e fair-waisted nymphs the great
Lord Kasyap sought and wedded eight,
Aditi, Diti, Kalaka,
Tamra, Danu, and Anala,
And Krodhavasa swift to ire,
And Manu(443) glorious as her sire.
Then when the mighty Kasyap cried
Delighted to each tender bride:
"Sons shalt thou bear, to rule the three
Great worlds, in might resembling me."
Aditi, Diti, and Danu
Obeyed his will as consorts true,
And Kalaka; but all the rest
Refused to hear their lord's behest.
First Aditi conceived, and she,
Mother of thirty Gods and three,
The Vasus and Adityas bare,
Rudras, and Asvins, heavenly pair.
Of Diti sprang the Daityas: fame
Delights to laud their ancient name.
In days of yore their empire dread
O'er earth and woods and ocean spread.
Danu was mother of a child,
O hero, Asvagriva styled,
And Narak next and Kalak came
Of Kalaka, celestial dame.
Of Tamra, too, five daughters bright
In deathless glory sprang to light.
Ennobling fame still keeps alive
The titles of the lovely five:
Immortal honour still she claims
For Kraunchi, Bhasi, Syeni's names.
And wills not that the world forget
Suki or Dhritarashtri yet.
Then Kraunchi bare the crane and owl,
And Bhasi tribes of water fowl:
Vultures and hawks that race through air
With storm-fleet pinions Syeni bare.
All swans and geese on mere and brook
Their birth from Dhritarashtri took,
And all the river-haunting brood
Of ducks, a countless multitude.
From Suki Nala sprang, who bare
Dame Vinata surpassing fair.
From fiery Krodhavasa, ten
Bright daughters sprang, O King of men:
Mrigi and Mrigamanda named,
Hari and Bhadramada famed,
Sarduli, Sveta fair to see,
Matangi bright, and Surabhi,
Surasa marked with each fair sign,
And Kadruma, all maids divine.
Mrigi, O Prince without a peer,
Was mother of the herds of deer,
The bear, the yak, the mountain roe
Their birth to Mrigamanda owe;
And Bhadramada joyed to be
Mother of fair Iravati,
Who bare Airavat,(444) huge of mould,
Mid warders of the earth enrolled,
From Hari lordly lions trace,
With monkeys of the wild, their race.
From the great dame Sarduli styled
Sprung pards, Langurs,(445) and tigers wild.
Matangi, Prince, gave birth to all
Matangas, elephants strong and tall,
And Sveta bore the beasts who stand
One at each wind, earth's warder band.(446)
Next Surabhi the Goddess bore
Two heavenly maids, O Prince, of yore,
Gandharvi--dear to fame is she--
And her sweet sister Rohini.
With kine this daughter filled each mead,
And