PLATE THREE

‘After Visvaripa was killed by King Indra, Visvarapa’s father,
Tvasta, performed ritualistic ceremonies to kill Indra by offering obla-
tions in the sacrificial fire. Thereafter, from the southern side of the
sacrificial fire came a fearful personality who looked like the destroyer of
the entire creation at the end of the millennium. Like arrows released in
the four directions, the demon’s body grew, day after day. Tall and
blackish, he appeared like a burnt hill and was as lustrous as a bright ar-
ray of clouds in the evening. The hair on the demon’s body and his beard
and mustache were the color of melted copper, and his eyes were pierc-
ing like the midday sun. He appeared unconquerable, as if holding the
three worlds on the point of his blazing trident. Dancing and shouting
with a loud voice, he made the entire surface of the earth tremble as if
from an earthquake. As he yawned again and again, he seemed to be try-
ing to swallow the whole sky with his mouth, which was as deep as a
cave. He seemed to be licking up all the stars in the sky with his tongue
and eating the entire universe with his long, sharp teeth. Seeing this
gigantic demon, everyone, in great fear, ran here and there in all
directions.” (pp. 108-110)
