________________
70
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH, 1897.
pukshas,66 sankránti.07 And I created four castes to act according to their allotted parts, and the three Ganas and many truths. Who beside me is able to create all these things s0 wonderfully?
Vishņu, being haughty and also feeling boastful, spoke angrily and with trembling lips to Brahma thus: O foolish Brahma, puffed up with vain arrogance. Fools in their old age always become forgetful. People unable to do any work, bump-backed people and proud people speak of their own deeds and jeer at others. It is the custom of aged people to exaggerate and to claim to have done work which has really been done by others. You are sprang from my body; you are foolish in your vain arrogance. I am the creator of all worlds, and you, being my son, are my dependent1 You merely create worlds through my power, and according to my behests. Otherwise how would the variations in creation occur? I only am the supporter of all the worlds, and there is none beside me. I am the only creator and the only protector. There is no doubt that all the worlds would be destroyed without me. I have gone through incarnations and slain invincible enemies. Who clse besides me would be able (to do all this)?
On hearing Vishņu speak thus, Dhîtri7 became very angry, and he struck Kêśava on the cheek. Vishụu, being strack, burned with the fire of anger. Hari, thon, on his part, beat him (Brahmi) with his four hands. Being beaten severely, Vidhi's fainted for a moment Getting up he knocked Vishnu down with his hands. In the act of falling Vishnu canght him by his feet and threw him away. Vidhi having fainted74 fell down into the city of Varanasi. Vishņu followed, and seizing Vidhi again, he beat him with bis hands, and Vidhi getting up beat Vishņu. O Brâhmaņs, then the brave Brahma and Vishņu, being skilled in war, fought with each other in many ways), viz., striking with their fists, palling each other's hair, pushing with their shoulders and kicking and striking with feet and hands. Having fought in this manner, they both then got their weapons, (Brahma) his bow 75 and Vishu his bow,76 and let fly showers of arrows. They let luose charmed arrows and to protect themselves77 from the arrows, Brahmâ used his Brahmastra, and Vishņu his Vaishnavastra.79 Thus getting very fierce and angry, they fought with each other, and the gods were afraid of being burneil by the fire arising from the clashing of the weapons. They (therefore) all went to Kailasa to inform 'Siva of what was going on.
They all ascended the mountain, and reached the vicinity of Siva. They saw the Lord of the World, Merudastan?Anamaya,80 and salating him told him what Vishņu and Brahmî wero doing. The merciful one merely signed to them with his eye-brows to go away, and then, in order) to humiliate their pride,89 he appeared before them in Kasi on the great Sivaratri (night). The great and lofty, the good Sadasiva appeared between them in great splendour in the form of the linga. They were both astonished at seeing him, and both made salutation (obeisance) to him.
Sankara spoke to them serionsly, as if to censure (punish) them :- O Brahma! O Visha! What is the meaning of this unmannerly conduct of you both ?'
Hearing the words of the Master, their bodies began to tremble, and they both, with folded hands, respectively told what events had happened.) 'Siva, knowing that they had
60 Or the two fortnights, bright and dark. 17 Tho passage of tho sun from one zodiacal sign into another.
Or first principles. 69 Or throbbing.
70 Lit., vain-hearted. 11 Referring to the legend of Brahma being born from the lotus which aprang from the navel of Vishnu. T2 Creator, and so applied to Brahma.
13 Or Vidbitri, creator or bestower i an epithet of BrahmA. * Lit., having his movements stopped.
15 Chipa.
To Sariga. 17 Lit., stop the flight of.
** Weapon or bow: also used for an arrow or other missile, 79 The lord of heaven, free from disease: the healthy, one. 80 Ansaya ineans the healthy one or the disenscles onc. #1 Lit., informed him of their movements, # I. ., Vishnu's aud Brahmi's,
* I. c., their respective versions.
