MATSYA AVATAR EXHAUSTED, BRAHMA STRETCHED OUT AND YAWNED. HIS DAY'S WORK WAS OVER. THE END OF THE CURRENT KALPA WAS IMMINENT .AS HIS EYE- LIDS DROOPED WITH SLEEP, WITHOUT HIS KNOWLEDGE THE VEDAS SLIPPED (OUT OF HIS MOUTH. THE ASURA,HAYAGRIVA, WAS |_| [BUT VISHNU, THE PRESERVER, CAUGHT |ALERT- HAYAGRIVA IN THE ACT. [THIS 1S MY CHANCE! THE ASURA IS {must NOW ABSORBING THE 2.) CONCENTRATE. WITH VEDAS. THEY WILL ALL MY MIND AND ‘e/ BE LOST TO THE THE VEDAS FALLING NEXT KALPA.| MUST OUT OF THE CREA~ RETRIEVE THEM. ‘TOR'S MOUTH THERE ARE BUT A WILL ENTER FEW DAYS LEFT AMINE. FOR PRALAYA?[AS HE WONDERED WHAT TO DO; HE SAW ITHE ROYAL SAGE, SATYAVRATA,A STAUNCH DEVOTEE OFFERING WATER TO THE MANES. TWILL. TAKE THE FORM OF ‘A FISH AND RETRIEVE THE| VEDAS WHILE DOING A GOOD TURN TO MY DEV- OTEE HE SHALL LIVE THROUGH PRALAYA TO BECOME THE MANU OF THE SEVENTH MAN- VANTARA OF THE (0 KIND KING ,DO NOT THROW ME BACK INTO THE WATER. HELPLESS AS | AM,OTHER CREATURES OF “THE RIVER WILL SOON EAT ME UP. so WHEN — [AS SATYAVRATA, SCOOPED UP THE [NEXT HANDFUL OF WATER — WHAT'S THIS? A WEE FISH.POOR CREATURE -HOW FRIGHTENED IT MUST BE! LL DROP iT BACK LITTLE ONE. TWILL CER~ TAINLY,THAT. NIGHT , HOWEVER, THE FISH GREW AND GREW TUL IT FILLED THE WHOLE (THE MORNING WHEN SATYAVRATA WENT TO SEE IE IT WAS ALL RIGHT — = SJ (0 KING THIS, KAMANDALU 15 TOO SMALL. PLEASE FIND ‘A MORE SPA~ O KING, EVEN THIS VESSEL IS TOO SMALL «1 HAVE SOUGHT YOUR PRO- TECTION. YOU MUST FIND THE LIVING SPACE FOR ME. [BUT IN NO TIME, THE FISH GREW TILL IT \FLLED THE WHOLE POND. ONE-1 WILL DIE IF REMAIN HERE.SATYAVRATA TOOK THE FISH TO A NUMBER OF LAKES, EACH LARGER THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE. BUT — WATER, O KING. YOu_ARE BOUND ‘TO PROVIDE IT. |EXASPERATED, SAT YAURATA DECIDED 70 LEAD IT TO THE OCEAN. BUT WHEN THEY GOT LEAVE ME HERE. AND GO. THE GIGANTIC CREATURES OF THE SEA MAY EAT ME. WHO ARE YOu © | HAVE NEITHER SEEN NOR HEARD OF A WON- DERFUL CREATURE LIKE YOU. IN ONE DAY YOU HAVE GROWN BIG ENOUGH TO COVER THE LARGEST OFYOU ARE! LORD NARAYANA’ FORGIVE ME |‘AT THAT TIME A SPACIOUS BOAT ‘SENT BY ME WILL APPROACH YOUL JAND THE FISH SET OFF ON ITS OTHER MISSION . LEST | LOSE, THE VEDAS. THERE! THE VEDAS ARE SAFE.1 WILL RESTORE THEM TO BRAHMA AS HE WAKES UP FROM HiS SLUMBERSEVEN DAYS LATER, HUGE CLOUDS GATHERED OVER THE OCEAN. THE RAIN POURED DOWN IN TORRENTS.» THE OCEAN BEGAN RISING AND HUGE TIDAL WAVES BEGAN SWALLOWING THE EARTH. ‘MEDITATE ON [AS ADVISED BY THE FISH, SATYAURATA AND THE SAPTA RISHIS WAITED ON THE SHORES. SUDDENLY — ‘AS SOON AS THE VESSEL TOUCHED THE SHORES, SATYAVRATA, ALONG WITH THE SAPTA RISHIS AND THE SELECT LIVING CREATURES, BOARDED IT:JAS THEIR BOAT WAS TOSSED ABOUT BY THE TURBULENT OCEAN, THEY SUDDENLY SAW THE FISH APPROACH THEM.IT HAD A HORN NOW AND WAS |GOLDEN IN COLOUR. IT LIT UP THE DARKENING SKIES» REASSURING THE INMATES OF THE BOAT. FASTEN THE VESSEL TO MY HORN, USING VASUKI AS A ROPE. DO NOT FEAR. NOT + ‘ONE OF YOU SHALL, COME TO ANY HARM. WHILE THEY SAILED ON THAT VAST EXPANSE OF WATER, THROUGHOUT | THAT NIGHT*OF BRAHMA , VISHNU TAUGHT SATYAVRATA AND THE SAPTA RISHIS. THE HIGHEST FORM OF TRUTH WHICH HAS COME DOWN TO US AS A COLLECTION OF PURANIC LORE, CALLED THE MATSYA PURANA| THUS Dib’ VISHNU SAVE TRUE DEVOTEES FROM DISSOLUTION SO THAT THEY MIGHT CARRY DIVINE KNOWLEDGE TO THE NEXT KALPA.IT WAS THE SIXTH MANVANTARA OF THE PRESENT KALPA. INDRA,KI THE DEAD, ARD [is QUBOECTS. WERE’ TRCAIALE, CONGUE: TENTION. ANONG THEMSELVES DID NOT PROVIDE ANY SOLUTION. 50 THEY DECIDED TO GO TO BRAHMA THE CREATOR WHO LIVED ON MOUNT MERU» SIRE,WE HAVE COME. TO YOU FOR DEAD IN LARGE NUM- HELP. THE CURSE I es BERS, NEVER TO RISE[BRAHMA MEDITATED FOR A || 0 THEY WENT TO THE ABODE OF [VISHNE, THE PRESERVER, © OMNISCIENT ONE, YOU KNOW WHY WE, THE GUARDI-~ ANS OF THE WORLD, HAVE COME .WE. SURRENDER OUR- ‘SELVES “TO YOU. SHOW US ‘AWAY OUT OF OUR PLIGHT. LET US TAKE REFUGE IN LORD VISHNU. HE ALWAYS HELPS THOSE WHO PLACE FAITH IN HIM. BESIDES,IT IS HE WHO PRESERVES THE \LORDER OF THE UNIVERSE. 4 HOW SHOULD WE. LORD VISHNU SPOKE IN HIS OBTAIN THE NEC~ DEEP, RESONANT VOICE. TAR +O LORD © you WILL HAVE TO STRIVE HARD AND OBTAIN THE NECTAR OF MAMOR- TALITY. THAT IS THE ONLY WAY OUT FOR you. ALL KINDS OF PLANTS» J HERBS, GRASSES AND CREEP- ERS INTO THE OCEAN OF ‘MILK. THEN CHURN THE OCEAN USING IROUNT MANDARA AS A CHURN-DASHER AND VASUKI,KING OF THE SERPENTS, AS THE ROPE FOR TURNING IT.BUT LORD, YOu MUST BE CAREFUL,HO HOW ARE WE, EVER, NOT TO COVET ANY 10 SHIFT JOF THE THINGS THAT COME MOUNT [OUT OF THE OCEAN AND NOT TO GIVE VENT TO ANGER EVEN IF THOSE. THINGS ARE FORCIBLY TAKEN BY THE ASURAS, { y ‘THE ASURAS AND USE ‘THEM TO ACHIEVE YOUR, END. /* T PROMISE YOU THAT YOUR [AGGRESSIVE COUSINS WILL NOT ENJOY ANY PART OF THE NECTAR, FOR ALL THEIR TOIL. BRAHMA RETURNED TO HIS OWN ABODE WHILE INDRA AND THE DEVAS SET OUT FOR THE COURT OF BALI, KING OF THE ASURAS.WHEN BALI AND HIS ASURA FOLLOWING SAW THEIR ENEMIES APPROACH: (O KING LET US ‘CAPTURE. THE ROGUES. THEY ARE UNARMED AND HELPLESS. WITH A PRO- POSAL THAT MIGHT BE BAL, AS WELL AS HIS CHIEFS , FAVOURED THE PROPOSAL AND PEACE WAS DECLARED BETWEEN THE ASURAS AND THE DEVAS»[A LITTLE LATER, ALONG WITH THEI HORDES, BAL! AND. UPROOTING EVER AGREE TO SUCH AN INSANE. PROPOSAL® INDRA BEGAN THE TASK OF MOUNT MANDARA. AND TAKING IT TO THE SEASHORE.(LORD, WHAT ARE WE TO DO NOW © PLEASE FASTER, GARUDAT!| THE DEVAS ARE IN TROUBLE. EVEN BEFORE INDRA APPEALED TO HIM, THE LORD |HAD REACHED THE SPOT. REVIVED THE DEVAS. WITH A MERE GLANCE, HE |MANDARA ON GARUDA’S BACK, HE FLEW TO THE SEASHORE, FOLLOWED 8Y THE DEVAS AND THE ASURAS. ‘* VISHNU’S ~MOUNT.AFTER THE MOUNTAIN WAS SAFELY DEPOSITED ON THE SEASHORE, VISHNU TURNED TO GARUDA- THERE COMES VASUKI,| BUT HE 1S AFRAID TO COME CLOSER BE~ ICAUSE YOU ARE HIS INATURAL ENEMY. WITHDRAW, DEAR IGARUDA, AND MAKE ROOM Fe WHEN HE SAW THAT GARUDA HAD FLOWN AWAY, VASUK/ MMEDIATELY OBEYED| VISHNL'S SUMMONS. P PLAY YOUR ROLE WELL, RAW) vasuKl, AND YOu! 2 Beate: YOUR SHARE OF THE NECTAR-THE JAGGED SURFACE OF MANDARA SHALL NOT HURT] YOu AT ALL. THERE! NOW WE. ARE READY. COME, FRIENDS AND. BROTHERS, LET US CHURN WITH ALL OUR MIGHT FOR. FULL OF JOYOUS ANTICIPATION, . a i THEY BEGAN CHURNING.[BUT THEIR JOY SOON TURNED INTO [THERE WAS ONE AND ONLY DESPAIR. THE HEAVY MOUNT MANDARA, ||ONE WHO COULD —LORD WHICH HAD NOTHING TO SUPPORT IT, VISHNU. TAKING THE FORM SANK INTO THE OCEAN. iF WE, THE. MIGHTIEST OF DEVAS AND (| ASURAS,COULD [NOT HOLD uP @\MANDARA, WHOAND TO THE AMAZED DELIGHT OF THE DEVAS AND ASURAS, CAME UP WITH THE MOUNTAIN A " Tr 1S THE LORD) = TME-ON, WITH COME TO OUR AID AGAIN! i 0 Of TO DO THE CHURNING TOO. THE FORCEFUL CHURNING FIRST THREW UP THE DEADLY POISON HALA- HALA, THE CONCENTRATE OF THE IMPURITIES OF THE OCEAN. ITS POISONOUS FUMES CHOKED THE DEVAS AND THE ASURAS.FRIGHTENED QUT OF THEIR WITS, THEY RAN TO LORD SHIVA AT KAILASA.AS THEY CONTINUED CHURNING;MANY PRECIOUS THINGS ROSE TO THE SURFACE , BUT NOT THE NECTAR. THEN SUDDENLY A BEING EMERGED — WHO COULD HE BE! Con THE JAR! IT CONTAINS THE NECTAR-THE DEVAS WATCHED THE ASURAS IN DISMAY. BUT REMEMBERING VISHNUS COMMAND THAT THEY SHOULD NOT QUARREL OVER WHAT THE OCEAN YIELDED » THEY MADE NO MOVE.VISHNU WAS PLEASED. DO NOT BE DEVECTED.) —=—=—=_ GREED FOR THE NEC~ | > TAR HAS ALREADY ‘ DIVIDED ‘THEM. NOW SHALL CHARM THEM WITH MY POWERS AND GIVE YOU ‘AH ! WHAT A DAZZLING 7 PERFECT HE! LIMBS! SO INFATUATED WERE THE ASURAS| THAT THEY ENTRUSTED THE JAR OF NECTAR TO HER CARE. FUL_ONE, DISTRI— BUTE THE NECTAR(MOHINI TOOK THE JAR. THEN—| |NOT KNOWING WHO SHE REALLY WAS] THE ASURAS READILY AGREED. 1 WILL DO SO ASSEMBLE IN THE| MAIN HALL.4OU, THE ASURAS, IN ONE YOuR \ WE CAN'T. LET THE NECTAR! ze : Vf us awarr our WHAT 15 SHE OUR PROMISE? » QUAREEL Wit AR TURN PATIENTLY. DONG? 7] cA URE Sata |8Y THE TIME MOHINI REACHED THE END OF THE ROW OF DEVAS, SHE MADE SURE THAT THE NECTAR WAS EXHAUSTED. THERE! NOT A DROP LEFT. IT 1S NOT WISE TO OFFER THE NECTAR’ OF IMMORTALITYBUT VISHNU ONLY SMILED. see HE FLEW AWAY INTO THE SKIES. [STHE GREAT DEVA-ASURA WAR THAT ENSUED THERE, ON THE SEASHORE, WAS A TERRIBLE ONE +BUT WITH HIS THUNDER-BOLT, INDRA , DESPITE THE SEVERAL REVERSES HE SUFFERED, WAS ABLE TO VANQUISH THE ASURAS + “THE NECTAR OF IMMOR4 TALITY AND HAS BEEN BLESSED BY LAXMI* HIS MIGHT AND SPLEN- POUR HAVE BEEN RE- ‘STORED TO HIM. THE, [A ASURAS HAVE BEEN ‘SUFFICIENTLY HUM— BLED. GO.REQUEST HIM TO CEASE HOSTILITIES. THE GRANDSIRE, 15 RIGHT.LET US Bc OAS) AND THUS PID THE LORD REVIVE |THE LOST GLORY OF THOSE WHO WERE GENTLE AND SOUGHT |REFUGE IN HIM AND PUNISH SOE SOD PUNE ANP HAD NO FAITH IN HIM. ® THE GODDESS OF WEALTH.VARAHA AVAT AFTER PRALAYA,AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW RALPA, WHILE BRAHMA’WAS BUSY IN THE WORK OF CREATION wu «+ BHOOMIDEV"BEING TOSSED ABOUT ON] ||...SANK TO THE BED OF THE WAVES ..+ OCEAN +++(AND SWAYAMBHUVA MANU AND SHATARUPA CAME INTO BEING. gerd 9 THEY BOWED TO BRAHMA- FATHER, TELL US HOW WE MAY SERVE. yOu AS WELL AS EN- SURE OUR HAPPINESS IN THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT. 1 SHALL OBEY YOUR WISHES . BUT PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHERE ‘MY PROGENY AND 1 SHOULD LIVE « BHOOMIDEVI LIES SUBMERGED.|AS BRAHMA MEDITATED ON THE| LORD, A TINY BOAR, HARDLY. WHAT 1S THIS COD WEIRD CREATURE! AND COMING OUT, OF #Y NOSTRIL!WHILE BRAHMA PONDERED THUS, THE] | |j BOAR, WHICH WAS NOW AS LARGE |\IW HUGE MOUNTAIN, ROARED. -— NG ANOTHER ROAR, !T TOOK (GHTY LEAP IN’ AR TO....AND NOSED ITS WAY ABOUT THE OCEAN-BED,IN SEARCH Dee le TILL IT REACHED THE OTHER | |...THE OBJECT OF ITS QUEST—BHOOMIDEV!. | [END OF THAT FATHOMLESS | bw OCEAN AND DISCOVERED IN [7S DEPTHS... MIGHTY ASURA > HIRANYAKSHA; THUNDERED UP TO FOR A COMBAT. BUT — i S- [MEANWHILE THE VEN»DISGUSTED AND ANGRY, HE MARCHED UP TO VARUNA; LORD OF THE WATERS AND FEIGNING HUMILITY , FELL AT HIS FEET. © SUPREME LORD! © GUARDIAN OF A, WHOLE SPHERE! O RULER OF GREAT FAME! GIVE ME HE mocks ‘ME. KNOWING FULLY WELL BUT VARUNA CURBED HIS ANGER. LHAVE GIVEN UP. FIGHTING. AM. TOO OLD NOW. LORD VISHNU I THE ONE YOU SHOULD APPROACH. HE ALONE WOULD BE AN EQUAL OPPONENT FOR YOU. GO St HIM Our. LEARNING FROM THE SAGE NARADA WHERE VISHNU WAS, HIRANYAKSHA CHARGED TOWARDS THE JOCEAN-BED. * HYDROSPHERE -MEANWELE THE BORE NAD | AND LIFTING BHOOMIDEV! ONTO IT-..| Ont SO HE 1S NOW IN THE FORM OF A WILD BEAST! HIRANYAKSHA CHALLENGED THE BEAST WITH A ROAR. Ki 1 LEAVE BHOOMIDEV! ALONE. SHE HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED TO_US BY THE MAKER OF THE UNIVERSE.WHEN THE BOAR IGNORED Him — YOU POSSESS LITTLE CY SY power. ALL Your BAT- TLES ARE WON BY (| yosamayas, your SQ ONY STRENGTH. BuT SO Now YOU ARE Too. MSS \ CLOSE TO ESCAPE THE BOAR CONTINUED RISING AND. CHASE. WAIT! AREN’T YOU ASHAMED OF YOURSELF 2 RUNNING AWAY FROM A FOE WHO CHALLENGES, yout [BUT THE BOAR DID NOT EVEN LOOK BACK» LET HIM TASK IS TO TAKE BHOO: MIDEVI TO SAFETY. SHE TREMBLES WITH FRIGHT. AH! WE’VE ALMOST REACHED THE SURFACE. SHAMELESS WRETCH. THE SHARPEST INSULT FAILS TO PIERCE YOUR THICK HIDE. 38 POWER OF ILLUSORY CREATIONBHOOMIDEV! GENTLY ON IT AND BLESSED HER. |AS SOON AS HE REACHED THE SURFACE OF THE OCEAN, HE PLACED MAY YOU SUPPORT YOURSELF IN KEEP- (O WRETCH, SCARED AWAY BY YOUR MACE,THEY FOUGHT FOR A LONG WHILE, EACH STRIKING OUT WITH HIS MACE,ENRAGED, HIRANYAKSHA BEGAN HITTING OUT WITH HIS FISTS ION THE CHEST OF THE BOAR. THE BOAR PLAYFULLY HIT THE DEMON BEHIND HIS EARS. MIDEVI TO THE SUR- FACE OF THE OCEAN. JONLY YOUR. INVINCIBLE [\Y }SELF COULD HAVE SAVED US FROM THIS SCOURGE.Ks ea =a Z G Af VISHNU, IN THE FORM OF A BOAR,HAD KILLED THE EVIL ASURA, HIRANYAKSHA THE DEVAS WERE HAPPY AND THERE WAS MUCH REJOICING IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH, BUT NOT FOR LONG- HIRANYAKASHIPU, HIRANYAKSHA’S | | HE TURNED TO THE ASURAS WHO ELDER BROTHER, SEETHING WITH| | HAD COME TO OFFER HIM THEIR ANGER , WAS BENT ON AVENGING THE DEATH OF HIS BROTHER. [visHNa Thrives) ION VIRTUOUS GO. DESTROY ALL ]GOOD PEOPLE ON EARTH. PUT OUT THEIR SACRIFICIAL+--WHILE | PRACTISE SEVERE PENANCES AND BECOME THE MASTER OF ALL THE THREE WORLDS — HEAVEN, EARTH AND OUR OWN REGIONS. THEN SHALL | EXALT SIN AND SUBDUE VIRTUE.) SHALL DRIVE THE DEVAS AND THE SAGES TO THE NETHER REGIONS AND THROW OPEN HEAVEN, ‘THE HIGHEST SPHERE ,TO THE ASURAS. [AND HIRANYAKASHIPL WENT) |$O HE STOOD FOR TO MOUNT MANDARA AND) |YEARS AND YEARS. ANT HILLS AND |BEGAN HIS PENANCES. GRASS GREW ON HIS PERSON BUT HE DID NOT MOVE. yoTHE RIVERS AND OCEANS TREMBLED — THE DAY OF BRAHMA, MusT BE OVER. THE HOUR_OF DISSOLUTION AND THE STARS AND. PLANETS DARTED ABOUT oe 50 INTENSE WAS HIRANYAKASHIPU'S PENANCE THAT THE FIERY SMOKE EMERGING FROM HIS HEAD BEGAN TO SCORCH EVERYTHING IN IT5 WAKE.THE DEVAS WERE TERR/-| | MOVED BY THEIR PLIGHT, BRAHMA WENT TO FED. LED BY INDRA, THEY| |MOUNT, MANDARA «A FEW SAGES ACCOMPANIED ENT 7D BRALHHA THE ENOUGH, 0 ASURA. ARISE. 1 HAVE BEEN CONQUERED BY ‘© MERCIFUL. LORD. PRAY YOUR AUSTERITIES -ANY DO SOMETHING BOON YOU SEEK SHALL BE ANYTHING , BEFORE THE | THREE WORLDS OF YOUR CREATION ARE CONSUMED BY THE FIRE OF THE ASURA’S PENANCES. THE HOLY WATER FROM THE CREATOR'S KAMANDALU REJUVENATED THE ASURA. HE EMERGED, HANDSOME AND RADIANT. COME TO ME EITHER BY MAN OR BEAST, BY DAY OR BY NIGHT, INDOORS OR OUTDOORS, ON EARTH OR IN THE SKY. GRANT |ME UNDISPUTED. LORDSHIP OVER THE MATERIAL ex. ARMED WITH THE BOONS,THE ASURA LOST NO TIME IN CONQUERING AND BRINGING UNDER Hi5 SWAY, BOTH HEAVEN AND EARTH. Twist TO aw, OccuPY THE PALACE OF THE) LORD OF THE DEVAS -DRIVE, HUM OUT.BETRAYED BY BRAHMA, THE DEVAS APPROACHED VISHNU THE PRESERVER. lsna’s VOICE REASSURED THEM. HAVE PATIENCE, (0 DEVAS. | KNOW THE EVIL THAT 15 Se THE ASURA. HIS SON, THE HicH~ = SOULED PRAHLAD® Ss 1S DEVOTED TO ME. WHEN THE ASURA SEEKS TO KILL MY DEVOTEE,| SHALL SLAY HIM. THE DEVAS DID NOT HAVE TO WAIT LONG. EVEN AS VISHNU MADE HIS PROMISE, HIRANYAKASHIPU WAS SCREAMING WITH EXASPERATION. YOU WILL INSIST ON. DEFYING ME AND WOR-| SHIPPING MY SWORN ENEMY, ME, BEFORE. WHOM "THE DENIZENS OF, ALL THE THREE WORLDS) QUAKE WITH FEAR! DEEP IN CONTEMPLATION OF LORD VISHNU, PRAMLAD DID NOT UTTER A WORD. HIRANYAKASHIPU ROARED IN’ FURY. ‘YOU SEEM TO BE CONFIDENT IN YOUR FAITH. FOOL , CAN- NOT IMAGINE WHERE YOU GET THE STRENGTH FROM! #® SEE AMAR CHITRA KATHA (NO.531=PRAHLAD47 VADING, HE MUST BE IN THIS PILLAR.1AM GOING To SLAY ‘YOU NOW.LET HIM COME AND PROTECT ».- ime SUBSTANTIATED HIS DEVOTEE’S WORDS. HE 15 NEITHER A [Wyse NOE nan ae BEING. WHAT MIGHT Jaf aaa THIS STRANGE es = CREATURE BE 2, [] re s os ‘® MAN-LIONlas NARASIMHA ADVANCED MENACINGLY UPON HIM» HIRANYAKASHIPL TRIED TO SURE. IT MUST BE VISHNU. HE HAS. TAKEN THIS FORM [MIRANYAKSHIPU HOWEVER SLIPPED THROUGH HIS ARMS...AND GRABBING A SWORD... |. WATCHING HIS MOVEMENTS, NARASINHA [SENT FORTH A SHRILL PEAL OF LAUGHTER FOLLOWED BY A WEIRD ROAR. uw[NARASIMHA CARRIED THE ASURA TO THE THRESHOLD OF THE HALL. NEITHER ON EARTH NOR IN THE SKY. ALAS! VISHNU HAS OuTwITTED ME! AND TORE Him TO DEATH WITH HIS CLAWS. THUS DID VISHNU, BY THE FAITH | JOF His DEVOTEE, PREVENT THE TRIUMPH OF EV AND ESTABLISH VIRTUE.BENT ON CONQUERING THE DEVA: THE KING OF THE ASURAS » GUIDED BY) ISHUKRACHARVA ,HIS PRECEPTOR, PERFORMED THE VISHWAJIT SACRIFICE *.* <=. AND RECEWED FROM THE GACRIFICIAL FIRE A GOLDEN CHARIOT, a cei BOTIAL WEAPONS AND A COAT OF MAIL, FOR THE CONQUEST OF HEAVEN. % GRANDSON OF PRAHLAD, A SACRIFICE PERFORMED TO GAIN MASTERY OVER THE THREE WORLDS.DONNING THE ARMOUR, BAL] MOUNTED THE CHARIOT AND WITH HIS ASURA HORDES ADVANCED ON AMARAVATI , THE CAPITAL OF THE DEVAS AS BALI LAID SIEGE TO THE CITY, INDRA WENT TO BRIHASPATI, HIS PRECEPTOR. WHAT SHOULD WE DO, O VENERABLE ONE? ae NG fre BALI!HE IS ‘SURROUNDING our city |