Text 1: Śrī Maitreya said: The demigods, the inhabitants of the higher planets, were freed from all fear upon hearing the cause of the darkness explained by Brahmā, who was born from Viṣṇu. Thus they all returned to their respective planets.
Text 2: The virtuous lady Diti had been very apprehensive of trouble to the gods from the children in her womb, and her husband predicted the same. She brought forth twin sons after a full one hundred years of pregnancy.
Text 3: On the birth of the two demons there were many natural disturbances, all very fearful and wonderful, in the heavenly planets, the earthly planets and in between them.
Text 4: There were earthquakes along the mountains on the earth, and it appeared that there was fire everywhere. Many inauspicious planets like Saturn appeared, along with comets, meteors and thunderbolts.
Text 5: There blew winds which were most uninviting to the touch, hissing again and again and uprooting gigantic trees. They had storms for their armies and clouds of dust for their ensigns.
Text 6: The luminaries in the heavens were screened by masses of clouds, in which lightning sometimes flashed as though laughing. Darkness reigned everywhere, and nothing could be seen.
Text 7: The ocean with its high waves wailed aloud as if stricken with sorrow, and there was a commotion among the creatures inhabiting the ocean. The rivers and lakes were also agitated, and lotuses withered.
Text 8: Misty halos appeared around the sun and the moon during solar and lunar eclipses again and again. Claps of thunder were heard even without clouds, and sounds like those of rattling chariots emerged from the mountain caves.
Text 9: In the interior of the villages she-jackals yelled portentously, vomiting strong fire from their mouths, and jackals and owls also joined them with their cries.
Text 10: Raising their necks, dogs cried here and there, now in the manner of singing and now of wailing.
Śrīdhara Svāmi-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Vyākhyā
Then in the seventeenth (chapter), the terrifying birth of those two and the amazing conquest of directions by Hiraṇyākṣa's power is described. (1) After Brahmā's statement that he will ensure well-being, (Diti) was abandoned due to suspicion. (1) By her husband's order. As per the statement "O fierce one, they will repeatedly torment the three worlds along with their protectors." Suspicious of her own offspring, fearing divine calamity. (2) Om. Then at that time, they fell down and arose, bringing great fear all around. (3) Regions of the earth along with mountains, and comets appeared, is the remaining part. (4) Making harsh hissing sounds - an imitation of intense wind sounds. Great trees as mountain lords, whose army is the mass of wind itself, whose flag is dust itself. (5) As if laughing loudly, the lightning in them, by whose mass of clouds the multitude of celestial lights like the sun was destroyed. Their abode was not seen even slightly. (6) The ocean, as if disturbed, from which waves arose, in which aquatic creatures in its belly were agitated, along with wells etc., in which lotuses dried up. (7) Halos appeared around the sun and moon seized by Rāhu. There were thunderbolts like the sounds of chariots from mountain caves. (8) Along with the howls of jackals and hoots of owls, (there were cries of) she-jackals. (9) Village dogs. (10)
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Prakāśa Vyākhyā
The birth of those two, Jaya and Vijaya, in the form of Hiraṇyākṣa and Hiraṇyakaśipu is meant. In the conquest of directions means in the world conquest. (1) The reason for the arising of that calamity and its remedy. Then after hearing Brahmā's words, or from Vaikuṇṭha, abandoned means devoid of faith in the Lord, is the sense. (1) Suspicious of her offspring, fearing universal calamity for her child, or fearing death caused by Hari, is the meaning. (2) Then at the time of their birth (3) regions of the earth means parts of the earth. As stated in the Jyotiṣakalpataru: "Wind shakes for 200 (yojanas), fire for 110, water for 180, the thunderbolt-wielder (Indra) for 160." As per Mihirācārya's statement. The whole earth does not shake, but only those regions shake due to the wind etc. spheres. The spheres are: "In the 1st, 3rd, 4th parts, in the 2nd, 20th, wonderful, in all - Wind, Fire, Indra, Varuṇa are the sphere lords, auspicious and inauspicious by them." (continues with more details on planetary spheres) Thus comets means many comets appeared, which will be described in the 6th canto in the explanation of the Nārāyaṇavarma as thousands in number, differentiated as Brahmā's sons etc. (3-4) Very painful to touch. Vātyā means whirlwind. Anīka means army. (5-6) By the word udara (belly), what is in the belly is meant, as per the maxim 'the container for the contained'. They were agitated, became unrestrained. (7-8) Śivā means female jackals. Aśivā means inauspicious sounds, is the remaining part. They cried out, uttered. (9) Neck. Raising up. Here and there in that place. (10)
Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa dāsa Gosvāmi Viracitā Dīpanī Vyākhyā
Then after the sixteenth chapter. The birth of those two, Jaya and Vijaya, in demon form, the reason for such misfortune and its prevention, in the form of the Lord's will, with doubt, from there means from Brahmā's abode on Mount Meru. (1-2) Then at the time of birth, as they were being born. (3) He indicates three types of portents in the next twelve verses starting with "along with mountains". Stars falling. (4) Anīka means army. (5) Due to darkness. (6-7) Parivesa means halos. (8) Aśivā means inauspicious. (9-11)
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā
Thus, this laughter I have heard described before. By Brahmā, the god of gods, when the gods were asking questions - beginning with this dialogue with Brahmā, referring back to that laughter, and wishing to narrate the highly relevant killing of Hiraṇyākṣa, Maitreya relates the story of Hiraṇyākṣa's birth and subsequent events, connecting it to the highly relevant topic through an introduction in the form of a dialogue between Brahmā and Nārada. Having heard from the self-born Brahmā the cause, the reason for calamity, all the gods of heaven, abandoned by fear, thinking "He will bring about welfare" as stated, then went from Brahmaloka to heaven, to the celestial realm. (1)
But Diti, on the instruction of her husband Kaśyapa, as per the statement "O fierce one, you will repeatedly make the three worlds with their protectors cry out", fearing trouble for the gods from her offspring, after a full hundred years had passed, gave birth to twin sons simultaneously. (2)
There, in the place of their birth, as they were being born, in the sky, on earth, and in the atmosphere, many strange, extremely terrifying omens portending great fear for the world fell and arose. (3)
He elaborates on those (omens) in the next eleven verses. The earth regions shook along with the mountains, all directions blazed with flames, meteors and burning coals fell, and comets and other ill-omened signs that cause affliction and indicate suffering for the world arose. (4)
Winds blew that were very harsh to touch, making loud howling sounds repeatedly, uprooting the great trees, whirlwinds whose army had dust as its banner. Or in another reading: winds whose banner was the dust raised up by the whirlwinds. Such a wind blew forth. (5)
In the sky where the radiance of the sun and other luminaries was obscured by masses of clouds with lightning flashing as if laughing loudly, and which was filled with deep darkness, that place could not be seen even slightly. (6)
The ocean, as if distressed in mind, cried out with its belly agitated by high waves, its belly containing makara sea creatures. The rivers along with the ponds, wells and lakes whose lotuses had dried up were agitated. (7)
Halos repeatedly appeared around the moon and sun eclipsed by Rāhu. Thunderclaps without clouds and sounds like the rumbling of chariots arose from mountain caves. (8)
Inside the villages, jackals vomiting fire excessively from their mouths, along with the hooting sounds of owls, howled inauspiciously. These were jackals of a particular sub-species whose cries people consider to be extremely ill-omened. (9)
Village dogs, raising up their necks, let out various cries here and there that were like singing and wailing. (10)
Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha-kṛtā Pada Ratnāvalī Vyākhyā
The greatness of the Lord, who is the slayer of the invincible Hiraṇyakaśipu and Hiraṇyākṣa and whose power is unlimited, is described in these two chapters to show that devotion should be offered to this Lord. First it describes the gods going to heaven. "Having heard" - what was sung by the self-born Brahmā. (1)
Fearful about her offspring, fearing their destruction by Hari, she gave birth to twins. (2)
It describes the portents indicating how these two would cause trouble for people. "Omens" (3)
"Along with mountains" means the earth regions along with mountains. The plural "earths" is used because of the many regions. "Thunderbolts" means thunderclaps along with falling meteors. (4)
"Phutkāra" is an imitative sound like "phatkāra" etc. as stated in the lexicon. The winds had a mass of whirlwinds and dust as their banner. (5)
The sky where the group of stars was obscured by a mass of clouds with flashing lightning. "Bha" is another name for star like "tāraka". (6)
"Vārdhi" means ocean. "Along with wells" means along with ponds, wells etc. "With dried up lotuses" means with withered lotuses. (7)
"Halos" means circular marks. "Thunderclaps" means sounds of thunder without clouds. Their echoes came from mountain caves etc. (8)
Male jackals are "sṛgāla", female jackals are "śivā". All three made harsh imitative sounds called "ṭaṅkāra", indicating destruction. As stated: "Api is used for possibility, question, censure, doubt and aggregation. There is destruction when jackals and śivās howl otherwise." (9)
"Village lions" means dogs. They raised up their necks and made sounds like singing and dramatic performance. (10)
Śrīmaj Jīva Gosvāmi-kṛtā Krama Sandarbha Vyākhyā
"Cause" means the reason for the arising and remedy of that calamity. "By fear" means by doubt. (1)
"Fearful about offspring" means she was afraid as stated before "for harming the gods etc." Therefore she was filled with fear regarding that. (2-14)
Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravarti-kṛtā Sārārtha darśinī Vyākhyā
In their birth, seventeen inauspicious omens clearly occurred. And the world-conqueror Hiraṇyākṣa mocked Pracetas. (1)
The meaning is that the fears were abandoned through faith in the Lord alone. (1)
Fearing harm to her offspring from Viṣṇu's hand or universal calamity for all worlds from her children, as per her husband's words that they would make the worlds weep. (2)
They fell down, i.e. appeared. (3)
The comets also appeared (to be supplied). (4)
Phūtkāra means imitating the sound of fierce wind. The one whose army is the whirlwinds themselves. (5)
In the sky where the multitude of lights like the sun was destroyed by the mass of those clouds with seemingly loud lightning flashes, there was a place. (6)
Vārdhi means ocean. With wells. (7)
Nirghāta means thunderclaps without clouds. Sounds like the rumbling of chariots from caves and mountain hollows. (8)
Jackals' females with howling sounds. (9)
Village lions means dogs. (10)
Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ
Thus the cause of the nature of the two demons in Diti's womb was stated. Now in the seventeenth chapter their birth etc. is described. Ujjhitāḥ means abandoned. (1)
Fearing trouble from gods etc. for her two children. (2)
There, at the time of their birth. Nipetuḥ means appeared. (3)
Comets in the form of various islands of the earth appeared (to be supplied). (4)
Whose army is whirlwinds themselves, whose banner is dust itself. (5)
Where the multitude of lights like the sun was destroyed by the mass of those clouds with flashing lightning, the range of vision was not seen at all, meaning it was not visible even slightly. (6)
From which high waves arose, with a disturbed interior, with an altered inner part. (7)
Thunderclaps without clouds, sounds like the rumbling of chariots, along with Rāhu and eclipses. (8)
They howled inauspiciously along with the sounds of jackals etc. inside villages, in the middle of villages. What were they doing? Vomiting fire from their mouths. (9)
Village lions means dogs. (10)
Śrīmad Vallabhācārya Viracitā Subodhinī Vyākhyā
The destruction of the path by desire etc. has been described as an introduction. For the sake of merely creation, its auspicious result is described. (1)
Birth is said to be tāmasic, existence is considered rājasic. And dissolution is sāttvic - thus their result is contrary. (2)
Birth is said to be of two types, based on intrinsic nature and inauspiciousness. Here birth means growth up to that point; description of defects of body and speech. (3)
For causing affliction to those of same and different kinds from birth. The curse is said to be one, Hiraṇyākṣa and not another. (4)
He alone is said to be the support, in the second is description of faults. Birth itself by curse is described in a low womb. (5)
Therefore their existence and destruction are described here only in relation to Hari. The pastimes of that great soul along with Kṛṣṇa are his existence. (6)
And his death too is considered from auspicious words. Intrinsic birth is said to be the cause elsewhere many times. (7)
There the knowledge that indicates inauspiciousness destroys sorrow. Therefore in the seventeenth chapter there is absence of sorrow and its arising.
Inauspicious indications and two faults are described in five possibilities. (8)
There, first he states the cessation of fear through knowledge of the cause - "Having heard". Having heard the cause sung by the self-born Brahmā, they became free from fear. "Self-born" is the reason. "Sung" is said with joy as it is universally applicable, hence there is no doubt about the result. Fear was about self-destruction. But affliction alone, being limited, should be endured - thus they became free through fear alone, as auspicious and inauspicious things and time were determined. And after cessation of fear, all returned to heaven. "Celestials" indicates going there was necessary. (1)
He states the birth - "But Diti". Though they should have been produced immediately by the sage's consideration, still Diti did not do so, hence the word "but". She became full of fear regarding her offspring due to her husband Kaśyapa's words in the form of a command. Due to that fear, the deadly time was awaited for cessation of their faults. For that is of a hundred years duration, so after completion of a hundred years she gave birth to two sons. She produced both sons. Those twins are called Yama because of giving sorrow. He indicates hundred year gestation was due to fear that her husband would abandon himself due to the sons' offenses, by saying "the chaste one". These are human years. (2)
Having thus stated the birth, to indicate its tāmasic nature, he describes many inauspicious portents. Time was awaited, so the year-long time there indicates inauspiciousness. Twelve inauspicious things, and the result is stated in one. There, he first states a general inauspiciousness - "Portents". There in the hermitage, or then when the two were being born, all three types occurred. He states their threefold nature by difference of location - in heaven, earth and atmosphere. Here the order is sāttvic, rājasic, tāmasic. And from "and", those done by oneself and by beings. He states their result - "bringing great fear to the world". "Of the world" means in general, or of good people. "Bringing great fear" means excessive fear from destruction of the world, or from destruction of dharma. (3)
Having stated by designation, he describes the three types by their nature - "Along with mountains". Some say these too are celestial. Pieces of the earth moved along with mountains. If uninterrupted, he would say "and the earth shook". "Along with mountains" means separate movement of even immovable things. The burning of directions is in the atmosphere, as directions are established in the atmosphere. All eight. "Blazed" means not just smoke. He states the celestial ones - "And meteors and thunderbolts". Meteors are star-like fire shapes, thunderbolts along with those. A hundred comets like Dhūmaketu etc. Though all generally cause fear, comets cause more distress. Those whose fall is seen cause pain in the body - this is the distinction. Or messengers of Yama etc. who are causes of distress. (4)
He speaks of the physical - air. Air is of two types: in the form of a whirlwind and constantly moving. He says both types are inauspicious. He describes the inauspicious form of the constantly moving air - very unpleasant to touch. Constant motion is by nature inauspicious, and moreover its touch is extremely harsh. Making "phat" sounds means imitating harsh sounds as it blows. "Repeatedly" means producing many sounds even in a single continuous stream. He describes the inauspicious characteristics of the whirlwind form - uprooting. "Lords of mountains" means the best of trees. Uprooting them from the roots, the whirling wind raises dust up to the sky. (5)
He describes the inauspicious characteristics of clouds - laughing loudly. The collection of clouds with lightning flashing above as if laughing, by which the multitude of celestial lights disappeared. In such a sky, darkness entered and nothing could be seen, neither any celestial bodies nor other lights. "Indeed" is used to indicate common knowledge. The laughter-like quality of lightning is inauspicious, as is extreme darkness. If the reading is "tamasaḥ" (of darkness), it means the forms of clouds etc. could not be seen. (6)
He describes the inauspicious characteristics of the ocean - it cried out. The ocean cried out as if distressed. Its waves rose up. Its depths were agitated. This is known from the agitation of sea creatures like makara. Rivers with wells and lakes with lotuses dried up. Or just the rivers. (7)
The sun and moon were simultaneously eclipsed by Rahu repeatedly. There were halos. There were thunderbolts from a clear sky. There were loud sounds like the rumbling of chariots, emanating forcefully from crevices, caves, the netherworld, or snake pits. (8)
Inside villages, jackals vomiting fire from their mouths made sounds along with the howls of jackals and owls. By calling them inauspicious, it is indicated that their ill-omen is well-known even among common people. (9)
Of dogs he says - like singing. As singing happens in the world, or like the crying of westerners. Raising their necks, they let out various sounds. All around. Village lions means dogs. (10)
Śrīmad Gosvāmi Śrī Puruṣottama Caraṇa Viracitaḥ Śrī Subodhinī Prakāśaḥ
Now desiring to explain the seventeenth chapter, they state its connection with the previous three - "By desire etc." For the application of creation means for the connection to the excellence of creation, which is being impelled by the Lord. Thus there is an introduction regarding creation, but for these three there is a cause-effect relationship, so the connection is the cause-effect relationship between the three. They state the meaning of the three in order - "Origin etc." "Of those two" means of Jaya and Vijaya. The result is the result of the curse, reversed. Extraordinary, ultimately leading to elevation. Having thus stated the general meaning of the three, they analyze the specifics in four and a half verses. There the first meaning is examined in three and a quarter verses. The quarter verse "For the body" connects with the next half.
Even if it is so, due to being prescribed along with accessories, and due to context, the story of both should be told here. So why is only one mentioned? To this they say - "The curse etc." "But" is for removing doubt. Only one curse is stated, but the second origin is also stated, briefly and elaborately. "But" is used again. Hiraṇyākṣa is the basis, being born first due to Diti's fault, he is full of basic faults. "And" is for emphasis. The other, Hiraṇyakaśipu, is not like that. He alone is mentioned, described in a special way. In the second, Hiraṇyakaśipu, faults are described due to being born of excessive virility, his arrogance alone is described by "proud of being immortal". Moreover, this is the context of origin, so only their origin in a low birth due to the curse is described, while their existence and destruction are from the Lord. Therefore, since that is the relevant incarnation here, the story of the existence and destruction of the second is not told, but only of the first due to relevance.
For the second and third they say - "In Hari etc." Here in this context, of that great soul with an excellent mind, Hiraṇyākṣa. His sporting with Kṛṣṇa means his existence is in Hari alone. And again his death is also considered to be in Hari alone. The indicator there is "from the auspicious words" - from the Lord's words "Let there be peace." Thus in one and a quarter verses the meaning of the next two is examined.
Thereafter in two verses they state the relevant meaning with reasoning - "Own form etc." "Elsewhere" means in the origin etc. of others also. "Knowledge there" means knowledge of the cause related to that. "Two faults" means faults of speech and body. "Occurrence" means in the origin. "Having heard" is a gerund. "Of the self-born" is the cause. For he is the origin of the gods born from the self, so being the cause, what he says is beneficial - this is the idea. (1)
In "with mountains" - "Of divine" means the portents mentioned are different from and more terrifying than those mentioned in the Nāradasaṃhitā. So there is no fault of contradiction with that. (4)
In "air" - "Extremely harsh" means clearly harsh. (5)
Śrī Giridhara-kṛtā Bāla Prabodhinī
(17) The birth of those two, terrifying to all the worlds, and especially the power of Hiraṇyākṣa, are described.
(1) Having thus described the dialogue between the gods and Brahmā as begun, he now narrates the events starting from the birth of Hiraṇyākṣa: "Having heard..." The meaning is: Having heard what was sung by Brahmā, who was born from and became the authority of the Self, the Supreme Self Śrī Nārāyaṇa - namely the cause of the overpowering of the gods' power by the power in Diti's womb, as well as the cause of the cessation of that trouble, "The Lord desires to do this" - being free from the doubt "How did this trouble arise and how will it cease?", all the gods returned from Brahmā's abode to heaven.
(2) But Diti, apprehensive about her offspring due to her husband Kaśyapa's statement "O fierce one, they will repeatedly cause the three worlds with their protectors to wail", being afraid of trouble for the world, after a full hundred years by human reckoning had passed, gave birth to twin sons who had entered the womb together. Thus indicating the reason for her fear and ability to carry the pregnancy for so long, he qualifies her as "virtuous", meaning devoted to good conduct.
(3) As those two were being born, many terrifying portents arose then in heaven, on earth and in the sky, causing great fear for people.
(4) He shows the portents in the next eleven verses: The lands along with the unmovable mountains shook. All the directions blazed with flames. Meteors with embers and thunderbolts fell. Comets and other inauspicious signs foretelling troubles for people appeared.
(5) A wind blew that was very harsh to touch, repeatedly making howling sounds, uprooting great trees, with whirlwinds as its army and dust raised up to the sky as its banner.
(6) With a mass of clouds in which lightning seemed to laugh loudly, and in which the multitude of light from the sun and other celestial bodies was lost, the sky was entered by darkness such that positions were not visible even slightly.
(7) The ocean, as if with a troubled mind, roared. The reason for its troubled state: with risen waves, its belly was agitated, meaning the makara and other creatures in its belly were disturbed. The rivers along with the ponds, wells and lakes with dried lotuses were agitated.
(8) Halos repeatedly appeared around the eclipsed moon and sun. Thunderclaps without clouds and sounds like chariots emanated from mountain caves.
(9) Inside villages, jackals vomiting fierce fire from their mouths howled inauspiciously along with the cries of owls. People say the cries of certain types of jackals in villages are extremely ominous.
(10) Village dogs, raising their necks, let out various cries here and there that were like singing and wailing.
Hindī Anuvāda
Hiraṇyakaśipu and Hiraṇyākṣa's Birth and Hiraṇyākṣa's World Conquest
Śrī Maitreya said - Vidura! Having learned from Brahmā's words the cause of the darkness, the gods' doubts were dispelled and they all returned to heaven. (1) Meanwhile Diti remained apprehensive about trouble from her sons, as per her husband's statement. So when a full hundred years had passed, that virtuous woman gave birth to twin sons. (2) As they were being born, many portents occurred in heaven, earth and sky which greatly frightened people. (3) The earth and mountains trembled here and there, all directions blazed, meteors fell everywhere, lightning struck, and inauspicious comets appeared in the sky. (4) A very harsh and unbearable wind blew repeatedly making howling sounds and uprooting large trees. At that time the whirlwinds seemed like its army and the flying dust like its banner. (5) Lightning flashed brightly as if laughing loudly. The clouds became so dense that the sun, moon and other planets were obscured and deep darkness enveloped the sky. At that time nothing was visible anywhere. (6) The ocean made tumultuous sounds like a sorrowful person, rumbling noises began to be heard. (8) In the villages, along with the terrifying cries of jackals and owls, she-jackals vomited blazing fire from their mouths making very inauspicious sounds. (9) Here and there dogs raised their necks and made various sounds sometimes like singing and sometimes like wailing. (10)
SB 3.17.1-10
