Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.4936

c9.4936

(i) Hiraṇyakaśipu was born to Prajāpati Kaśyapa, by his wife Danu. Mahāviṣṇu killed him on being requested by the Devas. Danu was grieved at the death of her son. So Kaśyapa gave her another son. He was Vala or Bala. Indra killed him with his weapon, the thunderbolt. Kaśyapa got angry and plucking a hair from his matted hair, made a burnt offering of it, saying "Let a son who would be the killer of Indra be born." Immediately a huge giant, as black as antimony with yellow eyes was born from the fire. That asura, clad in the hide of antelope with sword in hand, opening his mouth, from which two huge tusks protruded, very wide, and shining with radiance cried out in a voice of thunder, "Oh ! Sage ! Order me, what am I to do?" Kaśyapa ordered him to kill Indra. He named the monster Vṛtra. (Padma Purāṇa, Bhūmi Khaṇḍa, Chapter 23).