this heap of effulgence hath caused this delusion in you. He is the mighty
son of Kasyapa, the destroyer of the Nagas, engaged in the well-being of
the gods, and the foe of the Daityas and the Rakshasas. Be not afraid of
it in the least. Come with me and see.' Thus addressed, the gods from a
distance.

"The gods said, 'Thou art a Rishi (i.e., one cognisant of all mantras),
share of the largest portion in sacrifices, ever resplendent, the
controller along with the Rishi wended their way towards Garuda and adored
him of birds, the presiding spirit of the animate and the inanimate
universe. Thou art the destroyer of all, the creator of all; thou art the
very Hiranyagarbha; thou art the progenitor of creation in the form of
Daksha and the other Prajapatis; thou art Indra (the king of the gods),
thou art Hayagriva the steed necked incarnation of Vishnu; thou art the
arrow (Vishnu himself, as he became such in the hands of Mahadeva at the
burning of Tripura); thou art the lord of the universe; thou art the mouth
of Vishnu; thou art the four-faced Padmaja; thou art the Brahmana (i.e.,
wise), thou art Agni, Pavana, etc. (i.e., the presiding deity of every
object in the universe). Thou art knowledge, thou art the illusion to
which we are all subject; thou art the all-pervading spirit; thou art the
lord of the gods; thou art the great Truth; thou art fearless; thou art
ever unchanged; thou art Brahma without attributes; thou art the energy of
the Sun; thou art the intellectual functions; thou art our great protector;
thou art the ocean of holiness; thou art purity; thou art bereft of the
attributes of darkness; thou art the possessor of the six high attributes;
thou art he who cannot be withstood in contest. From thee have emanated
all things; thou art of excellent deeds; thou art all that hath not been
and all that hath been. Thou art pure knowledge; thou displayest to us, as
Surya does by his rays, this animate and inanimate universe; thou
darkenest the splendour of Surya at every moment, and thou art the