or my last
quarter.'

"'"Sakra said, 'They that are good among men, devoted to Brahmanas, and
truthful in speech, may bear thy fourth quarter. The good have the power
to bear it.'

"'"Sree said, 'Here I yield up my fourth quarter that is to be placed among
the good. My portions thus assigned to different creatures, do thou
continue to protect me, O Sakra.'

"'"Sakra said, 'Listen to these words of mine. I have thus distributed thee
among different creatures. Those among creatures that will offend against
thee shall be chastised by me.' The chief of the Daityas, viz., Vali, thus
deserted by Sree, then said these words.

"'"Vali said, 'At present the Sun shines as much in the east as in the
west, and as much in the north as in the south. When, however, the Sun,
withdrawing himself from all sides, will shine only upon the region of
Brahman situated in the middle of Sumeru, then will again occur a great
battle between the gods and the Asuras, and in that fight I shall
certainly vanquish all of you. When the Sun, withdrawing himself from all
sides, will shine fixedly upon only the region of Brahman, then will
again occur a great battle between the gods and the Asuras, and in that
fight I shall surely conquer all of you.'[848]

"'"Sakra said, 'Brahman hath commanded me saying that I should never kill
thee. It is for this reason, O Vali, that I do not hurl my thunderbolt
upon thy head. Go whithersoever thou wishest, O chief of the Daityas! O
great Asura, peace to thee! No time will come when the Sun will shine
from only the meridian. The Self-born (Brahman) hath before this ordained
the laws that regulate the Sun's motions. Giving light and heat to all
creatures, he goes on ceaselessly. For six months he travels in a
northward course and then for the other six in a southward course. The
sun travels by these courses (one after another), creating winter and
summer for all creatures.'"

"'Bhishma continued, "Thus addressed by Indra, O Bharata, Vali, the chief
of the Daityas, proceeded towards the south. Purandara proceeded towards
the north. The thousand-eyed Indra, after having listened to this speech
of Vali which was characterised by an entire absence of pride, then
ascended the skies."'"

SECTION CCXXVI

"'Bhishma said, "In this connection is also cited the old narrative of the
discourse between him of a hundred sacrifices and the Asura Namuchi, O
Yudhishthira. When the Asura Namuchi, who was conversant with the