the praises of Mahadeva by uttering diverse hymns.  The Grandsire Brahma uttering a Rathantara, praised Mahadeva.  Narayana also, uttering the Jyestha Saman, sang the praises of Bhava.  Sakra also did the same with the aid of those foremost of Vedic Mantras, viz., the Sata-Rudriam.  Verily, Brahma and Narayana and Sakra,—­those three high-souled deities,—­shone there like three sacrificial fires.  In their midst shone the illustrious God like the sun in the midst of his corona, emerged from autumnal clouds.  I beheld myriads of suns and moons, also in the sky, O Kesava.  I then praised the illustrious Lord of everything, the supreme Master of the universe.

“Upamanyu continued, ’I said, Salutations to thee, O illustrious one, O thou that constitutest the refuge of all things, O thou that art called Mahadeva!  Salutations to thee that assumest the form of Sakra, that art Sakra, and that disguisest thyself in the form and vestments of Sakra.  Salutations to thee that art armed with the thunder, to thee that art tawny, and thee that art always armed with the Pinaka.  Salutations to thee that always bearest the conch and the Sula.  Salutations to thee that art clad in black, to thee that art of dark and curly hair, to thee that hast a dark deer-skin for thy upper garment, to thee that presidest over the eighth lunation of the dark fortnight.  Salutations to thee that art of white complexion, to thee that art called white, to thee that art clad in white robes, to thee that hast limbs smeared with white ashes, to thee that art ever engaged in white deeds.  Salutations to thee that art red of colour, to thee that art clad in red vestments, to thee that ownest a red banner with red flags, to thee that wearest red garlands and usest red unguents.  Salutations to thee that art brown in complexion, to thee that art clad in brown vestments, to thee, that hast a brown banner with brown flags, to thee that wearest brown garlands and usest brown unguents.  Salutations to thee that hast the umbrella of royalty held over thy head, to thee that wearest the foremost of crowns.  Salutations unto thee that art adorned with half a garland and half an armlet, to thee that art decked with one ring for one year, to thee that art endued with the speed of the mind, to thee that art endued with great effulgence.  Salutations to thee that art the foremost of deities, to thee that art the foremost of ascetics, to thee that art the foremost of celestials.  Salutations to thee that wearest half a wreath of lotuses, to thee that hast many lotuses on thy body.  Salutations to thee that hast half thy body smeared with sandal paste, to thee that hast half thy body decked with garlands of flowers and smeared with fragrant unguents.[62] Salutations to thee that art of the complexion of the Sun, to thee that art like the Sun, to thee whose face is like the Sun, to thee that hast eyes each of which is like the Sun.  Salutations to thee that art Soma, to thee that art as mild as Soma, to thee