Indeed, those foremost of Asuras,
filled with pride, forsook every friendly intercourse with other
creatures. Then the divine Brahman, accompanied by the regenerate sages,
proceeded to a delightful summit of Himavat, extending for a hundred
Yojanas in area, adorned with diverse kinds of jewels and gems, and upon
whose surface the stars seemed to rest like so many lotuses on a lake. On
that prince of mountains, O sire, overgrown with forests of flowering
trees, that foremost of the gods, viz., Brahman, stayed for some time for
accomplishing the business of the world. After the lapse of a thousand
years, the puissant lord made arrangements for a grand sacrifice
according to the ordinances laid down in the scriptures. The sacrificial
altar became adorned with Rishis skilled in sacrifice and competent to
perform all acts appertaining thereto, with faggots of sacrificial fuel,
and with blazing fires. And it looked exceedingly beautiful in
consequence of the sacrificial plates and vessels all made of gold. All
the foremost ones among the gods took their seats on it. The platform was
further adorned with Sadasyas all of whom were high regenerate Rishis. I
have heard from the Rishis that soon something very awful occurred in
that sacrifice. It is heard that a creature sprang (from the sacrificial
fire) scattering the flames around him, and whose splendour equalled that
of the Moon himself when he rises in the firmament spangled with stars.
His complexion was dark like that of the petals of the blue lotus.
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