“‘“‘Sthanu said, “O lord, thou hadst taken great care for creating diverse
creatures. Indeed, creatures of diverse kinds were created and reared by
thee. Those very creatures, again, are now being consumed through thy
fire. Seeing this, I am filled with compassion. O illustrious lord, be
inclined to grace.”
“‘“‘Brahma said, “I had no desire of destroying the universe, I desired
good of the earth, and it was for this that wrath possessed me. The goddess
Earth, afflicted with the heavy weight of creatures, always urged me for
destroying the creatures on her. Urged by her, I could not however, find
any means for the destruction of the infinite creation. At this wrath
possessed me.”
“‘“‘Rudra said, “Be inclined to grace. O lord of the universe, cherish not
the wrath for the destruction of creatures. No more let creatures,
immobile and mobile, be destroyed. Through thy grace, O illustrious one,
let the threefold universe, viz., the Future, the Past, and the Present
exist. Thou, O Lord, hadst blazed up with wrath. From that wrath of
thine, a substance like fire sprang into existence. That fire is even now
blasting rocks and trees and rivers, and all kinds of herbs and grass.
Indeed, that fire is exterminating the immobile and the mobile universe.
The mobile and the immobile universe is being reduced to ashes. Be
inclined to grace, O illustrious one! Do not give way to wrath. Even this
is the boon I solicit. All created things, O divine Being, belonging to
thee, are being destroyed. Therefore, let thy wrath be appeased. Let it
be annihilated in thy own self. Cast thy eye on thy creatures, inspired
with the desire of doing them good. Do that by which creatures endued
with life may not cease to be. Let not these creatures, with their
productive powers weakened be exterminated. O Creator of the worlds, thou
hast appointed me their Protector, O Lord of the universe, let not the
mobile and the immobile universe to be destroyed. Thou art inclined to
grace, and it is for this that I say these words unto thee.”’
“‘“Narada continued, ‘Hearing these words (of Mahadeva) the divine Brahma,
from desire of benefiting creatures, held in his own inner self his wrath
that had been roused. Extinguishing the fire, the divine Benefactor of
the world, the great Master, declared the duties of Production and
Emancipation. And while the Supreme Deity exterminated that fire born of
his wrath, there came out from the doors of his diverse senses a female
who was dark and red and tawny, whose tongue and face and eyes were red,
and who was decked with two brilliant ear-rings and diverse other
brilliant ornaments. Issuing out of his body, she smilingly looked at
those two lords of the universe and then set out for the southern
quarter. Then Brahma, that controller of the creation and destruction of
the worlds, called after her by the name of Death. And Brahma, O king,
said unto her, “Slay these creatures of mine! Thou hast been born of that
wrath of mine which I cherished for the destruction (of the universe). By
doing this, kill all creatures including idiots and seers at my command.
By doing this, thou wilt be benefited.” The lotus-lady, called Death,
thus addressed by him reflected deeply, and then helplessly wept aloud in
melodious accents. The Grandsire then caught the tears she had shed, with
his two hands, for the benefit of all creatures, and began to implore her
(with these words).’”’”