It was for this that he
succeeded in slaying, single-handed, so large a number of warriors. If
Mahadeva be gratified, he can bestow even immortality. Girisha can give
such valour as will succeed in checking Indra himself. I know Mahadeva
truly, O bull of Bharata's race! I know also his various acts of old. He,
O Bharata, is the beginning, the middle, and the end of all creatures.
This entire universe acts and moves through his energy.
The puissant Grandsire, desirous of creating living creatures, saw Rudra;
and the Grandsire asked him, saying, "Create living creatures without
delay!" Thus asked, Rudra of tawny locks, saying, "So be it!" plunged
into the water and practised austerities for a long time, inasmuch as he
was sensible of the defects of living creatures. Having waited in
expectation of Rudra for a very long time, the Grandsire, by a fiat of
his will, invoked into existence another being for making him the creator
of all kinds of living things. Beholding Girisha plunged into the waters,
this (second) being said unto his sire, "If there be no being born before
me, then I will create living creatures!" His sire replied unto him,
saying, "There is no other first-born being besides thee! This Sthanu has
plunged into the water! Go and create living creatures, without any
anxiety!"
That being then created many living creatures, having Daksha for their
first, who created all these creatures of four kinds. As soon, however,
as they were created, they ran O king, towards their sire, afflicted with
hunger and desirous of devouring him.
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