SECTION XXV
(Astika Parva continued)
"Sauti said, 'Then that bird of great strength and energy and capable of going at will to every place repaired to his mother's side on the other shore of the great ocean. Thither lived Vinata in affliction, defeated in wager and put into a state of slavery. Once Kadru calling Vinata who had prostrated herself before the former, addressed her these words in the presence of her son, 'O gentle Vinata, there is in the midst of the ocean, in a remote quarter, a delightful and fair region inhabited by the Nagas. Bear me thither!' At this that mother of the bird of fair feathers bore (on her shoulders) the mother of the snakes. And Garuda also, directed by his mother's words, carried (on his back) the snakes. And that ranger of the skies born of Vinata began to ascend towards the Sun. And thereupon the snakes, scorched by the rays of the Sun, swooned away. And Kadru seeing her sons in that state prayed to Indra, saying, 'I bow to thee, you Lord of all the gods! I bow to thee, you slayer of Vritra! I bow to thee, you slayer of Namuchi! O you of a thousand eyes, consort of Sachi! By your showers, be you the protector of the snakes scorched by the Sun. O you best of the deities, you are our great protector. O Purandara, you are able to grant rain in torrents. Thou are Vayu (the air), the clouds, fire, and the lightning of the skies. Thou are the propeller of the clouds, and hast been called the great cloud (i.e., that which will darken the universe at the end of Yuga). Thou are the fierce and incomparable thunder, and the roaring clouds. Thou are the Creator of the worlds and their Destroyer. Thou are unconquered. Thou are the light of all creatures, Aditya, Vibhavasu, and the wonderful elements. Thou art the ruler of all the gods. Thou are Vishnu. Thou hast a thousand eyes. Thou are a god, and the final resource. Thou art, O deity, all amrita, and the most adored Soma. Thou are the moment, the lunar day, the bala (minute), you are the kshana (4 minutes). Thou are the lighted fortnight, and also the dark fortnight. Thou are kala, you kashtha, and thou Truti.[1] Thou are the year, the seasons, the months, the nights, and the days. Thou are the fair Earth with her mountains and forests. Thou are also the firmament, resplendent with the Sun. Thou are the great Ocean with heaving billows and abounding with whales, swallowers of whales, and makaras, and various fishes. Thou are of great renown, always adored by the wise and by the great Rishis with minds rapt in contemplation. Thou drinkest, for the good of all creatures, the Soma juice in sacrifices and the clarified butter offered with sacred invocation. Thou are always worshipped at sacrifices by Brahmanas moved by desire of fruit. O you of incomparable mass of strength, you art sung in the Vedas and Vedangas. It is for that reason that learned Brahmanas bent upon performing sacrifices, study the Vedas with every care.'"
And so ends the twenty-fifth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.
--------------------END OF PARVA 1 : UPA-PARVA 25 ---------------------
(Astika Parva continued)
"Sauti said, 'Then that bird of great strength and energy and capable of going at will to every place repaired to his mother's side on the other shore of the great ocean. Thither lived Vinata in affliction, defeated in wager and put into a state of slavery. Once Kadru calling Vinata who had prostrated herself before the former, addressed her these words in the presence of her son, 'O gentle Vinata, there is in the midst of the ocean, in a remote quarter, a delightful and fair region inhabited by the Nagas. Bear me thither!' At this that mother of the bird of fair feathers bore (on her shoulders) the mother of the snakes. And Garuda also, directed by his mother's words, carried (on his back) the snakes. And that ranger of the skies born of Vinata began to ascend towards the Sun. And thereupon the snakes, scorched by the rays of the Sun, swooned away. And Kadru seeing her sons in that state prayed to Indra, saying, 'I bow to thee, you Lord of all the gods! I bow to thee, you slayer of Vritra! I bow to thee, you slayer of Namuchi! O you of a thousand eyes, consort of Sachi! By your showers, be you the protector of the snakes scorched by the Sun. O you best of the deities, you are our great protector. O Purandara, you are able to grant rain in torrents. Thou are Vayu (the air), the clouds, fire, and the lightning of the skies. Thou are the propeller of the clouds, and hast been called the great cloud (i.e., that which will darken the universe at the end of Yuga). Thou are the fierce and incomparable thunder, and the roaring clouds. Thou are the Creator of the worlds and their Destroyer. Thou are unconquered. Thou are the light of all creatures, Aditya, Vibhavasu, and the wonderful elements. Thou art the ruler of all the gods. Thou are Vishnu. Thou hast a thousand eyes. Thou are a god, and the final resource. Thou art, O deity, all amrita, and the most adored Soma. Thou are the moment, the lunar day, the bala (minute), you are the kshana (4 minutes). Thou are the lighted fortnight, and also the dark fortnight. Thou are kala, you kashtha, and thou Truti.[1] Thou are the year, the seasons, the months, the nights, and the days. Thou are the fair Earth with her mountains and forests. Thou are also the firmament, resplendent with the Sun. Thou are the great Ocean with heaving billows and abounding with whales, swallowers of whales, and makaras, and various fishes. Thou are of great renown, always adored by the wise and by the great Rishis with minds rapt in contemplation. Thou drinkest, for the good of all creatures, the Soma juice in sacrifices and the clarified butter offered with sacred invocation. Thou are always worshipped at sacrifices by Brahmanas moved by desire of fruit. O you of incomparable mass of strength, you art sung in the Vedas and Vedangas. It is for that reason that learned Brahmanas bent upon performing sacrifices, study the Vedas with every care.'"
And so ends the twenty-fifth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.
--------------------END OF PARVA 1 : UPA-PARVA 25 ---------------------
