Sunda and Upasunda Win Brahma's Boon

Verse 1 (1.229.1)

शृणु मे विस्तरेणेममितिहासं पुरातनम् । भ्रातृभिः सहितः पार्थ यथा वृत्तं युधिष्ठिर ॥

śṛṇu me vistareṇemamitihāsaṃ purātanam | bhrātṛbhiḥ sahitaḥ pārtha yathā vṛttaṃ yudhiṣṭhira

Partha Yudhishthira, listen with your brothers as I tell you in full this ancient story, just as it happened.

Note on the text: Corrected शणु → शृणु (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ṛ-sign, the CE reads śṛṇu).

Verse 2 (1.229.2)

महासुरस्यान्ववाये हिरण्यकशिपोः पुरा । निकुम्भो नाम दैत्येन्द्रस्तेजस्वी बलवानभूत् ॥

mahāsurasyānvavāye hiraṇyakaśipoḥ purā | nikumbho nāma daityendrastejasvī balavānabhūt

Long ago, in the line of the great asura Hiranyakashipu, there was a lord of the daityas named Nikumbha, mighty and full of power.

Verse 3 (1.229.3)

तस्य पुत्रौ महावीर्यौ जातौ भीमपराक्रमौ । सुन्दोपसुन्दौ दैत्येन्द्रौ दारुणौ क्रूरमानसौ ॥

tasya putrau mahāvīryau jātau bhīmaparākramau | sundopasundau daityendrau dāruṇau krūramānasau

Two sons were born to him, of great valour and fearsome prowess: Sunda and Upasunda, lords of the daityas, savage and cruel-hearted.

Note on the text: First line corresponds to CE 1.201.3ab; the second line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 4 (1.229.4)

तावेकनिश्चयौ दैत्यावेककार्यार्थसंमतौ । निरन्तरमवर्तेतां समदुःखसुखावुभौ ॥

tāvekaniścayau daityāvekakāryārthasaṃmatau | nirantaramavartetāṃ samaduḥkhasukhāvubhau

Those two daityas had a single resolve and agreed on every task and aim; they lived side by side without a break, sharing alike in sorrow and joy.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 5 (1.229.5)

विनाऽन्योन्यं न भुञ्जाते विनाऽन्योन्यं न जल्पतः । अन्योन्यस्य प्रियकरावन्योन्यस्य प्रियंवदौ ॥

vinā'nyonyaṃ na bhuñjāte vinā'nyonyaṃ na jalpataḥ | anyonyasya priyakarāvanyonyasya priyaṃvadau

Neither would eat without the other, neither would speak without the other; each did what pleased the other and spoke kindly to the other.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 1.201.3cd–4ab (the two editions divide these verses differently).

Verse 6 (1.229.6)

एकशीलसमाचारौ द्विधैवैकोऽभवत्कृतः । तौ विवृद्धौ महावीर्यौ कार्येष्वप्येकनिश्चयौ ॥

ekaśīlasamācārau dvidhaivaiko'bhavatkṛtaḥ | tau vivṛddhau mahāvīryau kāryeṣvapyekaniścayau

Alike in character and conduct, they were like one being made into two. Grown up and of great valour, they were of one mind in all their undertakings.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 1.201.4cd–5ab (the two editions divide these verses differently).

Verse 7 (1.229.7)

त्रैलोक्यविजयार्थाय समाधायैकनिश्चयम् । दीक्षां कृत्वा गतौ विन्ध्यं तावुग्रं तेपतुस्तपः ॥

trailokyavijayārthāya samādhāyaikaniścayam | dīkṣāṃ kṛtvā gatau vindhyaṃ tāvugraṃ tepatustapaḥ

Resolved together on conquering the three worlds, they took the vow of initiation, went to the Vindhya mountains, and there practised fierce austerity.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 1.201.5cd–6ab (the two editions divide these verses differently).

Verse 8 (1.229.8)

तौ तु दीर्घेण कालेन तपोयुक्तौ बभूवतुः । क्षुत्पिपासापरिश्रान्तौ जटावल्कलधारिणौ ॥

tau tu dīrgheṇa kālena tapoyuktau babhūvatuḥ | kṣutpipāsāpariśrāntau jaṭāvalkaladhāriṇau

Over a long time they became steeped in austerity, worn out by hunger and thirst, wearing matted hair and garments of bark.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 1.201.6cd–7ab (the two editions divide these verses differently).

Verse 9 (1.229.9)

मलोपचितसर्वाङ्गौ वायुभक्षौ बभूवतुः । आत्ममांसानि जुह्वन्तौ पादाङ्गुष्ठाग्रधिष्ठितौ । ऊर्ध्वबाहू चानिमिषौ दीर्घकालं धृतव्रतौ ॥

malopacitasarvāṅgau vāyubhakṣau babhūvatuḥ | ātmamāṃsāni juhvantau pādāṅguṣṭhāgradhiṣṭhitau | ūrdhvabāhū cānimiṣau dīrghakālaṃ dhṛtavratau

Their whole bodies caked with dirt, they lived on air alone; they offered their own flesh into the fire and stood on the tips of their great toes, arms raised and eyes unblinking, holding to their vows for a long time.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 1.201.7cd–8 (the two editions divide these verses differently). Corrected जुह्वान्तौ → जुह्वन्तौ (misprint in Wikisource; the present participle is juhvantau, as in the CE).

Verse 10 (1.229.10)

तयोस्तपःप्रभावेण दीर्घकालं प्रतापितः । धूमं प्रमुमुचे विन्ध्यस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत् ॥

tayostapaḥprabhāveṇa dīrghakālaṃ pratāpitaḥ | dhūmaṃ pramumuce vindhyastadadbhutamivābhavat

Scorched for a long time by the power of their austerity, the Vindhya began to give off smoke, and it seemed a marvel.

Note on the text: Corrected तद्भुतमिवाभवत् → तदद्भुतमिवाभवत् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, the CE reads tad adbhutam ivābhavat).

Verse 11 (1.229.11)

ततो देवा भयं जग्मुरुग्रं दृष्ट्वा तयोस्तपः । तपोविघातार्थमथो देवा विघ्नानि चक्रिरे ॥

tato devā bhayaṃ jagmurugraṃ dṛṣṭvā tayostapaḥ | tapovighātārthamatho devā vighnāni cakrire

Then the gods grew afraid, seeing how fierce their austerity was, and to break it the gods raised obstacles.

Verse 12 (1.229.12)

रत्नैः प्रलोभयामासुः स्त्रीभिश्चोभौ पुनःपुनः । न च तौ चक्रतुर्भङ्गं व्रतस्य सुमहाव्रतौ ॥

ratnaiḥ pralobhayāmāsuḥ strībhiścobhau punaḥpunaḥ | na ca tau cakraturbhaṅgaṃ vratasya sumahāvratau

Again and again they tempted the two with jewels and with women, but the two, firm in their great vow, did not break it.

Verse 13 (1.229.13)

अथ मायां पुनर्देवास्तयोश्चक्रुर्महात्मनोः । भगिन्यो मातरो भार्यास्तयोश्चात्मजनस्तथा ॥

atha māyāṃ punardevāstayoścakrurmahātmanoḥ | bhaginyo mātaro bhāryāstayoścātmajanastathā

Then the gods once more worked an illusion upon those two mighty ones: their sisters, mothers and wives, and their own kinsfolk too,

Verse 14 (1.229.14)

प्रपात्यमाना विस्रस्ताः शूलहस्तेन रक्षसा । भ्रष्टाभरणकेशान्ता भ्रष्टाभरणवाससः ॥

prapātyamānā visrastāḥ śūlahastena rakṣasā | bhraṣṭābharaṇakeśāntā bhraṣṭābharaṇavāsasaḥ

were being cast down by a rakshasa with a spear in his hand, dishevelled, their ornaments and hair fallen loose, their ornaments and clothing slipping away.

Verse 15 (1.229.15)

अभिभाष्य ततः सर्वास्तौ त्राहीति विचुक्रुशुः । न च तौ चक्रतुर्भङ्गं व्रतस्य सुमहाव्रतौ ॥

abhibhāṣya tataḥ sarvāstau trāhīti vicukruśuḥ | na ca tau cakraturbhaṅgaṃ vratasya sumahāvratau

Calling out to the two, they all cried, "Save us!" Yet the two, firm in their great vow, did not break it.

Verse 16 (1.229.16)

यदा क्षोभं नोपयाति नार्तिमन्यतरस्तयोः । ततः स्त्रियस्ता भूतं च सर्वमन्तरधीयत ॥

yadā kṣobhaṃ nopayāti nārtimanyatarastayoḥ | tataḥ striyastā bhūtaṃ ca sarvamantaradhīyata

When neither of them was shaken or distressed, the women and the whole apparition vanished.

Verse 17 (1.229.17)

ततः पितामहः साक्षादभिगम्य महासुरौ । वरेण च्छन्दयामास सर्वलोकहितः प्रभुः ॥

tataḥ pitāmahaḥ sākṣādabhigamya mahāsurau | vareṇa cchandayāmāsa sarvalokahitaḥ prabhuḥ

Then the Grandsire himself, the lord who seeks the good of all the worlds, came to the two great asuras and offered them a boon.

Note on the text: Corrected च्छ्दयामास → च्छन्दयामास (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct, the CE reads chandayām āsa) and क्वलोकहितः → सर्वलोकहितः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, the CE has sarvaloka-).

Verse 18 (1.229.18)

ततः सुन्दोपसुन्दौ तौ भ्रातरौ दृढविक्रमौ । दृष्ट्वा पितामहं देवं तस्थतुः प्राञ्जली तदा ॥

tataḥ sundopasundau tau bhrātarau dṛḍhavikramau | dṛṣṭvā pitāmahaṃ devaṃ tasthatuḥ prāñjalī tadā

Then the brothers Sunda and Upasunda, firm in valour, seeing the divine Grandsire, stood before him with joined palms.

Verse 19 (1.229.19)

ऊचतुश्च प्रभुं देवं ततस्तौ सहितौ तदा । आवयोस्तपसाऽनेन यदि प्रीतः पितामहः ॥

ūcatuśca prabhuṃ devaṃ tatastau sahitau tadā | āvayostapasā'nena yadi prītaḥ pitāmahaḥ

And the two together then said to the divine lord, "If the Grandsire is pleased with this austerity of ours,

Verse 20 (1.229.20)

मायाविदावस्त्रविदौ बलिनौ कामरूपिणौ । उभावप्यमरौ स्यावः प्रसन्नो यदि नौ प्रभुः ॥

māyāvidāvastravidau balinau kāmarūpiṇau | ubhāvapyamarau syāvaḥ prasanno yadi nau prabhuḥ

let us both be masters of illusion and of weapons, mighty, able to take any form at will, and immortal, if our lord is gracious to us."

Verse 21 (1.229.21)

ऋतेऽमरत्वं युवयोः सर्वमुक्तं भविष्यति । अन्यद्वृणीतं मृत्योश्च विधानममरैः समम् ॥

ṛte'maratvaṃ yuvayoḥ sarvamuktaṃ bhaviṣyati | anyadvṛṇītaṃ mṛtyośca vidhānamamaraiḥ samam

Except for immortality, all that you have asked shall be yours. Choose instead some manner of death by which you will be equal to the immortals.

Note on the text: Corrected सम् → समम् (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, the CE reads samam).

Verse 22 (1.229.22)

प्रभविष्याव इति यन्महदभ्युद्यतं तपः । युवयोर्हेतुनानेन नामरत्वं विधीयते ॥

prabhaviṣyāva iti yanmahadabhyudyataṃ tapaḥ | yuvayorhetunānena nāmaratvaṃ vidhīyate

Because you undertook this mighty austerity with the thought, "We shall prevail," for that reason immortality is not granted to you.

Verse 23 (1.229.23)

त्रैलोक्यविजयार्थाय भवद्भ्यामास्थितं तपः । हेतुनाऽनेन दैत्येन्द्रौ न वां कामं करोम्यहम् ॥

trailokyavijayārthāya bhavadbhyāmāsthitaṃ tapaḥ | hetunā'nena daityendrau na vāṃ kāmaṃ karomyaham

You two undertook austerity to conquer the three worlds; for that reason, lords of the daityas, I do not grant you your wish.

Verse 24 (1.229.24)

त्रिषु लोकेषु यद्भूतं किंचित्स्थावरजङ्गमम् । सर्वस्मान्नौ भयं न स्यादृतेऽन्योन्यं पितामह ॥

triṣu lokeṣu yadbhūtaṃ kiṃcitsthāvarajaṅgamam | sarvasmānnau bhayaṃ na syādṛte'nyonyaṃ pitāmaha

Grandsire, let us have no fear of anything that exists in the three worlds, moving or unmoving, except of each other.

Note on the text: Removed the speaker line सुन्दोपसुन्दावूचतुः, which Wikisource printed inside the verse; it is now the verse's speaker heading.

Verse 25 (1.229.25)

यत्प्रार्थितं यथोक्तं च काममेतद्ददानि वाम् । मृत्योर्विधानमेतच्च यथावद्वां भविष्यति ॥

yatprārthitaṃ yathoktaṃ ca kāmametaddadāni vām | mṛtyorvidhānametacca yathāvadvāṃ bhaviṣyati

What you have asked, just as you have stated it, I grant you as you wish. And this ordinance of your death shall hold exactly so.

Note on the text: Corrected यथावद्वा → यथावद्वां (misprint in Wikisource; dropped anusvara, the CE reads yathāvad vāṃ).

Verse 26 (1.229.26)

ततः पितामहो दत्त्वा वरमेतत्तदा तयोः । निवर्त्य तपसस्तौ च ब्रह्मलोकं जगाम ह ॥

tataḥ pitāmaho dattvā varametattadā tayoḥ | nivartya tapasastau ca brahmalokaṃ jagāma ha

Then the Grandsire, having granted them this boon, turned them back from their austerity and went to the world of Brahma.

Verse 27 (1.229.27)

लब्ध्वा वराणि दैत्येन्द्रावथ तौ भ्रातरावुभौ । अवध्यौ सर्वलोकस्य स्वमेव भवनं गतौ ॥

labdhvā varāṇi daityendrāvatha tau bhrātarāvubhau | avadhyau sarvalokasya svameva bhavanaṃ gatau

Having received their boons, the two brothers, lords of the daityas, now unslayable by all the world, went back to their own home.

Verse 28 (1.229.28)

तौ तु लब्धवरौ दृष्ट्वा कृतकामौ मनस्विनौ । सर्वः सुहृज्जनस्ताभ्यां प्रहर्षमुपजग्मिवान् ॥

tau tu labdhavarau dṛṣṭvā kṛtakāmau manasvinau | sarvaḥ suhṛjjanastābhyāṃ praharṣamupajagmivān

Seeing the two proud brothers with their boons won and their desires fulfilled, all their friends and kin were filled with delight.

Note on the text: Corrected सुहृञ्जनः → सुहृज्जनः (misprint in Wikisource; the CE reads suhṛjjanaḥ).

Verse 29 (1.229.29)

ततस्तौ तु जटा भित्त्वा मौलिनौ संबभूवतुः । महार्हाभरणोपेतौ विरजोम्बरधारिणौ ॥

tatastau tu jaṭā bhittvā maulinau saṃbabhūvatuḥ | mahārhābharaṇopetau virajombaradhāriṇau

Then the two cut off their matted locks and put on crowns; they wore costly ornaments and spotless garments.

Verse 30 (1.229.30)

अकालकौमुदीं चैव चक्रतुः सार्वकालिकीम् । नित्यः प्रमुदितः सर्वस्तयोश्चैव सुहृज्जनः ॥

akālakaumudīṃ caiva cakratuḥ sārvakālikīm | nityaḥ pramuditaḥ sarvastayoścaiva suhṛjjanaḥ

Out of season they held a moonlight festival that went on at all times, and all their friends and kin were joyful every day.

Note on the text: Corrected सुहृञ्जनः → सुहृज्जनः (misprint in Wikisource; the CE reads suhṛjjanaḥ).

Verse 31 (1.229.31)

भक्ष्यतां भुज्यतां नित्यं दीयतां रम्यतामिति । गीयतां पीयतां चेति शब्दश्चासीद्गृहे गृहे ॥

bhakṣyatāṃ bhujyatāṃ nityaṃ dīyatāṃ ramyatāmiti | gīyatāṃ pīyatāṃ ceti śabdaścāsīdgṛhe gṛhe

"Eat! Feast! Give! Make merry! Sing! Drink!" Such was the cry in house after house, every day.

Note on the text: Corrected गीयेतां → गीयतां (misprint in Wikisource; the singular passive imperative of the series, as in the CE's gīyatām) and शभ्दश्चासीद् → शब्दश्चासीद् (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct).

Verse 32 (1.229.32)

तत्रतत्र महानादैरुत्कृष्टतलनादितैः । हृष्टं प्रमुदितं सर्वं दैत्यानामभवत्पुरम् ॥

tatratatra mahānādairutkṛṣṭatalanāditaiḥ | hṛṣṭaṃ pramuditaṃ sarvaṃ daityānāmabhavatpuram

Everywhere, with great uproar and loud clapping of hands, the whole city of the daityas was merry and glad.

Verse 33 (1.229.33)

तैस्तैर्विहारैर्बहुभिर्दैत्यानां कामरूपिणाम् । समाः संक्रीडतां तेषामहरेकमिवाभवत् ॥

taistairvihārairbahubhirdaityānāṃ kāmarūpiṇām | samāḥ saṃkrīḍatāṃ teṣāmaharekamivābhavat

With these many pastimes of the daityas, who could take any form at will, years went by for them in their play as if they were a single day.