The second being whom Brahma had
created, thereupon ran towards him, desirous of protection from his own
offspring. And he said unto the Grandsire, "O illustrious one, protect me
from these, and let these creatures have their food assigned unto them!"
Then the Grandsire assigned herbs and plants and other vegetables as
their food, and unto those that were strong he assigned the weaker
creatures as the means of sustenance. Their sustenance having been thus
assigned, the newly-created creatures all went away to regions they
desired, and cheerfully multiplied by union with their respective species.
After the creatures had multiplied and the Grandsire had become well
pleased, the first-born rose from the water and beheld the living
creation. He saw that diverse kinds of creatures had been created and
that they had multiplied by their own energy. At this sight, Rudra became
angry and caused his procreative limb to disappear in the bowels of the
Earth. The unfading Brahma, soothing him by soft words, said unto him, "O
Sharva, what wert thou doing so long within the water? For what reason,
also hast thou caused thy limb of generation to disappear in the bowels
of the Earth?" Thus questioned, that lord of the universe wrathfully
answered the lord Brahman, "Somebody else has created all these
creatures! What purpose then would be served by this limb of mine? I have
by my austerities, O Grandsire, created food for all these creatures.
These herbs and plants also will multiply like those that will subsist
upon them!" Having said these words, Bhava went away, in cheerlessness
and rage, to the foot of the Menjavat mountains for practising severer
austerities.
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