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the Devas acted wisely. For as the Kalpa waned, they got the
supremacy.
The tortoise thrusts out its limbs and dra\vs them in. Man is
drawn outside by his senses during material descent and he is drawn
in by his spiritual ascent. It is by the power of discrimination when
fully developed that a man returns^to his higher nature.
Sri or Lakshmi is the divine energy of Vishnu. She is the
Energy of preservation, of evolution and progress She works out
all that is good, all that is beautiful, and all that is powerful in this
Universe. The possibilities of purely material development or of
Nature's own evolution, are limited, and they are worked out in time.
Then there is a void. There was this void in our universe and Tri-
loki become deprived of Sri. This was the curse of Durvasas, an
Avatara of Siva.
The Churning took place as a remedy for this evil. Fresh
forces had to be brought into requisition, fresh elements that could
secure the spiritual evolution of the universe. Lakshmi herself re-
appeared in a most enchanting form, as the energy of a new evolu-
tion, the very best that man was capable of. The necessaries of this
evolution also appeared and became powers in the hands of those
that had to take part in the spiritual evolution of the universe.
All evolution is preceded by dissolution. Unless we give up
the evil element in us, we can not acquire the good. The evil has to
be destroyed and the Lord of destruction, in his infinite compassion,
accepted this poision for himself, to do away with the evils of the
Universe.
The Poison only opens the door for Amrita, the spiritual
nectar. The famous Purusha Sukta says: "He placed Amrita or
eternal bliss in the higher three Lokas." The Bhagavata renders this
famous saying into the eighteenth sloka of the 6th chapter of the
Second Skandha. Commenting on this sloka, Sridhara says, bliss in
our Triloki is only transitory and the dwellers of Mahar Loka have
also to leave their abode for the higher Jana Loka, when they are
oppressed by the fire of Kalpic dissolution. Amrita was secured to the
higher Lokas, as there is no selfishness in them. (III. 10-9.) Could
the Asuras, the gods of selfishness, aspire to have life immortal and
unlimited bliss. Vishnu decided otherwise.
The way was thus prepared for the Vaivasvata Manvantara,
when men learned to discern between right and wrong.]
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