“After the churning, O Brahmana, had gone on for some time, gummy exudations of various trees and herbs vested with the properties of amrita mingled with the waters of the Ocean.  And the celestials attained to immortality by drinking of the water mixed with those gums and with the liquid extract of gold.  By degrees, the milky water of the agitated deep turned into clarified butter by virtue of those gums and juices.  But nectar did not appear even then.  The gods came before the boon-granting Brahman seated on his seat and said, ’Sire, we are spent up, we have no strength left to churn further.  Nectar hath not yet arisen so that now we have no resource save Narayana.’

“On hearing them, Brahman said to Narayana, ’O Lord, condescend to grant the gods strength to churn the deep afresh.’

“Then Narayana agreeing to grant their various prayers, said, ’Ye wise ones, I grant you sufficient strength.  Go, put the mountain in position again and churn the water.’

’Re-established thus in strength, the gods recommenced churning.  After a while, the mild Moon of a thousand rays emerged from the Ocean.  Thereafter sprung forth Lakshmi dressed in white, then Soma, then the White Steed, and then the celestial gem Kaustubha which graces the breast of Narayana.  Then Lakshmi, Soma and the Steed, fleet as the mind, all came before the gods on high.  Then arose the divine Dhanwantari himself with the white vessel of nectar in his hand.  And seeing him, the Asuras set up a loud cry, saying, ‘It be ours.’

“And at length rose the great elephant, Airavata, of huge body and with two pair of white tusks.  And him took Indra the wielder of the thunderbolt.  But with the churning still going on, the poison Kalakuta appeared at last.  Engulfing the Earth it suddenly blazed up like a fire attended with fumes.  And by the scent of the fearful Kalakuta, the three worlds were stupefied.  And then Siva, being solicited by Brahman, swallowed that poison for the safety of the creation.  The divine Maheswara held it in his throat, and it is said that from that time he is called Nilakantha (blue-throated).  Seeing all these wondrous things, the Asuras were filled with despair, and got themselves prepared for entering into hostilities with the gods for the possession of Lakshmi and Amrita.  Thereupon Narayana called his bewitching Maya (illusive power) to his aid, and assuming the form of an enticing female, coquetted with the Danavas.  The Danavas and the Daityas charmed with her exquisite beauty and grace lost their reason and unanimously placed the Amrita in the hands of that fair damsel.’”

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

SECTION XIX

(Astika Parva continued)

“Sauti said, ’Then the Daityas and the Danauas equipped with first-class armours and various weapons attacked the gods.  In the meantime the valiant Lord Vishnu in the form of an enchantress accompanied by Nara deceived the mighty Danavas and took away the Amrita from their hands.