Chapter 26 - The Origin of Maruts

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sūta said:

1-3. O best brāhmaṇas, that Diti, hearing that her son was killed, was afflicted with pain and tormented with grief due to (the death of) her son. She again said to that noble, best sage Kaśyapa: “O best brāhmaṇa, to kill that very wicked Indra, give me, O lord, a son having Brāhmaṇic lustre, strong and unbearable to all deities, if I am very dear to you, O my beloved husband.”

Kaśyapa said:

4-5. Wicked god Indra, resorting to sinful ways, killed my very strong sons, Bala and Vṛtra. To kill him only, I shall give (you) one son. O you glorious one, be pure for one hundred years.

6-12. Speaking like this, that best meditating sage, put his hand on her head and he, with her only, went to a penance-grove (on) Meru. Always remaining pure, that respectable lady, living in the penance grove, practised penance for a son, O best brāhmaṇa. Then knowing about the assiduous effort of Diti, that thousand-eyed god, O noble one, saw her weakness. The god of gods becoming (i.e. turning himself into a youth) twenty-five years old, and resembling a deity went, in the form of a brāhmaṇa, near her. The thousand-eyed righteous one saluted the mother, endowed with penance, and was (thus) addressed by her: “O best brāhmaṇa. who are you?” The thousand-eyed one (i.e. Indra) said to her: “O you beautiful, auspicious lady, I am your son, a brāhmaṇa, knowing the Vedas. I (also) know Dharma. I shall help (you) in your penance. There is no doubt about it.” He served that respectable mother, endowed with penance.

13. She did not know him to be Indra, of wicked deeds, that had come there. She looked upon him as her lawful son, serving her everyday.

14-15. He would (first) shampoo the body of that respectable lady, and would then wash her feet. The virtuous one always gave Diti leaves, roots, bark-garments and the skin of an antelope. Pleased with his devotion, she, being delighted, said to him:

16. “O you blessed one, when a very meritorious son will be born (to me), and when Indra will be killed, you rule over the divine kingdom along with my son.”

17-20. (Indra said:) “O you fortunate one, let it be so; it will be like that due to your favour.” Indra desired to find her weak point only. For ninetynine years he kept on looking for her weak point. (Once) without washing her feet, Diti entered into (i.e. slept on) her bed. She put her head on the border of the bed. She, with her hair loose and being very much perturbed, (tried) to get sleep. Indra entered her side, and with his thunderbolt of a sharp edge, cut the embryo lying in the womb, into seven pieces; it wept.

21-25. O best brāhmaṇas, the very lustrous Indra again and again said to that large embryo, weeping due to being in Indra’s hands, “Do not weep”. Again Indra cut that embryo born of (i.e. conceived by) Diti into seven parts. That king of gods cut each (portion of the embryo) that was weeping. In this way the Maruts of great prowess were born. Since they were (thus) addressed by Indra (mā rodiḥ) they got this name. The Maruts, of great vigour and huge bodies, of sharp lustre and valour, were forty-nine (in number). They were known as Maruts and attended on Indra only.

26-28.^[1] They illumine the great host of all beings. Hari, the lord of beings, successively gave in (various) habitations, kingdoms (to kings) preceded by Pṛthu. That supreme spirit Kṛṣṇa (i.e. Viṣṇu), who pervades everything, who is the lord of the world, who is triumphant with penance, who has great lustre is all alone the lord of the beings.

29-32. O best brāhmaṇa, to him who knows correctly, belongs merit, and this immobile and mobile world, this creation of beings. He has no fear of again being born here (i.e. in this world); then wherefrom can he have fear in the next world? That man, who devoutly listens to this meritorious, auspicious (account of) the creation that removes all sins, is free from all sins. He is blessed, he is meritorious and is endowed with truth. He, who listens to (this account of) creation, gets the highest position. With his heart cleared of all sins, he goes to Viṣṇu’s world.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The relevance of these lines is not clear. They seem to have been inserted in wrong place. (Ed.)