ee before you, of vast proportions
like unto a mountain and beautiful as the Kailasa cliff, is a collection
of the bones of the mighty Daitya Naraka, Being placed on a mountain, it
looketh like one. The Daitya was slain by that Supreme Soul, the eternal
God Vishnu, for the good of the lord of celestials. Aiming at the
possession of Indra's place, by the force of austere and Vedic lore, that
mighty-minded (demon) had practised austere penances for ten thousand
years. And on account of his asceticism, as also of the force and might
of his arms he had grown invincible and always harassed (Indra). And O
sinless one, knowing his strength and austerities and observance of
religious vows, Indra became agitated and was overwhelmed with fear. And
mentally he thought of the eternal deity, Vishnu. And thereat the
graceful lord of the universe, who is present everywhere, appeared and
stood before him manifest. And the sages and celestials began to
propitiate Vishnu with prayers. And in his presence even Agni of the six
attributes and of blazing beauty being overpowered by his effulgence,
became shorn of radiance and seeing before him the God Vishnu, the chief
of the celestials who wields the thunder-bolt, bowing with head down
readily apprised Vishnu of the source of his fear. Thereupon Vishnu said,
'I know, O Sakra, that thy fear proceedeth from Naraka, that lord of the
Daityas. By the merit of his successful ascetic acts he aimeth at Indra's
position. Therefore, for pleasing thee, I shall certainly sever his soul
from his body, although he hath achieved success in asceticism. Do thou,
lord of celestials, wait for a moment.' Then the exceedingly powerful
Vishnu deprived (Naraka) of his senses (by striking him) with his hand.
And he fell down on the earth even like the monarch of mountains struck
by (thunder). He was thus slain by a miracle and his bones lie gathered
at this spot. Here also is manifest another deed of Vishnu's. Once the
whole earth having been lost and sunk into the nether regions she was
lifted up by him in the shape of a boar having a single tusk.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'O worshipful one, relate in particular how Vishnu,
the lord of the celestials, raised up the earth sunk a hundred yojanas?
In what manner also was that support of all created things--the goddess
Earth of high fortune--who dispenseth blessings and bringeth forth all
sorts of corn rendered stable? Through whose power had she sunk an
hundred yojanas b