Meanwhile, on the occasion of a war between the gods and the danavas, Shakra wandered through the three worlds in search of weapons.  The great god, however, failed to find such weapons as were fit to slay the foes of the celestials.  Shakra then said unto the gods.  ’The great asuras are incapable of being dealt with by me!  Indeed, without the bones of Dadhica, our foes could not be slain!  Ye best of celestials, repair, therefore, to that foremost of rishis and solicit him, saying, “Grant us, O Dadhica, thy bones!  With them we will slay our foes!”

Besought by them for his bones, that foremost of rishis, O chief of Kuru’s race, unhesitatingly gave up his life.  Having done what was agreeable to the gods, the sage obtained many regions of inexhaustible merit.  With his bones, meanwhile, Shakra joyfully caused to be made many kinds of weapons, such as thunderbolts, discs, heavy maces, and many kinds of clubs and bludgeons.  Equal unto the Creator himself, Dadhica, had been begotten by the great rishi Bhrigu, the son of the Lord of all creatures, with the aid of his austere penances.  Of stout limbs and possessed of great energy, Dadhica had been made the strongest of creatures in the world.  The puissant Dadhica, celebrated for his glory, became tall like the king of mountains.  The chastiser of Paka had always been anxious on account of his energy.  With the thunderbolt born of brahma energy, and inspired with mantras, O Bharata, Indra made a loud noise when he hurled it, and slew nine and ninety heroes among the daityas.  After a long and dreadful time had elapsed since then, a drought, O king, occurred that extended for twelve years.  During that drought extending for twelve years, the great rishis, for the sake of sustenance, fled away, O monarch, on all sides.

Beholding them scattered in all directions, the sage Sarasvata also set his heart on flight.  The river Sarasvati then said unto him, ’Thou needst not, O son, depart hence, for I will always supply thee with food even here by giving thee large fishes!  Stay thou, therefore, even here!’ Thus addressed (by the river), the sage continued to live there and offer oblations of food unto the rishis and the gods.  He got also his daily food and thus continued to support both himself and the gods.

After that twelve year’s drought had passed away, the great rishis solicited one another for lectures on the Vedas.  While wandering with famished stomachs, the rishis had lost the knowledge of the Vedas.  There was, indeed, not one amongst them that could understand the scriptures.  It chanced that someone amongst them encountered Sarasvata, that foremost of rishis, while the latter was reading the Vedas with concentrated attention.  Coming back to the conclave of rishis, he spoke to them of Sarasvata of unrivalled splendour and god-like mien engaged in reading the Vedas in a solitary forest.  Then all the great rishis came to that spot, and jointly spoke unto Sarasvata,