“Sauti continued, ’O best of regenerate ones, after a long time, Kadru brought forth a thousand eggs, and Vinata two.  Their maid-servants deposited the eggs separately in warm vessels.  Five hundred years passed away, and the thousand eggs produced by Kadru burst and out came the progeny.  But the twins of Vinata did not appear.  Vinata was jealous, and therefore she broke one of the eggs and found in it an embryo with the upper part developed but the lower one undeveloped.  At this, the child in the egg became angry and cursed his mother, saying.  ’Since thou hast prematurely broken this egg, thou shall serve as a slave.  Shouldst thou wait five hundred years and not destroy, or render the other egg half-developed, by breaking it through impatience, then the illustrious child within it will deliver thee from slavery!  And if thou wouldst have the child strong, thou must take tender care of the egg for all this time!’ Thus cursing his mother, the child rose to the sky.  O Brahmana, even he is the charioteer of Surya, always seen in the hour of morning!

“Then at the expiration of the five hundred years, bursting open the other egg, out came Garuda, the serpent-eater.  O tiger of Bhrigu’s race, immediately on seeing the light, that son of Vinata left his mother.  And the lord of birds, feeling hungry, took wing in quest of the food assigned to him by the Great Ordainer of all.”.

So ends the sixteenth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.

SECTION XVII

(Astika Parva continued)

“Sauti said, ’O ascetic, about this time the two sisters saw approaching near, that steed of complacent appearance named Uchchaihsravas who was worshipped by the gods, that gem of steeds, who arose at the churning of the Ocean for nectar.  Divine, graceful, perpetually young, creation’s master-piece, and of irresistible vigour, it was blest with every auspicious mark.’

“Saunaka asked, ’Why did the gods churn the Ocean for nectar, and under what circumstances and when as you say, did that best of steeds so powerful and resplendent spring?’

“Sauti said, ’There is a mountain named Meru, of blazing appearance, and looking like a heap of effulgence.  The rays of the Sun falling on its peaks of golden lustre are dispersed by them.  Decked with gold and exceedingly beautiful, that mountain is the haunt of the gods and the Gandharvas.  It is immeasurable and unapproachable by men of manifold sins.  Dreadful beasts of prey wander over its breasts, and it is illuminated by many divine life-giving herbs.  It stands kissing the heavens by its height and is the first of mountains.  Ordinary people cannot even think of ascending it.  It is graced with trees and streams, and resounds with the charming melody of winged choirs.  Once the celestials sat on its begemmed peak—­in conclave.  They who had practised penances and observed excellent vows for amrita now seemed to be eager seekers alter amrita (celestial ambrosia).  Seeing the celestial assembly in anxious mood Nara-yana said to Brahman, ’Do thou churn the Ocean with the gods and the Asuras.  By doing so, amrita will be obtained as also all drugs and gems.  O ye gods, chum the Ocean, ye will discover amrita.’”