Adhyaya 26

Verse 1

सूत उवाच । तं पुत्रं निहतं श्रुत्वा सा दितिर्दुःखपीडिता । पुत्रशोकेन तेनैव संदग्धा द्विजसत्तमाः

Sūta said: Hearing that her son had been slain, Diti was crushed by sorrow. Consumed by that very grief for her son, O best of the twice-born, she was as if burned within.

Verse 2

पुनरूचे महात्मानं कश्यपं मुनिपुंगवम् । इंद्रस्यापि सुदुष्टस्य वधार्थं द्विजसत्तम

Again she spoke to the great-souled Kaśyapa, the foremost among sages: “O best of the twice-born, (this is) for the purpose of slaying even Indra, who has become exceedingly wicked.”

Verse 3

ब्रह्मतेजोमयं तीव्रं दुःसहं सर्वदैवतैः । पुत्रैकं दीयतां कांत सुप्रियाहं यदा विभो

“This fierce radiance, wrought of Brahmā’s blazing tejas, is unbearable even to all the gods. Therefore, O beloved, let a single son be granted (to bear it), for I am your dear one, O mighty Lord.”

Verse 4

कश्यप उवाच । निहतौ बलवृत्रौ च मम पुत्रौ महाबलौ । अघमाश्रित्य देवेन इंद्रेणापि दुरात्मना

Kaśyapa said: “My two mighty sons, Bala and Vṛtra, have been slain—killed by sinful means by the god Indra, that evil-minded one.”

Verse 5

तस्यैव च वधार्थाय पुत्रमेकं ददाम्यहम् । वर्षाणां तु शतैकं त्वं शुचिर्भव यशस्विनि

“And for the very purpose of slaying him, I shall give you a son. For a full hundred years, remain pure, O illustrious one.”

Verse 6

एवमुक्त्वा स योगींद्रो हस्तं शिरसि वै तदा । दत्त्वादित्या सहैवासौ गतो मेरुं तपोवनम्

Having spoken thus, that lord among yogins then placed his hand upon (her) head; and with Ādityā beside him, he went to Meru, to the forest of austerities.

Verse 7

तपस्तताप सा देवी तपोवननिवासिनी । शुचिष्मती सदा भूत्वा पुत्रार्था द्विजसत्तम

That goddess, dwelling in a forest of austerities, performed severe tapas. Ever remaining pure and radiant, she did so desiring a son, O best of the twice-born ones.

Verse 8

ततो देवः सहस्राक्षो ज्ञात्वा उद्यममेव च । दित्याश्चैव महाभाग अंतरप्रेक्षकोऽभवत्

Then the thousand-eyed god (Indra), having understood the very undertaking, became—O noble one—an unseen observer among the Dityas as well.

Verse 9

पंचविंशाब्दिको भूत्वा देवराड्दैवतोपमः । ब्राह्मणस्य च रूपेण तस्याश्चांतिकमागतः

Assuming the age of twenty-five, the lord of the gods—godlike in splendor—came near her, taking the form of a brāhmaṇa.

Verse 10

स तां प्रणम्य धर्मात्मा मातरं तपसान्विताम् । तयोक्तस्तु सहस्राक्षो भवान्को द्विजसत्तम

That righteous-souled one bowed to his mother, who was endowed with austerity. Then Sahasrākṣa (Indra) said to him: “Who are you, O best of twice-born?”

Verse 11

तामुवाच सहस्राक्षः पुत्रोऽहं तव शोभने । ब्राह्मणो वेदविद्वांश्च धर्मं जानामि भामिनि

Sahasrākṣa said to her: “O beautiful lady, I am your son. I am a brāhmaṇa, learned in the Vedas, and I know dharma, O passionate one.”

Verse 12

तपसस्तव साहाय्यं करिष्ये नात्र संशयः । शुश्रूषति स तां देवीं मातरं तपसान्विताम्

“I will assist you in your austerities—of this there is no doubt.” Thus he attended upon that goddess, his mother, who was endowed with ascetic power.

Verse 13

तमिंद्रं सा न जानाति आगतं दुष्टकारिणम् । धर्मपुत्रं विजानाति शुश्रूषंतं दिने दिने

She does not recognize Indra who has come as a doer of evil; but she recognizes the son of Dharma, who serves with devotion day after day.

Verse 14

अंगं संवाहयेद्देव्याः पादौ प्रक्षालयेत्ततः । पत्रं मूलं फलं तत्र वल्कलाजिनमेव च

One should gently massage the goddess’s limbs, and then wash her feet. There, one should also present leaves, roots, and fruits, as well as bark-garments and a deer-skin.

Verse 15

ददात्येवं स धर्मात्मा तस्यै दित्यै सदैव हि । भक्त्या संतोषिता तस्य संतुष्टा तमभाषत

Thus that righteous man would always give to Diti; and she, pleased by his devotion and fully satisfied, spoke to him.

Verse 16

पुत्रे जाते महापुण्ये इंद्रे च निहते सति । कुरु राज्यं महाभाग पुत्रेण मम दैवकम्

Now that a highly meritorious son has been born, and Indra has been slain, O fortunate one—assume the kingship, for my destiny is bound up with my son.

Verse 17

एवमस्तु महाभागे ते प्रसादाद्भविष्यति । तस्याश्चैवांतरं प्रेप्सुरभवत्पाकशासनः

“So be it, O noble lady; by your gracious favor it shall come to pass.” And then Pākaśāsana (Indra), seeking an opportunity against her, watched for her vulnerable moment.

Verse 18

ऊने वर्षशते चास्या ददर्शांतरमच्युतः । अकृत्वा पादयोः शौचं दितिः शयनमाविशत्

Before a hundred years had passed, Acyuta (Viṣṇu) perceived a lapse in her conduct. Diti, without first cleansing her feet, lay down upon her bed.

Verse 19

शय्यांते सा शिरः कृत्वा मुक्तकेशातिविह्वला । निद्रामाहारयामास तस्याः कुक्षिं प्रविश्य ह

Placing her head at the edge of the bed, her hair loosened and herself greatly distressed, she fell asleep—as though entering into her own womb.

Verse 20

वज्रपाणिस्ततो गर्भं सप्तधा तं न्यकृंतत । वज्रेण तीक्ष्णधारेण रुरोद उदरे स्थितः

Then Vajrapāṇi cut that embryo into seven parts with his sharp-edged thunderbolt; and the one who lay within the womb cried out.

Verse 21

स गर्भस्तत्र विप्रेंद्रा इंद्रहस्तगतेन वै । रोदमानं महागर्भं तमुवाच पुनः पुनः

O best of brāhmaṇas, there that embryo indeed came into Indra’s hand; and Indra, again and again, spoke to that great embryo as it wept.

Verse 22

शतक्रतुर्महातेजा मा रोदीरित्यभाषत । सप्तधा कृतवाञ्छक्रस्तं गर्भं दितिजं पुनः

Śakra (Indra), mighty and radiant lord of a hundred sacrifices, said, “Do not weep.” Then Śakra once again cut that Diti-born embryo into seven parts.

Verse 23

एकैकं सप्तधा च्छित्त्वा रुदमानं स देवराट् । एवं वै मरुतो जातास्ते तु देवा महौजसः

Cutting each one into seven parts, the king of the gods did so while they were crying. Thus indeed the Maruts were born—those gods of great power.

Verse 24

यथा इंद्रेण ते प्रोक्ता बभूवुर्नामभिस्ततः । अतिवीर्य महाकायास्तीव्र तेजः पराक्रमाः

Just as Indra had declared them, they thereafter came to be known by those names—possessing extraordinary strength and huge bodies, with fierce splendor and heroic valor.

Verse 25

एकोना वै बभूवुस्ते पंचाशन्मरुतस्ततः । मरुतो नाम ते ख्याता इंद्रमेव समाश्रिताः

Then they became forty-nine in number—thereafter they were known as the Maruts, famed by that name, and they took refuge in Indra alone.

Verse 26

इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे मरुदुत्पत्तिर्नाम षड्विंशोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the twenty-sixth chapter, called “The Origin of the Maruts,” in the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa of the glorious Padma Purāṇa.

Verse 27

क्रमशस्तानि राज्यानि पृथुपूर्वाणि तानि वै । स देवः पुरुषः कृष्णः सर्वव्यापी जगद्गुरुः

In due order, those kingdoms—beginning with Pṛthu’s realm—were established. He indeed is that divine Person, Kṛṣṇa: all-pervading, the Guru of the world.

Verse 28

तपोजिष्णुर्महातेजाः सर्व एकः प्रजापतिः । पर्जन्यः पावकः पुण्यः सर्वात्मा सर्व एव हि

He is the very power of austerity, of immense splendor—the one Lord of all beings, Prajāpati. He is Parjanya, the rain-giver; Pāvaka, the purifying fire; the Holy One—indeed the Self of all, and verily all that exists.

Verse 29

तस्य सर्वमिदं पुण्यं जगत्स्थावरजंगमम् । भूतसर्गमिमं सम्यग्जानतो द्विजसत्तम

O best of the twice-born, for one who rightly understands this creation of beings, this entire world—both the immovable and the movable—becomes wholly meritorious, filled with puṇya, for him.

Verse 30

नावृत्तिभयमस्तीह परलोकभयं कुतः । इमां सृष्टिं महापुण्यां सर्वपापहरां शुभाम्

Here there is no fear of falling back; how then could there be fear of the next world? This sacred ordering of creation is supremely meritorious, auspicious, and it removes all sins.

Verse 31

यः शृणोति नरो भक्त्या सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते । स हि धन्यश्च पुण्यश्च स हि सत्यसमन्वितः

That man who listens with devotion is freed from all sins. Indeed, he is blessed and meritorious; indeed, he is endowed with truthfulness.

Verse 32

यः शृणोति इमां सृष्टिं स याति परमां गतिम् । सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति

Whoever listens to this account of creation attains the supreme goal; purified in spirit from all sins, he goes to Viṣṇu’s world.