ting the Consciousness of Anirudha. The
illustrious Brahma, otherwise called Hiranyagarbha, is the Grandsire of
all the worlds. Endued with eyes like lotus petals, he takes birth within
the Lotus that springs from (the navel of) Anirudha. Seated on that
Lotus, the illustrious, puissant, and eternal Brahma of wonderful aspect
saw that the waters were on all sides. Adopting the attribute of Sattwa
Brahma, otherwise called Parameshthi, then commenced to create the
universe. In the primeval Lotus that was endued with the effulgence of
the Sun, two drops of water had been cast by Narayana that were fraught
with great merit. The illustrious Narayana, without beginning and without
end, and transcending destruction, cast his eyes on those two drops of
water. One of those two drops of water, of very beautiful and bright
form, looked like a drop of honey. From that drop sprang, at the command
of Narayana, a Daitya of the name of Madhu made up of the attribute of
Tamas (Dullness). The other drop of water within the Lotus was very hard.
From it sprang the Daitya Kaitabha made up of the attribute of Rajas.
Endued thus with the attributes of Tamas and Rajas, the two Daityas
possessed of might and armed with maces, immediately after their birth,
began to rove within that vast primeval Lotus. They beheld within it
Brahma of immeasurable effulgence, engaged in creating the four Vedas,
each endued with the most delightful form. Those two foremost of Asuras,
possessed of bodies, beholding the four Vedas, suddenly seized them in
the very sight of their Creator. The two mighty Danavas, having seized
the eternal Vedas, quickly dived into the ocean of waters which they saw
and proceeded to its bottom. Seeing the Vedas forcibly taken away from
him, Brahma became filled with grief. Robbed of the Vedas in this way,
Brahma then addressed the Supreme Lord in these words.

"'Brahma said, "The Vedas are my great eyes. The Vedas are my great
strength. The Vedas are my great refuge. The Vedas are my high Brahman.
All the Vedas, however, have been forcibly taken away from me by the two
Danavas. Deprived of the Vedas, the worlds I have created have become
enveloped in darkness. Without the Vedas (beside me), how shall I succeed
in causing my excellent Creation to start into existence? Alas, great is
the grief I suffer in consequence of the loss of the Vedas (through such
agency). My heart is very much pained. It has become the abode of a great
sorrow. Wh