en my joy. I feel a curiosity, however, in
respect of another matter. How was the Lord of the waters installed by
the celestials in that tirtha in days of yore? O best of men, tell me
that, for thou art possessed of great wisdom and art skilled in
narration!"

Vaishampayana said, "Listen, O king, to this wonderful history of what
transpired truly in a former Kalpa! In days of yore, in the Krita age, O
king, all celestials, duly approaching Varuna, said unto him these words,
'As Shakra, the Lord of the celestials, always protects us from every
fear, similarly be thou the Lord of all the rivers! Thou always residest,
O god, in the Ocean, that home of makaras! This Ocean, the lord of
rivers, will then be under thy dominion! Thou shalt then wax and wane
with Soma!' (Thus addressed) Varuna answered them, saying, 'Let it be
so!' All the celestials then, assembling together, made Varuna having his
abode in the ocean the Lord of all the waters, according to the rites
laid down in the scriptures. Having installed Varuna as the Lord of all
aquatic creatures and worshipping him duly, the celestials returned to
their respective abodes. Installed by the celestials, the illustrious
Varuna began to duly protect seas and lakes and rivers and other
reservoirs of water as Shakra protects the gods. Bathing in that tirtha
also and giving away diverse kinds of gifts, Baladeva, the slayer of
Pralamva, possessed of great wisdom, then proceeded to Agnitirtha, that
spot where the eater of clarified butter, disappearing from the view,
became concealed within the entrails of the Sami wood. When the light of
all the worlds thus disappeared, O sinless one, the gods then repaired to
the Grandsire of the universe. And they said, 'The adorable Agni has
disappeared. We do not know the reason. Let not all creatures be
destroyed. Create fire, O puissant Lord!'"

Janamejaya said, "For what reason did Agni, the Creator of all the
worlds, disappear? How also was he discovered by the gods? Tell me all
this in detail."

Vaishampayana said, "Agni of great energy became very much frightened at
the curse of Bhrigu. Concealing himself within the entrails of the Sami
wood, that adorable god disappeared from the view. Upon the disappearance
of Agni, all the gods, with Vasava at their head, in great affliction,
searched for the missing god. Finding Agni then, they saw that god lying
within the entrails of the Sami wood. The celestials, O tiger among king,
with Br