ede the progress of their asceticism. The celestials
repeatedly tempted the brothers by means of every precious possession and
the most beautiful girls. The brothers broke not their vows. Then the
celestials once more manifested, before the illustrious brothers, their
powers of illusion. For it seemed their sisters, mothers, wives, and
other relatives, with disordered hair and ornaments and robes, were
running towards them in terror, pursued and struck by a Rakshasa with a
lance in hand. And it seemed that the women implored the help of the
brothers crying, 'O save us!' But all this went for nothing, for firmly
wedded thereto, the brothers did not still break their vows. And when it
was found that all this produced not the slightest impression on any of
the two, both the women and the Rakshasa vanished from sight. At last the
Grandsire himself, the Supreme Lord ever seeking the welfare of all, came
unto those great Asuras and asked them to solicit the boon they desired.
Then the brothers Sunda and Upasunda, both of great prowess, beholding
the Grandsire, rose from their seats and waited with joined palms. And
the brothers both said unto the God, 'O Grandsire, if thou hast been
pleased with these our ascetic austerities, and art, O lord, propitious
unto us, then let us have knowledge of all weapons and of all powers of
illusion. Let us be endued with great strength, and let us be able to
assume any form at will. And last of all, let us also be immortal.'
Hearing these words of theirs, Brahman said, 'Except the immortality you
ask for, you shall be given all that you desire. Solicit you some form of
death by which you may still be equal unto the immortals. And since you
have undergone these severe ascetic austerities from desire of
sovereignty alone I cannot confer on you the boon of immortality. You
have performed your ascetic penances even for the subjugation of the
three worlds. It is for this, O mighty Daityas, that I cannot grant you
what you desire.'

"Narada continued, 'Hearing these words of Brahman, Sunda and Upasunda
said, 'O Grandsire, let us have no fear then from any created thing,
mobile or immobile, in the three worlds, except only from each other!'
The Grandsire then said, 'I grant you what you have asked for, even this
your desire'. And granting them this boon, the Grandsire made them desist
from their asceticism, and returned to his own region. Then the brothers,
those mighty Daityas, having received thos