In all matters—spiritual, material, and divine—it is ever so. Why, then, are you gripped by fear, like deer startled and terrified by the roar of a lion? You must quickly and properly recount all that has happened. At that moment, the sages, the gods, and even the chiefs among the Daityas and Dānavas spoke together. What they witnessed appeared before them like a serpent or a black bee, dark as a raincloud looming in the sky. It rose up, fearsome as Death itself at the end of time, shining with the fierce brilliance of the sun at the close of an age. Poison surged forth, blazing with the fire of cosmic dissolution. As this dreadful being appeared, Janardana—whose form is fair and red—was darkened by its very presence. The gods and asuras spoke words filled with terror, their voices trembling. “Let all the deities and ascetics rich in austerity listen!” they proclaimed. “This poison, famed as Kālakūṭa, is like the fire of time itself. Of this, neither Viṣṇu, nor I, nor all the foremost gods are able to withstand the force.” Having said this, the one resembling the lotus-born, the self-born not emerging from any womb, Brahmā—the best knower of the Vedas—began to offer praise. “Salutations to the one who holds the Pināka bow, and to the bearer of the thunderbolt. Salutations to the destroyer of the enemies of the gods, whose eyes are the moon, the sun, and fire. Salutations to Sāṃkhya, to Yoga, and to all beings. Salutations to the source of the gods, to Rudra, to the god of gods, the swift one. Salutations to the skull-bearer, the deformed, the auspicious, and the bestower of boons. Salutations to the ancient, the pure, the liberated, and the strong. Salutations to the foremost, the fierce, the wise, and the one with many eyes. Salutations to the eternal, the non-eternal, and the one who is both eternal and non-eternal. Salutations to the conceivable, the inconceivable, and the one who is both conceivable and inconceivable. Salutations to the beloved of Umā, to Śarva, and to the one marked with the face of Nandi. Salutations to the one of many forms, the shaven-headed, the staff-bearer, and the armored one. Salutations to the archer, the charioteer, the controller, and the celibate.” Having thus offered his praises, Brahmā, bowing to the one with the beautiful face, spoke again: “You are subtle, inconceivable due to supreme yoga; truly, O Lord Rudra, you do not assume a manifest form. I have been praised with various hymns arising from the Vedas and their branches. O Lord of the past, future, and present, Lord of the worlds, Master of the universe…” Hearing these words, Brahmā, lotus-eyed, replied, “When the ocean was being churned by gods and demons, O lotus-eyed one, a terrible poison arose, blazing like the fire of dissolution. O Mahādeva, drink that poison for the welfare of the worlds. Except for you, O Mahādeva, there is no one able to withstand its force.” “So be it,” said Mahādeva, accepting those words. Then, O beautiful-faced one, I drank the most terrible poison, which had caused fear to all the gods. As I drank it, the poison settled at my throat, appearing like a lotus petal, as if a serpent clung to me there. Then the mighty Brahmā, grandsire of the worlds, spoke again.