“Bhishma said, ’Having heard these words of king Janaka, Suka of cleansed soul and settled conclusions began to stay in his Soul by his Soul, having of course seen Self by Self.[1746] His object being accomplished, he became happy and tranquil, and without putting further questions to Janaka, he proceeded northwards to the mountains of Himavat with the speed of the wind and like the wind.[1747] These mountains abounded with diverse tribes of Apsaras and echoed with many lofty sounds.  Teeming with thousands of Kinnaras and Bhringarajas[1748] it was adorned, besides, with many Madgus and Khanjaritas and many Jivajivakas of variegated hue.  And there were many peacocks also of gorgeous colours, uttering their shrill but melodious cries.  Many bevies of swans also, and many flights of gladdened Kokilas too, adorned the place.  The prince of birds, viz., Garuda, dwelt on that summit constantly.  The four Regents of the world, the deities, and diverse classes of Rishis, used always to come there from the desire of doing good to the world.  It was there that the high-souled Vishnu had undergone the severest austerities for the object of obtaining a son.  It was there that the celestial generalissimo named Kumara, in his younger days, disregarding the three worlds with all the celestial denizens, threw down his dart, piercing the Earth therewith.  Throwing down his dart, Skanda addressing the universe, said,—­If there be any person that is superior to me in might, or that holds Brahmanas to be dearer, or that can compare with me in devotion to the Brahmanas and the Vedas, or that is possessed of energy like unto me, let him draw up this dart or at least shake it!—­Hearing this challenge, the three worlds become filled with anxiety, and all creatures asked one another, saying,—­Who will raise this dart?—­Vishnu beheld all the deities and Asuras and Rakshasas to be troubled in their senses and mind.  He reflected upon what should be the best to be done under the circumstances.  Without being able to bear that challenge in respect of the hurling of the dart, he cast his eyes on Skanda, the son of the Fire-god.  The pure-souled Vishnu caught hold of the blazing dart, with his left hand, and began to shake it.  When the dart was being thus shaken by Vishnu possessed of great might, the whole Earth with her mountains, forests, and seas, shook with the dart.  Although Vishnu was fully competent to raise the dart, still he contented himself with only shaking it.  In this, the puissant lord only kept the honour of Skanda intact.  Having shaken it himself, the divine Vishnu, addressing Prahlada, said,—­Behold the might of Kumara!  None else in the universe can raise this dart!  Unable to bear this, Prahlada resolved to raise the dart.  He seized it, but was unable to shake it at all, Uttering a loud cry, he fell down on the hill-top in a swoon.  Indeed, the son of Hiranya-kasipu fell down on the Earth.  Repairing towards the northern side of those grand mountains, Mahadeva, having the bull for