CHURNING OF THE OCEAN. 217 



confounded with the hriny flood ; and every specific being 

 of the deep, and all the inhabitants of the great abyss which 

 is below the earth, were annihilated. The forest trees 

 were dashed against each other, and precipitated from its 

 utmost height with all the birds thereon." Such at leno-th 

 was the effect of this tremendous agitation, that the whole 

 of the mighty deep was converted into one mass of butter. 

 The performers, being by this time completely exhausted, 

 were endowed with fresh strength by Narayan ; and 

 after the movement had been for some time continued under 

 his direction, " there arose from out the troubled deep, first 

 the moon, with a pleasing countenance, shining with ten 

 thousand beams of gentle light ; then Soora Devee, the 

 goddess of wine, and the white horse called Oochisrava." 

 Other similar apparitions followed, till at length the Dew 

 Dhanwantaree, in human shape, came forth, holding in 

 his hand a white vessel filled with the immortal juice 

 Amreeta. 



The successful termination of this grand experiment was 

 not immediately attended with the happy effects that had 

 been anticipated. A combat on the most immense scale 

 arose between the Soors and Asoors. The imagery em- 

 ployed to describe it is certainly not without grandeur, 

 though tinctured with bombast and exaggeration. " Mil- 

 lions of sighs and groans arise on every side, and the sun 

 is overcast with blood, as they clash their arms, and wound 

 each other with their dreadful instruments of destruction. 

 Now the dauntless Asoors strive with repeated strength to 

 crush the Soors with rocks and mountains, which, whirled 

 in vast numbers into the heavens, appeared like scattered 

 clouds, and fell with all the trees thereon in millions of 

 fear-exciting torrents, striking violently against each other 

 with a mighty noise ; and in their fall the earth, with all 

 its fields and forests, is driven from its foundation. They 

 thunder furiously at each other as they roll along the field, 

 and spend their strength in mutual conflict." Victory at 

 length declared in favour of the benevolent powers, and 

 JVarayan was intrusted with the Amreeta, to be preserved 

 for the use of the immortals. 



Vishnu, in his fourth appearance as half-ninn, half-lion, 

 subdued a band of giants who had conquered the earth, and 

 even dethroned Indra, the kill" of heaven. His liuh de- 



Vol. II— T 



