Chapter 6 - Glorification of The Race of Danu

Sūta said:

1. The sons of Danu were great Asuras well known in their race. The most important among them was Vipracitti. They possessed unimaginable exploits and valour.

2. All of them were persons who had performed great penances and had obtained boons. They were truthful, aggressive against enemies and cruel. They were experts in the use of Māyā.

3. They possessed great strength and were swift in movement. They were engrossed in the study of the Vedas; (Brahmiṣṭha) and maintained holy fires. Understand them even as they are being glorified in accordance with their prominence.

4-13. The following are glorified as the prominent members of the family of Danu:—Dvimūrdhan, Śambara, Śaṅkuratha, Vibhu (or lord), Śaṅkukarṇa, Vipāda, Gaviṣṭha, Dundubhi, Ayomukha, Maghavān, Kapila, Vāmana, Maya, Marīci, Asipā, Mahāmāyā, Aśiras, Bhṛśī, Vikṣobha, Suketu, Ketuvīrya, Śatāhvaya, Indrajit, Dvivida, Bhadra, Devajit, Ekacakra, Mahābāhu, the extremely powerful Tāraka, Vaiśvānara, Puloman, Prāpaṇa, Mahāśiras, Svarbhānu, Vṛṣaparvan, Puruṇḍa the great Asura, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Sūrya, Candramas, Indratāpana, Sūkṣma, Nicandra, Cūrṇanābha, Mahāgiri, Asilomā, Sukeśa, Śaṭha, Mūlakodara, Jambha, Gaganamūrdhan, Kumbhamāna, Mahodaka, Pramada, Adma, Kupatha, Aśvagrīva, the valorous, Vaimṛga, Virūpākṣa, Supatha, Hala, Ahala, Akṣa, Hiraṇmaya, Śatagrīva, and Śambara (the second).

Śarabha and Śvalabha are remembered as the sun and the moon of Asuras. They are influential against the Suras as well.

The sons and grandsons and later descendants of these are endless. They cannot be numbered.

14. Thus the Asuras, Daityas and Dānavas have been recounted.

The Daityas are remembered as Sutvats (soma drinkers?) and the sons of Danu are remembered as Asutvats (non participants in drinking soma juice).

15-17. These are remembered as the followers of the family or those of the family of the sons of Danu.

The following are remembered as those of the family of the sons of Danu:—

Ekākṣa, Aśvaprabhāriṣṭa, Pralamba, Naraka, Indrabādhanakeśī, Puruṣa, Śeṣavān, Uru, Gariṣṭha, Gavākṣa, Tālaketu the valorous. They cannot be killed by human beings. They were born of the inter-alliance of the Daityas and the Dānavas. They are of terrible exploits.

18. The following fourteen^[1] great Asuras are called Saiṃhikeyas. They were born of Siṃhikā as the sons of Vipracitti:—

19-20. Śala, Śalabha, Savya, Sivya, Ilvala, Namuci, Vātāpi, Supuñjika, Harakalpa, Kālanābha, Bhauma and Kanaka, Rāhu the suppressor of the sun and the moon is the eldest among them.

21. These sons of Siṃhikā were unapproachable (invincible) even to the Devas. Their family itself was very awful. All of them were cruel and slayers of the Brāhmaṇas.

22. The groups of Saiṃhikeyas are remembered as consisting of ten thousands. They were killed by the powerful Bhārgava (Paraśurāma) son of Jamadagni.

23. Prabhā was the daughter of Svarbhānu; Śacī was the daughter of Puloman; Upadānavī was the daughter of Sada and Śarmiṣṭhā of Vṛṣaparvan.

24. Vaiśvānara had two daughters viz. Pulomā and Kālikā. Nahuṣa was the son of Prabhā and Jayanta the son of Śacī.

25. Śarmiṣṭhā gave birth to Pūru and Upadānavī to Duṣyanta. Vaiśvānara’s daughters were these two viz. Pulomā and Kālakā.

26. Both these daughters had many children. They were the wives of Mārīca. Both of them had between them sixty thousand children. They were the leaders of the Dānavas.

27. There were fourteen thousand more, those of the residents of Hiraṇyapura. Paulomas and Kālakeyas were Dānavas of great strength.

28-29. They could not be killed by the Devas. They were slain by Savyasācī (Arjuna). Six children, five sons and a daughter were born of Rambhā and Maya. They were very powerful. The sons were Māyāvin, Dundubhi, Mahiṣa, Kālika and Ajakarṇa. Mandodarī was the daughter.

30-31. Thus the creation of Daityas and Dānavas has been stated.

It is remembered that five very powerful sons were born of Anāyuṣā—Araru, Bala, Vṛtra, Vijvara and Vṛṣa.

The son of Araru, a cruel and great Asura named Dhundhu was killed in a cave by Kuvalāśva at the instance of Uttaṅka.

32-33. Nikumbha and Cakravarman were the sons of Bala. Both of them were unrivalled in brilliance. They had great virility. Of these two the latter was Karṇa in his previous birth. Vijara had also two sons—Kālaka and Khara.

34. Vṛṣa had four sons of very cruel activities. They were Śrāddhāda, Yajñahā, Brahmahā and Paśuhā.

35-36. Anāyuṣā’s sons have been recounted. Understand the sons of Vṛtra too. Very awful and powerful Rākṣasas named Bakas were born to Vṛtra who was fighting with Indra. A hundred thousand of them are remembered as the followers (servants) of Mahenḍra.

37-39. All of them were knowers of Brahman (Veda). They were gentle and devout (righteous). They had subtle forms. All of them moved about among the subjects in their subtle forms. They lived always enveloped in anger.^[2]

Krodhā gave birth to unrivalled sons, very excellent in singing. They were ten in number. These Devagandharvas were the sons of Krodhā. They were Siddha, Pūrṇa, Bahvī, Pūrṇāṃśa the vigorous, Brahmacārin, Śataguṇa Suparṇa the seventh, Viśvāvasu, Bhānu and Sucandra the tenth. Thus the sons of Krodhā have been recounted.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The list in VV. 19-20 names only thirteen sons and not fourteen.

[2]:

Krudhāvṛtāḥ in the Bd. P. This is discordant with the list of their virtues. Vā.P. 68.36 reads Sudhārmikāḥ “extremely religious.” This adjective is in consonance with the previous virtues in that line (39 b) and hence acceptable.