुमर्हसि
Therefore, I shall undertake austerity; you ought to grant me conception. You should permit me to obtain a son who will be the slayer of Indra, O lord.
तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा मारीचः कश्यपस्तदा। प्रत्युवाच महातेजा दितिं परमदुःखिताम्
Hearing her words, Maricha Kasyapa, possessed of great splendor, then addressed Diti, who was overwhelmed with grief.
एवं भवतु भद्रं ते शुचिर्भव तपोधने। जनयिष्यसि पुत्रं त्वं शक्रहन्तारमाहवे
So be it; may auspiciousness be yours. Remain pure, O possessor of austerity. You will bear a son who will slay Indra in battle.
पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु शुचिर्यदि भविष्यसि। पुत्रं त्रैलोक्यहन्तारं मत्तस्त्वं जनयिष्यसि
If you remain pure for a full thousand years, you will bear from me a son who will destroy the three worlds.
एवमुक्त्वा महातेजाः पाणिना सम्ममार्ज ताम्। तामालभ्य ततः स्वस्ति इत्युक्त्वा तपसे ययौ
Having spoken thus, the radiant sage gently touched her with his hand, blessed her, and departed for his austerities.
गते तस्मिन् नरश्रेष्ठ दितिः परमहर्षिता। कुशप्लवं समासाद्य तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम्
When he had gone, O best of men, Diti, exceedingly delighted, reached the place called Kushaplava and undertook severe austerity.
तपस्तस्यां हि कुर्वत्यां परिचर्यां चकार ह। सहस्राक्षो नरश्रेष्ठ परया गुणसम्पदा
While she was performing austerity, O best of men, Indra, endowed with supreme virtues, served her.
अग्निं कुशान् काष्ठमपः फलं मूलं तथैव च। न्यवेदयत् सहस्राक्षो यच्चान्यदपि कांक्षितम्
Indra provided fire, kusa grass, wood, water, fruit, roots, and whatever else was desired.
गात्रसंवाहनैश्चैव श्रमापनयनैस्तथा। शक्रः सर्वेषु कालेषु दितिं परिचचार ह
With massages and relief from fatigue, Indra attended upon Diti at all times.
पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे सा दशोने रघुनन्दन। दितिः परमसंहृष्टा सहस्राक्षमथाब्रवीत्
When only ten years remained of the thousand, O descendant of Raghu, Diti, greatly rejoicing, spoke to Indra.
तपश्चरन्त्या वर्षाणि दश वीर्यवतां वर। अवशिष्टानि भद्रं ते भ्रातरं द्रक्ष्यसे ततः
Ten years remain of my austerity, O best among the powerful; after that, you will see your brother, may it be auspicious for you.
यमहं त्वत्कृते पुत्र तमाधास्ये जयोत्सुकम्। त्रैलोक्यविजयं पुत्र सह भोक्ष्यसि विज्वर
The son whom I shall bear for your sake, eager for victory, will share with you, free from affliction, the conquest of the three worlds.
याचितेन सुरश्रेष्ठ पित्रा तव महात्मना। वरो वर्षसहस्रान्ते मम दत्तः सुतं प्रति
At your request, O best of gods, your great-souled father granted me a boon at the end of a thousand years, concerning a son.
इत्युक्त्वा च दितिस्तत्र प्राप्ते मध्यं दिनेश्वरे। निद्रयापहृता देवी पादौ कृत्वाथ शीर्षतः
Having spoken thus, Diti, as midday approached, was overcome by sleep, and placed her feet where her head should be.
दृष्ट्वा तामशुचिं शक्रः पादयोः कृतमूर्धजाम्। शिरःस्थाने कृतौ पादौ जहास च मुमोद च
Seeing her impure, with her hair at her feet instead of her head, Indra laughed and rejoiced.
तस्याः शरीरविवरं प्रविवेश पुरंदरः। गर्भं च सप्तधा राम चिच्छेद परमात्मवान्
Indra entered her body through its opening, and, O Rama, with supreme power, divided her embryo into seven parts.
भिद्यमानस्ततो गर्भो वज्रेण शतपर्वणा। रुरोद सुस्वरं राम ततो दितिरबुध्यत
As the embryo was being split by the thunderbolt with a hundred spikes, it cried out melodiously, O Rama, and then Diti awoke.
मा रुदो मा रुदश्चेति गर्भं शक्रोऽभ्यभाषत। बिभेद च महातेजा रुदन्तमपि वासवः
Indra spoke to the embryo, saying, 'Do not cry, do not cry,' and even as it wept, the mighty Indra split it.
न हन्तव्यं न हन्तव्यमित्येव दितिरब्रवीत्। निष्पपात ततः शक्रो मातुर्वचनगौरवात्
Diti said, 'Do not kill, do not kill,' but out of respect for his mother's words, Indra withdrew.
प्राञ्जलिर्वज्रसहितो दितिं शक्रोऽभ्यभाषत। अशुचिर्देवि सुप्तासि पादयोः कृतमूर्धजा
Indra, holding the thunderbolt and with joined palms, spoke to Diti: 'O goddess, you slept impure, with your head at your feet.'
तदन्तरमहं लब्ध्वा शक्रहन्तारमाहवे। अभिन्दं सप्तधा देवि तन्मे त्वं क्षन्तुमर्हसि
'Finding that moment, O goddess, I split the embryo—who would have been my slayer in battle—into seven parts. For this, you ought to forgive me.'
thumb|सप्तचत्वारिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे सप्तचत्वारिंशः सर्गः ॥१-
Hear now the forty-seventh sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa.
सप्तधा तु कृते गर्भे दितिः परमदुःखिता। सहस्राक्षं दुराधर्षं वाक्यं सानुनयाब्रवीत्
When her embryo had been divided into seven, Diti, greatly distressed, spoke with gentle words to the unconquerable thousand-eyed Indra.
ममापराधाद् गर्भोऽयं सप्तधा शकलीकृतः। नापराधो हि देवेश तवात्र बलसूदन
'Because of my fault, this embryo has been split into seven parts; O lord of the gods, slayer of strong ones, there is no fault of yours in this matter.'
प्रियं त्वत्कृतमिच्छामि मम गर्भविपर्यये। मरुतां सप्त सप्तानां स्थानपाला भवन्तु ते
'I wish for you to do something pleasing for me regarding the fate of my embryo: let these seven become the guardians of the seven groups of Maruts.'
वातस्कन्धा इमे सप्त चरन्तु दिवि पुत्रक। मारुता इति विख्याता दिव्यरूपा ममात्मजाः
'These seven, carried by the wind, O son, may roam the heavens; let them be known as Maruts, divine in form, my own children.'
ब्रह्मलोकं चरत्वेक इन्द्रलोकं तथापरः। दिव्यवायुरिति ख्यातस्तृतीयोऽपि महायशाः
'Let one move in Brahmā's world, another in Indra's world; the third, renowned as Divyavāyu, also of great fame.'
चत्वारस्तु सुरश्रेष्ठ दिशो वै तव शासनात्। संचरिष्यन्ति भद्रं ते कालेन हि ममात्मजाः
'And four, O best of gods, by your command, will roam the directions. May good fortune be yours; in time, these are my sons.'
त्वत्कृतेनैव नाम्ना वै मारुता इति विश्रुताः। तस्यास्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा सहस्राक्षः पुरन्दरः
'By your deed, they will be known by the name Maruts. Hearing her words, the thousand-eyed Purandara—'
उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यमतीदं बलसूदनः। सर्वमेतद् यथोक्तं ते भविष्यति न संशयः
The slayer of Bala, with joined palms, spoke these words: 'All this will happen just as you have said, without doubt.'