Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8: “Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Seven
Lord Siva Saves the Universe by Drinking Poison
SB8.7Summary
The summary of the Seventh Chapter is as follows. As described in this chapter, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appearing in His incarnation as a tortoise, dove deep into the ocean to carry Mandara Mountain on His back. At first the churning of the ocean produced kalakuta poison. Everyone feared this poison, but Lord Siva satisfied them by drinking it.
With the understanding that when the nectar was generated from the churning they would share it equally, the demigods and the demons brought Vasuki to be used as the rope for the churning rod. By the expert arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the demons held the snake near the mouth, whereas the demigods held the tail of the great snake. Then, with great endeavor, they began pulling the snake in both directions. Because the churning rod, Mandara Mountain, was very heavy and was not held by any support in the water, it sank into the ocean, and in this way the prowess of both the demons and the demigods was vanquished. The Supreme Personality of Godhead then appeared in the form of a tortoise and supported Mandara Mountain on His back. Then the churning resumed with great force. As a result of the churning, a huge amount of poison was produced. The prajapatis, seeing no one else to save them, approached Lord Siva and offered him prayers full of truth. Lord Siva is called Asutosa because he is very pleased if one is a devotee. Therefore he easily agreed to drink all the poison generated by the churning. The goddess Durga, Bhavani, the wife of Lord Siva, was not at all disturbed when Lord Siva agreed to drink the poison, for she knew Lord Siva’s prowess. Indeed, she expressed her pleasure at this agreement. Then Lord Siva gathered the devastating poison, which was everywhere. He took it in his hand and drank it. After he drank the poison, his neck became bluish. A small quantity of the poison dropped from his hands to the ground, and it is because of this poison that there are poisonous snakes, scorpions, toxic plants and other poisonous things in this world. SB8.7.1 TEXT 1 sri-suka uvaca te naga-rajam amantrya phala-bhagena vasukim pariviya girau tasmin netram abdhim mudanvitah arebhire sura yatta amrtarthe kurudvaha SYNONYMS sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; te—all of them (the demigods and the demons); naga-rajam—the king of the Nagas, snakes; amantrya—inviting, or requesting; phala-bhagena—by promising a share of the nectar; vasukim—the snake Vasuki; pariviya—encircling; girau—Mandara Mountain; tasmin—unto it; netram—the churning rope; abdhim—the ocean of milk; muda anvitah—all surcharged with great pleasure; arebhire—began to act; surah—the demigods; yattah—with great endeavor; amrta-arthe—for gaining nectar; kuru-udvaha—O King Pariksit, best of the Kurus. TRANSLATION Sukadeva Gosvami said: O best of the Kurus, Maharaja Pariksit, the demigods and demons summoned Vasuki, king of the serpents, requesting him to come and promising to give him a share of the nectar. They coiled Vasuki around Mandara Mountain as a churning rope, and with great pleasure they endeavored to produce nectar by churning the ocean of milk. SB8.7.2 TEXT 2 harih purastaj jagrhe purvam devas tato ’bhavan SYNONYMS harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ajita; purastat—from the front; jagrhe—took; purvam—at first; devah—the demigods; tatah—thereafter; abhavan—took the front portion of Vasuki. TRANSLATION The Personality of Godhead, Ajita, grasped the front portion of the snake, and then the demigods followed. SB8.7.3 TEXT 3 tan naicchan daitya-patayo maha-purusa-cestitam na grhnimo vayam puccham aher angam amangalam svadhyaya-sruta-sampannah prakhyata janma-karmabhih SYNONYMS tat—that arrangement; na aicchan—not liking; daitya-patayah—the leaders of the demons; maha-purusa—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; cestitam—attempt; na—not; grhnimah—shall take; vayam—all of us (the Daityas); puccham—the tail; aheh—of the serpent; angam—part of the body; amangalam—inauspicious, inferior; svadhyaya—with Vedic study; sruta—and Vedic knowledge; sampannah—fully equipped; prakhyatah—prominent; janma-karmabhih—by birth and activities. TRANSLATION The leaders of the demons thought it unwise to hold the tail, the inauspicious portion of the snake. Instead, they wanted to hold the front, which had been taken by the Personality of Godhead and the demigods, because that portion was auspicious and glorious. Thus the demons, on the plea that they were all highly advanced students of Vedic knowledge and were all famous for their birth and activities, protested that they wanted to hold the front of the snake. PURPORT The demons thought that the front of the snake was auspicious and that catching hold of that portion would be more chivalrous. Moreover, Daityas must always do the opposite of the demigods. That is their nature. We have actually seen this in relation to our Krsna consciousness movement. We are advocating cow protection and encouraging people to drink more milk and eat palatable preparations made of milk, but the demons, just to protest such proposals, are claiming that they are advanced in scientific knowledge, as described here by the words svadhyaya-sruta-sampannah. They say that according to their scientific way, they have discovered that milk is dangerous and that the beef obtained by killing cows is very nutritious. This difference of opinion will always continue. Indeed, it has existed since days of yore. Millions of years ago, there was the same competition. The demons, as a result of their so-called Vedic study, preferred to hold the side of the snake near the mouth. The Supreme Personality of Godhead thought it wise to catch hold of the dangerous part of the snake and allow the demons to hold the tail, which was not dangerous, but because of a competitive desire, the demons thought it wise to hold the snake near the mouth. If the demigods were going to drink poison, the demons would resolve, “Why should we not share the poison and die gloriously by drinking it?” In regard to the words svadhyaya-sruta-sampannah prakhyata janma-karmabhih, another question may be raised. If one is actually educated in Vedic knowledge, is famous for performing prescribed activities and has been born in a great aristocratic family, why should he be called a demon? The answer is that one may be highly educated and may have been born in an aristocratic family, but if he is godless, if he does not listen to the instructions of God, then he is a demon. There are many examples in history of men like Hiranyakasipu, Ravana and Kamsa who were well educated, who were born in aristocratic families and who were very powerful and chivalrous in fighting, but who, because of deriding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, were called Raksasas, or demons. One may be very well educated, but if he has no sense of Krsna consciousness, no obedience to the Supreme Lord, he is a demon. That is described by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (7.15): na mam duskrtino mudhah “Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me.” Asuram bhavam refers to not accepting the existence of God or the transcendental instructions of the Personality of Godhead. Bhagavad-gita clearly consists of transcendental instructions imparted directly by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But asuras, instead of accepting these instructions directly, make commentaries according to their own whimsical ways and mislead everyone, without profit even for themselves. One should therefore be very careful of demoniac, godless persons. According to the words of Lord Krsna, even if a godless demon is very well educated, he must be considered a mudha, naradhama and mayayapahrta jnana. SB8.7.4 TEXT 4 iti tusnim sthitan daityan vilokya purusottamah smayamano visrjyagram puccham jagraha samarah SYNONYMS iti—thus; tusnim—silently; sthitan—staying; daityan—the demons; vilokya—seeing; purusa-uttamah—the Personality of Godhead; smayamanah—smiling; visrjya—giving up; agram—the front portion of the snake; puccham—the rear portion; jagraha—grasped; sa-amarah—with the demigods. TRANSLATION Thus the demons remained silent, opposing the desire of the demigods. Seeing the demons and understanding their motive, the Personality of Godhead smiled. Without discussion, He immediately accepted their proposal by grasping the tail of the snake, and the demigods followed Him. SB8.7.5 TEXT 5 krta-sthana-vibhagas ta evam kasyapa-nandanah mamanthuh paramam yatta amrtartham payo-nidhim SYNONYMS krta—adjusting; sthana-vibhagah—the division of the places they were to hold; te—they; evam—in this way; kasyapa-nandanah—the sons of Kasyapa (both the demigods and the demons); mamanthuh—churned; paramam—with great; yattah—endeavor; amrta-artham—for getting nectar; payah-nidhim—the ocean of milk. TRANSLATION After thus adjusting how the snake was to be held, the sons of Kasyapa, both demigods and demons, began their activities, desiring to get nectar by churning the ocean of milk. SB8.7.6 TEXT 6 mathyamane ’rnave so ’drir anadharo hy apo ’visat dhriyamano ’pi balibhir gauravat pandu-nandana SYNONYMS mathyamane—while the churning was going on; arnave—in the ocean of milk; sah—that; adrih—hill; anadharah—without being supported by anything; hi—indeed; apah—in the water; avisat—drowned; dhriyamanah—captured; api—although; balibhih—by the powerful demigods and demons; gauravat—from being very heavy; pandu-nandana—O son of Pandu (Maharaja Pariksit). TRANSLATION O son of the Pandu dynasty, when Mandara Mountain was thus being used as a churning rod in the ocean of milk, it had no support, and therefore although held by the strong hands of the demigods and demons, it sank into the water. SB8.7.7 TEXT 7 te sunirvinna-manasah parimlana-mukha-sriyah asan sva-pauruse naste daivenatibaliyasa SYNONYMS te—all of them (the demigods and demons); sunirvinna-manasah—their minds being very disappointed; parimlana—dried up; mukha-sriyah—the beauty of their faces; asan—became; sva-pauruse—with their own prowess; naste—being lost; daivena—by a providential arrangement; ati-baliyasa—which is always stronger than anything else. TRANSLATION Because the mountain had been sunk by the strength of providence, the demigods and demons were disappointed, and their faces seemed to shrivel. SB8.7.8 TEXT 8 vilokya vighnesa-vidhim tadesvaro duranta-viryo ’vitathabhisandhih krtva vapuh kacchapam adbhutam mahat pravisya toyam girim ujjahara SYNONYMS vilokya—observing; vighna—the obstruction (the sinking of the mountain); isa-vidhim—by the providential arrangement; tada—then; isvarah—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; duranta-viryah—inconceivably powerful; avitatha—infallible; abhisandhih—whose determination; krtva—expanding; vapuh—body; kacchapam—tortoise; adbhutam—wonderful; mahat—very great; pravisya—entering; toyam—the water; girim—the mountain (Mandara); ujjahara—lifted. TRANSLATION Seeing the situation that had been created by the will of the Supreme, the unlimitedly powerful Lord, whose determination is infallible, took the wonderful shape of a tortoise, entered the water, and lifted the great Mandara Mountain. PURPORT Here is evidence that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the supreme controller of everything. As we have previously described, there are two classes of men—the demons and the demigods—but neither of them are supremely powerful. Everyone has experienced that hindrances are imposed upon us by the supreme power. The demons regard these hindrances as mere accidents or chance, but devotees accept them to be acts of the supreme ruler. When faced with hindrances, therefore, devotees pray to the Lord. Tat te ’nukampam susamiksamano bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam. Devotees endure hindrances, accepting them to be caused by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and regarding them as benedictions. Demons, however, being unable to understand the supreme controller, regard such hindrances as accidental. Here, of course, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was present personally. It was by His will that there were hindrances, and by His will those hindrances were removed. The Lord appeared as a tortoise to support the great mountain. Ksitir iha vipulatare tava tisthati prsthe. The Lord held the great mountain on His back. Kesava dhrta-kurma-sarira jaya jagadisa hare. Dangers can be created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they can also be removed by Him. This is known to devotees, but demons cannot understand it. SB8.7.9 TEXT 9 tam utthitam viksya kulacalam punah samudyata nirmathitum surasurah dadhara prsthena sa laksa-yojana- prastarina dvipa ivaparo mahan SYNONYMS tam—that mountain; utthitam—lifted; viksya—observing; kulacalam—known as Mandara; punah—again; samudyatah—enlivened; nirmathitum—to churn the ocean of milk; sura-asurah—the demigods and the demons; dadhara—carried; prsthena—by the back; sah—the Supreme Lord; laksa-yojana—one hundred thousand yojanas (eight hundred thousand miles); prastarina—extending; dvipah—a big island; iva—like; aparah—another; mahan—very big. TRANSLATION When the demigods and demons saw that Mandara Mountain had been lifted, they were enlivened and encouraged to begin churning again. The mountain rested on the back of the great tortoise, which extended for eight hundred thousand miles like a large island. SB8.7.10 TEXT 10 surasurendrair bhuja-virya-vepitam paribhramantam girim anga prsthatah bibhrat tad-avartanam adi-kacchapo mene ’nga-kanduyanam aprameyah SYNONYMS sura-asura-indraih—by the leaders of the demons and the demigods; bhuja-virya—by the strength of their arms; vepitam—moving; paribhramantam—rotating; girim—the mountain; anga—O Maharaja Pariksit; prsthatah—on His back; bibhrat—bore; tat—of that; avartanam—the rotating; adi-kacchapah—as the supreme original tortoise; mene—considered; anga-kanduyanam—as pleasing scratching of the body; aprameyah—unlimited. TRANSLATION O King, when the demigods and demons, by the strength of their arms, rotated Mandara Mountain on the back of the extraordinary tortoise, the tortoise accepted the rolling of the mountain as a means of scratching His body, and thus He felt a pleasing sensation. PURPORT The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always the unlimited. Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His body as a tortoise, held on His back the largest of mountains, Mandara-parvata, He did not feel any inconvenience. On the contrary, He apparently felt some itching, and thus the rotation of the mountain was certainly very pleasing. SB8.7.11 TEXT 11 tathasuran avisad asurena rupena tesam bala-viryam irayan uddipayan deva-ganams ca visnur daivena nagendram abodha-rupah SYNONYMS tatha—thereafter; asuran—unto the demons; avisat—entered; asurena—by the quality of passion; rupena—in such a form; tesam—of them; bala-viryam—strength and energy; irayan—increasing; uddipayan—encouraging; deva-ganan—the demigods; ca—also; visnuh—Lord Visnu; daivena—by the feature of goodness; naga-indram—unto the King of the serpents, Vasuki; abodha-rupah—by the quality of ignorance. TRANSLATION Thereafter, Lord Visnu entered the demons as the quality of passion, the demigods as the quality of goodness, and Vasuki as the quality of ignorance to encourage them and increase their various types of strength and energy. PURPORT Everyone in this material world is under the different modes of material nature. There were three different parties in the churning of Mandara Mountain—the demigods, who were in the mode of goodness, the demons, who were in the mode of passion, and the snake Vasuki, who was in the mode of ignorance. Since they were all becoming tired (Vasuki so much so that he was almost going to die), Lord Visnu, to encourage them to continue the work of churning the ocean, entered into them according to their respective modes of nature—goodness, passion and ignorance. SB8.7.12 TEXT 12 upary agendram giri-rad ivanya akramya hastena sahasra-bahuh tasthau divi brahma-bhavendra-mukhyair abhistuvadbhih sumano-’bhivrstah SYNONYMS upari—on the top of; agendram—the big mountain; giri-rat—the king of mountains; iva—like; anyah—another; akramya—catching; hastena—by one hand; sahasra-bahuh—exhibiting thousands of hands; tasthau—situated; divi—in the sky; brahma—Lord Brahma; bhava—Lord Siva; indra—the King of heaven; mukhyaih—headed by; abhistuvadbhih—offered prayers to the Lord; sumanah—by flowers; abhivrstah—being showered. TRANSLATION Manifesting Himself with thousands of hands, the Lord then appeared on the summit of Mandara Mountain, like another great mountain, and held Mandara Mountain with one hand. In the upper planetary systems, Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, along with Indra, King of heaven, and other demigods, offered prayers to the Lord and showered flowers upon Him. PURPORT To balance Mandara Mountain while it was being pulled from both sides, the Lord Himself appeared on its summit like another great mountain. Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and King Indra then expanded themselves and showered flowers on the Lord. SB8.7.13 TEXT 13 upary adhas catmani gotra-netrayoh parena te pravisata samedhitah mamanthur abdhim tarasa madotkata mahadrina ksobhita-nakra-cakram SYNONYMS upari—upward; adhah ca—and downward; atmani—unto the demons and demigods; gotra-netrayoh—unto the mountain and Vasuki, who was used as a rope; parena—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; te—they; pravisata—entering them; samedhitah—sufficiently agitated; mamanthuh—churned; abdhim—the ocean of milk; tarasa—with great strength; mada-utkatah—being mad; maha-adrina—with the great Mandara Mountain; ksobhita—agitated; nakra-cakram—all the alligators in the water. TRANSLATION The demigods and demons worked almost madly for the nectar, encouraged by the Lord, who was above and below the mountain and who had entered the demigods, the demons, Vasuki and the mountain itself. Because of the strength of the demigods and demons, the ocean of milk was so powerfully agitated that all the alligators in the water were very much perturbed. Nonetheless the churning of the ocean continued in this way. SB8.7.14 TEXT 14 ahindra-sahasra-kathora-drn-mukha- svasagni-dhumahata-varcaso ’surah pauloma-kaleya-balilvaladayo davagni-dagdhah sarala ivabhavan SYNONYMS ahindra—of the King of serpents; sahasra—by thousands; kathora—very, very hard; drk—all directions; mukha—by the mouth; svasa—breathing; agni—fire coming out; dhuma—smoke; ahata—being affected; varcasah—by the rays; asurah—the demons; pauloma—Pauloma; kaleya—Kaleya; bali—Bali; ilvala—Ilvala; adayah—headed by; dava-agni—by a forest fire; dagdhah—burned; saralah—sarala trees; iva—like; abhavan—all of them became. TRANSLATION Vasuki had thousands of eyes and mouths. From his mouths he breathed smoke and blazing fire, which affected the demons, headed by Pauloma, Kaleya, Bali and Ilvala. Thus the demons, who appeared like sarala trees burned by a forest fire, gradually became powerless. SB8.7.15 TEXT 15 devams ca tac-chvasa-sikha-hata-prabhan dhumrambara-srag-vara-kancukananan samabhyavarsan bhagavad-vasa ghana vavuh samudrormy-upagudha-vayavah SYNONYMS devan—all the demigods; ca—also; tat—of Vasuki; svasa—from the breathing; sikha—by the flames; hata—being affected; prabhan—their bodily luster; dhumra—smoky; ambara—dress; srak-vara—excellent garlands; kancuka—armaments; ananan—and faces; samabhyavarsan—sufficiently rained; bhagavat-vasah—under the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ghanah—clouds; vavuh—blew; samudra—of the ocean of milk; urmi—from the waves; upagudha—bearing fragments of water; vayavah—breezes. TRANSLATION Because the demigods were also affected by the blazing breath of Vasuki, their bodily lusters diminished, and their garments, garlands, weapons and faces were blackened by smoke. However, by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, clouds appeared on the sea, pouring torrents of rain, and breezes blew, carrying particles of water from the sea waves, to give the demigods relief. SB8.7.16 TEXT 16 mathyamanat tatha sindhor devasura-varutha-paih yada sudha na jayeta nirmamanthajitah svayam SYNONYMS mathyamanat—sufficiently being churned; tatha—in this way; sindhoh—from the ocean of milk; deva—of the demigods; asura—and the demons; varutha-paih—by the best; yada—when; sudha—nectar; na jayeta—did not come out; nirmamantha—churned; ajitah—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ajita; svayam—personally. TRANSLATION When nectar did not come from the ocean of milk, despite so much endeavor by the best of the demigods and demons, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ajita, personally began to churn the ocean. SB8.7.17 TEXT 17 megha-syamah kanaka-paridhih karna-vidyota-vidyun murdhni bhrajad-vilulita-kacah srag-dharo rakta-netrah jaitrair dorbhir jagad-abhaya-dair dandasukam grhitva mathnan mathna pratigirir ivasobhatatho dhrtadrih SYNONYMS megha-syamah—blackish like a cloud; kanaka-paridhih—wearing yellow garments; karna—on the ears; vidyota-vidyut—whose earrings shone like lightning; murdhni—on the head; bhrajat—gleaming; vilulita—disheveled; kacah—whose hair; srak-dharah—wearing a flower garland; rakta-netrah—with red eyes; jaitraih—with victorious; dorbhih—with arms; jagat—to the universe; abhaya-daih—which give fearlessness; dandasukam—the snake (Vasuki); grhitva—after taking; mathnan—churning; mathna—by the churning rod (Mandara Mountain); pratigirih—another mountain; iva—like; asobhata—He appeared; atho—then; dhrta-adrih—having taken the mountain. TRANSLATION The Lord appeared like a blackish cloud. He was dressed with yellow garments, His earrings shone on His ears like lightning, and His hair spread over His shoulders. He wore a garland of flowers, and His eyes were pinkish. With His strong, glorious arms, which award fearlessness throughout the universe, He took hold of Vasuki and began churning the ocean, using Mandara Mountain as a churning rod. When engaged in this way, the Lord appeared like a beautifully situated mountain named Indranila. SB8.7.18 TEXT 18 nirmathyamanad udadher abhud visam maholbanam halahalahvam agratah sambhranta-minonmakarahi-kacchapat timi-dvipa-graha-timingilakulat SYNONYMS nirmathyamanat—while the activities of churning were going on; udadheh—from the ocean; abhut—there was; visam—poison; maha-ulbanam—very fierce; halahala-ahvam—by the name halahala; agratah—at first; sambhranta—agitated and going here and there; mina—various kinds of fish; unmakara—sharks; ahi—different kinds of snakes; kacchapat—and many kinds of tortoises; timi—whales; dvipa—water elephants; graha—crocodiles; timingila—whales that can swallow whales; akulat—being very much agitated. TRANSLATION The fish, sharks, tortoises and snakes were most agitated and perturbed. The entire ocean became turbulent, and even the large aquatic animals like whales, water elephants, crocodiles and timingila fish [large whales that can swallow small whales] came to the surface. While the ocean was being churned in this way, it first produced a fiercely dangerous poison called halahala. SB8.7.19 TEXT 19 tad ugra-vegam disi disy upary adho visarpad utsarpad asahyam aprati bhitah praja dudruvur anga sesvara araksyamanah saranam sadasivam SYNONYMS tat—that; ugra-vegam—very fierce and potent poison; disi disi—in all directions; upari—upward; adhah—downward; visarpat—curling; utsarpat—going upward; asahyam—unbearable; aprati—uncontrollable; bhitah—being very much afraid; prajah—the residents of all the worlds; dudruvuh—moved here and there; anga—O Maharaja Pariksit; sa-isvarah—with the Supreme Lord; araksyamanah—not being protected; saranam—shelter; sadasivam—unto the lotus feet of Lord Siva. TRANSLATION O King, when that uncontrollable poison was forcefully spreading up and down in all directions, all the demigods, along with the Lord Himself, approached Lord Siva [Sadasiva]. Feeling unsheltered and very much afraid, they sought shelter of him. PURPORT One may question that since the Supreme Personality of Godhead was personally present, why did He accompany all the demigods and people in general to take shelter of Lord Sadasiva, instead of intervening Himself. In this connection Srila Madhvacarya warns: rudrasya yasaso ’rthaya Lord Visnu was competent to rectify the situation, but in order to give credit to Lord Siva, who later drank all the poison and kept it in his neck, Lord Visnu did not take action. SB8.7.20 TEXT 20 vilokya tam deva-varam tri-lokya bhavaya devyabhimatam muninam asinam adrav apavarga-hetos tapo jusanam stutibhih pranemuh SYNONYMS vilokya—observing; tam—him; deva-varam—the best of the demigods; tri-lokyah—of the three worlds; bhavaya—for the flourishing; devya—with his wife, Bhavani; abhimatam—accepted by; muninam—great saintly persons; asinam—sitting together; adrau—from the top of Kailasa Hill; apavarga-hetoh—desiring liberation; tapah—in austerity; jusanam—being served by them; stutibhih—by prayers; pranemuh—offered their respectful obeisances. TRANSLATION The demigods observed Lord Siva sitting on the summit of Kailasa Hill with his wife, Bhavani, for the auspicious development of the three worlds. He was being worshiped by great saintly persons desiring liberation. The demigods offered him their obeisances and prayers with great respect. SB8.7.21 TEXT 21 sri-prajapataya ucuh deva-deva maha-deva bhutatman bhuta-bhavana trahi nah saranapannams trailokya-dahanad visat SYNONYMS sri-prajapatayah ucuh—the prajapatis said; deva-deva—O Lord Mahadeva, best of the demigods; maha-deva—O great demigod; bhuta-atman—O life and soul of everyone in this world; bhuta-bhavana—O the cause of the happiness and flourishing of all of them; trahi—deliver; nah—us; sarana-apannan—who have taken shelter at your lotus feet; trailokya—of the three worlds; dahanat—which is causing the burning; visat—from this poison. TRANSLATION The prajapatis said: O greatest of all demigods, Mahadeva, Supersoul of all living entities and cause of their happiness and prosperity, we have come to the shelter of your lotus feet. Now please save us from this fiery poison, which is spreading all over the three worlds. PURPORT Since Lord Siva is in charge of annihilation, why should he be approached for protection, which is given by Lord Visnu? Lord Brahma creates, and Lord Siva annihilates, but both Lord Brahma and Lord Siva are incarnations of Lord Visnu and are known as saktyavesa-avataras. They are endowed with a special power like that of Lord Visnu, who is actually all-pervading in their activities. Therefore whenever prayers for protection are offered to Lord Siva, actually Lord Visnu is indicated, for otherwise Lord Siva is meant for destruction. Lord Siva is one of the isvaras, or the controllers known as saktyavesa-avataras. Therefore he can be addressed as having the qualities of Lord Visnu.
prapadyante naradhamah
mayayapahrta-jnana
asuram bhavam asritah
svayam visnur visam vibhuh
na sanjahre samartho ’pi
vayum coce prasantaye