on of all persons possessed of
knowledge and ascetic virtue. The worlds are all supported by asceticism.
Therefore, they said, 'Lose no time for the destruction of asceticism.
Compass ye without delay the destruction of those on earth that are
possessed of ascetic virtues, that are conversant with duties and the
ways of morality, and that have a knowledge of Brahma; for when these are
destroyed, the universe itself will be destroyed.' And all the Danavas,
having arrived at this resolution for the destruction of the universe,
became highly glad. And thenceforth they made the ocean--that abode of
Varuna--with billows high as hills, their fort, from which to make their
sallies."

SECTION CII

"Lomasa said, 'The Kalakeyas then having recourse to that receptacle of
waters, which is the abode of Varuna, began their operations for the
destruction of the universe. And during the darkness of the night those
angry Daityas began to devour the Munis they found in woody retreats and
sacred spots. And those wicked wretches devoured in the asylum of
Vasishtha, Brahmanas to the number of a hundred and eighty, besides nine
other ascetics. And, proceeding to the asylum of Chyavana that was
inhabited by many Brahmacharis, they devoured a century of Brahmanas that
lived upon fruit and roots alone. And they began to do all this during
the darkness of the night, while they entered the depths of the sea by
day. And they slew a full score of Brahmanas of subdued souls and leading
a Brahmacharya mode of life and living upon air and water alone, in the
retreat of Bharadwaja. And it was thus that those Danavas the Kalakeyas,
intoxicated with prowess of arms and their lives nearly run out,
gradually invaded all the asylums of the Rishis during the darkness of
the night, slaughtering numerous Brahmanas. And, O best of men, although
the Danavas behaved in this way towards the ascetics in woody retreats,
yet men failed to discover anything of them. And every morning people saw
the dead bodies of Munis emaciated with frugal diet, lying on the ground.
And many of those bodies were without flesh and without blood, without
marrow, without entrails, and with limbs separated from one another. And
here and there lay on the ground heaps of bones like masses of conch
shells. And the earth was scattered over with the (sacrificial) contents
of broken jars and shattered ladles for pouring libations of clarified
butter and with the sacred fires kept with car