ordship of all creatures is mine. Occupying that rank, I have given a
great boon to the Danavas. It behoveth none else, save thee, O Lord of
the Past and the Future, to destroy those wicked wights that show no
regard for any one. Thou O god, art the only person competent to slay the
foes of these denizens of heaven that have sought thy protection and that
solicit thee. O lord of all the gods, show favour to these. Slay the
Danavas, O wielder of the trident. O giver of honours, let the universe,
through thy grace, obtain happiness. O Lord of all the worlds, thou art
the one whose shelter should be sought. We all seek thy shelter.'

"'"Sthanu said, 'All your foes should be slain. But, I shall not however,
slay them single-handed. The enemies of the gods are possessed of might.
Therefore, all of you, united together, consume those enemies of yours in
battle, with half my might. Union is great strength.'

"'"The gods said, 'Theirs (Danavas') is twice the energy and might of
ourselves, we think, for we have already seen their energy and might.'

"'"The holy one said, 'Those sinful wights that have offended against ye
should be slain. With half of my energy and might, slay all those enemies
of yours.'

"'"The gods said, 'We will not be able, O Maheswara, to bear half of thy
energy. With, on the other hand, half of our united might, do thou slay
those foes.'

"'"The holy one said, 'If, indeed, ye have not the ability to bear half
of my might, then, endued with half of your united energy, I will slay
them.'

"'Duryodhana continued, "The celestials then, addressing the god of gods,
said 'So be it' O best of kings. Taking half of their energies from all
of them, he became superior in might. Indeed, in might that god became
superior to all in the universe. From that time Sankara came to be called
Mahadeva. And Mahadeva then said, 'Armed with bow and shaft, I will, from
my car, slay in battle those foes of yours, ye denizens of heaven.
Therefore, ye gods, see now to my car and bow and shaft so that I may,
this very day, throw the Asuras down on the Earth.'

"'"The gods said, 'Gathering all forms that may be found in the three
worlds and taking portions of each, we will each, O Lord of the gods,
construct a car of great energy for thee. It will be a large car, the
handiwork of Viswakarman, designed with intelligence.' Saying this, those
tigers among the gods began the construction of that car. And they made
Vishnu and Soma an