---
title: "Bala Kanda, Sarga 46"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/bala-kanda/sarga-46"
lang: "en"
---

# Bala Kanda, Sarga 46

> हतेषु तेषु पुत्रेषु दितिः परमदुःखिता।  
> मारीचं कश्यपं नाम भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत्॥ १॥

Sore afflicted on her aforesaid sons having been killed in the course of their conflict with the sons of Aditi, Diti addressed her husband, named Kaśyapa, son of Marīci, as follows : (1)

> हतपुत्रास्मि भगवंस्तव पुत्रैर्महाबलैः।  
> शक्रहन्तारमिच्छामि पुत्रं दीर्घतपोऽर्जितम्॥ २॥

“I have been deprived of my sons, O venerable sage, by your very mighty sons, the gods. Now I long for a son, secured, of course, through prolonged askesis, that may be able to kill Indra, the destroyer of my sons. (2)

> साहं तपश्चरिष्यामि गर्भं मे दातुमर्हसि।  
> ईश्वरं शक्रहन्तारं त्वमनुज्ञातुमर्हसि॥ ३॥

“As such I shall practise austerities. Be pleased, therefore, to favour me with a powerful son capable of killing Indra. You ought to grant me leave.” (3)

> तस्यास्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा मारीचः कश्यपस्तदा।  
> प्रत्युवाच महातेजा दितिं परमदुःखिताम्॥ ४॥

Hearing her aforesaid submission, the exceptionally glorious Kaśyapa, son of Marīci, replied as follows to Diti, sore afflicted as she was : (4)

> एवं भवतु भद्रं ते शुचिर्भव तपोधने।  
> जनयिष्यसि पुत्रं त्वं शक्रहन्तारमाहवे॥ ५॥

“Let it be so. May all be well with you! Observe purity till the birth of a son, O lady rich in askesis ! In the ripeness of time you will give birth to a son who should be able to kill Indra in an encounter. (5)

> पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु शुचिर्यदि भविष्यसि।  
> पुत्रं त्रैलोक्यहन्तारं मत्तस्त्वं जनयिष्यसि॥ ६॥

“At the end of full one thousand years, provided of course you maintain purity, you will bring forth through me a son capable of killing Indra (the ruler of the three worlds).” (6)

> एवमुक्त्वा महातेजाः पाणिना सम्ममार्ज ताम्।  
> तामालभ्य ततः स्वस्ति इत्युक्त्वा तपसे ययौ॥ ७॥

Saying so, the highly glorious sage stroked her with his hand and then, touching her person and pronouncing his benediction on her, set out to resume his austerities. (7)

> गते तस्मिन् नरश्रेष्ठ दितिः परमहर्षिता।  
> कुशप्लवं समासाद्य तपस्तेपे सुदारुणम्॥ ८॥

Duly reaching Kuśaplava when Kaśyapa had departed, O jewel among men, Diti, full of great joy, began to practise most severe austerities. (8)

> तपस्तस्यां हि कुर्वत्यां परिचर्यां चकार ह।  
> सहस्राक्षो नरश्रेष्ठ परया गुणसम्पदा॥ ९॥

While she practised austerities, Indra, the thousand-eyed god, O jewel among men, rendered personal service to her through his exuberant wealth of virtues : so the tradition goes. (9)

> अग्निं कुशान् काष्ठमपः फलं मूलं तथैव च।  
> न्यवेदयत् सहस्राक्षो यच्चान्यदपि काङ्क्षितम्॥ १०॥

Indra brought for her use fire, blades of Kuśa grass, firewood, water, fruits as well as roots and whatever else was desired by her. (10)

> गात्रसंवाहनैश्चैव श्रमापनयनैस्तथा।  
> शक्रः सर्वेषु कालेषु दितिं परिचचार ह॥ ११॥

Indra, it is said, served Diti at all times by massaging her wearied limbs and thus relieving her fatigue. (11)

> पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे सा दशोने रघुनन्दन।  
> दितिः परमसंहृष्टा सहस्राक्षमथाब्रवीत्॥ १२॥

Full one thousand years but ten having elapsed, O Rāma, the celebrated Diti, who felt immensely delighted, forthwith spoke to Indra as follows : (12)

> तपश्चरन्त्या वर्षाणि दश वीर्यवतां वर।  
> अवशिष्टानि भद्रं ते भ्रातरं द्रक्ष्यसे ततः॥ १३॥

“Only ten years have yet to be spent by me in practising austerities, O jewel among the powerful ! May prosperity attend on you ! You will after that behold a half-brother by your side. (13)

> यमहं त्वत्कृते पुत्र तमाधास्ये जयोत्सुकम्।  
> त्रैलोक्यविजयं पुत्र सह भोक्ष्यसि विज्वरः॥ १४॥

“I shall place on friendly terms with you my future son—whom I sought for your destruction’s sake, my son, and who is consequently expected to be ever eager to conquer you—so that free from all anxiety you will enjoy with him, my son, the conquest of all the three worlds that will be vanquished by him. (14)

> याचितेन सुरश्रेष्ठ पित्रा तव महात्मना।  
> वरो वर्षसहस्रान्ते मम दत्तः सुतं प्रति॥ १५॥

“A boon to the effect that I should have a son at the end of a thousand years was granted in my favour, O jewel among gods, by your high-souled father, Sage Kaśyapa, when implored by me.” (15)

> इत्युक्त्वा च दितिस्तत्र प्राप्ते मध्यं दिनेश्वरे।  
> निद्रयापहृता देवी पादौ कृत्वाथ शीर्षतः॥ १६॥

Saying so, as the sun had just reached the meridian, the glorious Diti was overtaken by sleep and forthwith lay down placing her feet where her head ought to have lain. (16)

> दृष्ट्वा तामशुचिं शक्रः पादयोः कृतमूर्धजाम्।  
> शिरःस्थाने कृतौ पादौ जहास च मुमोद च॥ १७॥

Indra laughed and rejoiced to see her in an impure posture having unconsciously allowed her hair to touch her feet, and to behold her feet placed where her head ought to have lain. (17)

> तस्याः शरीरविवरं प्रविवेश पुरंदरः।  
> गर्भं च सप्तधा राम चिच्छेद परमात्मवान्॥ १८॥

Indra entered the orifice of her genitals by dint of his yogic power, O Rāma, and carved the foetus into seven, fully alert as he was. (18)

> भिद्यमानस्ततो गर्भो वज्रेण शतपर्वणा।  
> रुरोद सुस्वरं राम ततो दितिरबुध्यत॥ १९॥

The foetus thereupon cried in a shrill voice while being cut with his thunderbolt, a weapon with a hundred edges, O Rāma, and Diti then woke up. (19)

> मा रुदो मा रुदश्चेति गर्भं शक्रोऽभ्यभाषत।  
> बिभेद च महातेजा रुदन्तमपि वासवः॥ २०॥

Indra went on saying to the foetus, “Pray, do not cry, do not cry !” Nay, the exceptionally glorious Vāsava (a name of Indra) continued to carve the foetus again and again till each part was subdivided into seven, even though it remained crying.(20)

> न हन्तव्यं न हन्तव्यमित्येवं दितिरब्रवीत्।  
> निष्पपात ततः शक्रो मातुर्वचनगौरवात्॥ २१॥

Diti only said, “The foetus should not be killed, it should not be killed.” Out of deference to the remonstrance of his stepmother, Indra thereupon emerged from her womb. (21)

> प्राञ्जलिर्वज्रसहितो दितिं शक्रोऽभ्यभाषत।  
> अशुचिर्देवि सुप्तासि पादयोः कृतमूर्धजा॥ २२॥

Appearing with his thunderbolt, Indra spoke to Diti with folded-hands as follows : “You lay asleep, O venerable lady, in an impure posture with your hair touching the feet. (22)

> तदन्तरमहं लब्ध्वा शक्रहन्तारमाहवे।  
> अभिन्दं सप्तधा देवि तन्मे त्वं क्षन्तुमर्हसि॥ २३॥

“Seizing that vulnerable point I carved into seven the foetus that was designed to kill Indra (myself) in an encounter. You ought to pardon this offence of mine, O worshipful lady !” (23)

Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana

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