Suta continued:
1-2. Looking at them as if drinking them in (with his eyes), the consort of Umā, with honey-like tawny eyes uneven (three) in number, the Lord, destroyer of Dakşha’s sacrifice, wielder of the Pinaka bow and a battle-axe, who was surrounded by goblins, became delighted with a beaming face on hearing his eulogy.
3. On hearing their nectar-like words, the supreme Lord asked lovingly what he himself knew before.
4. “Who are you two, Sirs, of noble souls, desirous of mutual welfare, with eyes having the lustre of a lotus, and who have come together in the terrible watery expanse?”
5. After glancing at each other, they replied to him: “O lord, of what avail, is our reply? It is already known to you. Where is infinite happiness except in your conduct as you please?
6. The blessed lord spoke in sweet, charming words: “O Brahma, O Vişhnu, I am addressing you both.
7. I am delighted with your devotion of permanent nature. I honour you both; you well deserve my respect. What is the excellent boon you desire to have?”
8. When these words were spoken by him, Vişhņu told Brahma: “O highly blessed one, do speak out the boon wished by you”.
9. “O Vişhnu, I am desirous of having progeny. I wish to have a son who will bear my responsibility.”. So spoke Lord Brahma who coveted to have a boon granting him (such) a son.
10-12. Then Vişhnu said to Brahma, who was desirous of progeny, “Since you wish for an incomparably valiant son who will carry out your task, you ask Lord Maheśhvara, the god of gods, to be (born as your) son.”
Honouring the words of Vişhnu, god Brahma folded his palms in reverence and humbly bowed to Lord Rudra, the bestower of boons. Desirous of a son, he addressed these (following) words in the company of Vişhņu:
13. “O Supreme Lord, if you are so pleased with me who am desirous of a son, soul of the universe, you shall be my son or you shall grant me a son like you who will bear my burden. If you are pleased to grant me this boon, I shall not choose any other.”
14. On hearing his request, the lord, the destroyer of the eyes of Bhaga, piously and undeceitfully said: “So be it”.
15-16. “O Suvrata (one of good vows), when you will be overwhelmed by anger at the unsuccessfulness of an activity undertaken by you, I shall be born then from your forehead (as a friendly noble-souled sage Rudra), one of the eleven Rudras, the cause of the vital breaths. I shall wield a trident in my hand, .and shall be accompanied by my followers.”
17. After bestowing incomparable favour (boon) upon Brahma at first, he told Vişhnu, “I desire to grant you a boon too”.
18. The blessed Vişhnu replied thus: “O Lord, if you are pleased with me, it is as good as having done everything (to me). O Cloud-vehicled god, let my devotion to you be well established in you.”1.
1. Though regarded as a Shaiva Purāņa, passages like vv. 19-29 which emphasize thc identity of Shiva and Vişhnu exercise integrative influence.
19. The Lord, thus addressed, spoke to Vişhnu: “O Vişhnu, O eternal lord, listen, how I am pleased with you.
20. The entire universe, whether illuminated or unilluminated, mobile or immobile shall be identified with me (Rudra and yourself (Nårāyaṇa).
21. I am the fire, you are the moon. I am the day, you are the night, I am the truth, you are the Order (Ruta). You are the sacrifice, I am (its) fruit.
22. You are the knowledge, I am the object of knowledge. Performing your Japa, pious people (lit. performers of meritorious deeds) will enter me if you are pleased. At the end of the Yuga, there is no better goal than this (abiding with us).
23. Know yourself as Prakruti. Know me as Puruşha, Shiva. You are one half of my body just as I am your other half.
24. You are my left side which is dark and bears the mark of Shrivatsa. I am your right side which is blue and red.
25. O Vişhnu you are my heart. I am stationed in your heart. You are the doer of all activities. I am the activator.
26. So, come, hail to you, my dear cloud-coloured one, adieu”. After saying this to Vişhnu, the great Lord vanished,
27. When the lord had vanished, the delighted Vişhnu, lord of the earth, entered water and lay on his couch.
28. Then with a delighted mind Brahma, the lotus-born, lotus-eyed deity, resorted to his own seat in the lotus having the lustre of the interior of a lotus.
29-30. After a long lapse of time, two brothers of great strength and energy, the unrivalled Madhu and Kaitabha spoke to Brahma, “You will become our prey”. After saying thus both of them vanished.
31. On coming to know of their terrible intention and realising his greatness, the lotus-born deity began to gather further information.
32. As he did not know the make-up of the pericarp nor the way out, he descended to the nether regions by way of the lotus stalk. Then within the waters, he saw Vishnu with the deer-skin as his upper robe.
33. He then woke him up and when he woke up he said “O Lord, I am afraid of spirits. Get up, save me. Be thou my benefactor.”
34. Then, Lord Vişhnu, the suppressor spoke, “You should not be afraid, you should not be afraid.”
35. Since you have uttered at the outset, there is a danger to me from Bhutas (spirits). You will therefore kill the Daityas through words Bhu etc.”
36. Bhūr, Bhuvah, Svah (the earth, the firmament and the heaven) entered the self-born Lord. Having circumambulated, Brahmă returned to his (former) seat.
37. When Brahmå had gone, Lord Vişhnu created two brothers Vişhnu and Jişhnu out of his mouth, and instructed (them): “Both of you should protect Brahmă after knowing the next arrival of Madhu and Kaitabha.”
38. Meanwhile, Madhu and Kaitabha assumed forms similar to those of Vişhnu and Jişhnu. After assumption of similar forms, they stood in front of him facing him.
39. Then they spoke terrible words to Brahma: “You should be the judge, while we fight.”
40. Then they entered water which they paralysed by their Maya. A tumultuous fight arose, when they fought with one another.
41. A thousand divine years elapsed as they fought. Still their pride, arrogance and eagerness for mutual fight did not subside.
42. If they had different marks, they could have been distinguished but they had similar forms. Agitated in the mind due to this similarity, Brahmă began to meditate.
43. By his divine vision he understood the distinction between them. He tied a subtle secret amulet of lotus filaments and also a girdle round their body. Then he uttered the Mantra.
44. While he uttered the Mantra, a virgin of universal form appeared there itself. The lustre of her face resembled the splendour of the lotus and the moon. The chaste lady held a lotus in her hand. On seeing her the Daityas were distressed. Their faces turned pallid due to fear.
45. In sweet voice Brahmå spoke to the virgin, “O chaste lady, tell me the truth, who you are. What are your antecedents?”
46-47. With palms joined in reverence, the virgin worshipped Brahma and said after singing a eulogistic hymns. “Know that I am Mohini (the enchantress), the Māyā of Vişhnu and his messenger. O Brahma, on being glorified by you, I came to you hurriedly.” Delighted with her, Brahmå gave her a name,
48. “Since you came here as (soon as) this Mantra was uttered by me, you will be known as Mahāvyahruti1 (the great utterance).
1. Verses 48 & 49 give popular etymology of Mahāyāhruti and Sāvitri.
49. Since you appeared breaking through the head, you will be called Savitri. Though you are born of one part (amsha) you will have many parts.
50. O auspicious-faced lady! Due to my grace, these and other minor names derived from your activities will be applicable to you.”
51-22. The two demons on being afflicted thus begged for his boon. “Our death shall come in an uncovered place. We shall be born as your sons in future”. Saying, “So be it”, they were killed: Kaitabha by Vişhnu and Madhu by Jişhnu.
53. Thus with a desire for the welfare of the worlds the two Daityas were killed by Brahma, Vişhnu and Jişhņu concertedly.
54. Know how Isha (Shiva) was born as the son of Brahma. When the fight of Madhu and Kaitabha with Vişhņu and Jishņu was over, Brahmå spoke to Vişhnu:
55. “Today a hundred years have elapsed. The time has come when I shall go to my abode, terrible due to congestion and flooding”.
56. At his instance, the lord effected Dissolution, making the earth devoid of immobile beings and making the mobile beings settled in Prakruti.
57. “O Vişhnu, O increaser of prosperity, welfare unto you. If thus the ocean has been diffused by you, tell me what I shall do for you.”
58-59. “O gold-lustred, lotus-born! Listen to my words. The favour that you obtained from the lord with the desire for a son has fructified now. You have become free from indebtedness. Create four kinds of living beings or abandon the effort.”
60. Getting the hint from Vishnu, the lotus-born deity Brahma conceived in his mind to create the subjects. Then he performed a severe penance.
61. While he was performing penance thus, nothing happened. When a long time elapsed, due to grief his anger increased.
62-63. From his eyes defiled by anger, drops of tears fell. From those drops of tears, poisonous serpents manifested themselves. They had the elements of gas, bile and phlegm in their humour. They were of great strength. They were bedecked by the Svastika signs. They had scattered hairs.
64. On seeing the serpents born at the outset, Brahma lamented. If the fruit is such, fie upon my penance. In the very beginning progeny has become destructive of the world.
65. A severe senselessness born of anger and annoyance overtook him. Due to the heat (severity) of fainting, Brahma forsook his vital breaths (became unconscious).
66. From his body of unequalled prowess eleven souls, the Rudras, manifested themselves, crying out of pity. Since they cried, they were known as Rudras. Their Rudra designation is due to that.
67. Rudras are Präņas and Pränas are Rudras. The vital breaths are stationed in all living beings.
68. To him who was great and fierce and who had performed good actions, the trident-bearing lord gave the vital breaths. Then out of the forehead of Brahmā, there emerged a being identical with the eleven (Rudras).
69. The Lord who gave to Brahma his vital breaths, became his son. When Brahma was revived to life, Rudra spoke to him delightfully:
70. “O Brahma, you may express your desire. Think of yourself and know me as your son Rudra. Bless me with your favour.”
71-72. On hearing his words, mostly what he had felt in his mind, Brahmă became delighted. His eyes shone with the lustre of full-blown lotus as he returned to life. Lord Brahma, attaining the lustre of unalloyed gold, spoke in charming majestic words:
73. “O blessed one, you delight my mind. Speak who are you that as the embodied bliss of the universe stand divided into eleven forms.”
74. Thus addressed by Lord Brahmă of infinite splendour. Rudra saluted him along with his sons and spoke.
75-76. “O Brahmā, I was requested for a boon by you along with Vişhņu: ‘O Lord, be my son, or grant me a son equal to you who would carry my burden’. Activities shall be pursued by all persons born in the universe. O Lord of Devas, cast off your gloom and create the worlds.”
77. Thus addressed, Brahma was delighted in his mind and spoke to Rudra thus:
78. “In order to help me, create the subjects along with me. You are the sower of seeds of all living beings. Hence get ready for the task.” Rudra accepted the suggestion and said “yes”.
79. Then Brahmā, bedecked in deerskin created the mind at first and the retentive power of living beings (?) Thereafter he created Sarasvati, the speech in multi fold forms.
80. Then he, of great lustre, created seven mental sons: Bhrugu, Angiras, Dakşha, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vasişhtha,
81. He created physical sons too, equal to himself. Pursuing their path again, the cows were born out of his mouth.
82. Brahmā, grandfather of the worlds, created the Vedas with Omkāra at the head. Then he created Devas worthy of honour and other beings as mentioned before.
83. The Lord spoke to his mind-born sons, Dakşha and others: “Welfare unto ye. Along with Rudra you create subjects.”
84. Approaching Rudra the Prajāpatis said, “O Lord, O Maheśhvara, we along with you, desire to create progeny. This is what Brahmå has asked you too”.
85-86. Thus addressed Lord Rudra spoke to them: “O Devas, Brahma’s sons, take the vital breaths from me. Make these sons of mine, thc Brāhmaṇas, the foremost of the first born. Now you shall create, at my bidding, the seven species of people from Brahmā onward to a blade of grass. They shall be of my nature. Hail unto ye all”.
87. Thus addressed by him they replied to Rudra, the trident-bearing primordial lord, “O Sir, everything will happen as you please.”
88. After getting permission from lord Rudra, the Prajapatis spoke to the noble Dakşha, “Sir, you are the most excellent Prajapati. Keeping you ahead and by your favour, we will create progeny.”
89. Saying “So be it”, Daksha accepted their suggestion. Desirous of progeny, he with his team, began the work of creation. When Rudra stayed (away) from creation, Brahmå took up the task,
90. When the seventh Kalpa passed Rubhu and Sanatkumāra were born. They settled as residents in Tapoloka. Then the Lord created mind-born sages also.