TEXT 37
ditir uvaca
varado yadi me brahman
putram indra-hanam vrne
amrtyum mrta-putraham
yena me ghatitau sutau
SYNONYMS
ditih uvacaDiti said; vara-dahthe giver of benedictions; yadiif; meto me; brahmanO great soul; putrama son; indra-hanamwho can kill Indra; vrneI am asking for; amrtyumimmortal; mrta-putrawhose sons are dead; ahamI; yenaby whom; memy; ghatitauwere caused to be killed; sutautwo sons.
TRANSLATION
Diti replied: O my husband, O great soul, I have now lost my sons. If you want to give me a benediction, I ask you for an immortal son who can kill Indra. I pray for this because Indra, with the help of Visnu, has killed my two sons Hiranyaksa and Hiranyakasipu.
PURPORT
The word indra-hanam means one who can kill Indra, but it also means one who follows Indra. The word amrtyum refers to the demigods, who do not die like ordinary human beings because they have extremely long durations of life. For example, the duration of Lord Brahmas life is stated in Bhagavad-gita: sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmano viduh [Bg. 8.17]. Even the duration of one day, or twelve hours, of Brahma is 4,300,000 years multiplied by one thousand. Thus the duration of his life is inconceivable for an ordinary human being. The demigods are therefore sometimes called amara, which means one who has no death. In this material world, however, everyone has to die. Therefore the word amrtyum indicates that Diti wanted a son who would be equal in status to the demigods.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/6/18/37

Previous: SB 6.18.36     Next: SB 6.18.38

If you Love Me Distribute My Books -- Srila Prabhupada