rowess. Possessed as Dhundhu is of mighty energy, no one, O king,
that is endued with small energy himself will be capable of consuming
him, even if he were to strive for a hundred years.'"

SECTION CCII

"Markandeya said, 'Thus addressed by Utanka, that unvanquished royal
sage, with joined hands, O thou foremost of the Kuru race, replied unto
Utanka, saying, 'This visit of thine, O Brahmana, will not be in vain.
This my son, O holy one, known by the name of Kuvalaswa is endued with
steadiness and activity. In prowess also he is unequalled on earth.
Without doubt he will accomplish all this that is agreeable to thee,
aided by all his brave sons endued with arms like unto iron maces. Give
me leave to retire, O Brahmana, for I have now given up my weapons.' Thus
addressed by the king, that Muni of immeasurable energy replied unto him,
saying, 'So be it." And the royal sage Vrihadaswa then, having commended
his son to obey the behest of the high-souled Utanka saying, 'Let it be
done by thee,' himself retired into an excellent forest.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'O holy one, O thou possessed of the wealth of
asceticism, who was this Daitya of great energy? Whose son and whose
grandson was he? I desire to know all this; O thou possessed of the
wealth of asceticism I never heard of this mighty Daitya before. I desire
to know all this truly, O holy one, and with all particulars in detail, O
thou of great wisdom and ascetic wealth!'

"Markandeya said, 'O monarch, know everything as it happened, O ruler of
men, as I narrate the particulars truly, O thou of great wisdom! When the
world became one broad expanse of water and creatures mobile and immobile
were destroyed, when, O bull of the Bharata race, the entire creation
came to its end. He who is the Source and Creator of the Universe, viz.,
the Eternal and unfading Vishnu, He who is called by Munis crowned with
ascetic success as the Supreme Lord of the Universe, that Being of great
holiness, then lay in Yoga sleep on the wide hood of the Snake Sesha of
immeasurable energy, and the Creator of the Universe, that highly-blessed
and holy Hari, knowing no deterioration, lay on the hood of that Snake
encircling the whole Earth and as the Deity lay asleep on that bed, a
lotus, endued with great beauty and effulgence equal unto that of the
Sun, sprang from his navel. And from that lotus possessed of effulgence
like unto the Sun's, sprang the Grandsire Brahma, that lord of the worlds