Critical Edition
नारद उवाच शृणु मे विस्तरेणेममितिहासं पुरातनम् भ्रातृभीः सहितः पार्थ यथावृत्तं युधिष्ठिर
M. N. Dutt: Narada said : O son of Pritha, Yudhishthira, listen to it with your brothers, as I narrate this old story exactly as every thing happened.
महासुरस्यान्ववाये हिरण्यकशिपोः पुरा निकुम्भो नाम दैत्येन्द्रस्तेजस्वी बलवानभूत्
M. N. Dutt: In the days of yore there was a Danava chief, named Nikumbha, who was energetic and strong and who was born in the race of Hiranyakashipu.
तस्य पुत्रौ महावीर्यौ जातौ भीमपराक्रमौ सहान्योन्येन भुञ्जाते विनान्योन्यं न गच्छतः
AI Translation: His two sons were born with great strength and prowess, eating together and not going without each other.
Supplementary Passages:
1.201.3 After 3ab, K4 Ñ2.3 V1 B D ins.: *2000 सुन्दोपसुन्दौ दैत्येन्द्रौ दारुणौ क्रूरमानसौ तावेकनिश्चयौ दैत्यावेककार्यार्थसंगतौ निरन्तरमवर्तेतां समदुःखसुखावुभौ
अन्योन्यस्य प्रियकरावन्योन्यस्य प्रियंवदौ एकशीलसमाचारौ द्विधैवैकं यथा कृतौ
AI Translation: They are mutually affectionate, mutually agreeable, of one conduct and practice, as if made into one by two.
तौ विवृद्धौ महावीर्यौ कार्येष्वप्येकनिश्चयौ त्रैलोक्यविजयार्थाय समास्थायैकनिश्चयम्
AI Translation: Those two, having grown in great strength, were of one resolve even in their actions. Having resolved on the conquest of the three worlds,
कृत्वा दीक्षां गतौ विन्ध्यं तत्रोग्रं तेपतुस्तपः तौ तु दीर्घेण कालेन तपोयुक्तौ बभूवतुः
AI Translation: Having performed the initiation, they went to the Vindhya mountain and performed a fierce penance there. After a long time, they became endowed with penance.
क्षुत्पिपासापरिश्रान्तौ जटावल्कलधारिणौ मलोपचितसर्वाङ्गौ वायुभक्षौ बभूवतुः
AI Translation: Exhausted by hunger and thirst, wearing matted locks and bark garments, with all their limbs covered with dirt, they subsisted on air.
Supplementary Passages:
1.201.7 After 7, D5 ins.: *2001 ग्रीष्मे पञ्चाग्निसंयुक्तावेकी उत्थातपारतौ (sic) शयानौ तोयमध्ये तु वर्षाकाले युधिष्ठिर
आत्ममांसानि जुह्वन्तौ पादाङ्गुष्ठाग्रधिष्ठितौ ऊर्ध्वबाहू चानिमिषौ दीर्घकालं धृतव्रतौ
M. N. Dutt: Besmearing themselves with dirts from head to foot, living on air alone and standing on the toes of their own legs, they poured into fire pieces of flesh from their own body. With arms upraised and fixed eyes, they observed their vows for a long period.
तयोस्तपःप्रभावेण दीर्घकालं प्रतापितः धूमं प्रमुमुचे विन्ध्यस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्
M. N. Dutt: (During the course of their ascetic penances), a wonderful incident happened. The Vindhya mountain, heated by their ascetic penance for many long years, began to emit vapours from every part of its body.
ततो देवाभवन्भीता उग्रं दृष्ट्वा तयोस्तपः तपोविघातार्थमथो देवा विघ्नानि चक्रिरे
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon, seeing their severe penances the celestials were alarmed. The celestials threw many obstacles for impeding their asceticism.
रत्नैः प्रलोभयामासुः स्त्रीभिश्चोभौ पुनः पुनः न च तौ चक्रतुर्भङ्गं व्रतस्य सुमहाव्रतौ
M. N. Dutt: They again and again tempted them with gems and jewels and the most handsome maidens. But those two (brothers), firmly engaged in asceticism, did not break their VOWS,
अथ मायां पुनर्देवास्तयोश्चक्रुर्महात्मनोः भगिन्यो मातरो भार्यास्तयोः परिजनस्तथा
AI Translation: Then the gods again created the illusion of the two noble ones, their sisters, mothers, wives, and attendants.
परिपात्यमाना वित्रस्ताः शूलहस्तेन रक्षसा स्रस्ताभरणकेशान्ता एकान्तभ्रष्टवाससः
AI Translation: Being dragged by the demon with a trident in his hand, they were terrified. Their ornaments and hair were disheveled, and they had lost their clothes.
अभिधाव्य ततः सर्वास्तौ त्राहीति विचुक्रुशुः न च तौ चक्रतुर्भङ्गं व्रतस्य सुमहाव्रतौ
AI Translation: Having run up to them, all of them cried out, "Save us!" But those two, who were of great vows, did not break their vow.
यदा क्षोभं नोपयाति नार्तिमन्यतरस्तयोः ततः स्त्रियस्ता भूतं च सर्वमन्तरधीयत
M. N. Dutt: When all this did not produce any impression on any of the two (Rishis), then the women and all the other apparitions vanished (into space).
ततः पितामहः साक्षादभिगम्य महासुरौ वरेण छन्दयामास सर्वलोकपितामहः
M. N. Dutt: Thereupon the Grandsire (Brahma) himself came to those two heroes and the Lord who seeks the welfare of all, asked them to solicit the boon they desired,
ततः सुन्दोपसुन्दौ तौ भ्रातरौ दृढविक्रमौ दृष्ट्वा पितामहं देवं तस्थतुः प्राञ्जली तदा
AI Translation: Then the two brothers Sunda and Upasunda, of firm valor, seeing the grandfather god, stood with folded hands.
ऊचतुश्च प्रभुं देवं ततस्तौ सहितौ तदा आवयोस्तपसानेन यदि प्रीतः पितामहः
AI Translation: And they said to the Lord God, then both of them together: "If the Grandfather is pleased with this austerity of ours,
मायाविदावस्त्रविदौ बलिनौ कामरूपिणौ उभावप्यमरौ स्यावः प्रसन्नो यदि नौ प्रभुः
AI Translation: The two of us are magicians, skilled in the use of weapons, strong, able to assume any form at will, and both of us would become immortal, if the Lord is pleased with us.
पितामह उवाच ऋतेऽमरत्वमन्यद्वां सर्वमुक्तं भविष्यति अन्यद्वृणीतां मृत्योश्च विधानममरैः समम्
M. N. Dutt: Brahma said: Except being immortal, you two will be all that you desire. Ask for some death by which you may be equal to the immortals.
करिष्यावेदमिति यन्महदभ्युत्थितं तपः युवयोर्हेतुनानेन नामरत्वं विधीयते
M. N. Dutt: As you have performed these severe penances from the desire of sovereignty alone, I cannot bestow on you the boon of immortality.
त्रैलोक्यविजयार्थाय भवद्भ्यामास्थितं तपः हेतुनानेन दैत्येन्द्रौ न वां कामं करोम्यहम्
M. N. Dutt: You have undergone your ascetic penances for the subjugation of the three worlds; O chiefs of the Danavas, it is for this I cannot grant you what you desire.
सुन्दोपसुन्दावूचतुः त्रिषु लोकेषु यद्भूतं किंचित्स्थावरजङ्गमम् सर्वस्मान्नौ भयं न स्यादृतेऽन्योन्यं पितामह
M. N. Dutt: Sunda and Upasunda said : O Grandsire, let us then have no fear from any created thing, mobile or immobile in the three worlds, except only from each other.
पितामह उवाच यत्प्रार्थितं यथोक्तं च काममेतद्ददानि वाम् मृत्योर्विधानमेतच्च यथावद्वां भविष्यति
M. N. Dutt: The Grandsire said : I great you what you have asked, said and desired. Your death is fixed according to your own desire.
नारद उवाच ततः पितामहो दत्त्वा वरमेतत्तदा तयोः निवर्त्य तपसस्तौ च ब्रह्मलोकं जगाम ह
M. N. Dutt: Narada said: Having granted them this boon, the Grandsire made them desist from their asceticism; and he then went away to the region of Brahma.
लब्ध्वा वराणि सर्वाणि दैत्येन्द्रावपि तावुभौ अवध्यौ सर्वलोकस्य स्वमेव भवनं गतौ
M. N. Dutt: Having received those boons, those two brothers, the chiefs of Danavas, became nonslayable by any creature in the universe. They then returned to their own home.
तौ तु लब्धवरौ दृष्ट्वा कृतकामौ महासुरौ सर्वः सुहृज्जनस्ताभ्यां प्रमोदमुपजग्मिवान्
M. N. Dutt: Seeing those intelligent beings successful in their desire and crowned with success as regards the boon, their friends and relatives became exceedingly glad.
ततस्तौ तु जटा हित्वा मौलिनौ संबभूवतुः महार्हाभरणोपेतौ विरजोम्बरधारिणौ
AI Translation: Then, having abandoned their matted locks, they became crowned. Endowed with precious ornaments, wearing spotless garments,
अकालकौमुदीं चैव चक्रतुः सार्वकामिकीम् दैत्येन्द्रौ परमप्रीतौ तयोश्चैव सुहृज्जनः
AI Translation: They made the untimely moon, the fulfiller of all desires, and the friends of those two very pleased demons.
भक्ष्यतां भुज्यतां नित्यं रम्यतां गीयतामिति पीयतां दीयतां चेति वाच आसन्गृहे गृहे
M. N. Dutt: "Eat," "Feed,' “Give," "Make merry, "Sing,” “Drink,” such sounds were heard in every house (in their city).
Supplementary Passages:
1.201.30 After 30, B5 ins.: *2002 इति वाचः प्रहृष्टानां तत्र तत्र महात्मनाम्
तत्र तत्र महापानैरुत्कृष्टतलनादितैः हृष्टं प्रमुदितं सर्वं दैत्यानामभवत्पुरम्
M. N. Dutt: Here and there arose loud uproars of merriment, mixed with the clapping of hands which filled the city of those two Danavas.
तैस्तैर्विहारैर्बहुभिर्दैत्यानां कामरूपिणाम् समाः संक्रीडतां तेषामहरेकमिवाभवत्
M. N. Dutt: The Danavas, capable of assuming any form at will, engaged themselves in every kind of amusements and sports. They scarcely noticed that time was passing away. They regarded a whole year as if it was but a day.