Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/143

 ( Astika Parva continued. )

Sauti said, "And that bird, assuming a golden body bright as the rays of the sun, entered with great force (the region where the Soma was), like a torrent entering the ocean. And he saw in the vicinage of the Soma a wheel of steel, keen-edged, and sharp as the razor, revolving incessantly. And that fierce instrument, of the lustre of the blazing sun and of terrible form, was devised by the gods for cutting to pieces all robbers of the Soma. And Gadura seeing a passage through it stopped there for a moment. And diminishing his body, in an instant he passed through the spokes of that wheel. And within the line of the wheel, he beheld, stationed there for guarding the Soma, two great snakes of the lustre of blazing fire, of tongues bright as the lightning flash, of great energy, of mouth emitting fire, of blazing eyes, containing poison, very terrible, always in anger, and of great activity. And their eyes were ceaselessly inflamed with rage and were winkless. And he who is seen by even one of the two is instantly reduced to ashes. And the bird of fair feathers suddenly covered their eyes with dust. And unseen by them he attacked them from all sides. And the son of Vinata—that ranger of the skies—attacking their bodies, mangled them into pieces. And he then approached the Soma without loss of time. And the mighty son of Vinata, taking up the amrita from the place where it was, rose on his wings with great speed, breaking into pieces the instrument that had surrounded it. And the bird soon came out taking wended on his way without the least fatigue, darkening the splendour of the Sun.

"And the son of Vinata then met with Vishnu in his path along the sky. And Narayana was gratified with that act of self-denial on the part of Gadura. And that deity knowing no deterioration said unto the ranger of the skies, 'O I am inclined to grant thee a boon.' And the ranger of the skies thereupon said, 'I shall stay above thee.' And he again spake