Text 3] Lord Siva Saves the Universe 243

harih purastaj jagrhe
purvam devas tato *bhavan

harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ajita; purastat—from
the front; jagrhe—took; piirvam—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.

TEXT 3
Tees Seq wATETAeAT |
A TRI TH HOAIAMATST |
AAT AAA A HSA A AHABALA: | 3 II

tan naicchan daitya-patayo
mahd-purusa-cestitam

na grhnimo vayam puccham
aher arigam amaigalam

svddhyaya-sruta-sampannah
prakhyata janma-karmabhih

tat—that arrangement; na aicchan—not liking; daitya-patayah—the
leaders of the demons; mahd-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; amargalam—inauspicious, inferior;
svadhyaya —with Vedic study; sruta—and Vedic knowledge; sampan-
naéh—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
