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But the Asuras heeded him not. The Devas ran after them.
"O ye cowards?" exclaimed Vritra, "What glory do you gain by
running after those that fly away. Come and approach those that
are in the field " So saying he attacked Indra. Indra in anger threw
a large club at him. Vritra easily took it up with his left hand. He
struck it with force on the head of Airavata, the elephant of Indra.
The elephant receded 28 cubits and vomitted blood, The magnani-
mous Vritra seeing the distress of the animal did not strike it again.
Indra softly touched the injured animal, trying to give it relief
and he took respite for some time. Vritra remembered the wicked
deeds of Indra and addressed him thus " O thou assassinator of a
Brahmana! Thou didst kill thy own Guru, my brother Visvarupa.
Thou didst raise faith and trust in my brother's mind and still thou
didst kill that innocent, wise Brahmana, your own Guru, having been
initiated by him in Yajna. Your karma makes you worse than even
Rakshasas. It is meet that I shall kill thee with this Trident and make
over thy body as food for vultures. And if thou, O Indra, cuttest
off my head, I shall be free from the bond of Karma, by offering my
body as Bali (sacrificial food) to the animals. Here I stand before
thee. Why dost thou not strike with the Vajra. Thou hast been
favoured by Vishnu and by Dadhichi. Victory and all the virtues al-
ways follow Vishnu. I will do as advised by my deity Sankarshana and
attain after death the state of Yogins by sacrificing this body. O
Bhagavat, may I ever and ever remain in the Service of thy votaries.
This I deem a thousand times more desirable than the attainment of
the Supreme Abode, or of Siddhis or of Mukti."
Vritra then took the trident in hand and attacked Indra
Indra then had recourse to Vajra and he easily cut off both the
trident and one hand of Vritra. Vritra took a club in the other hand
and struck both Indra and the elephant. The Vajra slipped out of
the hands of Indra and he felt ashamed to pick it up in the presence
of his enemy. " Pick it up, O King of Devas, and kill your enemy.
This is no time for shame or sorrow. It is not you or I that are the
real actors. Bhagavan is guiding us all. He guides the whole Uni-
verse. Look at me. I have been worsted, hand and weapon gone,
still I am trying my best to kill you. This our fight is but like the
game of dice in which the life of one of us is the stake."
Indra could not help wondering at the wisdom and magna-
nimity of Vritra. He exclained " O king of Danavas! thou hast got
over the Maya of Vishnu. The Asura nature has altogether- left thee
and thou art fixed in devotion to Vishnu. Verily thou art a Mahatma
now."
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