Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 6 Chapter 18:18-33

Book 6: Chapter 18

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 6: Chapter 18: Verses 18-33 An account of the birth of the Maruts (the forty-nine wind-gods) Having propitiated Lord Siva (who has His abode on Mount Kailasa), the demon Bana attained the first place among His attendants. As the guardian of his capital, the Lord actually stays near him even today. (Besides Hiranyakasipu and Hiraryaksa) Diti had forty-nine more sons, (known as) the Maruts (wind-gods). They all remained issueless and were converted into his own class (godhood) by Indra (the ruler of the gods). The king (Pariksit) said : Having rid them of their demoniac disposition, which was innate to them, O (my) preceptor, how were they converted into godhood by I ndra? What good offices did they render to him (which prompted him to bring about this change in them)? Even these seers, O (holy) Brahmana, are keen to know this truth along with me. Therefore, be pleased, O worshipful sage, to explain this to us. Suta continued : Having heard this reverent, brief and (yet) significant inquiry of king Pariksit (who had been protected by Lord Visnu Himself in the form of Sri Krsna), and welcoming it with a heart full of joy, the omniscient and well-known sage Suka (the son of Badarayana, more popularly known as Vedavyasa), spoke (as follows), O Saunaka (who stand vowed to a long course of sacrifices) ! Sri Suka resumed : Diti, whose sons (Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksa) had been slain by Lord Visnu, the Ally of Indra (the chief of the gods), and who was (consequently) burning with rage kindled by grief, pondered as below :-- "When shall I have an undisturbed sleep, having brought about the death of the voluptuous cruel, hard-hearted and sinful Indra (who has been instrumental in causing the death of his own half-brothers) ? He who seeks to hurt (other) beings for the sake of his (own) body-which, though (once) designated as a king (ultimately, when dead) goes by the name of (is transformed into) worms (if buried and thus consumed by worms), or that of excrement (if exposed and devoured by carnivorous beings such as dogs and jackals, vultures and crows), or that of ashes (in cremated)-is he alive to his (higest) interests ? (Certainly not). For damnation,(invariably) follows from such hostility to (other) beings. (Therefore) let me devise some means whereby a son may be born to me, that may quell the pride of the aforesaid Indra, who looks upon this (perishable) body as everlasting and whose mind knows no restraint." With this idea (uppermost in her mind) she constantly pleased her husband (the sage Kasyapa) through (personal) service, affection, humility and self-control. Knowing as she did the heart of her husband, she captivated his mind, O Pariksit, by her supreme devotion, charming and sweet words winsome smiles and sidelong glances. Thus infatuated by that clever lady, and powerless (against her womanish charms), the sage, though learned, said, "All right ! (Your wish shall be granted)" Such stupefaction of men by a woman (through her devoted conduct) indeed is not to be wondered at. Finding men (absolutely) unattached at the dawn of creation, Brahma (the lord of created beings) converted one half of his body into the fair sex, who robbed men of their judgment. Waited upon in this way, O dear son (Pariksit) ! by that lady (Diti), the glorious sage Kasyapa felt highly pleased; and, welcoming her, he laughingly spoke (as follows). Katyapa said : Ask (of me) a boon of your choice, O beautiful one; I am pleased with you, O irreproachable lady. When the husband is fully pleased, what desire of a woman remains unattainable here as well as hereafter? The husband alone has been declared to be the supreme Deity for women. Although (as a matter of fact,) Lord Vasudeva, the Consort of Sri (the goddess of beauty and prosperity), dwelling in (presiding over) the mind of all created beings, is the supreme Deity,