Bala Kanda, Sarga 46

हतेषु तेषु पुत्रेषु दिति: परमदु:खिता। मारीचं काश्यपं राम भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत्।।1.46.1।।

hateṣu teṣu putreṣu diti: paramadu:khitā| mārīcaṃ kāśyapaṃ rāma bhartāramidamabravīt

"O Rama! afflicted with great grief when her sons were killed, Diti said to her husband Kasyapa, son of Maricha:

हतपुत्राऽस्मि भगवंस्तव पुत्रैर्महाबलै:। शक्रहन्तारमिच्छामि पुत्रं दीर्घतपोऽर्जितम्।।1.46.2।।

hataputrā'smi bhagavaṃstava putrairmahābalai:| śakrahantāramicchāmi putraṃ dīrghatapo'rjitam

"O adorable one, your highly powerful sons, (devatas) have killed mine through extensive austerities. I am desirous of obtaining a (mighty) son capable of killing Indra.

साऽहं तपश्चरिष्यामि गर्भं मे दातुमर्हसि। ईश्वरं शक्रहन्तारं त्वमनुज्ञातुमर्हसि।।1.46.3।।

sā'haṃ tapaścariṣyāmi garbhaṃ me dātumarhasi| īśvaraṃ śakrahantāraṃ tvamanujñātumarhasi

I shall practise austerities. You ought to grant me a son who would be the supreme ruler of the world and capable of killing Indra. You can say yes (if you will)".

तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा मारीच: काश्यपस्तदा। प्रत्युवाच महातेजा दितिं परमदु:खिताम्।।1.46.4।।

tasyāstadvacanaṃ śrutvā mārīca: kāśyapastadā| pratyuvāca mahātejā ditiṃ paramadu:khitām

Then, Maricha's son, exceedingly bright Kasyapa on hearing the words of Diti who was deeply grieved replied:

एवं भवतु, भद्रं ते शुचिर्भव तपोधने। जनयिष्यसि पुत्रं त्वं शक्रहन्तारमाहवे।।1.46.5।।

evaṃ bhavatu, bhadraṃ te śucirbhava tapodhane| janayiṣyasi putraṃ tvaṃ śakrahantāramāhave

"O one vested with the wealth of austerities be it so. Prosperity to you Remain chaste, you will deliver a son who will kill Indra in the battle.

पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु शुचिर्यदि भविष्यसि। पुत्रं त्रैलोक्यभर्तारं मत्तस्त्वं जनयिष्यसि।।1.46.6।।

pūrṇe varṣasahasre tu śuciryadi bhaviṣyasi| putraṃ trailokyabhartāraṃ mattastvaṃ janayiṣyasi

"If you remain pure and clean, on completion of a thousand years you will give birth to a son through me who will be the lord of the three worlds".

एवमुक्त्वा महातेजा: पाणिना स ममार्ज ताम्। समालभ्य ततस्स्वस्तीत्युक्त्वा स तपसे ययौ।।1.46.7।।

evamuktvā mahātejā: pāṇinā sa mamārja tām| samālabhya tatassvastītyuktvā sa tapase yayau

Highly brilliant Kasyapa, having thus spoken, touched her gently with his palm, stroked her body and said, "May good betide thee". Having said this, Kasyapa went away to perform austerities.

गते तस्मिन्नरश्श्रेष्ठ दिति: परमहर्षिता। कुशप्लवनमासाद्य तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम्।।1.46.8।।

gate tasminnaraśśreṣṭha diti: paramaharṣitā| kuśaplavanamāsādya tapastepe sudāruṇam

"O foremost among men after Kasyapa had left, Diti exceedingly delighted (at the prospect of having sons) reached Kushaplavana, and practised intense mortifications.

तपस्तस्यां हि कुर्वन्त्यां परिचर्यां चकार ह। सहस्राक्षो नरश्श्रेष्ठ परया गुणसम्पदा।।1.46.9।।

tapastasyāṃ hi kurvantyāṃ paricaryāṃ cakāra ha| sahasrākṣo naraśśreṣṭha parayā guṇasampadā

O foremost of men great treasure of virtues while she was practising austerities, the thousandeyed Indra began to serve her.

अग्निं कुशान् काष्ठमप: फलं मूलं तथैव च। न्यवेदयत्सहस्राक्षो यच्चान्यदपि काङ्क्षितम्।।1.46.10।।

agniṃ kuśān kāṣṭhamapa: phalaṃ mūlaṃ tathaiva ca| nyavedayatsahasrākṣo yaccānyadapi kāṅkṣitam

The thousandeyed Indra served her by providing fire, Kusha grass, sticks for burning, water, fruits, roots and all other things desired by her.

गात्रसंवहनश्चैव श्रमापनयनैस्तथा। शक्रस्सर्वेषु कालेषु दितिं परिचचार ह ।।1.46.11।।

gātrasaṃvahanaścaiva śramāpanayanaistathā| śakrassarveṣu kāleṣu ditiṃ paricacāra ha

Indra attended on Diti, stroking her limbs gently from time to time to help her regain their suppleness and alleviate her fatigue.

अथ वर्षसहस्रे तु दशोने रघुनन्दन । दिति: परमसम्प्रीता सहस्राक्षमथाब्रवीत्।।1.46.12।।

atha varṣasahasre tu daśone raghunandana | diti: paramasamprītā sahasrākṣamathābravīt

O son of the Raghus ten years before completion of a thousand years. Diti, highly pleased with the services rendered by Indra, addressed him", saying:

याचितेन सुरश्रेष्ठ तव पित्रा महात्मना। वरो वर्षसहस्रान्ते दत्तो मम सुतं प्रति।।1.46.13।।

yācitena suraśreṣṭha tava pitrā mahātmanā| varo varṣasahasrānte datto mama sutaṃ prati

"O best of the gods your illustrious father granted me a boon for a son I sought on completion of a thousand years (of penance).

तपश्चरन्त्या वर्षाणि दश वीर्यवतां वर। अवशिष्टानि भद्रं ते भ्रातरं द्रक्ष्यसे तत:।।1.46.14।।

tapaścarantyā varṣāṇi daśa vīryavatāṃ vara| avaśiṣṭāni bhadraṃ te bhrātaraṃ drakṣyase tata:

O the best of the brave ten years is yet to go (for completion of austerities). You will have a brother. May you prosper

तमहं त्वत्कृते पुत्र समाधास्ये जयोत्सुकम्। त्रैलोक्यविजयं पुत्र सह भोक्ष्यसि विज्वर:।।1.46.15।।

tamahaṃ tvatkṛte putra samādhāsye jayotsukam| trailokyavijayaṃ putra saha bhokṣyasi vijvara:

O Child I'll create in him eagerness victory. Together with him you will gain victory over the three worlds. Relieved of sorrows, enjoy you'll with him".

एवमुक्त्वा दितिश्शक्रं प्राप्ते मध्यं दिवाकरे। निद्रयाऽपहृता देवी पादौ कृत्वाऽथ शीर्षत:।।1.46.16।।

evamuktvā ditiśśakraṃ prāpte madhyaṃ divākare| nidrayā'pahṛtā devī pādau kṛtvā'tha śīrṣata:

After speaking thus to Indra, goddess Diti overpowered with sleep around midsday dropped off, her feet towards her head.

दृष्ट्वा तामशुचिं शक्र: पादत: कृतमूर्धजाम्। शिरस्स्थाने कृतौ पादौ जहास च मुमोद च।।1.46.17।।

dṛṣṭvā tāmaśuciṃ śakra: pādata: kṛtamūrdhajām| śirassthāne kṛtau pādau jahāsa ca mumoda ca

Indra laughed. He rejoiced at the sight of her ominous posture of sleeping with her feet towards her head and her hair falling on her feet.

तस्याश्शरीरविवरं विवेश च पुरन्दर:। गर्भं च सप्तधा राम बिभेद परमात्मवान्।।1.46.18।।

tasyāśśarīravivaraṃ viveśa ca purandara:| garbhaṃ ca saptadhā rāma bibheda paramātmavān

O Rama with great courage Indra entered her womb and severed her embryo into seven pieces.

भिद्यमानस्ततो गर्भो वज्रेण शतपर्वणा। रुरोद सुस्वरं राम ततो दितिरबुध्यत।।1.46.19।।

bhidyamānastato garbho vajreṇa śataparvaṇā| ruroda susvaraṃ rāma tato ditirabudhyata

O Rama that embryo, being severed by Vajra having a hundred edges, cried at high pitch which awakened Diti".

मा रुदो मा रुदश्चेति गर्भं शक्रोऽभ्यभाषत। बिभेद च महातेजा रुदन्तमपि वासव:।।1.46.20।।

mā rudo mā rudaśceti garbhaṃ śakro'bhyabhāṣata| bibheda ca mahātejā rudantamapi vāsava:

Highly powerful Indra, even while saying to the crying embryo "Do not weep, Do not weep" severed it.

न हन्तव्यो न हन्तव्य इत्येवं दितिरब्रवीत्। निष्पपात ततश्शक्रो मातुर्वचनगौरवात्।।1.46.21।।

na hantavyo na hantavya ityevaṃ ditirabravīt| niṣpapāta tataśśakro māturvacanagauravāt

"Do not kill", "Do not kill", said Diti. Subsequently Indra, in deference to the words of his mother, emerged out of the womb.

प्राञ्जलिर्वज्रसहितो दितिं शक्रोऽभ्यभाषत। अशुचिर्देवि सुप्ताऽसि पादयो: कृतमूर्धजा।।1.46.22।।

prāñjalirvajrasahito ditiṃ śakro'bhyabhāṣata| aśucirdevi suptā'si pādayo: kṛtamūrdhajā

Armed with Vajra, Indra addressed Diti with folded palms, saying, "O Devi you have slept, with your head towards your feet and your hair falling on your feet".

तदन्तरमहं लब्ध्वा शक्रहन्तारमाहवे। अभिदं सप्तधा देवि तन्मे त्वं क्षन्तुमर्हसि।।1.46.23।।

tadantaramahaṃ labdhvā śakrahantāramāhave| abhidaṃ saptadhā devi tanme tvaṃ kṣantumarhasi

"I have seized the opportunity and severed into seven pieces the foetus who would have been a slayer of Indra. O Devi shoudn't you forgive me"? इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे षट्चत्वारिंशस्सर्ग:।। Thus ends the fortysixth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.