When Vish?u thus had gone on earth,

From the great king to take his birth,

The self-existent Lord of all

Addressed the Gods who heard his call:

Who seeks the good of all of you,

Make helps, in war to lend him aid,

In forms that change at will, arrayed,

Of wizard skill and hero might,

Outstrippers of the wind in flight,

Skilled in the arts of counsel, wise,

And Vish?u's peers in bold emprise;

With heavenly arts and prudence fraught,

By no devices to be caught;

Skilled in all weapon's lore and use

As they who drink the immortal juice.111

Thus by the mighty Sire addressed

They all obeyed his high behest,

And thus begot in countless swarms

Brave sons disguised in sylvan forms.

Each God, each sage became a sire,

Each minstrel of the heavenly quire,112

Each faun,113 of children strong and good

Whose feet should roam the hill and wood.

Snakes, bards,114 and spirits,115 serpents bold

Had sons too numerous to be told.

BÁli, the woodland hosts who led,

High as Mahendra's116 lofty head,

Was Indra's child. That noblest fire,

The Sun, was great SugrÍva's sire,

TÁra, the mighty monkey, he

Was offspring of V?ihaspati:117

TÁra the matchless chieftain, boast

For wisdom of the VÁnar host.

Of GandhamÁdan brave and bold

The father was the Lord of Gold.

Nala the mighty, dear to fame,

Of skilful Vi?vakarmÁ118 came.

From Agni,119 Nila bright as flame,

Who in his splendour, might, and worth,

Surpassed the sire who gave him birth.

The heavenly A?vins,120 swift and fair,

Were fathers of a noble pair,

Who, Dwivida and Mainda named,

For beauty like their sires were famed,

Varu?121 was father of Sushe?,

Of Sarabh, he who sends the rain,122

HanÚmÁn, best of monkey kind,

Was son of him who breathes the wind:

Like thunderbolt in frame was he,

And swift as Garu?'s123 self could flee.

These thousands did the Gods create

Endowed with might that none could mate,

In monkey forms that changed at will;