"The Impregnation of Diti in the Evening"

 

Skandham-3.1

Chapter-14.

Slokam- 1 to 51.

 

The Impregnation of Diti in the Evening

 

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'After hearing from the sage the description of the story about the Supreme Personality who for lifting up the world appeared as a boar, did Vidura, vowed as he was, request him with folded hands for more, since he didn't feel completely satisfied. (2) Vidura said: 'O chief among the sages, I heard in my own following that the demon Hiranyâksha for sure was slain by the Supreme Person, the original object of sacrifices. (3) For what reason had He in His pastimes, while He was lifting the planet earth up on His tusks, o brahmin, a fight with the king of the demons? (4) Please narrate to this faithful person, this devotee, about His appearance in detail, o great sage, as I did not get satisfied with my certainly very inquisitive mind.

 

(5) Maitreya said: 'Dear devotee, great hero, that what you, from your good self, ask me about the topics of the Supreme Personality is the source of liberation from birth and death for those who are destined to die. (6) From these being sung by Nârada, the son of King Uttânapâda [Dhruva] as a child of mortality for sure placed his head under the feet and ascended to the abode of the Lord. (7) The history about these happenings I heard being described long ago by Brahmâ, the god of gods, upon questions from the demigods.

 

(8) O Vidura, one evening Diti, the daughter of Daksha, in distress of sex-desire begged her husband Kas'yapa, the son of Marîci, in order to have a child. (9) After worshiping the Original Personality of all sacrifices with oblations to the tongue of the sacrificial fire, he sat fully absorbed in the templeroom while the sun was setting.

 

(10) Diti said: 'O learned one, Cupid unto me has for you taken all his arrows distressing My poor self like a mad elephant attacking a banana tree. (11) Be therefore so good to me, I am upset seeing how well-to-do your other wives are; favor me completely with all the prosperity unto you. (12) The fame of the husband who loves his woman will spread in the world as from the children of a good husband like yourself, the society surely does expand. (13) Long ago our father, the most opulent Daksha, affectionately asked each of his daughters: 'Who do you prefer for your husband, my child?' (14) Daksha understanding our intentions as the well-wisher of his children, handed all the thirteen of them over; they are all faithful now in their behavior to you. (15) Therefore be so kind to fulfill my wishes, o lotus-eyed one; the pleas of the distressed who approach a great person, o great one, won't surely be in vain!'

 

(16) Thus, o hero, replied the son of Marîci the poor and talkative one with pacifying words as she was highly agitated from the contamination of lust: (17) 'Whatever you ask of me I shall do, my dearest who is so afflicted. From whom else but you would the three perfections of liberation [dharma, artha, kâma: the settling of religion, economy and sensegratification] be achieved? (18) Living with a wife a person completing all stages of life and following his own vocation can cross over the dangerous ocean of material existence like one crosses over an ocean with seagoing vessels. (19) The wife, thus said to be the better half of one's body to all the good, in whom one, o respectful one, entrusts all responsibilities, will make a man move without anxieties. (20) The senses are, for other orders of life than the householders, difficult to conquer enemies; we who thus take shelter can easily conquer them like a fort commander can with invading plunderers. (21) Never will we be able to return what you have done for us, o queen of the home, not in all our life nor in the next, nor will others appreciative of your qualities. (22) Even though, let me forthwith take care of this interest of yours; just wait a few seconds so that I may not be reproached for it. (23) This very time is most unsuitable, it is the horrid time in which the ghastly ghosts and their master are one's constant companion indeed. (24) At this time of the day, o chaste one, at dusk, the Lord and well-wisher of the ghostly ones [S'iva], who is surrounded by them is traveling as their king on the back of the bull. (25) From the dust and smoke that blew from the burning of the dead, the beauty of the stainless reddish body of the demigod has been smeared and has his matted hair been covered by ashes while looking on with his triple vision [of sun moon and fire] as the younger brother[-in law] of this husband of yours [Diti's younger sister married Lord S'iva]. (26) He regards none in the world as his relative nor is one unconnected to him; he sees no one as greater nor does he regard anyone as criminal either; vowed we duly worship his feet assuring us of the remnants of what he rejected of the sacrificed food. (27) Although to his unimpeachable character, that is followed by the sages in their desire to dismantle the nescience of the masses, there is no one of an equal greatness, nevertheless he personally like a devil performs for the attainment of the devotees. (28) The unfortunate ones who in their activities indeed laugh at him, not knowing about his purpose of engagement in the self, caress their bodies, that are ultimately only dogfood, like the soul itself with luxuries as clothing, garlands and ointments. (29) Gods like Brahmâ act according the rites he observes as the controller of the material energy under whose order the creation finds its existence; the devilish actions are of this great character, by God, simply an imitation.

 

(30) Maitreya said: 'In spite of thus being informed by her husband, she with her senses pressed by Cupid, caught hold of the clothing of the great brahmin sage like a shameless public woman. (31) He then, understanding his wifes obstinacy to the forbidden act, offered his obeisances unto the worshipable fate and in a secluded place no doubt thus lay with her. (32) Thereafter touching water he took a bath and practiced trance, controlling his speech, meditating the light of the eternal by chanting the hymns of purity. (33) O son of Bharata, Diti, ashamed of the faulty act approached the learned sage with her face looking down and spoke politely to him. (34) Diti said: 'Let this pregnancy of mine, o brahmin, noblest of all, not be ended by Rudra, as surely I have committed an offense against the master of beings. (35) All my obeisances unto Rudra, the ferocious great demigod who fulfills all desires, the all-auspicious and forgiving one, who immediately angrily chastises. (36) May he, the supreme, great and merciful person, be pleased with us being the brother-in-law married to Satî [the chaste one and sister of Diti] who is even with the hunter the object of mercy and God of all women.'

 

(37) Maitreya said: 'Desiring the welfare in the world for her own children and trembling from having turned away from the rules and regulations of the evening, the wife was addressed by this father of mankind. (38) Kas'yapa said: 'Because of your polluted mind, your defiling the holiness of the moment and also your being too negligent about my directions, you were too inattentive towards the gods. (39) O unlucky one, from your condemned womb two contemptuous sons will take birth, that will cause constant lamentation with the rulers of all the three worlds, o haughty one. (40) They will kill poor and innocent living entities, torment women and enrage the great souls. (41) When that happens the Supreme Personality and Lord of the Universe in great anger of desiring the welfare of the people in general, will kill them descending in person as if He were the smasher of mountains with the thunderbolt [Indra] himself.'

 

(42) Diti said: 'The killing by the hand of the Supreme Lord directly with the help of His Sudars'ana Cakra [His disc] is very magnanimous; I wish that my sons may never come to an end from the rage of the brahmins, o my husband. (43) A person condemned by the chastisement of a brahmin and he who is always fearful to other living beings is nor favored by the hellish nor by whatever species of life the offender reaches.'

 

(44-45) Kas'yapa said: 'Having lamented and being penitent in an immediate proper confession and of your great adoration for the Supreme Personality, Lord S'ivaand your respect for me, there for sure will of one of the two sons [Hiranyakas'ipu] be born a son [Prahlâda] that will carry the approval of the devotees; his fame will as being equal with that of the transcendence of the Supreme Lord be broadcast. (46) Like the way gold of an inferior quality is rectified, will saintly persons, who seek purification in striving for freedom from animosity, follow the footsteps of the character of this soul. (47) He, the Supreme Lord, by whose mercy this universe finds happiness because of His omnipotency in taking special care of His devotees, will be very pleased by his unwavering intelligence. (48) He will certainly be the topmost devotee, the greatest soul with the greatest influence and well matured by devotional service [*]; with his mind in ecstatic love, he will no doubt reach Vaikunthha [the place of no fear, heaven] quitting this material world. (49) He will be a virtuous and qualified reservoir of all good qualities; he will rejoice on the happiness of others and be distressed when others are unhappy; he will be without enemies and he will put and end to all lamentation in the world like the moon does after the distress of the summer sun. (50) Spotless within and without, your grandson will out of his own accept the desired form with the lotuseyes whose beautiful wife is the goddess of fortune and whose body and face will be seen decorated with brilliant earrings.'

 

(51) Maitreya said: 'From hearing that her grandson was to be a great devotee did Diti take great pleasure and also knowing of the killing of her two sons by Krishna she became highly pleased in mind.