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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गात्रसंवहनश्चैव श्रमापनयनैस्तथा। शक्रस्सर्वेषु कालेषु दितिं परिचचार ह ।।1.46.11।।
Meaning
Through massaging her limbs and relieving her weariness, Shakra attended Diti at all times.
अथ वर्षसहस्रे तु दशोने रघुनन्दन । दिति: परमसम्प्रीता सहस्राक्षमथाब्रवीत्।।1.46.12।।
Meaning
Delight of Raghu, when a thousand years lacked but ten, Diti, greatly pleased, spoke this to the thousand-eyed one.
याचितेन सुरश्रेष्ठ तव पित्रा महात्मना। वरो वर्षसहस्रान्ते दत्तो मम सुतं प्रति।।1.46.13।।
Meaning
Best of gods, at the end of a thousand years, a boon was granted concerning my son, sought by your great-souled father.
तपश्चरन्त्या वर्षाणि दश वीर्यवतां वर। अवशिष्टानि भद्रं ते भ्रातरं द्रक्ष्यसे तत:।।1.46.14।।
Meaning
Best of the mighty, ten years remain of my austerity; may you prosper — you shall then see your brother.
तमहं त्वत्कृते पुत्र समाधास्ये जयोत्सुकम्। त्रैलोक्यविजयं पुत्र सह भोक्ष्यसि विज्वर:।।1.46.15।।
Meaning
Son, I shall raise him for your sake, eager for victory; son, together with him, free of trouble, you shall enjoy conquest of the three worlds.
एवमुक्त्वा दितिश्शक्रं प्राप्ते मध्यं दिवाकरे। निद्रयाऽपहृता देवी पादौ कृत्वाऽथ शीर्षत:।।1.46.16।।
Meaning
Having said this to Shakra, when the sun reached midday, the goddess Diti, overcome by sleep, lay down with her feet toward her head.
दृष्ट्वा तामशुचिं शक्र: पादत: कृतमूर्धजाम्। शिरस्स्थाने कृतौ पादौ जहास च मुमोद च।।1.46.17।।
Meaning
Seeing her impure, her hair at her feet and her feet where her head should be, Shakra laughed and rejoiced.
तस्याश्शरीरविवरं विवेश च पुरन्दर:। गर्भं च सप्तधा राम बिभेद परमात्मवान्।।1.46.18।।
Meaning
Purandara entered the opening of her body, and that supreme-souled one split the embryo into seven parts, Rama.
भिद्यमानस्ततो गर्भो वज्रेण शतपर्वणा। रुरोद सुस्वरं राम ततो दितिरबुध्यत।।1.46.19।।
Meaning
As the embryo was being split by the hundred-jointed thunderbolt, it cried out loudly, Rama, and Diti awoke.
मा रुदो मा रुदश्चेति गर्भं शक्रोऽभ्यभाषत। बिभेद च महातेजा रुदन्तमपि वासव:।।1.46.20।।
Meaning
Do not weep, do not weep, Shakra said to the embryo, and the greatly splendid Vasava split the weeping child further still.