Description of race of Ādityas, Asuras

 vaiśampāyana uvāca

atha nārāyaṇenendraścakāra saha saṁvidam

avatartuṁ mahīṁ svargādaṁśataḥ sahitaḥ suraiḥ

Vaiśampāyana said: Thereupon, Hari held a consultation with Indra regarding his incarnation on Earth with all celestials according to their respective parts.

ādiśya ca svayaṁ śakraḥ sarvāneva divaukasaḥ

nirjagāma punastasmātkṣayānnārāyaṇasya ha

Having then ordered celestials, what they should all do, Indra returned from abode of Hari - Vaikuṇṭha.

te ̍marārivināśāya sarvalokahitāya ca

avateruḥ krameṇaiva mahīṁ svargāddivaukasaḥ

Dwellers of heaven then, one after the other, took birth on Earth for destruction of Asuras and for welfare of 3 worlds.

tato brahmārṣivaṁśeṣu pārthivarṣikuleṣu ca

jajñire rājaśārdūla yathākāmaṁ divaukasaḥ

O best of kings! Celestials, as each preferred, took birth in the races of Brahmaṛṣis and Rājaṛṣis.

dānavānrākṣasāṁścaiva gandharvānpannagāṁstathā

puruṣādāni cānyāni jaghnuḥ jaghnuḥ sattvānyanekaśaḥ

They killed Dānavas, Rākṣasas, Gandharvas, Nāgas and other cannibals and creatures.

dānavā rākṣasāścaiva gandharvāḥ pannagāstathā

na tānbalasthānbālye ̍pi jaghnurbharatasattama

O best of Bharata race, Dānavas, Rākṣasas, Gandharvas and Nāgas could not kill incarnate celestials, even in their infancy, so strong were they.

janamejaya uvāca

devadānavasaṅghānāṁ gandharvāpsarasāṁ tathā

mānavānāṁ ca sarveṣāṁ tathā vai yakṣarakṣasām

śrotumicchāmi tattvena saṁbhavaṁ kṛtsnamāditaḥ

prāṇināṁ caiva sarveṣāṁ saṁbhavaṁ vaktumarhasi

Janamejaya said: I desire to hear accounts of births of Devas, Dānavas, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Mānavas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas from their beginning. Therefore, you should tell me all about the births of creatures.

vaiśampāyana uvāca

hanta te kathayiṣyāmi namaskṛtya svayaṁbhuve

surādīnāmahaṁ samyaglokānāṁ prabhavāpyayam

Vaiśampāyana said: Bowing down my head to self created Brahmā, I shall narrate to you in detail the origin of celestials and of all creatures.

brahmaṇo mānasāḥ putrā viditā ṣaṇmaharṣayaḥ

marīciratryaṅgirasau pulastyaḥ pulahaḥ kratuḥ

Brahmā had 6 mind born sons, created out of his mind, namely Marīci, Atri, Aṅgirasā, Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu.

marīceḥ kaśyapaḥ putraḥ kaśyapāttu imāḥ prajāḥ

prajajñire mahābhāgā dakṣakanyāstrayodaśa

Marīci had a son, named Kaśyapa and from Kaśyapa have sprung all creatures. Dakṣabegot 13 illustrious daughters.

aditirditirdanuḥ kālā danāyuḥ siṁhikā tathā

krodhā prādhā ca viśvā ca vinatā kapilā muniḥ

kadrūśca manujavyāghra dakṣakanyaiva bhārata

etāsāṁ vīryasaṁpannaṁ putrapautramanantakam

O best of kings! Daughters of Dakṣa were Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kālā, Danu, Siṁhikā, Krodha, Prādhā, Viśvā, Vinatā, Kapilā, Muni and Kadrū. Sons and grandsons of these daughters, all of exceeding prowess, were infinite in mumbers.

adityāṁ dvādaśādityāḥ saṁbhūtā bhuvaneśvarāḥ

ye rājannāmatastāṁste kīrtayiṣyāmi bhārata

O descendant of Bharata race! From Aditi were born 12 Ādityas, who were all lords of the universe. I shall now mention them to you according to their names.

dhātā mitro ̍yamā śakro varuṇastvaṁśa eva ca

bhago vivasvānpūṣā ca savitā daśamastathā

they were Dhātā, Mitrā, Aryamā, Śakra, Varuṇa, Aṁśa, Bhaga, Vivasvān, Pūṣā and Savitā, 10th.

ekādaśastathā tvaṣṭā dvādaśo viṣṇurucyate

jaghanyajastu sarveṣāmādityānāṁ guṇādhikaḥ

11th was Tvaṣṭri and 12th was Viṣṇu. Youngest, however, was the best in merit.

eka eva diteḥ putro hiraṇyakaśipuḥ smṛtaḥ

nāmnākhyātāstu tasyeme pañca putrā mahātmanaḥ

Diti had only one son, named Hiraṇyakaśipu and illustrious Hiraṇyakaśipu had 5 sons, famous all over the world.

prahlādaḥ pūrvajasteṣāṁ saṁhlādastadanantaram

anuhlādastṛtīyo ̍bhūttasmācca śibibāṣkalau

Eldest was Prahlāda, next was Saṁhlāda, 3rd was Anuhlāda, 4th was Śibi and the youngest was Bāṣkala.

prahlādasya trayaḥ putrāḥ khyātāḥ sarvatra bhārata

virocanaśca kumbhaśca nikumbhaśceti bhārata

O descendant of Bharata race, it is known everywhere that Prahlāda had 3 sons, namely Virocana, Kumbha and Nikumbha.

virocanasya putro ̍bhūdbalirekaḥ pratāpavān

baleśca prathitaḥ putro bāṇo nāma mahāsuraḥ

Virocana ̍s son was greatly powerful Bali and son of Bali was great Asura Bāṇa.

ru drasyānucaraḥ śrīmānmahākāleti yaṁ viduḥ

catustriṁśad danoḥ putrāḥ khyātāḥ sarvatra bhārata

Bāṇa was blessed with great fortune, he was follower of Rudra and was also known by the name of Mahākāla.

teṣāṁ prathamajo rājā vipracittirmahāyaśāḥ

śambaro namuciścaiva pulomā ceti viśrutaḥ

asilomā ca keśī ca durjayaścaiva dānavaḥ

ayaḥśirā aśvaśirā aśvaśaṅkuścavīryavān

tathā gaganamūrdhā ca vegavānketumāṁścasaḥ

svarbhānuraśvo ̍śvapatirvṛṣaparvājakastathā

aśvagrīvaśca sūkṣmaśca tuhuṇḍaśca mahābalaḥ

iṣupādekacakraśca virūpāharāharau

nicandraśca nikumbhaśca kupaṭaḥ kapaṭastathā

śarabhaḥ śalabhaścaiva sūryācandramasau tathā

ete khyātā danorvaṁśe dānavāḥ parikīrtitāḥ

O descendant of Bharata race, Danu had 34 sons, the eldest of them was famous king Vipracitti. Others were Śambara, Namuci, Puloma, Asiloma, Keśī, Durjaya, Ayaḥśirā, Aśvaśirā, Aśvaśaṅku, Gaganamūrdhā, Vegavān, Ketumān, Svarbhānu, Aśva, Aśvapati, Vṛṣaparvā, Ajaka, Aśvagrīva, Sūkṣma, Tuhuṇḍa, Eṣupāda, Ekacakra, Virūpākṣa, Hara, Ahara, Nicandra, Nikumbha, Kupaṭa, Kapaṭa, Śarabha, Śalabha, Sūrya, Candramā.

anyau tu khalu devānāṁ sūryācandramasau smṛtau

anyau dānavamukhyānāṁ sūryācandramasau tathā

ime ca vaṁśāḥ prathitāḥ sattvavanto mahābalāḥ

danuputrā mahārāja daśa dānavavaṁśajāḥ

ekākṣo mṛtapā vīraḥ pralambanarakāvapi

These were well known sons of Danu. Sūrya and Candramā, sun and moon, of celestials, were other persons and they were not sons of Danu. Besides these, there were 10 more powerful and great sons of Danu, namely Ekākṣa, heroic Mṛtapā, Pralambha, Naraka.

-vātāpī śatrutapanaḥ śaṭhaścaiva mahāsuraḥ

gaviṣṭhaśca vanāyuśca dīrghajihvaśca dānavaḥ

Vātāpī, Śatrutapana, great Asura Śaṭha, Gaviṣṭha, Vanāyu and Dānava named Dīrghajihva.

asaṁkhyāḥ smṛtāsteṣāṁ putrāḥ pautrāśca bhārata

siṁhikā suṣuve putraṁ rāhuṁ candrārkamardanam

O descendant of Bharata race! Sons and grandsons of above were numberless. Siṁhikā gave birth to a son called Rāhu, persecutor of sun and moon.

sucandraṁ candrahartāraṁ tathā candrapramardanam

krūrasvabhāvaṁ krūrāyāṁ putrapautramanantakam

She gave birth to 3 others, namely Sucandra, Candrahartā, Candrapramardana. Numberless progeny of Krūra was much wicked as she herself was.

gaṇaḥ krodhavaśo nāma krūrakarmārimardanaḥ

danāyuṣaḥ punaḥ putrāścatvāro ̍surapuṅgavāḥ

Their race was wrathful, of crooked deeds and persecutors of foes. Danayu had 4 sons, the best among Asuras.

vikṣaro balavīrau ca vṛtraścaiva mahāsuraḥ

kālāyāḥ prathitāḥ putrāḥ kālakalpā prahāriṇaḥ

They were Vikṣara, Bala, Vīra, great Asura Vṛtra. Sons of Kālā were like Yama himself, all slayers of their enemies.

pravikhyātā mahāvīryā dānaveṣu paraṁtapāḥ

vināśanaśca krodhaśca krodhahantā tathaiva ca

They were greatly famous and powerful amongst Dānavas and were great oppressors of their enemies.

krodhaśatrustathaivānye kālakeyā iti śrutāḥ

asurāṇāmupādhyāyaḥ śukrastvṛṣisuto ̍bhavat

They were Vināśana, Krodha, Krodhahanta, Krodhaśatru. These were sons of Kālā. As it is heard, there were also many others among sons of Kālā. Śukra, son of a Ṛṣi, was great Guru of all Asuras.

khyātāścośanasaḥ putrāścatvāro ̍surayājakāḥ

tvaṣṭādharastathātriśca dvāvanyau raudrakarmiṇau

Illustrious Śukra had 4 sons who were also Gurus of Asuras. Their names were Tvaṣṭādhara and Atri and 2 others of fearful deeds.

tejasā sūryasaṁkāśā brahmalokaparāyaṇāḥ

ityeṣa vaṁśaprabhavaḥ kathitaste tarasvinām

asurāṇāṁ surāṇāṁ ca purāṇe saṁśruto mayā

eteṣāṁ yadapatyaṁ tu na śakyaṁ tadaśeṣataḥ

prasaṁkhyātuṁ mahīpāla guṇabhūtamanantakam

They were as effulgent as sun himself. They were always engaged in acquiring regions of brahmā. Thus I have narrated to you , as I heard them from Purāṇa, accounts of the progeny of Devas and Dānavas of great strength and power. Sons and grandsons of Devas and Dāmavas were so numberless that I am incapable of counting them.

tārkṣyaścāriṣṭanemiśca tathaiva garuḍāruṇau

āruṇirvāruṇiścaiva vainateyāḥ prakīrtitāḥ

śeṣo ̍nanto vāsukiśca takṣakaśca bhujaṅgamaḥ

O protector of the world! Tārkṣya, Ariṣṭanemi, Garuḍa, Aruṇa, Aruṇi, Varuṇi, were known to be sons of Vinatā. Śeṣa of Ananta, Vāsuki, Takṣaka.

kūrmaśca kulikaścaiva kādraveyāḥ prakīrtitāḥ 

bhīmasenograsenau ca suparṇo varuṇastathā

Kūrma, Kulika, are known to be sons of Kadrū, Bhīmasena, Ugrasena, Suparṇa, Varuṇa.

gopatidhṛtarāṣṭraśca sūryavarcāśca saptamaḥ

satyavāgarkaparṇaśca prayutaścāpi viśrutaḥ

Gopati, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Sūryavarcā, Satyavarcā, Arkaparṇa, Prayuta.

bhīmaścitrarathaścaiva vikhyātaḥ sarvavidvaṣī

tathā śāliśirā rājanparjanyaśca caturdaśaḥ

Bhīmasena, Citraratha, all greatly famous, learned and self controlled, then, O king, was Śāliśirā, then 14th in the least, Parjanya.

kaliḥ pañcadaśasteṣāṁ nāradaścaiva ṣoḍaśaḥ

ityete devagandharva mauneyāḥ parikīrtitāḥ

15th, Kali and 16th Nārada. These Devagandharvas were known to be sons of Muni.

atha prabhūtānyanyāni kīrtayiṣyāmi bhārata

anavadyāṁ manuṁ vaṁśāmasurāṁ mārgaṇapriyām

O descendant of Bharata race, Ishall now mention many others. Anavadyā, Manu, Vaṁśā, Asura, Mārgaṇapriyā.

arūpāṁ subhagāṁ bhāsīmiti prādhā vyajāyata

siddhaṁ pūrṇaśca barhiśca pūrṇāyuśca mahāyaśāḥ

Arūpā, Subhagā, Bhāsī were daughters of Prādhā. Siddha, Pūrṇa, Barhi and famous Pūrṇāyu.

brahmacārī ratiguṇaḥ suparṇaścaiva saptamaḥ

viśvāvasuśca bhānuśca sucandro daśamastathā

Brahmacārī, Ratiguṇa, Suparṇa, Viśvāvasu, Bhānu, Sucandra.

ityete devagandharvāḥ prādhāyāḥ parikīrtitāḥ

imaṁ tvapsarasā vaṁśaṁ viditaṁ puṇyalakṣaṇam

prādhā ̍sūta mahābhāgā devī devarṣitaḥ purā

alambuṣā miśrakeśī vidyutparṇā tilottamā

These Devas and Gandharvas were also known to be progeny of Prādhā. It is also known that, that lady of good fortune Prādhā, through celestial Ṛṣi Kaśyapa, brought forth holy race of Apsaras, namely Alambuṣā, Miśrakeśī, Vidyutparṇā, Tilottamā.

aruṇā rakṣitā caiva rambhā tadvanmanoramā

keśinī ca subāhuśca suratā surajā tathā

supriyā cātibāhuśca vikhyātau ca hāhā hūhūḥ

tumburuśceti catvāraḥ smṛtā gandharvasattamāḥ

Aruṇā, Rakṣitā, Rambhā, Manoramā, Keśinī, Subāhu, Suratā, Surajā, Supriyā, these were daughters of Prādhā, Atibāhu, celebrated Hāhā, Hūhū, Tumburu. These 4 best of gandharvas were also sons of Prādhā.

amṛtaṁ brāhmaṇā gāvo gandharvāpsarasastathā

apatyaṁ kapilāyāstu purāṇe parikīrtitam

Ambrosia, Brāhmaṇas, kine, Gandharvas, Apsaras were offspring of Kapila, so is stated in Purāṇa.

iti te sarvabhūtānāṁ saṁbhavaḥ kathito mayā

yathāvatsaṁparikhyāto gandharvāpsarasāṁ tathā

Thus have been narrated to you duly the births of all creatures and Gandharvas, Apsaras.

bhujaṅgānāṁ suparṇāṁ rudrāṇāṁ marutāṁ tathā

gavāṁ ca brāhmaṇānāṁ ca śrīmatāṁ puṇyakarmaṇām

Nāgas, Suparṇas, Rudras, Maruts, kine and of fortunate and holy Brāhmaṇas.

āyuṣyaścaiva puṇyaśca dhanyaḥ śrutisukhāvahaḥ

śrotavyaścaiva satataṁ śrāvyaścaivānasūyatā

This history, if read or heard extends period of life. It is sacred, it is worthy of all praise, it gives pleasure, if heard. It should be always heard and recited to others in a proper frame of mind.

imaṁ tu vaṁśaṁ niyamena yaḥ paṭhet

mahātmanāḥ brāhmaṇadevasaṁnidhau

apatyalābhaṁ labhate sa puṣkalam

śriyaṁ yaśaḥ pretya ca śobhanāṁ gatim

He who properly reads in the presence of deities and Brāhmaṇas, this account of births of noble creature, obtains large progeny, good fortune and fame, he attains to the higher worlds hereafter.