Text 3]
Lord Śiva Saves the Universe
243
hariḥ purastāj jagṛhe pūrvaṁ devās tato 'bhavan
hariḥ —the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ajita;  purastāt —from the front;  jagṛhe —took;  pūrvaṁ —at first;  devāḥ —the demigods;  tataḥ —thereafter;  abhavan —took the front portion of Vāsuki.
TRANSLATION
The Personality of Godhead, Ajita, grasped the front portion of the snake, and then the demigods followed.
TEXT 3
तन्नेच्छन् दैत्यपतयो महापुरुषचेष्टितम् । न गृह्णीमो वयं पुच्छमहेरङ्गममङ्गलम् । स्वाध्यायश्रुतसम्पन्नाः प्रख्याता जन्मकर्मभिः ॥ ३ ॥
tan naicchan daitya-patayo mahā-puruṣa-ceṣṭitam na gṛhṇīmo vayaṁ puccham aher aṅgam amaṅgalam svādhyāya-śruta-sampannāḥ prakhyātā janma-karmabhiḥ
tat —that arrangement;  na aicchan —not liking;  daitya-patayaḥ —the leaders of the demons;  mahā-puruṣa —of the Supreme Personality of Godhead;  ceṣṭitam —attempt;  na —not;  gṛhṇīmaḥ —shall take;  vayam —all of us (the Daityas);  puccham —the tail;  aheḥ —of the serpent;  aṅgam —part of the body;  amaṅgalam —inauspicious, inferior;  svādhyāya —with Vedic study;  śruta —and Vedic knowledge;  sampannāḥ —fully equipped;  prakhyātāḥ —prominent;  janma-karmabhiḥ —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