i, also, all do what is
beneficial to thee. O sinless one, let Lakshmi and Arundhati too do what
is beneficial to thee. Let Asita, and Devala and Viswamitra, and Angiras,
and Vasishtha, and Kasyapa, O king, do what is beneficial to thee. Let
Dhatri, and the lord of the worlds and the points of the compass and the
regents of those points, and the six-faced Karttikeya, all give thee what
is beneficial. Let the divine Vivaswat benefit thee completely. Let the
four elephants, of the four quarters, the earth, the firmament, the
planets, and he who is underneath the earth and holds her (on his head),
O king, viz., Sesha, that foremost of snakes, give thee what is for thy
benefit. O son of Gandhari, formerly the Asura named Vritra, displaying
his prowess in battle, had defeated the best of celestials in battle. The
latter, numbering thousands upon thousands, with mangled bodies, those
denizens of heaven, with Indra at their head, deprived of energy and
might, all repaired to Brahman and sought his protection, afraid of the
great Asura Vritra. And the gods said, 'O best of gods, O foremost of
celestials, be thou the refuge of the gods now crushed by Vritra. Indeed,
rescue us from this great fear.' Then Brahman, addressing Vishnu staying
beside him as also those best of celestials headed by Sakra, said unto
them that were all cheerless, these words fraught with truth: 'Indeed, the
gods with Indra at their head, and the Brahmanas also, should ever be
protected by me. The energy of Tvashtri from which Vritra hath been
created is invincible. Having in days of yore performed ascetic penances
for a million of years, Tvashtri, then, ye gods, created Vritra,
obtaining permission from Maheswara. That mighty foe of yours hath
succeeded in smiting you through the grace of that god of gods. Without
going to the place where Sankara stayeth, ye cannot see the divine Hara.
Having seen that god, ye will be able to vanquish Vritra. Therefore, go
ye without delay to the mountains of Mandara. There stayeth that origin
of ascetic penances, that destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice, that wielder
of Pinaka, that lord of all creatures, that slayer of the Asura called
Bhaganetra.' Thus addressed by Brahman, the gods proceeding to Mandara
with Brahman in their company, beheld there that heap of energy, that
Supreme god endued with the splendour of a million suns. Seeing the gods
Maheswara welcomed them and enquired what he was to do for them. 'The
sight of an