ual unto _Brahma_ in glory. And he far excelled his father and
grandfather in strength, in power, in fortune, as also in religious
austerities. And standing on one leg and with uplifted hand, that lord
of men did severe penance in the jujube forest called Visala. And there
with head downwards and with steadfast eyes he practised the rigid and
severe penance for ten thousand years. And one day, whilst he was
practising austerities there with wet clothes on and matted hair on
head, a fish approaching the banks of the Chirini, addressed him thus,
"Worshipful sir, I am a helpless little fish, I am afraid of the large
ones; therefore, do thou, O great devotee, think it worth thy while to
protect me from them; especially as this fixed custom is well
established amongst us that the strong fish always preys upon the weak
ones. Therefore do thou think it fit to save me from being drowned in
this sea of terrors! I shall requite thee for thy good offices." On
hearing these words from the fish, Vaivaswata Manu was overpowered with
pity and he took out the fish from the water with his own hands. And the
fish which had a body glistening like the rays of the moon when taken
out of the water was put back in an earthen water-vessel. And thus
reared that fish O king, grew up in size and Manu tended it carefully
like a child. And after a long while, it became so large in size, that
there was no room for it in that vessel. And then seeing Manu (one day),
it again addressed these words to him, "Worshipful sir, do thou appoint
some better habitation for me." And then the adorable Manu, the
conqueror of hostile cities, took it out of that vessel and carried it
to a large tank and placed it there. And there again the fish grew for
many a long year. And although the tank was two _yojanas_ in length and
one _yojana_ in width, even there, O lotus-eyed son of Kunti and ruler
of men, was no room for the fish to play about! And beholding Manu it
said again, "O pious and adorable father, take me to the Ganga, the
favourite spouse of the Ocean so that I may live there; or do as thou
listest. O sinless one, as I have grown to this great bulk by thy favour
I shall do thy bidding cheerfully." Thus asked the upright and continent
and worshipful Manu took the fish to the river Ganga and he put it into
the river with his own hands. And there, O conqueror of thy enemies, the
fish again grew for some little time and then beholding Manu, it said
again, "O lord,