As the gods offered their heartfelt praises, O Maitreya, the Supreme Lord himself—bearing the mighty bow Śārṅga and the radiant discus—manifested before them. The assembled deities gazed upon him in awe. Before their eyes stood a wondrous, unprecedented form: vast in stature, aglow with a mass of resplendent energy, holding his bow, discus, and mace. Overcome with reverence, the gods, led by the Grandfather Brahmā, bowed down to the lotus-eyed Lord, their eyes wide with amazement. With deep devotion, they offered their salutations: “Salutations, salutations to you, the undifferentiated one. You are Brahmā, you are the wielder of Pināka, Śiva, you are Indra, Agni, Vāyu, Varuṇa, Sūrya, and Yama. You are the Vasus, the Maruts, the Sādhyas, and all the hosts of gods. This entire assembly of deities has gathered before you, O Lord. You alone are the creator of the universe, for you pervade all. You are the sacrifice, the vaṣaṭ syllable, the sacred syllable oṃ, and you are Prajāpati. You are both the knower and the known, the very soul of all. The entire universe is pervaded by you, O Viṣṇu. Defeated by the Daityas, we have come to you for refuge. “O soul of all, be gracious to us. Replenish our strength with your energy. May our suffering, desires, delusions, and sorrows remain only until we reach your refuge. Until we attain you, the destroyer of all sins, as our sanctuary, O gracious one, show your favor to us who have surrendered. O Lord of all radiance, restore the strength of all by your power.” Pleased by their sincere praises and humble bows, Hari, the creator of the universe, looked upon the gods with compassion and spoke: “O gods, I will restore your strength. Tell me, what should be done by you?” The Lord then instructed them: “Gather all the herbs together with the Daityas and bring them to the Ocean of Milk. Use Mount Mandara as the churning rod and Vāsuki as the rope. Let the gods, with my aid, churn the ocean, and let the Daityas, reconciled, also join in this cooperative task. You will be told that the fruits are to be shared equally; and whatever nectar arises from the churning of the ocean—by drinking that, you gods will regain your strength and become immortal. I will so arrange matters that the nectar will be obtained by the gods alone, and the Daityas will gain only the labor.” Thus instructed by the Lord of gods, the gods entered into an agreement with the asuras and together strove for the nectar. They gathered a great variety of potent herbs and cast them into the shining waters of the Milk Ocean, which glowed like autumn clouds entwined with creepers. Using Mount Mandara as the churning rod and Vāsuki as the churning rope, they began to churn the ocean with great vigor. By Kṛṣṇa’s arrangement, all the gods took hold of Vāsuki’s tail, while the Daityas were stationed at his head. As the churning commenced, the asuras at the head were struck by the searing fire of Vāsuki’s breath, losing their energy and becoming dispirited that very day. Meanwhile, at the tail end, the wind from Vāsuki’s mouth caused thick clouds to form and rain down, refreshing the gods. In the midst of the Milk Ocean, Lord Hari himself assumed the form of a colossal tortoise, providing a firm base for the churning mountain. Simultaneously, he took another form among the gods, bearing the discus and mace, and pulled the king of serpents. Among the Daityas, he assumed yet another form. With a vast form, Keśava supported the mountain from above, and with yet another, unseen form, he guided the process, invigorating Vāsuki with his energy and strengthening the gods with his might. As the gods and Daityas churned the Milk Ocean, the revered Surabhi, the celestial cow and giver of offerings, was the first to emerge. Both gods and Daityas rejoiced, though their minds were restless and their eyes bewildered by the marvels unfolding. As the pure-hearted in heaven wondered at these events, Varuni, the goddess of wine, appeared, her eyes rolling with intoxication. Next, from the swirling ocean, arose Parijata, the divine tree of threefold delight, spreading its fragrance throughout the world. Following this, a wondrous host of apsaras—celestial maidens endowed with beauty, nobility, and virtues—emerged from the Milk Ocean. Then the moon arose, and O Maheshvara, you took it; while the nagas claimed the poison that surfaced from the churning. Afterward, Dhanvantari, the divine physician, appeared, clad in white garments and bearing a full water-pot containing the nectar. At this sight, all the Daityas and Danavas, their spirits revived, became joyful along with their companions. Then, radiant and resplendent, the goddess Śrī herself emerged from the waters, standing upon a blossoming lotus. The great sages, filled with joy, praised her with hymns, while the Gandharvas, led by Viśāvasu, sang before her. The hosts of apsaras, led by Ghṛtācī, danced in delight, and the sacred rivers, beginning with Gaṅgā, approached with their waters for her bath. The guardians of the directions brought pure water in golden vessels and bathed the goddess, sovereign of all worlds. The Ocean of Milk, taking a visible form, offered her a garland of unfading lotuses, and Viśvakarman adorned her with exquisite ornaments. Clad in divine garments, adorned and garlanded, the shining goddess Śrī, bathed and radiant, approached and took her place upon the chest of Hari, as all the gods looked on in wonder and reverence.