Canto 6 - Chapter 18: An account of the birth of the Maruts (the forty-nine wind-gods)

Discourse XVIII

An account of the birth of the Maruts (the forty-nine wind-gods)

Śrī Śuka began again : Prśni, the spouse of Savitā (the fifth of the twelve sons of Aditi, the progeny of the first four—viz., Vivaswān, Aryamā, Pūṣā and Twaṣṭā—having already been dealt with in the foregoing discourses), brought forth (three daughters,) Sāvitrī (the deity presiding over the holy Gāyatri-Mantra), Vyāhṛti (the deity presiding over the three mystical syllables, Bhūḥ, Bhuvah and Swah prefixed to the said Gāyatri-Mantra while repeating it and severally denoting the three worlds—earth, the intermediate region and heaven) and Trayī (the deity presiding over the rituals, the subject-matter of the three Vedas—Ṛgveda, Yajurveda and Sāmaveda) and (nine sons, viz.,) Agnihotra (the deity presiding over the act of offering oblations into the sacred fire), Paśu (the deity presiding over animal sacrifices), Soma (the deity presiding over a Soma sacrifice), Cāturmāsya (the deity presiding over the three sacrifices of the same name performed at the beginning of the three seasons of four months each) and the five deities presiding over the five great daily sacrifices enjoined on every householder of the three twice-born classes (viz., Devayajña, Ṛṣiyajña, Pitryajña, Manuṣyayajña and Bhūtayajña). (And) Siddhi, the spouse of Bhaga (the sixth son of Aditi), dear Parikṣit, bore (three sons,) Mahima, Vibhu and Prabhu and a beautiful and virtuous daughter, Āśīṣa (by name). (1-2)
The (four) wives of Dhātā (the seventh son of Aditi)—Kuhū (the deity presiding over the last night of a dark fortnight), Siniwālī (the deity presiding over the fourteenth night of a dark fortnight), Rākā (the deity presiding over the last night of a bright fortnight) and Anumāṭī (the deity presiding over the fourteenth night of a bright fortnight) severally gave birth to (four sons) Sāyam (the deity presiding over dusk), Darśa (the deity presiding over the last day of a dark fortnight), Prātāḥ (the deity presiding over the morning) and Pūrṇamāsa (the deity presiding over the last day of a bright fortnight). (3)
Vidhātā (the next or eighth son of Aditi) begot through (his wife) Kriyā the (five) deities presiding over the sacred fires bearing the name of Puriṣya. (And) the spouse of Varuṇa (the god of water and the ninth son of Aditi) was Carṣaṇī, of whom was reborn the sage Bhṛgu (a mind-born son of Brahmā). (4)
And the great Yogi Vālmīki (another son of Varuṇa and the celebrated author of the Rāmāyaṇa) sprang up, it is said, from an ant-hill (Valmika); while the sages Agastya and Vasiṣṭha (the sons of the sage Pulastya and Brahmā respectively) were reborn as the sons of the gods Mitra (the tenth son of Aditi) and Varuṇa, who discharged in a jar their vital fluid, that had escaped in the presence of (the celestial nymph) Urvāśī. The god Mitra (further) begot through (his spouse) Rewati (three sons, viz.,) Utsarga, Ariṣṭa and Pippala. (5-6)
Indra, the lord of paradise (and the eleventh son of Aditi), procreated through (his wife) Śacī (the daughter of the demon Pulomā) three sons, O dear Parikṣit—Jayanta, Ṛṣabha and Mīḍhwān, (who constituted) the third: this is what we have heard. (7)
From (the loins of) Lord Upendra (the twelfth and youngest son of Aditi, who took colossal strides in order to measure three paces of land promised to Him by the demon king Bali and) who (originally) assumed the form of the divine Dwarf by His (own) Māyā (creative will), through His spouse Kīrti, sprang up (a son) Bṛhacchloka (by name); and from (the loins of) the latter sprang up Saubhaga and other sons. (8)
We shall recount later on (in Book VIII) the distinguished achievements, excellences and deeds of valour of that high-souled son of the sage Kaśyapa and (also) how He actually descended (on the material plane) through Aditi. (9)

I now (proceed to) tell you about the scions of the sage Kaśyapa by Diti, among whom was born the illustrious devotee of the Lord, Prahrāda, and even so Bali (Prahrāda's grand-son).(10)
Diti (at first) had only two sons, adored by the Daityas and the Dānavas (alike), who have (already) been spoken of under the name of Hiranyakaśipu and Hiranyākṣa (in Book III).(11)
Hiranyakaśipu's wife, Kayādhu by name, who was a daughter of Jambha by Danu and had been given away by the former (to Hiranyakaśipu), gave birth to four sons—Sarhhrāda, in the first instance, and (then in order) Anuhrāda, Hrāda and Prahrāda as well. Their sister, Sirhrikā by name, got from (her husband, the demon) Vipracitti (a son named) Rāhu, whose head, even while he was drinking nectar (disguised as a god in the assembly of the gods), Śrī Hari lopped off with His discus (vide VIII. ix. 24-25). Kṛti, the wife of Sarhhrāda (Hiranyakaśipu's eldest son) bore through him (a son named) Pañcajana. (12—14)
Dhamani, the wife of Hrāda (Hiranyakaśipu's third son) brought forth (two sons) Vātāpi and Ilwala. It was Ilwala who cooked (his brother) Vātāpi (in the form of a ram) for the sake of his (honoured guest, (the celebrated sage) Agastya. (15)
Bāskala and Mahiṣa were the two sons of Anuhrāda (Hiranyakaśipu's second son) by (his wife) Sūrmyā; while Virocana was the son of Prahrāda, and Bali was the son of Virocana by (his wife) Devī. (16)
From (the loins of) Bali through (his wife) Aśanāyā (the deity presiding over hunger), were born a hundred sons, the eldest of whom was Bāṇa. The glory of Bali, which deserves to be celebrated in beautiful verse, will be recounted only hereafter (in Book VIII). (17)
Having propitiated Lord Śiva (who has His abode on Mount Kailāsa), the demon Bāṇa attained the first place among His attendants. As the guardian of his capital, the Lord actually stays near him even today. (18)
(Besides Hiranyakaśipu and Hiranyākṣa) Diti had forty-nine more sons, (known as) the Maruts (wind-gods). They all remained issueless and were converted into his own class (godhood) by Indra (the ruler of the gods). (19)

The king (Parikṣit) said : Having rid them of their demoniac disposition, which was innate to them, O (my) preceptor, how were they converted into godhood by Indra? What good offices did they render to him (which prompted him to bring about this change in them)? (20)
Even these seers, O (holy) Brāhmaṇa, are keen to know this truth along with me. Therefore, be pleased, O worshipful sage, to explain this to us. (21)

Sūta continued : Having heard this reverent, brief and (yet) significant inquiry of king Parikṣit (who had been protected by Lord Viṣṇu Himself in the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa), and welcoming it with a heart full of joy, the omniscient and well-known sage Śūka (the son of Bādarāyaṇa, more popularly known as Vedavyāsa), spoke (as follows), O Śaunaka (who stand vowed to a long course of sacrifices) ! (22)

Śrī Śuka resumed : Diti, whose sons (Hiranyakaśipu and Hiranyākṣa) had been slain by Lord Viṣṇu, the Ally of Indra (the chief of the gods), and who was (consequently) burning with rage kindled by grief, pondered as below :—(23)
"When shall I have an undisturbed sleep, having brought about the death of the voluptuous cruel, hard-hearted and sinful Indra (who has been instrumental in causing the death of his own half-brothers) ? (24)
He who seeks to hurt (other) beings for the sake of his (own) body—which, though (once) designated as a king (ultimately, when dead) goes by the name of (is transformed into) worms (if buried and thus consumed by worms), or that of excrement (if exposed and devoured by carnivorous beings such as dogs and jackals, vultures and crows), or that of ashes (in cremated)—is he alive to his (higest) interests ? (Certainly not). For damnation (invariably) follows from such hostility to (other) beings. (25)
(Therefore) let me devise some means whereby a son may be born to me, that may quell the pride of the aforesaid Indra, who looks upon this (perishable) body as everlasting and whose mind knows no restraint." (26)
With this idea (uppermost in her mind) she constantly pleased her husband (the sage Kaśyapa) through (personal) service, affection, humility and self-control. (27)
Knowing as she did the heart of her husband, she captivated his mind, O Parikṣit, by her supreme devotion, charming and sweet words winsome smiles and sidelong glances. (28)
Thus infatuated by that clever lady, and powerless (against her womanish charms), the sage, though learned, said, "All right ! (Your wish shall be granted.)" Such stupefaction of men by a woman (through her devoted conduct) indeed is not to be wondered at. (29)
Finding men (absolutely) unattached at the dawn of creation, Brahmā (the lord of created beings) converted one half of his body into the fair sex, who robbed men of their judgment. (30)
Waited upon in this way, O dear son (Parikṣit) ! by that lady (Diti), the glorious sage Kaśyapa felt highly pleased; and, welcoming her, he laughingly spoke (as follows). (31)

Kaśyapa said : Ask (of me) a boon of your choice, O beautiful one; I am pleased with you, O irreproachable lady. When the husband is fully pleased, what desire of a woman remains unattainable here as well as hereafter ? (32)
The husband alone has been declared to be the supreme Deity for women. Although (as a matter of fact,) Lord Vāsudeva, the Consort of Śrī (the goddess of beauty and prosperity), dwelling in (presiding over) the mind of all created beings, is the supreme Deity, it is the said Lord alone who is worshipped by men in the guise of (various) divinities diversely conceived under (different) names (Indra and so on) and forms (wielding a thunderbolt and other distinctive weapons); and it is He (again) who is worshipped by women as appearing in the form of their husband. (33-34)
Hence, women devoted to their husband and desirous of blessedness, O fair one, worship their husband as (an image) of God, the Soul of the universe, with undivided loyalty. (35)
Therefore, devoutly worshipped by you, O blessed one, with such God-consciousness, I shall forthwith accomplish your desired object, which is something very difficult to attain for unchaste women. (36)

Diti replied : If you would confer on me the boon of my choice, O holy one, I—who have lost my sons—seek (of you) an immortal son capable of slaying Indra, who caused both of my sons (Hiranyakaśipu and Hiranyākṣa) to be slain (by Lord Viṣṇu). (37)

Hearing her prayer, the Brāhmaṇa sage (Kaśyapa) became sad and fell a repenting. (He said to himself,) "Alas ! a very great sin has overtaken me today. (38)
Oh, given up to the gratification on my senses, I, a wretched fellow—whose mind has been caught in the grip of the Lord's Māyā (deluding potency) in the form of woman today—shall surely fall into (the abyss of) hell. (39)
What fault is there of the woman, who has (but) followed her own nature in this matter ? But fie upon me, ignorant that I am alas ! of my own (real) interests, as (is clear from the fact that) I have not been able to conquer my mind. (40)
The face of women is blooming like the autumnal lotus and their speech is nectar (itself) to the ears, while their heart is (cruel) as the blade of a razor. Who can know their ways ? (41)
None is truly beloved of women; who have their mind (thought) fixed on the object of their own desire. To serve their (own) end they murder or cause to be murdered their own husband, son and brother. (42)
My plighted word, that I shall confer (on her) the boon of her choice, should not prove untrue; and Indra too does not deserve death. Under such circumstances the expedient that I have hit upon is (quite) in the fitness of things". (43)
Pondering thus, the glorious sage Kaśyapa (the son of Marīci), O Parikṣit (the delight of the Kurus), spoke a bit angrily, condemning himself at the same time. (44)

Kaśyapa said : A son will be born to you. O blessed one, who will slay Indra if you will duly observe this vow for a year, but who will prove to be a friend of the gods if it is not properly observed. (45)

Diti replied : I shall (certainly) observe the vow, O holy Brāhmaṇa ! (Kindly) tell me (all) that has to be done by me and all that is prohibited during the period of this vow, and also that which (though not obligatory) may not violate the vow (if done). (46)

Kaśyapa said : A woman observing this vow must not injure (much less kill any one of) the multitudes of living beings nor curse any one nor should she tell a lie. She must not pare her nails or cut the hair on her person nor should she touch that which is impure. (47)
She must not bathe in water (by diving into it) nor should she lose her temper nor talk with wicked people. She must not wear a cloth that has not been (duly) washed (after being used) nor a garland that has (already) been worn on her person. (48)
She must not eat the leavings of what has been eaten by someone nor the food offered to Goddess Caṇḍikā (Bhadrakāli) nor (again) that which contains meat nor that fetched by a Śūdra nor that which has been seen by a woman in her menstruation : nor again should she drink water with the hollow of her joined palms. (49)
She must not stir out (of her house) with the remnants of food sticking in her mouth (without rinsing her mouth after eating something), nor without washing her hands and feet nor at dusk nor with dishevelled hair nor with her person unadorned and unwrapped (with an outer covering) nor with her speech uncontrolled. (50)
She must not retire with her feet unwashed nor in an impure state nor with wet feet nor with her head towards the north or the west nor in the same bed with others nor bare-bodied nor again in the morning and evening. (51)
Putting on a pair of clothes that have been (duly) washed, ever pure and decked with all auspicious ornaments, she should worship before breakfast the cow, the Brāhmaṇas, Goddess Śrī (the deity presiding over beauty and prosperity) and (the immortal) Lord Viṣṇu. (52)
She should also worship women whose husbands are living, with garlands, sandal-paste, offerings of food and ornaments and, offering worship to her husband, should wait upon him and contemplate on him as having entered her womb (in the form of his vital energy). (53)
If you observe this vow, (known as) the Puṃsavana (yielding a son), which is of a year's duration, without violating it, a son will be born to you, who will be able to slay Indra. (54)

Expressing her willingness (to undertake the vow) in the words "Very well", the strong-willed Diti, O Parikṣit, then conceived the seed of Kaśyapa and she also duly undertook the (sacred) vow. (55)
Having come to know the intention of his mother's sister (Diti), O respectful king, the clever Indra waited upon Diti, who was living in a hermitage (as a hermitess), through (personal) service (of every kind). (56)
He fetched everyday from the woods at the proper time flowers, fruits roots, small pieces of wood for the sacrificial fire and blades of (the sacred) Kuśa grass as well as (sacred) leaves and sprouts, earth and water. (57)
Keen to discover a slip in the observance on the part of Diti, who had been duly adhering to the vow, O Parikṣit, the crooked Indra continued to serve her like a hunter disguised as a game (to remove its suspicion). (58)
Though intent upon detecting some fault in her observance, O ruler of the earth, Indra did not find any; he was now filled with grave anxiety as to how his welfare could be ensured in that life. (59)
One day, however, she fell asleep (even) at dusk with remnants of food still in her mouth and without either rinsing her mouth or washing her feet, enfeebled as she was by her (austere) observance and deluded by (an adverse) fate. (60)
Finding that weak point, Indra, the master of Yoga (mystic powers), entered by dint of (his) Yogic power the uterus of Diti, who had been robbed of her consciousness by sleep. (61)
By means of his thunderbolt he cut the embryo, brilliant as gold, into seven. Addressing the crying embryo (as though with affection) in the words "Do not cry!" he further cut those pieces each into seven. (62)
(Even) while being rent (by Indra), O Parikṣit, they all submitted to him with joined palms, "Why do you seek to get rid of us, O Indra? We are Maruts (the wind-gods), your (own) half-brothers!" (63)
"Do not be afraid; you are (all) brothers to me!"—so did Kauśika (Indra) reply to the (aforesaid seven) groups of the Maruts, his (future) attendants exclusively attached to him. (64)
By the grace of Lord Viṣṇu (the Abode of Goddess Śrī, the deity presiding over beauty and prosperity), the embryo in the womb of Diti could not be killed, though cut into numerous (forty-nine) pieces by the thunderbolt (of Indra), any more than you (O Parikṣit) were killed by the missile discharged by Aśwatthāmā (the son of Droṇa). (65)
Worshipping Lord Viṣṇu (the most ancient Person) only once, a man attains a status similar to the Lord's; whereas (in the present case) Śrī Hari was worshipped by Diti for a little less than a year (so that the miracle that happened in the aforesaid case should cause no wonder at all). (66)
(Taken) together with Indra (their friend and leader), these Maruts (wind-gods) came to be (known as) fifty gods. The stigma (of demonhood) attaching to them because of their mother was wiped off and they were converted into gods (entitled to a draught of nectar) by Indra. (67)
On waking up, the worshipful Diti, who (having now worshipped Śrī Hari for close upon a year) had acquired a disposition absolutely free from reproach, saw the babes, brilliant as fire accompanied by Indra, and felt highly gratified. (68)
Then she said to Indra, "Dear son! desirous of obtaining a son that might prove a source of terror to the sons of Aditi (you and your brothers), I observed this vow, which is most difficult to undertake. (69)
But, while (only) one son was coveted (by me), how did these forty-nine babes come to be born? Tell me the truth, if known to you; but don't utter a falsehood." (70)

Indra replied : Mother, having come to know of your vow, I sought your presence and, having discovered your fault, cut the child in your womb, bent as I was on achieving my (selfish) end and lost to all sense of righteousness. (71)
The embryo was cut by me in seven and there appeared seven children. They too were cut each in seven; yet they would not die. (72)
Seeing that great miracle, I at last concluded that it must be some incidental reward of the worship of Lord Viṣṇu (the Supreme Person). (73)
They alone are declared as clever in accomplishing their object, who while engaged in propitiating the Lord are (entirely) free from desires and do not aspire even to attain final beatitude (as a reward for their worship). (74)
Having propitiated the Lord, the ruler of the universe, who is not only the Self of us all but who bestows His very Self on His devotees, what wise man would ask of Him the pleasures of sense, which could be had even in hell ? (75)
Therefore, may you be pleased to forgive, O mother, this act of wickedness on my part, foolish as I am, O highly noble lady! Thank God ! the child in your womb has risen to life (as it were) after death. (76)

Śrī Śuka went on : Permitted by Diti, who was pleased with his sincerity, the powerful Indra bowed to her and left for the third heaven along with the Maruts (wind-gods). (77)
In this way I have told you all that you enquired of me, viz., the story of the auspicious birth of the Maruts. What more shall I speak to you about ? (78)

Thus ends the eighteenth discourse entitled "An account of the birth of the Maruts",
in Book Six of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa,
otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā.