of Pandu!  O best of men, what ye see before you, of vast proportions like unto a mountain and beautiful as the Kailasa cliff, is a collection of the bones of the mighty Daitya Naraka.  Being placed on a mountain, it looketh like one.  The Daitya was slain by that Supreme Soul, the eternal God Vishnu, for the good of the lord of celestials.  Aiming at the possession of Indra’s place, by the force of austere and Vedic lore, that mighty-minded (demon) had practised austere penances for ten thousand years.  And on account of his asceticism, as also of the force and might of his arms he had grown invincible and always harassed (Indra).  And O sinless one, knowing his strength and austerities and observance of religious vows, Indra became agitated and was overwhelmed with fear.  And mentally he thought of the eternal deity, Vishnu.  And thereat the graceful lord of the universe, who is present everywhere, appeared and stood before him manifest.  And the sages and celestials began to propitiate Vishnu with prayers.  And in his presence even Agni of the six attributes and of blazing beauty being overpowered by his effulgence, became shorn of radiance and seeing before him the God Vishnu, the chief of the celestials who wields the thunder-bolt, bowing with head down readily apprised Vishnu of the source of his fear.  Thereupon Vishnu said, “I know, O Sakra, that thy fear proceedeth from Naraka, that lord of the Daityas.  By the merit of his successful ascetic acts he aimeth at Indra’s position.  Therefore, for pleasing thee, I shall certainly sever his soul from his body, although he hath achieved success in asceticism.  Do thou, lord of celestials, wait for a moment.”  Then the exceedingly powerful Vishnu deprived (Naraka) of his senses (by striking him) with his hand.  And he fell down on the earth even like the monarch of mountains struck by (thunder).  He was thus slain by a miracle and his bones lie gathered at this spot.  Here also is manifest another deed of Vishnu’s.  Once the whole earth having been lost and sunk into the nether regions she was lifted up by him in the shape of a boar having a single tusk.’

“Yudhishthira said, ’O worshipful one, relate in particular how Vishnu, the lord of the celestials, raised up the earth sunk a hundred yojanas?  In what manner also was that support of all created things—­the goddess Earth of high fortune-who dispenseth blessings and bringeth forth all sorts of corn rendered stable?  Through whose power had she sunk an hundred yojanas below, and under what circumstances was exhibited this greatest exploit of the Supreme Being?  O chief of the twice-born race, I wish to hear all about it in detail as it happened.  Certainly, it is known to thee.’