defeated by him and afflicted by Time.  It was here that the Lord of creatures—­that great Master of all created things—­Mahadeva—­had practised the severest of ascetic austerities for the benefit of all creatures.  Here dwell many regenerate and great Rishis observant of vows called ‘Go’ and emaciated with the recitation and study of the Vedas, and who, having suspended the vital air called Prana, have attained to heaven by force of their austerities.  A man is said to adopt the vow called Go, when he sleepeth wherever he listeth, and when he subsisteth on anything that others place before him, and is clad with robes that others may supply.  Here in the race of the celebrated elephant Supratika were born those best of elephants known by the names of Airavata, Vamana, Kumuda and Anjana, the first being the king of his tribe.  Look, O Matali, if there be any bridegroom here, that is distinguished by the possession of superior merits, for then I will go to him for respectfully soliciting him to accept thy daughter.  Behold, here lieth an egg in these waters, blazing with beauty.  From the commencement of the creation it is here.  It moveth not, nor doth it burst.  I have never heard any body speaking of its birth or nature.  Nobody knoweth who its father or mother is.  It is said, O Matali, that when the end of the world cometh, mighty fire burst forth from within it, and spreading consumeth the three worlds with all their mobile and immobile objects.’  Hearing those words of Narada, Matali answered him, saying, ’No one here seems to me to be eligible.  Let us go hence, therefore, without delay!’”

SECTION C

“Narada continued, ’Here is that spacious and celebrated city of cities, called Hiranyapura, belonging to the Daityas and Danavas, possessing a hundred diverse kinds of illusion.  Here in these regions called Patala, it hath been built with great care by the divine artificer, and planned by the Danava Maya.  Endued with great energy and heroism, many Danavas, having obtained boons (from Brahman) in days of old, lived here, exhibiting a thousand different kinds of illusion.  They were incapable of being vanquished by Sakra or any other celestial, that is, by either Yama, or Varuna, or the Lord of treasures (Kuvera).  Here dwell, O Matali, those Asuras called Kalakhanjas who sprang from Vishnu, and those Rakshasas also called Yatudhanas who sprang from the feet of Brahman.  All of them are endued with frightful teeth, terrible impetus, the speed and prowess of the wind, and great energy depending on powers of illusion.  Besides these, another class of Danavas called Nivatakavachas, who are invincible in battle, have their abode here.  Thou knowest bow Sakra is unable to vanquish them.  Many times, O Matali, thou, with thy son Gomukha, and the chief of the celestials and lord of Sachi, along with his son, had to retreat before them.  Behold their homes, O Matali, that are all made of silver and gold, and well-adorned with