Passage 1
श्रीराम उवाच— इमाः पुनः प्रिये काश्चित्प्रिया मे विनिमालय। याः सिन्धुमथने लक्ष्म्याः सख्यः सह विनिर्गताः॥१॥
Śrī Rāma said: Beloved, now behold certain dear women of mine. They emerged together as Lakṣmī's companions when the ocean was churned.
Passage 2
तिस्रः कोटयश्च पञ्चाशल्लक्षाणि च चतुर्दश। सहस्राणि शतान्यष्टौ दश चाम्भोजलोचनाः॥२॥
These lotus-eyed women numbered three crores, fifty lakhs, fourteen thousand, eight hundred, and ten.
Passage 3
चिरेणातप्ततपसः क्षीरतोयनिधेस्तटे। कालेन जातास्ताः सर्वा गोदुहां कन्यका व्रजे॥३॥
After performing austerities for a long time on the shore of the Ocean of Milk, in due course they all took birth in Vraja as daughters of cowherds.
Passage 4
ता एताः पुरतो भान्ति तव श्रीजनकात्मजे। पद्मास्याः पद्मनयनाः फुल्लपद्मगणस्रजः॥४॥
Daughter of Janaka, they are these women shining before you, lotus-faced and lotus-eyed, wearing garlands made from clusters of fully opened lotuses.
Passage 5
पद्मिन्यस्तनुशोभाभिर्भासयन्त्यः प्रमोदनम्। इदानीमत्र सम्प्राप्ता मत्प्रेमविरहातुराः॥५॥
Those lotus women illumine Pramodavana with the beauty of their bodies. They have now arrived here, distressed by separation from my love.
Passage 6
स्नानासनपरीधानपानभुक्तिषु मे सदा। भवन्ति परिचारिण्यः सहजाबद्धसौहृदाः॥६॥
They constantly attend me in bathing, seating, dressing, drinking, and eating, their friendship naturally and firmly bound.
Passage 7
मानयन्त्यो मनोमोदं पर्वणीव सुसंगताः। प्रसाधितोरुवपुषः पटभूषादिभिः प्रिये॥७॥
Well assembled as though for a festival, they bring delight to the mind, beloved, their splendid bodies adorned with garments, ornaments, and the rest. Jānakī Asks About the Churning
Passage 8
श्रीजानक्युवाच— कदा समुद्रो मथितः केन कार्येण वा प्रभो। केन वा रघुशार्दूल गम्भीरः पयसां निधिः॥८॥
Śrī Jānakī said: Lord, when was the ocean churned, for what purpose, and by whom, O tiger of the Raghus, was that profound reservoir of waters churned?
Passage 9
एतन्मे ब्रूहि पृच्छन्त्या यच्चित्तं कौतुकायते। श्रोतुमत्यद्भुतं वृत्तं समुद्रमथनाश्रयम्॥९॥
Tell me this, for as I ask, my mind grows eager to hear the exceedingly wondrous account concerning the churning of the ocean. The War Between Gods and Demons
Passage 10
श्रीराम उवाच— शृणु प्रिये समुद्रस्य मथनं कौतुकाश्रितम्। अमानुषमिदं कर्म कृतं यत्त्रिदशैः पुरा॥१०॥
Śrī Rāma said: Listen, beloved, to the marvelous churning of the ocean. It was a superhuman deed performed long ago by the gods.
Passage 11
पुरा कृतयुगे युद्धं देवासुरमभून्महत्। तारकाद्या बलोत्सिक्ता असुरा देवताद्रुहः॥११॥
Long ago in the Kṛta age, a great war arose between gods and demons. The demons led by Tāraka, swollen with strength, were enemies of the gods.
Passage 12
यज्ञभागोरुभोगार्थमस्पर्धन्त तदा मिथः। प्रावर्तत तयोऱ्युद्धं तुमुलं रोमहर्षणम्॥१२॥
They competed with one another for the great enjoyment of sacrificial shares, and a tumultuous, hair-raising war began between them.
Passage 13
यत्तारकामयं ख्यातं वर्षलक्षमजायत। पृथिव्यां चैव गगने तारकाश्च ग्रहाः सुराः॥१३॥
Known as the Tārakāmaya war, it continued for one hundred thousand years. On earth and in the sky, amid stars and planets, the gods
Passage 14
असुरैर्बलसंदृप्तैर्हन्यन्त समन्ततः। वृतस्तैः असुराचार्यः पौरोहित्येन भार्गवः॥१४॥
were struck down on every side by demons intoxicated with strength. The demons chose the Bhārgava Śukra as their priest and teacher.
Passage 15
मृतसंजीविनीं विद्यामवलम्ब्य महातपाः। मृतान् संजीवयामास सोऽसुरान् दुष्टचेतसः॥१५॥
Relying upon the knowledge that restores the dead to life, that great ascetic revived the slain, wicked-minded demons.
Passage 16
पौरोहित्ये वृतो देवैर्बृहस्पतिरुदारधीः। देवान् स संजीवयितुं नाशकत्समरे हतान्॥१६॥
The gods chose the noble-minded Bṛhaspati as their priest, but he could not revive the gods slain in battle.
Passage 17
तस्य पुत्रः कचो नाम्ना शिष्यो भूत्वागमत्कविम्। प्रच्छन्नवेषो व्यचरदसुरेष्वपि मायिषु॥१७॥
His son Kaca became a disciple and approached Kavi Śukra. In concealed dress, he moved among the deceitful demons.
Passage 18
गुरोः पुत्र्या देवयान्या रक्षितः सानुरागया। सोऽपि मायाविभिः शश्वदसुरैस्तैः असूयुभिः॥१८॥
He was protected affectionately by Devayānī, his teacher's daughter, yet those envious demons, masters of illusion, continually pursued him.
Passage 19
कालेऽनुलक्षितगतिर्बाहस्पत्यो महाव्रतः। वसन् गुरुकुले दुष्टैश्चूर्णयित्वा ह्ययोधनैः॥१९॥
After some time, Kaca, the great-vowed son of Bṛhaspati, was attacked while living in his teacher's household; the wicked warriors pulverized him without his movements being observed.
Passage 20
विनिक्षिप्य सुरामध्ये गुरोरेवानुपायितः। ततः प्रभृत्यपेयत्वमगमद्वारुणी भृशम्॥२०॥
They cast him into liquor and caused that very drink to be brought to his teacher. From that time onward, intoxicating liquor became utterly unfit to drink.
Passage 21
कचोद्भवब्रह्महत्यारूपदोषानुसंगतः। कचश्चाप्यगमन्नाशं पश्चात्तापकरो गुरोः॥२१॥
This was because it had become associated with a fault resembling the killing of a brāhmaṇa through what happened to Kaca. Kaca too met destruction, causing his teacher remorse.
Passage 22
एवं दैत्या बलोद्रिक्तास्त्रिदशानजयन् मृधे। निपात्यमानास्तैः सर्वे विनेशुर्यत्र कुत्रचित्॥२२॥
Thus the Daityas, swollen with strength, defeated the gods in battle. Struck down by them, the gods perished wherever they happened to stand.
Passage 23
यज्ञभागाहृतास्तेषां ववृधुर्वीर्यसंवृताः। पूर्वं कृते समे भागेऽप्यजातविप्रतिपत्तयः॥२३॥
Having seized the gods' sacrificial shares, the demons grew, enveloped in power. Though equal shares had previously been established, conflict arose.
Passage 24
ततो निरवशेषेण यज्ञभागान् हरन्ति ते। दुष्टाश्चेद्बलवन्तः स्युः पीडयन्त्येव सर्वथा॥२४॥
They then carried off all the sacrificial shares without remainder. When the wicked become strong, they invariably oppress others in every way.
Passage 25
अधिकारानप्यमीषां जह्रुस्ते बलदर्पिताः। वन्दीकृत्य बलोद्रिक्ता भुञ्जते स्म सुरश्रियम्॥२५॥
Proud of their strength, they took away the gods' offices as well. Having imprisoned them, the power-swollen demons enjoyed the gods' prosperity.
Passage 26
हृतजीव्या हृतधना हृतस्थाना दिवौकसः। विचेरुर्विगतश्रीका मर्त्या इव महीतले॥२६॥
Deprived of livelihood, wealth, and station, the inhabitants of heaven wandered upon the earth without splendor, like ordinary mortals.
Passage 27
मेरुगह्वरमाश्रिता घनवनच्छायान्धकारावृतं तूष्णींभूय समास्थिता निवहशस्ते संकुचद्वृत्तयः। चिन्ताशोकसमुद्भवज्वरपरिशुष्टान्तराश्चेतसा ध्यायन्ति स्म सुरेश्वरं त्रिजगतामेकायनं श्रीपतिम्॥२७॥
They took refuge in a cavern of Meru covered by the darkness of dense forest shade. Silent, withdrawn, and gathered in groups, their hearts dried by the fever born of anxiety and grief, they meditated upon Śrīpati, lord of the gods and sole refuge of the three worlds. *Thus ends Chapter 78 of the Dakṣiṇa-khaṇḍa of the Bhūṣuṇḍi Rāmāyaṇa, beginning the account of the churning of the ocean.*