weta abounding in silver. And, O king, I saw there the
mountain Gandhamadana, and, O tiger among men, also Mandara and the huge
mountains of Nila. And, O great king, I saw there the golden mountains
of Meru and also Mahendra and those excellent mountains called the
Vindhyas. And I beheld there the mountains of Malaya and of Paripatra
also. These and many other mountains that are on earth were all seen by
me in his stomach. And all these were decked with jewels and gems. And,
O monarch, while wandering through his stomach, I also beheld lions and
tigers and boars and, indeed, all other animals that are on earth, O
great king! O tiger among men, having entered his stomach, as I wandered
around, I also beheld the whole tribe of the _gods_ with their chief
Sakra, the _Sadhyas_, the _Rudras_, the _Adityas_, the _Guhyakas_, the
_Pitris_, the _Snakes_ and the _Nagas_, the feathery tribes, the
_Vasus_, the _Aswins_, the _Gandharvas_, the _Apsaras_, the _Yakshas_,
the _Rishis_, the hordes of the _Daityas_ and the _Danavas_, and the
_Nagas_ also, O king, and the sons of _Singhika_ and all the other
enemies of the gods; indeed what else of mobile and immobile creatures
may be seen on earth, were all seen by me, O monarch, within the stomach
of that high-souled one. And, O lord, living upon fruits I dwelt within
his body for many centuries wandering over the entire universe that is
there. Never did I yet, O king, behold the limits of his body. And when,
O lord of earth, I failed to measure the limits of that high-souled
one's body, even though I wandered within him continuously in great
anxiety of mind, I then, in thought and deed sought the protection of
that boon-giving and pre-eminent Deity, duly acknowledging his
superiority. And when I had done this, O king, I was suddenly projected
(from within his body) through that high-souled one's open mouth by
means, O chief of men, of a gust of wind. And, O king, I then beheld
seated on the branch of that very banian that same Being of immeasurable
energy, in the form of a boy with the mark of _Sreevatsa_ (on his
breast) having, O tiger among men, swallowed up the whole universe. And
that boy of blazing effulgence and bearing the mark of _Sreevatsa_ and
attired in yellow robes, gratified with me, smilingly addressed me,
saying, "O Markandeya, O best of _Munis_, having dwelt for some time
within my body, thou hast been fatigued! I shall however speak unto
thee." And as he said this to me,