as and the
Danavas. With those steeds worshipped by all the worlds, and which
coursed with such speed that they seemed to devour the skies, the
illustrious god quickly proceeded for the victory of the denizens of
heaven. Indeed, when Bhava, riding on the car, set out towards the triple
city, his bull uttered tremendous roars, filling all the points of the
compass. Hearing that loud and terrible roar of the bull, many of the
descendants and followers of Taraka, those enemies of the gods, breathed
their last. Others amongst them stood facing the foe for battle. Then
Sthanu, O king, armed with trident became deprived of his senses in
wrath. All creatures became frightened, and the three worlds began to
tremble. Frightful portents appeared when he was on the point of aiming
that shaft. In consequence, however, of the pressure caused by the weight
of Soma, Agni, and Vishnu that were in that shaft, as also of the
pressure caused by the weight of Brahman and Rudra and the latter's bow,
that car seemed to sink. Then Narayana, issuing out of the point of that
shaft, assumed the form of a bull and raised that large car. During the
time the car had sunk and the foe had began to roar, the illustrious
Deity, endued with great might began, from rage, to utter loud shouts,
standing, O giver of honours, on the head of his bull and the back of his
steeds. At that time the illustrious Rudra was employed in eyeing the
Danava city. While in that posture, O best of men, Rudra cut off the
teats of the horses and clove the hoofs of the bull. Blessed be thou,
from the date the hoofs of all animals of the bovine species came to be
cloven. And from that time, O king, horses, afflicted by the mighty Rudra
of wonderful deeds, came to be without teats. Then Sarva, having stringed
his bow and aimed that shaft with which he had united the Pasupata
weapon, waited thinking of the triple city. And O king, as Rudra thus
stood, holding his bow, the three cities during that time became united.
When the three cities, losing their separate characters became united,
tumultuous became the joy of the high-souled gods. Then all the gods, the
Siddhas, and the great Rishis, uttered the word Jaya, adoring Maheshwara.
The triple city then appeared immediately before that god of unbearable
energy, that Deity of fierce and indescribable form, that warrior who was
desirous of slaying the Asuras. The illustrious deity, that Lord of the
universe, then drawing that celestia