Sarga 46: Diti's Austerity and Indra's Deed
Diti Tapas
Grieving Diti undertakes a thousand-year penance for a son to slay Indra; Indra serves her faithfully, but catching her in a moment of impurity, enters her womb and splits the unborn child into seven pieces, who become the Maruts.
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हतेषु तेषु पुत्रेषु दिति: परमदु:खिता। मारीचं काश्यपं राम भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत्।।1.46.1।।
Meaning
When her sons were slain, Diti, greatly grieved, spoke this to her husband Kashyapa, son of Marichi.
हतपुत्राऽस्मि भगवंस्तव पुत्रैर्महाबलै:। शक्रहन्तारमिच्छामि पुत्रं दीर्घतपोऽर्जितम्।।1.46.2।।
Meaning
Lord, I am bereft of sons by your own mighty sons; I wish for a son, won through long austerity, who can slay Indra.
साऽहं तपश्चरिष्यामि गर्भं मे दातुमर्हसि। ईश्वरं शक्रहन्तारं त्वमनुज्ञातुमर्हसि।।1.46.3।।
Meaning
I shall undertake austerity; you should grant me the pregnancy — permit me a lord who can slay Indra.
तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा मारीच: काश्यपस्तदा। प्रत्युवाच महातेजा दितिं परमदु:खिताम्।।1.46.4।।
Meaning
Hearing her words, the greatly splendid Kashyapa, son of Marichi, replied to the deeply grieving Diti.
एवं भवतु, भद्रं ते शुचिर्भव तपोधने। जनयिष्यसि पुत्रं त्वं शक्रहन्तारमाहवे।।1.46.5।।
Meaning
So be it; may you prosper, wealthy in austerity — you shall bear a son able to slay Indra in battle.
पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु शुचिर्यदि भविष्यसि। पुत्रं त्रैलोक्यभर्तारं मत्तस्त्वं जनयिष्यसि।।1.46.6।।
Meaning
If you remain pure for a full thousand years, you shall beget through me a son who is lord of the three worlds.
एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा: पाणिना स ममार्ज ताम्। समालभ्य ततस्स्वस्तीत्युक्त्वा स तपसे ययौ।।1.46.7।।
Meaning
Having said this, the greatly splendid one stroked her with his hand, and having touched her, blessed her and departed for his own austerity.
गते तस्मिन्नरश्श्रेष्ठ दिति: परमहर्षिता। कुशप्लवनमासाद्य तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम्।।1.46.8।।
Meaning
Best of men, when he had gone, Diti, greatly delighted, reached Kushaplava and performed fierce austerity.
तपस्तस्यां हि कुर्वन्त्यां परिचर्यां चकार ह। सहस्राक्षो नरश्श्रेष्ठ परया गुणसम्पदा।।1.46.9।।
Meaning
Best of men, as she performed her austerity, the thousand-eyed Indra attended her with the utmost excellence of virtue.
अग्निं कुशान् काष्ठमप: फलं मूलं तथैव च। न्यवेदयत्सहस्राक्षो यच्चान्यदपि काङ्क्षितम्।।1.46.10।।
Meaning
The thousand-eyed one supplied her fire, kusha grass, firewood, water, fruit, roots, and whatever else she desired.