[203]A designation of Om, for which see before.
[204]Lit.—celestial saints—an order of saints.
[205]The preceptor of the deities.
[206]Lit three-eyed—a name of Siva.
[207]Suns keeping company with the Sun proper, who presides over them.

Parāçara said:—O Maitreya, thus hymned (by the deities), that reverend one—the holder of the conch and discus—that Supreme Lord—rendered himself visible unto them. And seeing then that holder of the conch, discus, and mace, that abode of wonderful grace,—a very mass of energy,—the deities, with the Great-father at their head, bowing down in humble guise, with their eyes quivering with agitation, began to hymn Pundarikāksha. And the celestials said,—"Salutation! Salutation unto thee! O thou that art without difference! Thou art Brahmā, and thou art the holder of Pināka. [208] Thou art Indra, and Agni and Pavana, [209] and Varuna, and the Sun, and Yama. And the Vasus, and the Maruts, and the Sādhyas, and the Viçwa gods thou. And, O god, those deities that have come unto thee are even thyself, who art the creator of the Universe,—since thou art in everything. Thou art sacrifice, and thou Vashatkāra, and thou Prajāpati. And, O soul of all, thou art knowable and unknowable; and this entire universe is permeated with thee. O Vishnu, worsted by the Daityas, we seek refuge of thee. O Soul of all, be propitious unto us; and do thou favour us by vouchsafing us thy energy. So long affliction lasts, so long the desire of defeating the foe agitates the heart, as long doth stupor last and so long is misery experienced,—as one doth not throw one's self on thy protection, O thou that destroyest all sins. Therefore, O thou of complacent soul, do thou extend thy grace unto us. O master of all energy, do thou favour us with thy own power".

[208]The bow, or the Trident of Siva.
[209]The Wind-god.

Parāçara said:—"Thus eulogised by the immortals, that creator of the cosmos—the worshipful Hari—casting a complacent glance, spoke (as follows). And the auspicious reverend One said,—‘Ye gods, I shall increase your power. Let the deities do as I say. Bring in company with the Daityas all the medicinal plants to the shore of the Ocean of milk, and making Mandāra the churning-stick and Vāsuki the cord, let the deities churn (the Ocean) for ambrosia, I assisting them. And concluding peace with the progeny of the Daitya's, ye should enlist their services in this task; and tell them,—Ye shall in common with us reap the fruit of this undertaking. And on the sea being churned, ye should by drinking the nectar that will come up, attain access of strength and be immortal to boot. And, ye gods, I shall so order that the enemies of the celestials shall not get ambrosia,—but shall only undergo all the trouble".

Parāçara said:—Thus addressed by the god of gods, all the celestials, concluding peace with the Asuras, set about churning for ambrosia. And procuring various medicinal herbs, the deities, the offspring of the Daityas, and the Dānavas,—throwing the same into the waters of the ocean of milk, resembling autumnal clouds,—and O Maitreya, making Mandāra the churning-stick and Vāsuki the twine,—at once addressed themselves to churning for ambrosia. And instructed by Krishna, the gods in a body held that (part of Vāsuki's body) where the tail was, and the Daityas held by the fore-part of his body. And, O thou of measureless Splendour, the Asuras, smitten with the fire sprung from the breath of Vāsuki's hood, became enfeebled. And clouds scattered by the breath issuing from Vāsuki's mouth, showering down at his tail, the deities were enlivened. And, O mighty ascetic, remaining in the midst of the Milky sea in the shape of a tortoise, the revered Hari himself became the support of the churning-stick. And the holder of the discus and mace, remaining in one form in the midst of the immortals, and in another, in the midst of the Daityas,—began to pull the king of serpents. And, O Maitreya, in another gigantic form, Keçava pulled the mountain upwards,—which form was seen neither of the celestials nor the Asuras. And Hari obliged with energy the king of serpents; and the Lord invigorated the immortals with another energy. And on the milky-sea being churned by the celestials and the Asuras, first came into existence Surabhi, worshipped of the celestials,—home of clarified butter. And thereat both the deities and the Dānavas experienced very great delight, O great ascetic; and with their minds attracted, they steadily gazed at her. And as the Siddhas were questioning within themselves,—"What is this?"—out came the exalted Vāruni, with her eyes rolling in consequence of intoxication. And then perfuming the universe with odor, from forth a whirlpool of the Milky-sea arose Pārijāta—the tree in which the celestial females delight. And then, O Maitreya, from the Milky-occan arose numbers of Apsarās, wonderful exceedingly, and furnished with grace and nobility. And then sprang the Mild-rayed one; [210] and Maheçwara appropriated him. And the serpents appropriated the poison that sprang from the Milky-sea. And then arose the divine Dhanwantari; [211] clad in white raiment, bearing a Kamandalu [212] filled with nectar. And thereat, O Maitreya, all the Daityas' sons and the Dānavas, along with the ascetics, felt delighted. And then from the water arose the exalted Sri, endowed with excellent grace,—seated on a blown lotus, and carrying also a lotus in her hand. And filled with delight, her hymned the mighty saints with the Srī Sukta; [213] and the Gandharvas, headed by Viçwāvasu, began to chant before her. And, O Brāhmana, bevies of Apsarās—Ghritāchi and others—began to dance, and the rivers—Gangā and the rest—came with water, for bathing her. And an elephant of one of the cardinal points, taking water out of the golden vessels, bathed that goddess—the mighty Mistress of all the worlds. And the Milky-sea, assuming a form, presented her with a wreath of unfading lotuses; and Viswakarmā decked her person with ornaments. And wearing divine garlands and attire, bathed and adorned with ornament, she in the sight of all the celestials sought the bosom of Hari, And on being gazed at by the goddess Lakshmi remaining in Hari's bosom, the celestials, O Maitreya, suddenly attained excess of delight. And, O exceedingly pious one, on being overlooked by Lakshmi, the Daityas, ever disregarding Vishnu—headed by Viprachitti—were wrought up with extreme anxiety. And then, O twice-born one, the Daityas, endowed with great prowess, possessed themselves of the Kamandalu that was in the hand of Dhanwantari, and which contained the ambrosia. And then Vishnu, assuming a female form, and thereby exciting their desire, secured the same, and then the Lord made it over unto the celestials. And then the immortals,—Sakra and the rest—quaffed off the ambrosia; and thereat the Daityas rushed against them with upraised weapons and Nistrinsas. [214] And having drunk ambrosia, the invigorated gods beat the Daitya-hosts, and these flew in all directions and entered the nether regions. Then the deities, bowing down unto the bearer of the conch, discus and mace, as formerly, began to govern the celestial regions. And then the glad-rayed Sun began to course in his own path; and, O best of ascetics, the luminaries also gyrated in their own orbits. And then the reverend Fire, crowned with a fair splendour, began to burn brightly. And, all creatures felt a regard for righteousness. And, O foremost of anchorets, the triune world was furnished with grace; and that chief of the celestials—Sakra—again waxed graceful. And Sakra, seated on his throne, receiving back the celestial regions, and established in his celestial sovereignty, began to hymn the Goddess holding a lotus in her hand. And Indra said,—"I salute the Lotus-sprung mother of all beings—unto Sri having lotus-like eyes, and reposing in the bosom of Vishnu. Thou art Siddhi, and thou art nectar, and thou Swāhā and Swadhā, O purifier of the worlds. And thou art twilight and light and lustre, and affluence, and intelligence, and veneration, and Saraswati. Thou art the learning of sacrifice; thou art the worship of the Universe-form (of the Most High); thou art the Occult Learning, O beauteous one; and thou art the knowledge of Brahmā, O goddess,—and thou art the bestower of the fruit of emancipation. And thou art the Science of Dialectics; and thou art the Three (Vedas); and thou art the Vārttā; and thou art the knowledge of chastisement, etc. O goddess, this universe is filled with thy gentle and terrific forms. And, O goddess, who, save thee, can dwell in the person of that god of gods, the bearer of the mace, who is contemplated by the yogis. O goddess, the triple world, having been renounced by thee, had come to the verge of destruction; and, through thee hath it again recovered its position. And, O exalted one, men come by wives and sons, and houses, and friends, and corn, and wealth through thy kind look. And, O goddess, freedom from bodily ailments, riches, destruction of foes, and felicity, are not difficult of attainment for those people that view thy glances. Thou art the mother of all creatures, as that god of gods—Hari—is their father. And this universe consisting of mobile and immobile, was primævally permeated by thee as well as Vishnu. And, O thou that purifiest everything, if thou forsakest (us), neither our treasures, nor our cattle, nor our houses, nor our attires, nor our bodies, nor our wives, are secure unto us. O thou that residest in the bosom of that god, Vishnu, if thou forsakest me, neither sons, nor friends, nor ornaments are secure unto me. O stainless one, he that is forsaken by thee, is also forsaken by goodness, truth, purity character, and other virtues. And, those that are glanced at by thee,—albeit devoid of any good quality, ever attain note, on account of character and other virtues, as well as lineage, and wealth. And, O goddess, he that is looked at by thee, is praiseworthy and accomplished and blessed and intelligent and high-born and heroic and possessed of prowess. And, O nurse of the Universe, O beloved of Vishnu, all virtues, character, etc., are instantly prevented in him from whom thou turnest away thy countenance. But the tongue even of the Deity is incapable of celebrating thy perfections. O lotus-eyed one, prove auspicious! Me mayest thou never renounce."