विष्णुरुवाच शुक्रं कञ्चिच्च मध्यस्थं प्रस्थापयितुमर्हथ
Viṣṇu said: You should send Śukra or someone neutral.
विग्रहेणैव विषमं भविष्यति न संशयः
Through conflict alone, it will become difficult—there is no doubt.
सुरैः स्तुतश्च सन्तुष्टः शुक्राचार्य्यो भविष्यति
Praised by the gods and satisfied, Śukrācārya will become favorable.
युवाभ्यां प्रार्थ्यमानोऽहं युवयोः स्तवनेन च
Requested by you both and by your hymns, I am pleased.
इत्युक्त्वा जगतां नाथस्तत्रैवान्तर धीयत
Having spoken thus, the Lord of the worlds withdrew there.
गते च जगतां नाथे श्वेतद्वीपं च नारद
When the Lord of the worlds departed, Nārada, to Śvetadvīpa,
मुनीन्देवांश्च संबोध्य ब्रह्मा वै तत्र संसदि 2.60.
Brahmā, addressing the sages and gods, spoke in that assembly.
ब्रह्मोवाच अस्माकं च समः स्नेहो दैत्ये देवे च पुत्रकाः
Brahmā said: Our affection is equal for both demons and gods, O children.
दैत्यानां च गुरुं शुक्रं प्रपन्नश्च निशाकरः
And the moon approached Śukra, the guru of the Daityas.
ताराहेतोरहं यामि शुक्रस्य भवनं सुराः
O gods, for the sake of Tārā, I am going to the house of Śukra.
इत्युक्त्वा जगतां धाता चागमच्छुक्रसन्निधिम्
Having spoken thus, the creator of the worlds went to the presence of Śukra.
नारद उवाच श्रोतुमिच्छामि भगवन्परं कौतूहलं मम
Nārada said: O Lord, I wish to hear; my curiosity is great.
नारायण उवाच नानादैत्यगणाकीर्णं रत्नमण्डपभूषितम्
Nārāyaṇa said: Filled with crowds of various Daityas, adorned with a pavilion of jewels,
पञ्चाशत्कोटिभिः शिष्यैः परीतं ब्रह्मवादिभिः
Surrounded by fifty crore disciples who were expounders of Brahman,
रक्षितं रक्षकगणैर्दैत्यैश्च शतकोटिभिः
Guarded by groups of protectors and by a hundred crore Daityas,
ददर्श जगतां धाता सभायां भृगुनन्दनम्
The creator of the worlds saw the son of Bhṛgu in the assembly.
जपन्तं परमं ब्रह्म कृष्णमात्मानमीश्वरम्
He was reciting the supreme Brahman, Krishna, his own self, the Lord.
दृष्ट्वा पौत्रं प्रभायुक्तं विधाता हृष्टमानसः
Seeing his grandson, radiant, the creator was delighted in mind.
दृष्ट्वा पितामहं शुक्रो धातारं जगतां प्रभुम्
Seeing the great-grandfather, Śukra, the lord of the worlds,
आदाय पूजयामास चोपचारांस्तु षोडश
Having taken, he worshipped him with sixteen offerings.
विद्या मन्त्रप्रदातारं दातारं सर्वसम्पदाम् ।। स्वकर्मणां च फलदं सर्वेषां विश्वतो वरम् ।2.61.
The giver of knowledge and mantras, the bestower of all wealth, the giver of the fruits of all actions, and the supreme boon for all in the universe.
शुक्रस्य स्तवनेनैव सन्तुष्टो जगतां पतिः
By Śukra's praise, the lord of the worlds was satisfied.
शुक्रेण शिरसा दत्तरत्नसिंहासने वरे
Śukra, with his head, offered the excellent jeweled throne.
शुक्रः प्रणम्य ब्रह्माणं कुमारं शकुनं क्रतुम्
Śukra, bowing to Brahmā, Kumāra, Śakuna, Kratu,
कपिलं वै पञ्चशिखं वोढुमंगिरसं मुने
Kapila, Pañcaśikha, Voḍhu, and Aṅgiras, O sage,
प्रत्येकं पूजयामास सादरं च यथोचितम्
He worshipped each one with respect, as was appropriate.
प्रहृष्टवदनाः सर्वे प्रणेमुर्दितिनन्दनाः
All the sons of Diti, with delighted faces, bowed down.
सर्वान्संस्तूय स कविरवोचत्सम्पुटाञ्जलिः
Having praised them all, the sage spoke with hands joined in reverence.
शुक्र उवाच स्वयं विधाता भगवान्साक्षाद्दृष्टः स्वमन्दिरे
Śukra said: The blessed Creator Himself has been directly seen in His own abode.
साक्षाद्दृष्टाश्च तत्पुत्रा भगवन्तः सनातनाः
And His eternal sons, the blessed ones, have also been directly seen.