Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.939

c7.939

In obedience to his mother, Indra approached Diti pretending friendship and spent a lot of time in her company. He soon won her confidence and love by his affectionate attentions. On one occasion, when she was in sound sleep, Indra, by his mystic power, entered into Diti's womb with his weapon Vajra and cut the child in the womb into seven pieces. The child began to cry loudly, but Indra said "Mā ruda" which means "do not cry" and cut each of the pieces again into seven parts. Thus the embryo (child) was finally cut into fortynine pieces, which later became the fortynine "Mārutas" or "Maruts". When she woke up, Diti realized Indra's treachery and in her fury she cursed Indra and Aditi. She cursed that Indra would lose his kingdom of Devaloka and that Aditi would be imprisoned and her sons would be killed. As a result of this curse Devendra lost his kingdom on one occasion. Aditi, in her next birth, was born as Devakī, wife of Vasudeva and was imprisoned by Kaṁsa who killed her children. (Devī Bhāgavata, Fourth Skandha).