these words from the fish, Vaivaswata Manu
was overpowered with pity and he took out the fish from the water with
his own hands. And the fish which had a body glistening like the rays of
the moon when taken out of the water was put back in an earthen
water-vessel. And thus reared that fish O king, grew up in size and Manu
tended it carefully like a child. And after a long while, it became so
large in size, that there was no room for it in that vessel. And then
seeing Manu (one day), it again addressed these words to him, 'Worshipful
sir, do thou appoint some better habitation for me.' And then the
adorable Manu, the conqueror of hostile cities, took it out of that
vessel and carried it to a large tank and placed it there. And there
again the fish grew for many a long year. And although the tank was two
yojanas in length and one yojana in width, even there, O lotus-eyed son
of Kunti and ruler of men, was no room for the fish to play about! And
beholding Manu it said again, 'O pious and adorable father, take me to
the Ganga, the favourite spouse of the Ocean so that I may live there; or
do as thou listest. O sinless one, as I have grown to this great bulk by
thy favour I shall do thy bidding cheerfully.' Thus asked the upright and
continent and worshipful Manu took the fish to the river Ganga and he put
it into the river with his own hands. And there, O conqueror of thy
enemies, the fish again grew for some little time and then beholding
Manu, it said again, 'O lord, I am unable to move about in the Ganga on
account of my great body; therefore, worshipful sir, do thou please take
me quickly to the sea!' O son of Pritha, Manu then taking it out of the
Ganga, carried it to the sea and consigned it there. And despite its
great bulk, Manu transported it easily and its touch and smell were also
pleasant to him. And when it was thrown into the sea by Manu, it said
these words to him with a smile, 'O adorable being, thou hast protected
me with special care; do thou now listen to me as to what thou shouldst
do in the fulness of time! O fortunate and worshipful sir, the
dissolution of all this mobile and immobile world is nigh at hand. The
time for the purging of this world is now ripe. Therefore do I now
explain what is good for thee! The mobile and immobile divisions of the
creation, those that have the power of locomotion, and those that have it
not, of all these the terrible doom hath now approached. Thou shall build
a strong m