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.’
“Lomasa said, ’O Yudhishthira, listen
to all at length as I relate the story, which thou
hast asked me (to narrate). O child, in days of
yore, there was (once) a terrible time in the Krita
Yuga when the eternal and primeval Deity assumed the
duties of Yama. And, O thou that never fallest
off, when the God of gods began to perform the functions
of Yama, there died not a creature while the births