“Veeshnoo and Brahma having said, ‘it shall be according to your wish,’ he with the lotus eye directed the King of Serpents to appear; and Ananta arose, and was instructed in that work by Brahma, and commanded by Narayan to perform it. Then Ananta, by his power, took up that king of mountains, together with all its forests and every inhabitant thereof; and the Soors accompanied him into the presence of the Ocean, whom they addressed, saying, ‘We will stir up thy waters to obtain the Amreeta,’ And the Lord of the Waters replied, ‘Let me also have a share, seeing I am to bear the violent agitation that will be caused by the whirling of the mountain!’ Then the Soors and Asoors spoke unto Koorna-raj, the King of the Tortoises, upon the strand of the Ocean, and said, ‘My lord is able to be the supporter of this mountain.’ The Tortoise replied, ‘Be it so;’ and it was placed upon his back.
“So the mountain being set upon the back of the Tortoise, Eendra began to whirl it about as it were a machine. The mountain Mandar served as a churn, and the serpent Vasoakee for the rope; and thus in former days did the Dews, and Asoors, and the Danoos, begin to stir up the waters of the ocean for the discovery of the Amreeta.
“The mighty Asoors were employed on the side of the serpent’s head, whilst all the Soors assembled about his tail. Ananta, that sovereign Dew, stood near Narayan.
“They now pull forth the serpent’s head repeatedly, and as often let it go; whilst there issued from his mouth, thus violently drawing to and fro by the Soors and Asoors, a continual stream of fire and smoke and wind, which ascending in thick clouds, replete with lightning, it began to rain down upon the heavenly bands, who were already fatigued with their labour; whilst a shower of flowers was shaken from the top of the mountain, covering the heads of all, both Soors and Asoors. In the mean time the roaring of the ocean, whilst violently agitated with the whirling of the mountain Mandar by the Soors and Asoors, was like the bellowing of a mighty cloud. Thousands of the various productions of the waters were torn to pieces by the mountain, and confounded with the briny flood; and every specific being of the deep, and all the inhabitants of the great abyss which is below the earth, were annihilated; whilst, from the violent agitation of the mountain, the forest trees were dashed against each other, and precipitated from its utmost height, with all the birds thereon; from whose violent confrication a raging fire was produced, involving the whole mountain with smoke and flame, as with a dark-blue cloud, and the lightning’s vivid flash. The lion and the retreating elephant are overtaken by the devouring flames, and every vital being, and every specific thing, are consumed in the general conflagration.
“The raging flames, thus spreading destruction on all sides, were at length quenched by a shower of cloud-borne water, poured down by the immortal Eendra. And now a heterogeneous stream of the concocted juices of various trees and plants ran down into the briny flood.
“It was from this milk-like stream of juices, produced from those trees and plants and a mixture of melted gold, that the Soors obtained their immortality.
“The waters of the Ocean now being assimilated with those juices, were converted into milk, and from that milk a kind of butter was presently produced; when the heavenly bands went again into the presence of Brahma, the granter of boons, and addressed him, saying, ‘Except Narayan, every other Soor and Asoor is fatigued with his labour, and still the Amreeta doth not appear; wherefore the churning of the Ocean is at a stand.’ Then Brahma said unto Narayan, ‘Endue them with recruited strength, for thou art their support.’ And Narayan answered and said, ‘I will give fresh vigour to such as co-operate in the work. Let Mandar be whirled about, and the bed of the ocean be kept steady.’
“When they heard the words of Narayan, they all returned again to the work, and began to stir about with great force that butter of the ocean, when there presently arose from out the troubled deep, first the Moon, with a pleasing countenance, shining with ten thousand beams of gentle light; next followed Sree, the goddess of fortune, whose seat is the white lily of the waters; then Soora-Devee, the goddess of wine, and the white horse called Oochisrava. And after these there was produced from the unctuous mass the jewel Kowstoobh, that glorious sparkling gem worn by Narayan on his breast; also Pareejat, the tree of plenty, and Soorabhee, the cow that granted every heart’s desire.
“The moon, Soora-Devee, the goddess of Sree, and the Horse, as swift as thought, instantly marched away towards the Dews, keeping in the path of the Sun.
“Then the Dew Dhanwantaree, in human shape, came forth, holding in his hand a white vessel filled with the immortal juice Amreeta. When the Asoors beheld these wondrous things appear, they raised their tumultuous voices for the Amreeta, and each of them clamorously exclaimed, ‘This of right is mine.’