As the gods stood in awe and fear before the churning ocean, they called upon the mighty Lord Śiva, the best among the gods, to accept the deadly poison that had arisen—Hālāhala, which threatened all creation. They beseeched him, "O Lord, this is yours, O foremost of gods, which has appeared before the assembly of deities—please accept this poison, standing here at the forefront." Having spoken these words, the gods vanished from sight. Witnessing their fear and hearing the plea of the wielder of Śārṅga, Lord Viṣṇu, the great Lord Hara, Śiva himself, took up the dreadful Hālāhala poison, which was as potent as nectar. After accepting the poison and thus saving the gods, Śiva dismissed them and departed. With the danger averted, the gods and asuras resumed their churning of the ocean, O delight of the Raghu lineage. As they churned, the great mountain Mandara, which served as their churning rod, suddenly sank into the netherworld. Alarmed, the gods, joined by the Gandharvas, turned to Madhusūdana, Lord Viṣṇu, and praised him: "You are the refuge of all beings, especially of those who dwell in heaven." They implored him, "Protect us, O mighty-armed one! You alone can lift the mountain." Hearing their earnest prayers, Hṛṣīkeśa, the Lord of the senses, assumed the form of a colossal tortoise. He entered the ocean, supporting the mountain upon his broad back, while Keśava, the soul of the worlds, grasped the mountain’s summit with his hand. Standing among the gods, the Supreme Person, Viṣṇu, began to churn once more. After a thousand years of strenuous effort, a being emerged from the ocean, composed of the science of life—a noble figure holding a staff and a water-pot. This was Dhanvantari, the first of physicians. Along with him, radiant apsarases, celestial maidens, appeared. From the churning of the waters, O best of men, the very essence of beauty gave rise to these exquisite women—the apsarases. Sixty crores of these luminous apsarases arose, O Kākutstha, and their attendants were beyond counting. Strangely, neither the gods nor the demons claimed them as their own, and so, unclaimed, these apsarases became common to all. Then, O delight of the Raghus, Vāruṇī, the daughter of Varuṇa and blessed with great fortune, emerged from the ocean, seeking acceptance. The sons of Diti, the Daityas, did not accept her, but the sons of Aditi, the gods, embraced her, recognizing her blamelessness. Thus, the Daityas became known as asuras, and the sons of Aditi as suras; the gods rejoiced greatly at accepting Vāruṇī. Soon, other wondrous treasures surfaced: Uccaiḥśravā, the supreme horse, and the radiant Kaustubha gem, as well as the most coveted prize—the supreme nectar of immortality. For the sake of this nectar, O Rāma, a terrible conflict erupted. The sons of Aditi and the sons of Diti clashed in a great war, and all the asuras joined forces with the rākṣasas. The battle that ensued was so fierce that it bewildered the three worlds. When destruction reigned everywhere, mighty Viṣṇu assumed an enchanting form and swiftly seized the nectar. Those who dared approach Viṣṇu, the imperishable Supreme Person, were struck down by his power in the midst of battle. The sons of Aditi, the gods, triumphed over the sons of Diti, the asuras, in this fierce and mighty war. Now, hear the next part of the tale. When her sons had been slain, Diti, the mother of the Daityas, was overwhelmed with grief. She approached her husband, the sage Kaśyapa, son of Mārīca, and spoke in her sorrow: "O revered one, I am bereft of sons, slain by your mighty children. I desire a son, gained through long austerity, who will be the slayer of Indra." She continued, "Therefore, I shall undertake severe austerity. You should grant me conception—a son who will bring down Indra, O lord." Hearing her words, the radiant and compassionate Kaśyapa gently replied to Diti, who was so full of grief, "So be it. May auspiciousness be yours. Remain pure, O possessor of austerity, and you will bear a son who will slay Indra in battle. If you remain pure for a full thousand years, you will bear from me a son who will have the power to destroy the three worlds." Having thus spoken, the sage Kaśyapa blessed Diti with his touch and departed for his own austerities. Delighted by his promise, Diti traveled to the sacred place called Kushaplava and began her arduous penance. As she performed her austerities, Indra, the king of the gods and possessor of supreme virtues, served her diligently. He provided her with fire, kusa grass, wood, water, fruits, roots, and anything else she desired. At all times, Indra attended to Diti, relieving her fatigue and massaging her. When only ten years remained of her thousand-year vow, Diti, greatly pleased, spoke to Indra: "Only ten years remain of my austerity, O best among the powerful. After that, you will see your brother, and may it be auspicious for you. The son whom I shall bear for your sake, eager for victory, will share with you, free from affliction, the conquest of the three worlds. At your request, O best of gods, your great-souled father granted me a boon at the end of a thousand years for a son." Having spoken thus, Diti, as midday approached, was overcome by sleep and, in her exhaustion, placed her feet where her head should be—thus becoming impure. Seeing her in this state, with her hair at her feet instead of her head, Indra laughed and rejoiced. Seizing the opportunity, Indra entered her body through its opening and, with his supreme power, divided her embryo into seven parts.