Vaishampayana said:—In order to welcome the Dānavas the highly powerful great Asura Kālanemi assumed proportions like clouds in the end of summer (1). As by acquiring most excellent ambrosia, people are relieved of their exhaustion so the leading Danavas, on beholding Kālanemi living in the intervening space of the three worlds, rose up as if they had never been tired (2). Then the terrified Dānavas, headed by Maya and Tāra, irrepressible in battle, who always wished victory in Tāraka’s battle, shone there in the battle-field (3). Beholding Kālanemi all those Dānavas, throwing weapons and entering into Vyuhas, were greatly delighted (4). Of them, the principal soldiers of Maya, who were well-skilled in fighting, cast off fear and delightedly appeared there for battle (5). Maya, Tāra, Varaha, the powerful Hayagriva, Viprachitti’s sons Sweta, Khera and Lamva, Bali’s son Arishtha, Kishora, Ushtra, the immortal-like Sharbhānu and the great Asura Vakrayodhi, who were all experts in the use of weapons, were devoted to the practice of Tapas, and skilled in fighting, appeared before Kalanemi the foremost of them all. Taking up huge clubs, axes, death-like maces, Kshepanyas, huge rocks, stones, Pattishas, Vindipālas, Parighas made of best steel, dreadful Ghātanis, Sataghnis, Yugas, Yantras, Argalas, Prāsas, nooses, serpents, swords, thunder-bolts, blazing Tomaras, unsheathed daggers and sharpened weapons and having their minds worked up with zeal, they, taking Kālanemi before them, stood in front of the battle-field (6–14). That Daitya army, adorned with many excellent shining weapons, shone there like the cloudy sky bespangled with stars (15). Emblazoned with the cool and hot rays of the moon and the sun, the celestial army, reared by the king of gods, also shone there (16). There appeared that beautiful and great army of gods consisting of dreadful Yakshas and Rākshasas, fleet as the wind, having the stars for the steamers, the clouds for their raiments, abounding in smiling stars and planets, protected by Indra, Varuna and the intelligent Kuvera, the king of riches, accompanied by the fire and air, devoted to Nārāyana, gifted with the velocity of the ocean, and adorned with celestial weapons (17–19). As at the revolution of cycles heaven and earth are united so the celestial and demon armies met with each other (20). That encounter, between the gods and demons displaying humility and pride, forgiveness and prowess, grew exceedingly dreadful (21). As the swollen rivers generally issue out of the oceans so the dreadful gods and Asuras came out of both the armies (22). As the elephants come out of two mountainous forests covered with flowers so issuing out of both the armies the hosts of the gods and demons began delightedly to range there (23). They confronted each other and repeatedly blew their conches and bugles. That sound filled the heaven, earth and all the quarters (24). The sound, of the bow-strings against the palms, the twang of the bows