विष्णुर् उवाच
विदितं मे सुराः सर्वं प्रजानां क्षयकारणम् ॥
भवतां चापि वक्ष्यामि शृणुध्वं विगतज्वराः ॥
कालेय इति विख्यातो गणः परमदारुणः ॥
तैश् च वृत्रं समाश्रित्य जगत् सर्वं प्रबाधितम् ॥
ते वृत्रं निहतं दृष्ट्वा सहस्राक्षेण धीमता ॥
जीवितं परिरक्षन्तः प्रविष्टा वरुणालयम् ॥
ते प्रविश्योदधिं घोरं नक्रग्राहसमाकुलम् ॥
उत्सादनार्थं लोकानां रात्रौ घ्नन्ति मुनीन् इह ॥
न तु शक्याः क्षयं नेतुं समुद्राश्रयगा हि ते ॥
समुद्रस्य क्षये बुद्धिर् भवद्भिः संप्रधार्यताम् ॥
अगस्त्येन विना को हि शक्तो ऽन्यो ऽर्णवशोषणे ॥
एतच् छ्रुत्वा वचो देवा विष्णुना समुदाहृतम् ॥
परमेष्ठिनम् आज्ञाप्य अगस्त्यस्याश्रमं ययुः ॥
तत्रापश्यन् महात्मानं वारुणिं दीप्ततेजसम् ॥
उपास्यमानम् ऋषिभिर् देवैर् इव पितामहम् ॥
ते ऽभिगम्य महात्मानं मैत्रावरुणिम् अच्युतम् ॥
आश्रमस्थं तपोराशिं कर्मभिः स्वैर् अभिष्टुवन् ॥
viṣṇur uvāca
viditaṃ me surāḥ sarvaṃ prajānāṃ kṣayakāraṇam ||
bhavatāṃ cāpi vakṣyāmi śṛṇudhvaṃ vigatajvarāḥ ||
kāleya iti vikhyāto gaṇaḥ paramadāruṇaḥ ||
taiś ca vṛtraṃ samāśritya jagat sarvaṃ prabādhitam ||
te vṛtraṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā sahasrākṣeṇa dhīmatā ||
jīvitaṃ parirakṣantaḥ praviṣṭā varuṇālayam ||
te praviśyodadhiṃ ghoraṃ nakragrāhasamākulam ||
utsādanārthaṃ lokānāṃ rātrau ghnanti munīn iha ||
na tu śakyāḥ kṣayaṃ netuṃ samudrāśrayagā hi te ||
samudrasya kṣaye buddhir bhavadbhiḥ saṃpradhāryatām ||
agastyena vinā ko hi śakto 'nyo 'rṇavaśoṣaṇe ||
etac chrutvā vaco devā viṣṇunā samudāhṛtam ||
parameṣṭhinam ājñāpya agastyasyāśramaṃ yayuḥ ||
tatrāpaśyan mahātmānaṃ vāruṇiṃ dīptatejasam ||
upāsyamānam ṛṣibhir devair iva pitāmaham ||
te 'bhigamya mahātmānaṃ maitrāvaruṇim acyutam ||
āśramasthaṃ taporāśiṃ karmabhiḥ svair abhiṣṭuvan ||
Vishnu said: "Gods, I know the whole cause of the destruction of beings; and I will tell it to you as well. Listen, setting aside your anxiety. There is an exceedingly terrible host known as the Kaleyas. Relying on Vritra, they tormented the whole world. Seeing that the wise Thousand-eyed had slain Vritra, they, guarding their lives, entered the abode of Varuna. Having entered the fearsome ocean, full of crocodiles and sea-monsters, they kill sages here at night for the destruction of the worlds. As long as they remain sheltered in the ocean, they cannot be brought to ruin. Therefore you should consider the drying up of the ocean. Who but Agastya is capable of drinking up the sea?" Hearing this word spoken by Vishnu, the gods, having obtained the permission of Parameshthin, went to the ashram of Agastya. There they saw the great-souled son of Varuni, blazing with radiance, whom the rishis served as the gods serve Pitamaha. Approaching the great, unshaken Maitravaruni, standing in his ashram as a mass of gathered austerity, they began to praise him through their own deeds."
04400b8965c7 · published Jul 16, 2026, 5:02:54 PM UTC
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Vishnu does not merely receive the prayer but points to the exact means. Divine protection works through a fitting servant, whose strength is needed precisely for this task.