Vaishampayana said:—O my child, you have thus heard of the arrangement of the Daitya army in the war between the gods and demons. Hear, now of an account of the arrangement of the army of the gods as well as that of Vishnu’s army (1). The Adityas, the Vasus, the Rudras and the two highly powerful Aswinis took charge of their respective soldiers and attendants. The commander of the whole celestial army, the thousand-eyed Patriarch Pākashāna sat on his elephant Airavata in front (of the army). On his left was kept in readiness a car, quick coursing like Garuda, with beautiful wheels and adorned with gold and diamonds (2-4). Thousands of gods and Gandharvas and Yakshas followed him. And the effulgent Brāhmana saints, members of his court, began to chant his glories (5). Protected by Valāhakas, carrying weapons, accompanied by lightnings produced by the hurling of Indra’s thunder-bolt and resembling mountains moving about at will, the Divine Maghavān began to proceed on his elephant. The Vipras, who live at a place where Havi is kept in Soma’s sacrifice, sing his glories (6-7). When the king of gods repaired to the celestial region bugles were sounded. Thousands of Apsaras began to dance before him (8). As the sun shines, protected by Ketu, born in his own family so that chariot, protected by Mātali,¹⁴⁹ appeared beautiful. That car, drawn by a thousand horses, was fleet like the mind or the air. It appeared as if the mount Meru was enveloped with the rays of the sun (9-10). Raising up his rod and mace and terrifying the Daityas Yama stood in the midst of the celestial army (11). Varuna, with the mace in his hand, also stood there in the midst of the army of gods. He was surrounded by four oceans and Pannagas. His person was full of water and he was adorned with conch, jems and Angadas.¹⁵⁰ He always used to roam with the noose of Kāla in his hand. He made thousands of sports with the horses resembling the rays of the moon and waves agitated by the wind. His raiment was black and he put on beautiful Angadas made of corals. His person had the hue of sapphire and a necklace hung round his neck. He stood there in expectation of the battle as the ocean becomes agitated when it is separated from its bank (12–15). Kuvera, having a body dark-blue like sapphire, and men to carry him, was seen there along with the Yakshas, Rākshasas and Guhyakas (16). That lord of riches, that king of kings, was armed with conch, Padma¹⁵¹ and a club (17). That graceful king of riches¹⁵² was stationed in his car Pushpaka. That king of kings, that friend of Siva, that lord having men to carry him, appeared there for battle like the very Siva himself (18). The thousand-eyed Indra protected the eastern wing of the celestial army, Yama, the king of the ancestral manes, protected the southern wing, Varuna, the western wing and Kuvera, the northern wing (19). The four Regents of the quarters, dreadful in battle, protected