Astika Parva — Churning the ocean

Sauti said : Then the Daityas and Danavas, in best armours and with various weapons, pursued the celestials.

In the meantime the greatly powerful Lord Vishnu, accompanied with Nara, took away the Ambrosia from the mighty Danavas.

Thereupon all the celestials, in that great struggle, drank the Ambrosia receiving it from Vishnu.

When the celestials were drinking the much longed-for Ambrosia, a Danava, named Rahu, drank it in the guise of a celestial.

When the Ambrosia has only reached his throat, Chandra and Surya (recognised him and) informed the celestials of what had happened.

Narayana immediately with his discus cut off the well-adorned head of the Danava who was drinking the Ambrosia.

The huge head of the Danava cut off by the discus, appeared like a mountain peak and it rose to the sky and uttered terrible cries.

The headless body of the Daitya fell on the earth, shaking it with all her mountains, forests and islands.

From that day a great enmity was created between the head of Rahu and Chandra and Surya. To this day it swallows Chandra and Surya (causing eclipses.)

Then Hari, quitting his matchless female form, made the Danavas tremble by hurling at them various weapons.

Thus began the terrible battle between the Devas and Danavas on the shores of the salt sea.

Thousands of sharp javelins and lances and various other weapons were hurled on all sides.

Cut by the discus and wounded by swords, darts and maces, the Asuras vomited blood and lay prostrate on earth.

The heads, adorned with bright goldchains, cut off by the discus, fell continually in the fearful battle.

The great Asuras, covered with blood, lay dead everywhere and they looked like red dyed mountain peaks.

When the sun grew red, the piteous cries of distress issued from everywhere and from the dying Asuras.

The roars, of the warriors that cut one another down by missiles when at a distance and by blows of their fists when at close quarters, rose to the sky.

"Cut down,” “pierce them”, “pursue”, “fell them down", "advance” these fearful war-cries were heard everywhere.

When this fearful battle was raging, the Devas Nara and Narayana entered the field.

Seeing the celestial bow in the hand of Nara, Narayana thought of his Danava destroying discus.

As soon as it was thought of the discus Sudarshana, the destroyer of enemies, effulgent as Agni and dreadful in battle, came down from the sky.

When it came, Achyuta, of fearful energy (Narayana) as bright as the blazing fire, with arms like the trunk of an elephant, hurled with great force that weapon, as bright as the blazing fire, dreadful, of extraordinary lustre, capable of destroying hostile towns.

That discus, blazing like the fire at the great dissolution of the universe being hurled by the hand of Narayana, continually falling everywhere, destroyed the Daityas and the Danavas by thousands.

Sometimes it blazed like fire and consumed them all; sometimes it struck them down like a goblin; sometimes it drank the blood of the slain Danavas as it travelled through earth and sky.

The greatly powerful and bold Danavas, looking like the rainless clouds, rose to the sky and continually hurled down thousands of mountains, on the celestials, thus harassing them (with terrible vengeance).

And those fearful mountains, with their forests and flat tops, like masses of clouds, fell from the sky, collided with one another and produced a tremendous roar.

And when thousands of warriors continually shouted on the field of battle and mountains, with forests thereon, fell all around, the earth with her forests began to tremble.

Then the divine Nara, appearing in the fearful battle of the Asuras and Ganas and reducing to dust those mountains by means of his gold-headed arrows, covered the heavens with dust.

Then the mighty Danavas, having been overpowered by the celestials and having seen the fearful discus roving over the fields of heaven like a blazing fire, entered into the bowels of the earth; and some of them plunged into the salt-sea.

The celestials, having gained the victory, placed with due respect Mandara on its own base; and the clouds, making the heaven resound with their shouts, went to their own abodes.

The celestial returning to heaven, were greatly rejoiced and kept the Ambrosia in great care. Indra and other celestial made over the vessel containing Ambrosia to Nara to keep it with all care.