e several boons became
incapable of being slain by anybody in the universe. They then returned
to their own abode. All their friends and relatives, beholding those
Daityas of great intelligence, crowned with success in the matter of the
boons they had obtained, became exceedingly glad. And Sunda and Upasunda
then cut off their matted locks and wore coronets on their heads. Attired
in costly robes and ornaments, they looked exceedingly handsome. They
caused the moon to rise over their city every night even out of his
season. And friends and relatives gave themselves up to joy and merriment
with happy hearts. Eat, feed, give, make merry, sing, drink--these were
the sounds heard everyday in every house. And here and there arose loud
uproars of hilarity mixed with clappings of hands which filled the whole
city of the Daityas, who being capable of assuming any form at will, were
engaged in every kind of amusement and sport and scarcely noticed the
flight of time, even regarding a whole year as a single day.'"

SECTION CCXII

(Rajya-labha Parva continued)

'Narada continued, 'As soon as those festivities came to an end, the
brothers Sunda and Upasunda, desirous of the Sovereignty of the three
worlds, took counsel and commanded their forces to be arranged. Obtaining
the assent of their friends and relatives, of the elders of the Daitya
race and of their ministers of state, and performing the preliminary
rites of departure, they set out in the night when the constellation
Magha was in the ascendant. The brothers set out with a large Daitya
force clad in mail and armed with maces and axes and lances and clubs.
The Daitya heroes set out on their expedition with joyous hearts, the
charanas (bards) chanting auspicious panegyrics indicative of their
future triumphs. Furious in war, the Daitya brothers, capable of going
everywhere at will, ascended the skies and went to the region of the
celestials. The celestials knowing they were coming and acquainted also
with the boons granted unto them by the Supreme Deity left heaven and
sought refuge in the region of Brahman. Endued with fierce prowess, the
Daitya heroes soon subjugated the region of Indra, and vanquishing the
diverse tribes of Yakshas and Rakshasas and every creature ranging the
skies, came away. Those mighty car-warriors next subjugated the Nagas of
the nether region, and then the inmates of the ocean and then all the
tribes of the Mlechchhas. Desirous next of subjugat