Keshavaya namah
The demon Rahu, disguised himself as a Devata and, entering into the row where Devatas were seated, drank nectar. The Sun-god and Moon-god recognised Rahu and alerted Lord Srihari.
The Supreme Lord Srihari immediately released His discus and severed the head of Rahu, while he was drinking nectar. As the nectar had not yet reached his body, it fell down dead. However as his head had touched nectar, it became immortal.
Then Brahma, the self-originated Lord, established Rahu as a planet. From then on Planet Rahu has feelings of animosity towards Sun and Moon. During solar and lunar eclipses, which fall on Full-moon and New-moon days, he attacks the Sun and Moon.
When all Devatas finished drinking nectar, the Supreme Lord Srihari, who is the ruler of the entire universe, without caring for the demons who were watching Him keenly, manifested in His original form.
The purpose of His incarnating as a divine damsel was complete. There was no more nectar to be distributed. The Devatas and the demons had, in the same place, time and situation, using similar equipment and for the same purpose put in the same degree of effort. However the results obtained by them were grossly differently. The Devatas who had sought shelter in the dust of the Lord’s feet easily obtained nectar. However the demons who detested the Supreme Lord obtained nothing.
All the physical, mental and verbal actions of a human being, that are undertaken for the protection of his life, wealth, body and children are a sheer waste if they are accompanied by feelings of dualities and differences. However if the same tools are used to worship the Lord then all his efforts will be rendered fruitful as there is none apart from the non-dual Supreme Lord. If the roots of a tree are watered then the entire tree gets water! Likewise the actions performed for the Supreme Lord bestow total positive results”.
With this the ninth chapter of the eighth canto comes to an end.
Eighth Canto Chapter Ten
In this chapter, the battle between the Devatas and demons is explained.
Maharishi Śuka continued, “O Emperor Parikshit! Even though the members of the Danu-Diti lineages put in their best efforts using all their energies, they could not obtain nectar as they were averse to the Supreme Lord.
The Supreme Lord Srihari ensured that his devotees, the Devatas, drank nectar. As all the demons and Devatas were watching, the Supreme Lord mounted his vehicle Garuda and left the place.
The sons of Diti were now envious of the Devatas who had acquired the greatest wealth. They were filled with revengeful thoughts. Holding the weapons in their hands, the demons vehemently pounced upon the Devatas.
Due to drinking the nectar of immortality, the Devatas had been rendered significantly powerful. They, who had sought refuge in the holy feet of Lord Nārāyaṇa, now took up their weapons and came forward for battle.
A dreadful battle ensued on the banks of the milk-ocean. The intensity and awfulness of the battle caused the hair on the body of the onlookers to stand. Filled with feelings of anger, animosity and enmity, the Devatas and the demons hurled dreadful weapons upon one another and pierced each other with arrows, swords and other weapons.
On one side, the sounds of celestial drums, conches, kettle-drums, small-drums which were being beaten, filled the air. On the other, the trumpeting of the elephants, the neighing of the horses and the sound of the moving soldiers rendered the entire place noisy”.
The battle between the Devatas and demons is far beyond imagination. Its intensity far exceeds the war between humans. One atom tries to swallow up another atom. Such wars will take place in future on earth. When an atomic bomb is just being released an atom that counters its effect will be released. This second atom will swallow up the first atom. Science has almost discovered this technique.
“The sound of moving chariots added to the confusion. In the war, charioteers fought with charioteers of their equal cadre. Foot soldiers from one camp fought with the foot soldiers from the enemy camp. Commanders seated on horses and those seated on elephants fought with enemy commanders who had mounted horses and elephants respectively.
Some soldiers mounted camels, some sat on donkeys, and some on bears, monkeys, elephants, lions and tigers and fought. Some soldiers made eagles, vultures, cranes, hawks, hens, falcons, whales, rhinoceros, bulls, buffaloes, aruna-mṛga, and such other animals as their vehicles for war. Some soldiers used jackals, rats, mongoose, rabbits, goats, human beings, black deer, swans, boars as their vehicles for war”.
Even human beings were used as war animals. Those humans who helped the demons in their war are presently born with wicked traits. They are filled with demonic tendencies. They are partial aspects of those demons. The human beings who helped the Devatas are presently born with divine qualities.
Nārāyaṇāya namah