s of the Ganges are many habitations of serpents. There I
constantly adore the great serpents. Who except Airavata would desire to
move in the burning rays of the Sun? When Dhritarashtra (Airavata's
brother) goes out, twenty-eight thousand and eight serpents follow him as
his attendants. Ye who move near him and ye who stay at a distance from
him, I adore all of you that have Airavata for your elder brother.

"I adore thee also, to obtain the ear-rings, O Takshaka, who formerly
dwelt in Kurukshetra and the forest of Khandava! Takshaka and Aswasena,
ye are constant companions who dwell in Kurukshetra on the banks of the
Ikshumati! I also adore the illustrious Srutasena, the younger brother of
Takshaka, who resided at the holy place called Mahadyumna with a view to
obtaining the chiefship of the serpents.

"The Brahmana Rishi Utanka having saluted the chief serpents in this
manner, obtained not, however, the ear-rings. And he thereupon became
very thoughtful. And when he saw that he obtained not the ear-rings even
though he had adored the serpents, he then looked about him and beheld
two women at a loom weaving a piece of cloth with a fine shuttle; and in
the loom were black and white threads. And he likewise saw a wheel, with
twelve spokes, turned by six boys. And he also saw a man with a handsome
horse. And he began to address them the following mantras:

"This wheel whose circumference is marked by twenty-four divisions
representing as many lunar changes is furnished with three hundred
spokes! It is set in continual motion by six boys (the seasons)! These
damsels representing universal nature are weaving without intermission a
cloth with threads black and white, and thereby ushering into existence
the manifold worlds and the beings that inhabit them! Thou wielder of the
thunder, the protector of the universe, the slayer of Vritra and Namuchi,
thou illustrious one who wearest the black cloth and displayest truth and
untruth in the universe, thou who ownest for thy carrier the horse which
was received from the depths of the ocean, and which is but another form
of Agni (the god of fire), I bow to thee, thou supreme Lord, thou Lord of
the three worlds, O Purandara!'

"Then the man with the horse said unto Utanka, 'I am gratified by this
thy adoration. What good shall I do to thee?' And Utanka replied, 'Even
let the serpents be brought under my control.' Then the man rejoined,
'Blow into this horse.' And Utanka blew into