# Bāla Kāṇḍa 44 — Story of Indra: Ocean churning and the struggle for nectar *The Devas and asuras churn the ocean for freedom from death, contend over its gifts and fight for the nectar, Indra’s side gains sovereignty* Portion: Stories of Indra · Verses: 27 · Ref format: 1.44. ## Sequence - The brothers marvel at Gaṅgā's descent and the filling of the ocean → they spend the night reflecting on the story, which makes the hours seem brief (44.1–5) - after the morning rites, Rāma points out the boat brought by the munis → the company crosses to the Gaṅgā's northern bank and approaches Viśālā (44.6–9) - Rāma asks about its dynasty → Viśvāmitra begins with what happened in this region in ancient times (44.10–13). In the Kṛta age, the sons of Diti and Aditi seek freedom from death, aging, and disease - they decide to churn the ocean of milk for the elixir, using Mandara as the churning rod and Vāsuki as the rope (44.14–17) - Dhanvantari and the apsarases emerge → Viśvāmitra connects the apsarases' name to their birth from the waters and explains that, accepted by neither side as wives, they remain unattached to either (44.18–20) - Vāruṇī, Varuṇa's daughter, arises seeking acceptance → Diti's sons reject her and Aditi's accept her, a distinction connected here with the names Asura and Sura and with surā, liquor (44.21–23) - Uccaiḥśravas, the horse, the Kaustubha jewel, and the nectar emerge (44.24) - a destructive battle breaks out over the nectar → Aditi's sons defeat and kill Diti's sons, and Indra gains sovereignty over the worlds (44.25–27). ## Verses **1.44.1** viśvāmitravacaḥ śrutvā rāghavaḥ sahalakṣmaṇaḥ vismayaṃ paramaṃ gatvā viśvāmitram athābravīt Having heard Viśvāmitra's words, Rāghava, together with Lakṣmaṇa, reached the utmost astonishment and then said to Viśvāmitra: **1.44.2** atyadbhutam idaṃ brahman kathitaṃ paramaṃ tvayā gaṅgāvataraṇaṃ puṇyaṃ sāgarasya ca pūraṇam “Most wonderful is this supreme (tale) told by you, O brahmin — the holy descent of the Gaṅgā and the filling of the ocean. **1.44.3** tasya sā śarvarī sarvā saha saumitriṇā tadā jagāma cintayānasya viśvāmitrakathāṃ śubhām For him, together with Saumitri (Lakṣmaṇa), that whole night then passed as he pondered the auspicious tale of Viśvāmitra. **1.44.4** tataḥ prabhāte vimale viśvāmitraṃ mahāmunim uvāca rāghavo vākyaṃ kṛtāhnikam ariṃdamaḥ Then at clear daybreak, Rāghava the destroyer of foes, his morning rites performed, spoke these words to the great sage Viśvāmitra: **1.44.5** gatā bhagavatī rātriḥ śrotavyaṃ paramaṃ śrutam kṣaṇabhūteva sā rātriḥ saṃvṛtteyaṃ mahātapaḥ imāṃ cintayataḥ sarvāṃ nikhilena kathāṃ tava “The blessed night has passed; the supreme (tale) that was to be heard has been heard. O great ascetic, this night became as if it were but a moment, for me pondering this whole tale of yours in its entirety. **1.44.6** tarāma saritāṃ śreṣṭhāṃ puṇyāṃ tripathagāṃ nadīm naur eṣā hi sukhāstīrṇā ṛṣīṇāṃ puṇyakarmaṇām bhagavantam iha prāptaṃ jñātvā tvaritam āgatā Let us cross the holy Tripathagā (three-pathed) river, best of streams; for this comfortably fitted boat of the sages of holy deeds has come swiftly, having learned that the venerable one has arrived here.” **1.44.7** tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā rāghavasya mahātmanaḥ saṃtāraṃ kārayām āsa sarṣisaṃghaḥ sarāghavaḥ Hearing that speech of the great-souled Rāghava, he (Viśvāmitra), with his host of sages and with Rāghava, had the crossing made. **1.44.8** uttaraṃ tīram āsādya saṃpūjyarṣigaṇaṃ tatha gaṅgākūle niviṣṭās te viśālāṃ dadṛśuḥ purīm Reaching the northern bank and duly honouring the host of sages, they, settled on the bank of the Gaṅgā, beheld the city of Viśālā. **1.44.9** tato munivaras tūrṇaṃ jagāma saharāghavaḥ viśālāṃ nagarīṃ ramyāṃ divyāṃ svargopamāṃ tadā Then the best of sages, together with Rāghava, went quickly to the lovely, divine city of Viśālā, resembling heaven. **1.44.10** atha rāmo mahāprājño viśvāmitraṃ mahāmunim papraccha prāñjalir bhūtvā viśālām uttamāṃ purīm Then Rāma, of great wisdom, with palms joined, asked the great sage Viśvāmitra about the excellent city of Viśālā: **1.44.11** kataro rājavaṃśo 'yaṃ viśālāyāṃ mahāmune śrotum icchāmi bhadraṃ te paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi me “Which royal dynasty is this in Viśālā, O great sage? I wish to hear it — blessings on you — for great is my curiosity.” **1.44.12** tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā rāmasya munipuṃgavaḥ ākhyātuṃ tat samārebhe viśālasya purātanam Hearing that speech of Rāma, the bull among sages began to recount the ancient (history) of Viśālā: **1.44.13** śrūyatāṃ rāma śakrasya kathāṃ kathayataḥ śubhām asmin deśe hi yad vṛttaṃ śṛṇu tattvena rāghava “Listen, Rāma, to the auspicious tale of Śakra (Indra) as I tell it; hear truly, Rāghava, what happened in this land. **1.44.14** pūrvaṃ kṛtayuge rāma diteḥ putrā mahābalāḥ aditeś ca mahābhāgā vīryavantaḥ sudhārmikāḥ In olden times, in the Kṛta age, O Rāma, the sons of Diti were mighty, and (those) of Aditi illustrious, valorous, and most righteous. **1.44.15** tatas teṣāṃ naraśreṣṭha buddhir āsīn mahātmanām amarā nirjarāś caiva kathaṃ syāma nirāmayāḥ Then, O best of men, this thought arose in those great-souled ones: 'How may we become immortal, undecaying, and free from disease?' **1.44.16** teṣāṃ cintayatāṃ rāma buddhir āsīd vipaścitām kṣīrodamathanaṃ kṛtvā rasaṃ prāpsyāma tatra vai As those wise ones pondered, O Rāma, this thought arose: 'Having churned the ocean of milk, we shall obtain from it the elixir.' **1.44.17** tato niścitya mathanaṃ yoktraṃ kṛtvā ca vāsukim manthānaṃ mandaraṃ kṛtvā mamanthur amitaujasaḥ Then, having resolved on the churning, and having made Vāsuki the churning-cord and Mandara the churning-stick, those of boundless might churned (the ocean). **1.44.18** atha dhanvantarir nāma apsarāś ca suvarcasaḥ apsu nirmathanād eva rasāt tasmād varastriyaḥ utpetur manujaśreṣṭha tasmād apsaraso 'bhavan Then (arose) one named Dhanvantari, and the Apsarases of great splendour: from the very churning in the waters, from that elixir, excellent women arose, O best of men; and because they arose from the waters (apsu), they became Apsarases. **1.44.19** ṣaṣṭiḥ koṭyo 'bhavaṃs tāsām apsarāṇāṃ suvarcasām asaṃkhyeyās tu kākutstha yās tāsāṃ paricārikāḥ Sixty crores were those Apsarases of great splendour, and innumerable, O Kākutstha, were those who were their attendants. **1.44.20** na tāḥ sma pratigṛhṇanti sarve te devadānavāḥ apratigrahaṇāc caiva tena sādhāraṇāḥ smṛtāḥ All those gods and demons did not accept them (as wives); and precisely because of that non-acceptance they are remembered as common to all. **1.44.21** varuṇasya tataḥ kanyā vāruṇī raghunandana utpapāta mahābhāgā mārgamāṇā parigraham Then Vāruṇī, the illustrious daughter of Varuṇa, O delight of the Raghus, arose, seeking someone to accept her. **1.44.22** diteḥ putrā na tāṃ rāma jagṛhur varuṇātmajām adites tu sutā vīra jagṛhus tām aninditām The sons of Diti did not accept her, the daughter of Varuṇa, O Rāma; but the sons of Aditi, O hero, accepted her, the blameless one. **1.44.23** asurās tena daiteyāḥ surās tenāditeḥ sutāḥ hṛṣṭāḥ pramuditāś cāsan vāruṇī grahaṇāt surāḥ By reason of that the sons of Diti became Asuras and the sons of Aditi Suras; and the Suras were glad and delighted at accepting Vāruṇī (the liquor surā). **1.44.24** uccaiḥśravā hayaśreṣṭho maṇiratnaṃ ca kaustubham udatiṣṭhan naraśreṣṭha tathaivāmṛtam uttamam Uccaiḥśravas, best of horses, and the jewel Kaustubha, and likewise the excellent nectar of immortality arose, O best of men. **1.44.25** atha tasya kṛte rāma mahān āsīt kulakṣayaḥ adites tu tataḥ putrā diteḥ putrāṇa sūdayan Then, O Rāma, for the sake of it (the nectar) there arose a great destruction of the race; and thereupon the sons of Aditi slew the sons of Diti. **1.44.26** aditer ātmajā vīrā diteḥ putrān nijaghnire tasmin ghore mahāyuddhe daiteyādityayor bhṛśam The valiant sons of Aditi violently slew the sons of Diti in that terrible, great battle between the Daiteyas and the Ādityas. **1.44.27** nihatya ditiputrāṃs tu rājyaṃ prāpya puraṃdaraḥ śaśāsa mudito lokān sarṣisaṃghān sacāraṇān Having slain the sons of Diti and gained the kingdom, Puraṃdara (Indra), rejoicing, ruled the worlds together with the hosts of sages and the Cāraṇas.