ASTIKA PARVA: Chapter 21

Description of the ocean

सौतिरुवाच ततो रजन्या व्युष्टायां प्रभातेऽभ्युदिते रवौ। कदूश्च विनताचैव भगिन्यौ तै तपोधन॥
Sauti said: O Rishi, when the night was gone and the sun rose in the morning, the sisters, Kadru and Vinata.

अमषिते सुसंरब्धे दास्ये कृतपणे तदा। जग्मतुस्तुरगं द्रष्टुमुच्चैःश्रवसमन्तिकात्॥
Having laid an wager of slavery and burning with jealously, went to see the horse Uchchaishrava.

ददृशातेऽथ ते तत्र समुद्र निधिमम्भसाम्। महान्तमुदकागाधं क्षोभ्यमाणं महास्वनम्॥
On their way they saw the great ocean, vast and deep, agitated by wind, making a tremendous roar.

तिमिङ्गिलझषाकीर्णं मकरैरावृतं तथा। सत्त्वैश्च बहुसाहर्नानारूपैः समावृतम्॥
It was full of whales, fishes large enough to swallow whales, Makaras, tortoises and creatures of various forms by thousands.

भीषणैर्विकृतैरन्यैोरैजलचरैस्तथा। उग्रैर्नित्यमनाधृष्यं कूर्मग्राहसमाकुलम्॥
It was inaccessible by any creatures on account of the presence of terrible, monstershaped, dark and fierce aquatic animals. It was full of crocodiles and tortoises.

आकरं सर्वरत्नानामालयं वरुणस्य च। नागानामालयं रम्यमुत्तमं सरितां पतिम्॥
It abounded with all kinds of gems; it was the home of Varuna, the beautiful and excellent abode of the Nagas; it was the lord of all rivers.

पातालज्वलनावासमसुराणां च बान्धवम्। भयंकरं च सत्त्वानां पयसां निधिमर्णवम्॥
It was the abode of subterranean fire, the friend of the Asuras, the terror of all creatures, the great reservoir of waters, having no deterioration.

शुभं दिव्यममानाममृतस्याकरं परम्। अप्रमेयमचिन्त्यं च सुपुण्यजलमद्भुतम्॥
It was holy, it was beneficial to the celestials, it was the great mine of Ambrosia, it was infinite, inconceivable, sacred and highly wonderful.

घोरं जलचरारावरौद्रं भैरवनि:स्वनम्। गंभीरावर्तकलिलं सर्वभूतभयंकरम्॥
It was fearful with the terrible roars of acquatic creatures, tremendously-roaring and full of deep whirlpools. It was an object of terror to all creatures.

वेलादोलानिलचलं क्षोभोद्वेगसमुच्छ्रितम्। वीचीहस्तैः प्रचलितैर्नृत्यन्तमिव सर्वतः॥
Moved by winds, heaving high with agitation and disturbance, it seemed to dance everywhere with uplifted hands represented by its waves.

चन्द्रवृद्धिक्षयवशादुद्वृत्तोर्मिसमाकुलम्। पाञ्चजन्यस्य जननं रत्नाकरमनुत्तमम्॥
It was full of heaving billows, caused by the changes of the moon, it was the parent of (the great conch of Krishna) Panchajanya, it was the great mine of gems.

गां विन्दता भगवता गोविन्देनामितौजसा। वराहरूपिणा चान्तर्विक्षोभितजलाविलम्॥
It was in days of yore disturbed by the greatly powerful Lord Govinda (Vishnu) when he assumed the form, of a boar for raising the earth.

ब्रह्मर्षिणा व्रतवता वर्षाणां शतमत्रिणा। अनासादितगाधं च पातालतलमव्ययम्॥
The Rishi Atri of great austerity could not fathom its bottom, lower than the nether regions, though he tried to do it for one hundred years.

अध्यात्मयोगनिद्रां च पद्मनाभस्य सेवतः। युगादिकालशयनं विष्णोरमिततेजसः॥
It became the bed of lotus-navelled Vishnu when at the end of every Yuga the immeasurably powerful Deity fell asleep in spiritual meditation.

वज्रपातनसंत्रस्तमैनाकस्याभयप्रदम्। डिम्बाहवादितानां च असुराणां परायणम्॥
It was the asylum in which (the hill) Mainaka took under the fear of the falling thunderbolt. It was the retreat of the Asuras, overcome (by the celestials) in the fearful battle.

वडवामुखदीप्ताग्नेस्तोयहव्यप्रदं शिवम्। अगाधपारं विस्तीर्णमप्रमेयं सरित्यतिम्॥
It was the ghee, in the shape of its waters, in the (sacrificial) fire that issued forth from the mouth of Vadava. It was without limits, fathomless, vast, immeasurable and the lord of rivers.

महानदीभिर्बह्वीभिःस्पर्धयेव सहस्रशः अभिसार्यमाणमनिशं ददृशाते महार्णवम्। आपूर्यमाणमत्यर्थं नृत्यमानमिवोर्मिभिः॥
They saw that thousands of great rivers were rushing into it in great pride like rivals of its love. They saw that it was full, always dancing in its waves.

गंभीरं तिमिमकरोग्रसंकुलं तं। गर्जन्त जलचररावरौद्रनादैः। विस्तीर्णं ददृशतुरम्बरप्रकाशं तेऽगाधं निधिमुरुमम्भसामनन्तम्॥
They saw that it was deep and resounded with the terrible uproar of Makaras Timis and other aquatic creatures; they saw it was vast, unlimited as space, unfathomable, infinite and the great reservoir of waters.