Mahabharata 05 (eng)..

UDYOGA PARAVA
SECTION XVI
and again three-fold. O eater of burnt offerings, abandoned by thee the Universe would forthwith
cease to be. The Brahmanas by bowing to thee, win with their wives and sons an eternal region, the
reward of their own meritorious deeds. O Agni, it is thou who art the bearer of sacred offerings.
Thou, O Agni, art thyself the best offering. In a sacrificial ceremony of the supreme order, it is thee
that they worship with incessant gifts and offerings. O bearer of offerings, having created the three
worlds, thou when the hour cometh, consumeth them in thy unkindled form. Thou art the mother of
the whole Universe; and thou again, O Agni, art its termination. The wise call thee identical with
the clouds and with the lightning; flames issuing from thee, support all creatures. All the waters are
deposited in thee; so is this entire world. To thee, O purifier, nothing is unknown in the three
worlds. Every body taketh kindly to his progenitor; do thou enter the waters without fear. I shall
render thee strong with the eternal hymns of the Veda. Thus glorified, the bearer of burnt offerings,
that best of poets, well-pleased, spoke laudable words to Vrihaspati. And he said, 'I shall show Indra
to thee. This I tell thee for truth.'
Salya continued, 'Then Agni entered the waters including seas and tiny ponds, and came to that reservoir,
where, O best of Bharata's race, while searching the lotus flowers, he saw the king of the
gods lying within the fibres of a lotus-stalk. And soon coming back, he informed Vrihaspati how
Indra had taken refuge in the fibres of a lotus-stalk, assuming a minute form. Then Vrihaspati, accompanied
by the gods, the saints and the Gandharvas, went and glorified the slayer of Vala by referring
to his former deeds. And he said, 'O Indra, the great Asura Namuchi was killed by thee; and
those two Asuras also of terrible strength, viz., Samvara and Vala. Wax strong, O performer of a
hundred sacrifices, and slay all thy foes. Rise, O Indra! Behold, here are assembled the gods and the
saints. O Indra, O great lord, by slaying Asuras, thou hast delivered the worlds. Having got the froth
of waters, strengthened with Vishnu's energy, thou formerly slew Vritra. Thou art the refuge of all
creatures and art adorable. There is no being equal to thee. All the creatures, O Indra, are supported
by thee, Thou didst build the greatness of the gods. Deliver all, together with the worlds by assuming
thy strength, O great Indra.' And thus glorified, Indra increased little by little; and having assumed
his own form, he waxed strong and spoke to the preceptor Vrihaspati standing before. And
he said, 'What business of yours yet remaineth; the great Asuras, son of Twashtri, hath been killed;
and Vritra also, whose form was exceedingly big and who destroyed the worlds.'
Vrihaspati said, 'The human Nahusha, a king, having, obtained the throne of heaven by virtue of the
power of the divine saints, is giving us exceeding trouble.'
Indra said, 'How hath Nahusha obtained the throne of heaven, difficult to get? What austerities did
he practise? How great is his power, O Vrihaspati!'
Vrihaspati said, 'The gods having been frightened, wished for a king of heaven, for thou hadst given
up the high dignity of heaven's ruler. Then the gods, the Pitris of the universe, the saints, and the
principal Gandharvas, all met together, O Indra, and went to Nahusha and said, 'Be thou our king,
and the defender of the Universe!' To them said Nahusha, 'I am not able; fill me with your power
and with the virtue of your austerities!' So told, the deities strengthened him, O king of the gods!
And thereupon Nahusha became a person of terrible strength, and becoming thus the ruler of the
three worlds, he hath put the great saints in harness, and the wretch is thus journeying from world to
world. Mayst thou never see Nahusha who is terrible. He emitteth poison from his eyes, and absorbeth
the energy of all. All the gods are exceedingly frightened; they go about concealed and do not
cast a glance at him!'
Salya continued, While that best of Angira's race was thus speaking, there came that guardian of the
world, Kuvera, and also Yama the son of Surya, and the old god Soma, and Varuna. And arrived
there they said to the great Indra, 'How lucky that the son of Twashtri hath been killed, and Vritra
also! How lucky, O Indra, that we are beholding thee safe and sound, while all thy enemies have
been killed!' Indra received all those guardians of the worlds, and with a glad heart greeted them in
proper form with a view to requesting them in connection with Nahusha. And he said, 'Nahusha of
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