The Rise of Lakshmi and the Nectar of Immortality

Verse 1 (padma.4.10.1)

सूत उवाच । ऐरावतस्ततो जज्ञे तथैवोच्चैःश्रवा हयः । धन्वंतरिः पारिजातः सुरभिश्चाप्सरोदयः ।

sūta uvāca airāvatastato jajñe tathaivoccaiḥśravā hayaḥ dhanvaṁtariḥ pārijātaḥ surabhiścāpsarodayaḥ

Suta said: Then the elephant Airavata was born, and likewise the horse Uchchaihshravas; Dhanvantari, the Parijata tree, the wish-cow Surabhi, and the Apsarases came into being.

Verse 2 (padma.4.10.2)

ततः प्रभातसमये द्वादश्यामुदिते रवौ । उत्पन्ना श्रीर्महालक्ष्मीः सर्वलक्षणशोभिता ।

tataḥ prabhātasamaye dvādaśyāmudite ravau utpannā śrīrmahālakṣmīḥ sarvalakṣaṇaśobhitā

Then, at dawn on the twelfth tithi, as the sun rose, Shri Mahalakshmi appeared, resplendent with every auspicious mark.

Verse 3 (padma.4.10.3)

ददृशुस्तां महादेवीं मातरं धर्मदेवताः । प्रहृष्टाः सर्वजंतूनां श्रीकृष्णहृदयालयाम् ।

dadṛśustāṁ mahādevīṁ mātaraṁ dharmadevatāḥ prahṛṣṭāḥ sarvajaṁtūnāṁ śrīkṛṣṇahṛdayālayām

The deities of dharma, greatly delighted, beheld that great goddess, the Mother of all beings, who dwells in the very heart of Shri Krishna.

Verse 4 (padma.4.10.4)

लक्ष्मीभ्राता शीतरश्मिर्जातश्च सुधया ततः । उत्पन्ना सा हरेर्जाया तुलसी लोकपावनी ।

lakṣmībhrātā śītaraśmirjātaśca sudhayā tataḥ utpannā sā harerjāyā tulasī lokapāvanī

Lakshmi's brother, the cool-rayed moon, was born, and then, together with the nectar, arose Tulasi, wife of Hari, purifier of the worlds.

Verse 5 (padma.4.10.5)

तं शैलं पूर्ववत्स्थाप्य परिपूर्णमनोरथाः । समेत्य मातरं स्तुत्वा जेपुः श्रीसूक्तमुत्तमम् ।

taṁ śailaṁ pūrvavatsthāpya paripūrṇamanorathāḥ sametya mātaraṁ stutvā jepuḥ śrīsūktamuttamam

Setting the mountain back as it had been, their desires now fulfilled, they gathered around the Mother, praised her, and recited the excellent Shri Sukta.

Verse 6 (padma.4.10.6)

ततः प्रसन्ना सा देवी सर्वान्देवानुवाच ह । वरं वृणीध्वं भद्रं वो वरदाहं सुरोत्तमाः ।

tataḥ prasannā sā devī sarvāndevānuvāca ha varaṁ vṛṇīdhvaṁ bhadraṁ vo varadāhaṁ surottamāḥ

Then that goddess, pleased, said to all the gods: 'Ask a boon, O best of gods; good fortune to you — I am the giver of boons.'

Verse 7 (padma.4.10.7)

देवा ऊचुः । प्रसीद कमले देवि सर्वमातर्हरिप्रिये । त्वया विना जगच्छून्यं कुरु प्राणप्ररक्षणम् ।

devā ūcuḥ prasīda kamale devi sarvamātarharipriye tvayā vinā jagacchūnyaṁ kuru prāṇaprarakṣaṇam

The gods said: O Kamala, O goddess, Mother of all, beloved of Hari, be gracious; without you the world is empty — grant the preservation of life.

Verse 8 (padma.4.10.8)

इत्युक्ता सा महालक्ष्मीः प्राह नारायणप्रिया । इदानीं सर्वजंतूनां प्राणरक्षां करोम्यहम् ।

ityuktā sā mahālakṣmīḥ prāha nārāyaṇapriyā idānīṁ sarvajaṁtūnāṁ prāṇarakṣāṁ karomyaham

Hearing this, Mahalakshmi, beloved of Narayana, said: 'From now on I shall preserve the life of all creatures.'

Verse 9 (padma.4.10.9)

ततो नारायणः श्रीमाञ्छंखचक्रगदाधरः । आविर्बभूव सहसा दयालुर्जगदीश्वरः ।

tato nārāyaṇaḥ śrīmāñchaṁkhacakragadādharaḥ āvirbabhūva sahasā dayālurjagadīśvaraḥ

Then glorious Narayana, bearing conch, discus, and mace, the merciful Lord of the world, suddenly appeared.

Verse 10 (padma.4.10.10)

ततस्ते तुष्टुवुर्देवाः प्रणम्य जगतां पतिम् । कृतांजलिपुटाः प्रोचुः हर्षगद्गदभाषिणः ।

tataste tuṣṭuvurdevāḥ praṇamya jagatāṁ patim kṛtāṁjalipuṭāḥ procuḥ harṣagadgadabhāṣiṇaḥ

Then the gods, bowing to the Lord of the worlds, praised him; with folded hands and voices choked with joy, they said —

Verse 11 (padma.4.10.11)

गृहाण मातरं विष्णो महिषीं वल्लभां तव । संसाररक्षणार्थाय लक्ष्मीमनपगामिनीम् । यावत्प्रतिज्ञां नो चक्रे तावत्प्राहेंदिरा हरिम् ।

gṛhāṇa mātaraṁ viṣṇo mahiṣīṁ vallabhāṁ tava saṁsārarakṣaṇārthāya lakṣmīmanapagāminīm yāvatpratijñāṁ no cakre tāvatprāheṁdirā harim

'O Vishnu, accept the Mother, your beloved queen, this ever-abiding Lakshmi, for the protection of the world.' But before he could give his word, Indira spoke to Hari —

Verse 12 (padma.4.10.12)

लक्ष्मीरुवाच । अविवाह्य कथं ज्येष्ठामलक्ष्मीं मधुसूदन । तस्याः कनिष्ठां मां नाथ विवाहं कर्तुमिच्छसि । ज्येष्ठायां च स्थितायां वै कनिष्ठा परिणीयते ।

lakṣmīruvāca avivāhya kathaṁ jyeṣṭhāmalakṣmīṁ madhusūdana tasyāḥ kaniṣṭhāṁ māṁ nātha vivāhaṁ kartumicchasi jyeṣṭhāyāṁ ca sthitāyāṁ vai kaniṣṭhā pariṇīyate

Lakshmi said: 'O Madhusudana, without first marrying my elder sister Alakshmi, you wish to marry me, the younger. O lord, while the elder remains unwed, how can the younger be given in marriage?'

Verse 13 (padma.4.10.13)

सूत उवाच । इति श्रुत्वा ततो विष्णुर्ददौ चोद्दालकाय च । वेदवाक्यानुरूपेण ह्यलक्ष्मीं निर्जरैः सह ।

sūta uvāca iti śrutvā tato viṣṇurdadau coddālakāya ca vedavākyānurūpeṇa hyalakṣmīṁ nirjaraiḥ saha

Suta said: Hearing this, Vishnu, together with the gods, gave Alakshmi in marriage to Uddalaka, in accordance with the words of the Veda.

Verse 14 (padma.4.10.14)

ततो नारायणः श्रीमान्लक्ष्मीमंगीचकार ह । ततः सुरगणाः सर्वे नमश्चक्रुः पुनःपुनः ।

tato nārāyaṇaḥ śrīmānlakṣmīmaṁgīcakāra ha tataḥ suragaṇāḥ sarve namaścakruḥ punaḥpunaḥ

Then glorious Narayana accepted Lakshmi; and all the hosts of gods bowed to them again and again.

Verse 15 (padma.4.10.15)

अथ ते चासुरान्सर्वान्जघ्नुः सर्वे बलाधिकाः । सर्वे ते क्रंदमानाश्च गताश्चैव दिशो दश ।

atha te cāsurānsarvānjaghnuḥ sarve balādhikāḥ sarve te kraṁdamānāśca gatāścaiva diśo daśa

Then, greatly strengthened, all the gods began to strike down every asura; wailing, all those asuras fled in the ten directions.

Verse 16 (padma.4.10.16)

सुधां तत्खादितुं चक्रुर्देवाः पंक्तिं यथाक्रमम् । श्रीविष्णोराज्ञया सर्वे चोचुश्चैव परस्परम् ।

sudhāṁ tatkhādituṁ cakrurdevāḥ paṁktiṁ yathākramam śrīviṣṇorājñayā sarve cocuścaiva parasparam

The gods made ready in due order, standing in a row to drink the nectar; by the command of Shri Vishnu they began to say to one another —

Verse 17 (padma.4.10.17)

त्वं च देहि त्वं च देहि त्वं च देहीति चाब्रुवन् । न शक्तोऽस्मि न शक्तोऽस्मि न शक्तोऽस्मीति चाब्रुवन् ।

tvaṁ ca dehi tvaṁ ca dehi tvaṁ ca dehīti cābruvan na śakto'smi na śakto'smi na śakto'smīti cābruvan

'You give it out, you give it out, you give it out,' they said to one another; 'I am not able, I am not able, I am not able,' they replied.

Verse 18 (padma.4.10.18)

ततो विष्णुः समुत्तस्थौ स्त्रीरूपं च दधार ह । चकार स्वर्णपात्रे तत्पीयूषपरिवेषणम् ।

tato viṣṇuḥ samuttasthau strīrūpaṁ ca dadhāra ha cakāra svarṇapātre tatpīyūṣapariveṣaṇam

Then Vishnu himself arose and took a woman's form; he began to distribute that nectar from a golden vessel.

Verse 19 (padma.4.10.19)

पीयूषभक्षणं राहुर्यावत्कुर्याद्द्विजोत्तम । चंद्रसूर्यौ चोक्तवंतौ राक्षसोऽसौ छलागतः ।

pīyūṣabhakṣaṇaṁ rāhuryāvatkuryāddvijottama caṁdrasūryau coktavaṁtau rākṣaso'sau chalāgataḥ

O best of brahmins, just as Rahu began to drink the nectar, the moon and the sun said: 'This demon has come here by deceit.'

Verse 20 (padma.4.10.20)

ततः क्रुद्धो जगन्नाथो जघान स्वर्णपात्रतः । शिरस्तस्य पपातोर्व्यां केतुर्नाम्ना बभूव ह ।

tataḥ kruddho jagannātho jaghāna svarṇapātrataḥ śirastasya papātorvyāṁ keturnāmnā babhūva ha

Then the enraged Lord of the world struck him down, even as he held the golden vessel; his head fell to the earth and became known by the name Ketu.

Verse 21 (padma.4.10.21)

राहुकेतू ततस्तूर्णं गतौ तौ भयविह्वलौ । इदानीं तद्दिने प्राप्ते चंद्रसूर्यौ स युध्यति ।

rāhuketū tatastūrṇaṁ gatau tau bhayavihvalau idānīṁ taddine prāpte caṁdrasūryau sa yudhyati

Then Rahu and Ketu, both overcome with fear, fled swiftly away. Even now, when that day comes round, Rahu does battle with the moon and the sun.

Verse 22 (padma.4.10.22)

कुर्याद्ग्रासं सैंहिकेयस्तत्क्षणं दुर्लभं भवेत् । सर्वं गंगासमं तोयं वेदव्याससमा द्विजाः ।

kuryādgrāsaṁ saiṁhikeyastatkṣaṇaṁ durlabhaṁ bhavet sarvaṁ gaṁgāsamaṁ toyaṁ vedavyāsasamā dvijāḥ

That son of Simhika seizes them, and at that very moment giving in charity becomes rare and precious. All water then becomes equal to the Ganga, and every brahmin equal to Vedavyasa.

Verse 23 (padma.4.10.23)

स्नानं वायसतीर्थे यो गंगास्नानफलं लभेत् । दानमक्षयपुण्यं स्यात्कोटिजन्मार्जितं तथा ।

snānaṁ vāyasatīrthe yo gaṁgāsnānaphalaṁ labhet dānamakṣayapuṇyaṁ syātkoṭijanmārjitaṁ tathā

Whoever bathes even at the Vayasa-tirtha obtains the fruit of bathing in the Ganga; a gift given then brings imperishable merit and destroys sin gathered across ten million births.

Verse 24 (padma.4.10.24)

पापं नश्येत्समूलं च किं पुनः क्रतुकोटिभिः । विद्यार्थी लभते विद्यां पुत्रार्थी पुत्रमाप्यते ।

pāpaṁ naśyetsamūlaṁ ca kiṁ punaḥ kratukoṭibhiḥ vidyārthī labhate vidyāṁ putrārthī putramāpyate

Sin is destroyed at its very root — what then need be said of ten million sacrifices? The seeker of knowledge obtains knowledge, the seeker of a son obtains a son,

Verse 25 (padma.4.10.25)

मोक्षार्थी लभते मोक्षं मंत्रसिद्धिर्भवेद्ध्रुवम् । इति ते कथितं विप्र समुद्रमथनं तु तत् ।

mokṣārthī labhate mokṣaṁ maṁtrasiddhirbhaveddhruvam iti te kathitaṁ vipra samudramathanaṁ tu tat

the seeker of liberation obtains liberation, and the perfection of one's mantra surely follows. O brahmin, thus I have told you that story of the churning of the ocean.