n, 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.

"And all the gods at that time of great fright drank the Amrita with
delight, receiving it from Vishnu. And while the gods were partaking of
it, after which they had so much hankered, a Danava named Rahu was also
drinking it among them in the guise of a god. And when the Amrita had
reached Rahu's throat only, Surya and Soma (recognised him and) intimated
the fact to the gods. And Narayana instantly cut off with his discus the
well-adorned head of the Danava who was drinking the Amrita without
permission. And the huge head of the Danava, cut off by the discus and
resembling a mountain peak, then rose up to the sky and began to utter
dreadful cries. And the Danava's headless trunk, falling upon the ground
and rolling thereon, made the Earth tremble with her mountains, forests
and islands. And from that time there is a long-standing quarrel between
Rahu's head and Surya and Soma. And to this day it swalloweth Surya and
Soma (during solar and lunar eclipses).

"Then Narayana quitting his enchanting female form and hurling many
terrible weapons at the Danavas, made them tremble. And thus on the
shores of the salt-water sea, commenced the dreadful