_Siddhas_, have attained pre-eminence by bowing down unto thee. There is
nothing that I know in the entire seven worlds, including that of Brahma
which is beyond thee. There are other beings both great and endued with
energy; but none of them hath thy lustre and energy. All light is in
thee, indeed, thou art the lord of all light. In thee are the (five)
elements and all intelligence, and knowledge and asceticism and the
ascetic properties.[11] The discus by which the wielder of the
_Saranga_[12] humbleth the pride of Asuras and which is furnished with a
beautiful nave, was forged by Viswakarman with thy energy. In summer
thou drawest, by thy rays, moisture from all corporeal existences and
plants and liquid substances, and pourest it down in the rainy season.
Thy rays warm and scorch, and becoming as clouds roar and flash with
lightning and pour down showers when the season cometh. Neither fire nor
shelter, nor woolen cloths give greater comfort to one suffering from
chilling blasts than thy rays. Thou illuminest by thy rays the whole
Earth with her thirteen islands. Thou alone are engaged in the welfare
of the three worlds. If thou dost not rise, the universe becometh blind
and the learned cannot employ themselves in the attainment of virtue,
wealth and profit. It is through thy grace that the (three) orders of
Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas are able to perform their various
duties and sacrifices.[13] Those versed in chronology say that thou art
the beginning and thou the end of a day of Brahma, which consisteth of a
full thousand _Yugas_. Thou art the lord of Manus and of the sons of the
Manus, of the universe and of man, of the _Manwantaras_, and their
lords. When the time of universal dissolution cometh, the fire
_Samvartaka_ born of thy wrath consumeth the three worlds and existeth
alone. And clouds of various hues begotten of thy rays, accompanied by
the elephant Airavata and the thunderbolt, bring about the appointed
deluges. And dividing thyself into twelve parts and becoming as many
suns, thou drinkest up the ocean once more with thy rays. Thou art