Chapter 17 - The Birth of Hiraṇyākṣa and Hiraṇyakaśipu—Hiraṇyākṣa’s Victories

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Maitreya said:

1. Having heard the cause as explained by the Self-born god (Brahmā), all the gods, with their fear dispelled, returned to Svarga.

2. On account of her husband’s prediction, Diti was apprehensive of the troubles (to be caused) by her progeny^[1]. At the end of hundred years she gave birth to male-twins.

3. At the time of their birth, there were many evil portents boding terrible calamities to the world, appearing in the heavens, on the earth, and in the sky.

4. The earth, along with mountains, quaked violently everywhere. All the directions were ablaze. Meteors and thunders showered down. Comets foreboding distress appeared (in the sky).

5. An extremely biting stormy wind frequently roaring (through the sky) blew with its army of whirlwinds, uprooting big trees, and raising its banner of dust (aloft).

6. When stars (and luminaries) in the sky disappeared, being covered by dark clouds roaring with laughter in the form of lightnings, not a single spot could be seen, due to surging darkness.

7. The ocean with its tidal waves and its interior agitated (by acquatic animals), roared as if depressed in spirits. Rivers as well as wells and tanks with lotuses withering there-in, were perturbed.

8. There were frequent misty halos round the Sun and the Moon eclipsed by Rāhu. There were roars of thunders without clouds—deep sound like rattling of chariots came out from the mountain caves.

9. In villages female jackals vomited terrible fire from their mouths, and howled out ominously, along with cries of he-jackals and hooting of owls.

10. Here and there dogs gave out different types of barking sounds with their neck raised, as if in singing or crying.

11. Oh Vidura, herds of maddened donkeys ran about kicking the surface of the earth with their hard hoofs and brayings vehemently.

12. Birds being terrified by the donkeys, screamed out and flew out of their nests. Beasts which were in the jungle and in their pens, excreted dung and urine.

13. Cows were frightened and blood issued from their udders. The clouds showered pus. The idols of gods shed tears. Trees were uprooted though there was no wind.

14. Evil planets (like the Mars) crossed and passed over auspicious planets, and the constellations or stars, and reverting in a crooked course, they fought with each other.

15. Seeing such other terrible omens, people, with the exception of Brahmā’s sons (like Sanat Kumāra), being ignorant of the real implication of these portents, were terrified, and thought that the (time of the) destruction of the universe had come.

16. Those two primitive Daityas, with their bodies hard as rock, grew up fast like big mountains, exhibiting their inborn prowess.

17. They stood touching the heavens with the crest of their gold crowns, embracing all the directions by their arms adorned with brilliant armlets, shaking the earth at every step, surpassing the Sun’s lustre by the brilliance of the girdle round their waist.

18. The Prajāpati (Kāśyapa) gave them names. Of the twins who was first born of his body was known as Hiraṇyakaśipu and people call (the other) Hiraṇyākṣa, whom she (Diti) gave birth first^[2].

19. Hiraṇyakaśipu had no fear of death by the boon of Brahmā. He became arrogant. He subdued by the power of his arms, the worlds along with their protectors.

20. He loved his younger brother Hiraṇyākṣa who wished to please him (Hiraṇyakaśipu). Spoiling for fight every day, he took a mace in his hand, and went to heaven seeking war.

21-22. When gods saw him advancing with irresistible speed, making the tinkling sound of his gold anklets, and wearing the Vaijayantī garland^[3], shouldering his big mace, proudly confident of his physical and mental powers, and of the boons (conferred by Brahmā), unconfrontable and undeterred, they concealed th emselves like serpents afraid of Garuḍa.

23. When the king of Daityas saw that Indra along with all the gods had verily hid himself at the sight of his terrible might, and was not excited^[4], he roared loudly.

24. Returning thence (from Svarga) and with a desire to sport, (Hiraṇyākṣa) of immense might,dived into the unfathomable, terribly roaring ocean, like an intoxicated elephant.

25. When he entered the ocean, the soldiers of Varuṇa, viz. all the acquatic animals, lost their morale. Though they were not (physically) struck down (by him), they got terrified, and overwhelmed by his splendour, they ran away to a long distance.

26. Oh child, for many years he (Hiraṇyākṣa) of monstrous strength, wandered through the ocean often beating down with his mace of black iron^[5], huge waves which were frequently swelled by his heavy breath. (Finally) he arrived at Vi- bhāvarī, the capital of Varuṇa.

27. Seeing there Varuṇa, the protector of the Asura region, and the lord of acquatic animals, he smiled, and ridiculing him with a bow like a mean person, he spoke, ‘Your imperial majesty, be pleased to give me a fight’.

28. ‘Oh Lord, you are the protector of the world, a great sovereign of wide reputation. You are the subduer of the valour of warriors who consider themselves haughty and valiant. You have formerly performed the Rājasūya sacrifice after conquering all the Daityas and Dānavas in the world.’

29. The glorious lord of waters who was thus bitterly derided by the enemy who was puffed up with excessive arrogance, controlled, by force of his reason, his anger which was thus provoked. He spoke out, ‘Oh (valiant warrior), we have now grown tranquil.

30. Oh leader of Asuras, I do not see any other person except the Primeval Man who can satisfy in fight a pastmaster in the science of war like you. Go to him whom high-minded warriors like you eulogize.

31. He takes incarnations for putting down wicked persons like you, and for favouring the good, with his grace. You approach that warrior. You will (then) be rid of your pride and will lie (slain) in the bed of warriors (battlefield) surrounded by dogs.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

apatya-pariśaṅkīnī—Afraid of harm to her children by Hari—Padaratnāvalī

[2]:

When twins are born, the first child that is born is regarded as the younger, for the elder child gets a position behind it in the womb. This concept underlies the above verse.

[3]:

Vaijayantī—(i) A long necklace or garland of eight kinds of pearls—Bhāvārtha-dīpikā-prakāśa

(ii) A four-fold garland of flowers—Padaratnāvalī

[4]:

v.l. klībān—the effeminate Indra and the gods etc.

[5]:

Or the mace which was firmly tied down with the rope of mūrvā grass—Bhāvāratha Dīpikā