नारद उवाच शृणु मे विस्तरेणेममितिहासं पुरातनम्। भ्रातृभिः सहितः पार्थ यथावृत्तं युधिष्ठिर॥
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॥
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 महावी? जातौ भीमपराक्रमौ। सुन्दोपसुन्दौ दैत्येन्द्रौ दारुणौ क्रूरमानसौ॥
Two sons were born to him, named Sunda and Upasunda, both of them being chiefs of the Danavas and both of them being very energetic and powerful, very fearful and wicked-minded.
तावेकनिश्चयौ दैत्यावेककार्यार्थसम्मतौ। निरन्तरमवर्तेतां समदुःखसुखावुभौ॥
Those two Danavas were both of the same resolution and always engaged in performing the same work and in achieving the same end. They were ever the same to each other in weal and in woe.
विनान्योन्यं न भुञ्जाते विनान्योन्यं न जल्पतः। अन्योन्यस्य प्रियकरावन्योन्यस्य प्रियंवदौ॥
Each speaking and doing what was agreeable to each other, the brothers never ate unless they were together and never went anywhere unless together.
एकशीलसमाचारौ द्विधैवैकोऽभवत् कृतः। तौ विवृद्धौ महावीर्यो कार्येष्वप्येकनिश्चयौ॥
Of exactly the same dispositions and habits, they seemed to be one individual divided into two parts. Possessing great energy and the same resolution in every thing, the brothers thus gradually grew up.
त्रैलोक्यविजयार्थाय समाधायैकनिश्चयम्। दीक्षां कृत्वा गतौ विन्ध्यं तावुनं तेपतुस्तपः॥
Always entertaining the same purpose and ever desiring of subjugating the three worlds, the brothers went after due initiation to the mountains of Vindhya; and going there, they performed served penances.
तौ त दीर्पण कालेन तपोयुक्तौ बभूवतुः। क्षुत्पिपासापरिश्रान्तौ जटावल्कलधारिणौ।
Exhausted with hunger and thirst with matted locks on their heads and attired in barks of trees, They performed penances for a very long time till at last they received sufficient ascetic merits.
मलोपचितसर्वाङ्गौ वायुभक्षौ बभूवतुः। आत्ममांसानि जुह्वन्तौ पादाङ्गुष्ठाग्रविष्ठितौ। ऊर्ध्ववाहू चानिमिषौ दीर्घकालं धृतव्रतौ॥
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 विन्ध्यस्तद्भुतमिवाभवत्॥
(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 देवा भयं जग्मुरुयं दृष्ट्वा तयोस्तपः। तपोविधातार्थमथो देवा विनानि चक्रिरे॥
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॥
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 भार्यास्तयोश्चात्मजनस्तथा।॥ प्रपात्यमाना विस्रस्ताः शूलहस्तेन रक्षसा। भ्रष्टाभरणकेशान्ता भ्रष्टाभरणवाससः॥ अभिभाष्य ततः सर्वास्तौ त्राहीति विचुक्रुशुः। न च तौ चक्रतुर्भङ्गं व्रतस्य सुमहाव्रतौ॥
Then the celestials celestials displayed Maya (delusion) before those (two) illustrious Rishis. It appeared to them as if their sisters, mothers, wives and other relatives, with dishevelled hair, ornaments and robes, were running towards them in terror, pursued and struck down by a Rakshasas who had a lance in his hands. It appeared as if they were all crying, "O save us! O save us.” But even this could not break the vows of those two great vowobserving Rishis.
यदा क्षोभं नोपयाति नार्तिमन्यतरस्तयोः। ततः स्त्रियस्ता भूतं च सर्वमन्तरधीयत॥
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। वरेणच्छन्दयामास सर्वलोकहितः प्रभुः॥
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॥ ऊचतुश्च प्रभुं देवं ततस्तौ सहितौ तदा। आवयोस्तपसानेन यदि प्रीतः पितामहः॥ मायाविदावस्त्रविदौ बलिनौ कामरूपिणौ। उभावप्यमरौ स्यावः प्रसन्नो यदि नौ प्रभुः।॥
Then try two greatly powerful brothers, Sunda and Upasunda, rose from their seat on seeing the Grandsire and they stood before him with joined hands. They both together spoke thus to that celestials Lord, "O Grandsire, if you are pleased with our worship. And, O lord, if you are propitious to us, let us then possess the knowledge of all weapons and of all powers of Maya (delusion); let us possess great strength and assume any form at will; let us be immortal.
ब्रह्मोवाच ऋतेऽमरत्वं युवयोः सर्वमुक्तं भविष्यति। अन्यद् वृणीतं मृत्योश्च विधानममरैः समम्॥
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.
प्रभविष्याव इति यन्महदभ्युद्यतं तपः। युवयोर्हेतुनानेन नामरत्वं विधीयते॥
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 वा कामं करोम्यहम्॥
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 यद् भूतं किंचित् स्थावरजङ्गमम्। सर्वस्मान्नो भयं न स्यादृतेऽन्योन्यं पितामह॥
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 यत् प्रार्थितं यथोक्तं च काममेतद् ददानि वाम्। मृत्योर्विधानमेतच्च यथावद् वा भविष्यति॥
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 वरमेतत् तदा तयोः। निवर्त्य तपसस्तौ च ब्रह्मलोकं जगाम ह॥
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 दैत्येन्द्रावथ तौ भ्रातरावुभौ। अवध्यौ सर्वलोकस्य स्वमेव भवनं गतौ॥
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 मनस्विनौ। सर्वः सुहृज्जनस्ताभ्यां प्रहर्षमुपजग्मिवान्॥
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 भित्त्वा मौलिनौ सम्बभूवतुः। महार्हाभरणोपेतौ विरजोऽम्बरधारिणौ॥ अकालकौमुदी चैव चक्रतुः सार्वकालिकीम्। नित्यप्रमुदितः सर्वस्तयोश्चैव सुहृज्जनः॥
They then cut off their matted locks and wore coronets on their heads. They adorned and attired themselves in costly ornaments and handsome robes. They made the moon to rise untimely and it all times, and all their friends and relatives were always enjoy.
भक्ष्यतां भुज्यतां नित्यं दीयतां रम्यतामिति। गीयतां पीयतां चेति शब्दश्चासीद् गृहे गृहे॥
"Eat," "Feed,' “Give," "Make merry, "Sing,” “Drink,” such sounds were heard in every house (in their city).
तत्र तत्र महानादैरुत्कृष्टतलनादितैः। हृष्टं प्रमुदितं सर्वं दैत्यानामभवत् पुरम्॥
Here and there arose loud uproars of merriment, mixed with the clapping of hands which filled the city of those two Danavas.
तैस्तैर्विहारैर्बहुभिर्दैत्यानां कारुपिणाम्। समाः संक्रीडतां तेषामहरेकमिवाभवत्॥
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.