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to the Devas, but secretly reserved some for his mother's relations
the Asuras. Indra once found out this treachery. He became angry
and cut off the three heads of Visvarupa. The Soma drinking head
became Chataka (the Swallow, supposed to live only on rain drops).
The liquor imbibing head became Chataka (the Sparrow). The food
eating head became Tittiri (the francoline partridge). The sin of
killing a Brahmana attached to Indra. He divided it into equal parts
and distributed them between earth, water, trees and woman. Earth
accepted her part on receiving the boon that her cavities would be
filled up by nature. But the sin manifests itself in the barren lands.
The trees took their part in return for the boon that the wounds on
their cuticle should naturally heal up of themselves. But the sin
shows itself in the exudation. Water was persuaded by the boon that
it could mix with any other substance. But the sin shows itself in
bubbles and foam,
THE STORY OF VRITRU.
SKANDHA VI. CHAP. 9-13.
Tvastri became enraged at the death of his son. He gave
offerings to Agni for the destruction of Indra. A huge and fearful
A sura rose out of the sacrificial fire. The Devas threw their weapons
at him, but he swallowed them all. Wonderstruck they prayed to
Vishnu for help. Vishnu asked them to go to Dadhichi and pray
for his body and assured them that the weapon made of his bones by
Visvakarma would cut off the head of Vritra. The Devas went to
Dadhichi and got his body. Visvakarma made the thunderbolt instru-
ment (Vajra) out of his bones. Indra went with this instrument at
the head of the Devas to fight with Vritra. The fight took place at
the commencement of Treta Yuga in the first Yuga cycle of Vaivas-
vata Manvantata^ on the banks of the Narmada. After a severe fight,
the chances shewed themselves favourable to the Devas. The Daitya
and Danava chiefs began to shew their backs to the enemies. " What
is this my companions? " exclaimed Vritra, " Is not death inevitable?
And what death is more enviable than that with honor and glory?
There are two modes of death, rare though they be, that are given
the palm in all religious books one is by control of the Pranas by
means of Yoga and the other is by facing enemies foremost of all,
in the battle field."
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