Matsya Purana 148.62.3

148.62.3

rucirāṅgadanaddhāṅgaṃ mahāsiṃhāsane sthitam.
vījayantyapsaraḥ śreṣṭhāḥ bhṛśaṃ muñcanti naiva tāḥ .. 148.30
candrārkau dīpamārgeṣu vyajaneṣu ca mārutaḥ.
kṛtānto'gresarastasya babhūvurmunisattamāḥ.. 148.31
evaṃ prayāti kāle tu vitate tārakāsuraḥ.
babhāṣe sacivān daityaḥ prabhūtavaradarpitaḥ.. 148.32
tāraka uvāca.
rājyena kāraṇaṃ kiṃ me tvanākramya triviṣṭapam.
aniryāpya surairvairaṃ kā śāntirhṛdaye mama .. 148.33
bhuñjate'dyāpi yajñāṃśānamarā nāka eva hi.
viṣṇuḥ śriyaṃ na jahati tiṣṭhate ca gatabhramaḥ .. 148.34
svasthābhiḥ svarganārībhiḥ pīḍyante'maravallabhāḥ.
sotpalāmadirāmodā divikrīr̤āyaneṣu ca .. 148.35
labdhvā janma na yaḥ kaścid ghaṭayet pauruṣaṃ naraḥ.
janma tasya vṛthā bhūtam janmanā tu viśiṣyate .. 148.36
mātā pitṛbhyāṃ na karoti kāmān bandhūnaśokān na karoti yo vā.
kīrttiṃ hi vānārjayate himābhāṃ pumān sa jāto'pi mṛto mataṃ me .. 148.37
tasmājjayāyāmarapuṅgavānāṃ trailokyalakṣmīharaṇāya śīghram.
saṃyojyatāṃ me rathamaṣṭacakraṃ balañca me durjaya daityacakram.
dhvajañca me kāñcanapaṭṭanaddhaṃ chatrañca me mauktikajālabaddham .. 148.38
tārakasya vacaḥ śrutvā grasano nāma dānavaḥ.
senānīrdaityarājasya tathā cakre balānvitaḥ .. 148.39
āhatya bherīṃ gambhīrāṃ daityānāhūya satvaraḥ.
turagāṇāṃ sahasreṇa cakrāṣṭakavidhūṣitam .. 149.40
śuklāmbarapariṣkāraṃ caturthojana vistṛtam.
nānākrīḍāgṛhayutaṃ gītavādyamanoharam .. 148.41
vimānamiva devasya surabharttuḥ śatakratoḥ.
daśakoṭīśvarā daityā daityāste caṇḍavikramāḥ .. 148.42
teṣāmagresaro jambhaḥ kujambho'nantarastataḥ.

Taraka said —"What is the use of this empire without reaching heaven I have no peace without waging war with the Devas Even now do the Devas enjoy the sacrificial offerings in heaven and Visnu is not leaving Laksmi He is sitting fearlessly ! The lotus-eyed consorts of the Devas are enjoying the company of their Deva lords in the celestial pleasure nooks ! Even now they are enjoying by drinking wine and playing in play rooms Even now the lotuses are seen in their hands He who, being born a man, does not show his strength in this world, is useless It is better for such a man not to be born at all One who does not fulfil the desires of his parents, does not drive away the troubles of his kinsmen, or does not earn fame is, indeed, like a dead man inspite of his being alive Consequently, I shall presently wage war and fight with the Devas to acquire the treasures of the three worlds Make a chariot of eight wheels ready for me, and O, unconquerable Daityas ! let the powerful Daityas join my army to give me support Prepare my banner of golden cloth and make my umbrella with hangings of pearls'—32 37

Hearing these words of Târakâsura, the Dânava named, Grasana who was commander of the Daitya râja carried out the orders of his lord He mobilised instantly all the forces of the Daityas by beating his drum Afterwards wherever Tarakâsura made his appearance seated in his magnificent chariot of eight wheels drawn by a thousand horses, draped in white and extending in 4 yojanas, there were various kinds of songs and ceremonies, and it was provided with various amusement courts The chariot of the Daitya king was as majestic as the vimâna of Indra. It was followed by an army of 10 crores of chief Daitya warriors who were very valiant—38-41.

When Târakâ returned after completing his penance, the other Daityas came and surrounded him It seemed as if the Devas had surrounded Indra When Târakâsura began to rule, the seasons, by his terror, seemed to be endowed with their qualities and became incarnate before him, the Lokapalas acknowledged his sovereignty, and became his servants, lustre, beauty, intelligence, wealth and authority all began to serve openly the Danava lord and fixed their abode in him The nymphs incessantly began to wave chowries over the head of the sovereign, seated on his throne with scent rubbed on his body, head decorated with a lofty crown and arms adorned with armlets The Sun and the Moon served the purpose of lamps, wind that of fans and Dharmrâja acted as his foremost herald in all his actions Having thus reigned for many years, Târkâsura haughtily said to his ministers —26 31

The army was under the command of the following ten chief Daityas viz., Jambha, Kujambha, Mahisa, Kunjara, Megha, Kalanemi, Mathana, Jambhaka, Nimi and Sumbha. Besides them there were other valiant Daityas to work as their lieutenants. Thus the huge army moved on. Besides these, hundreds of other ferocious and violent chiefs of the Dânavas looking like mountains marched with the forces. The ferocious demons were armed with various kinds of weapons, and they were very skilful in using them—42-44.