y jealous of the unrivalled prosperity of the gods. Oppressed
(at last) by the Danavas, the gods and the celestial Rishis, failing to
obtain peace, fled away in all directions. The denizens of heaven saw the
earth looking like one sunk in sore distress. Overspread with mighty
Danavas of terrible mien, the earth seemed to be oppressed with a heavy
weight. Cheerless and grief-stricken, she seemed as if going down into the
nether depths. The Adityas, struck with fear, repaired to Brahman, and
addressing him, said, 'How, O Brahman, shall we continue to bear these
oppressions of the Danavas?' The Self-born answered them, saying, 'I have
already ordained what is to be done in this matter. Endued with boons,
and possessed of might, and swelling with pride, those senseless wretches
do not know that Vishnu of invisible form, that God incapable of being
vanquished by the very deities all acting together, hath assumed the form
of a boar. That Supreme Deity, rushing to the spot whither those wretches
among Danavas, of terrible aspect, are dwelling in thousands below the
earth, will slay them all.' Hearing these words of the Grandsire,
foremost ones among the deities felt great joy. Sometime after, Vishnu,
of mighty energy, encased in the form of a Boar, penetrating into
the nether regions, rushed against those offspring of Diti. Beholding
that extraordinary creature, all the Daityas, uniting together and
stupefied by Time, quickly proceeded against it for exerting their
strength, and stood surrounding it. Soon after, they all rushed against
that Boar and seized it simultaneously. Filled with rage they endeavoured
to drag the animal from every side. Those foremost of Danavas, of huge
bodies, possessed of mighty energy, swelling with strength, succeeded
not, however, O monarch, in doing anything to that Boar. At this they
wondered much and then became filled with fear. Numbering in thousands,
they regarded that their last hour had come. Then that Supreme God of all
the gods, having yoga for his soul and yoga for his companion, became
rapt in yoga, O chief of the Bharatas, and began to utter tremendous
roars, agitating those Daityas and Danavas. All the worlds and the ten
points of the compass resounded with those roars, which, for this reason,
agitated all creatures and filled them with fear. The very gods with
Indra at their head became terror-stricken. The whole universe became
stilled in consequence of that sound. It was a dreadful t