Hearing my words the Omnipotent Lord said "Let it be so." Thereupon he gave me away to Manu, the king of men (53). Thereupon obtaining the god-like kings of the Ikshāku race, originating from Manu, I, under the influence of powerful time, passed from the hands of one king to those of another (54). When the Lord bestowed me upon the intelligent Manu, the king of men, many kings, born in the families of great saints, ruled over me (55). Having conquered me many heroic Kshatriyas have gone to the celestial region. Under the influence of time they have disappeared in me (56). The powerful Kshatriyas, ever victorious in battle, fought for me in this world with one another and they have been still fighting even now (57). This is the end of destiny despatched by thee. If thou hast commisseration for me, if thou dost wish to relieve me of my burden do thou organise a war for the destruction of the kings for the behoof of the world. May the beautiful holder of discus alone grant me protection (58–59). May Nārāyana command me to whom I have come for help oppressed with a load, if he thinks proper to relieve me of it (60). ¹⁷⁶ He was the architect of the gods. ¹⁷⁷ Most excellent seat. ¹⁷⁸ The seat of the religious student made properly of Kusa grass. ¹⁷⁹ A kind of tree. CHAPTER LIII. AN ACCOUNT OF SANTANU’S FAMILY. Vaishampayana said:—Thereupon hearing the words of the earth and thinking minutely on her object the gods said to the grand-father (1). "O Lord, thou hast created the bodies of all creatures. Thou art the lord of all the worlds. Do thou therefore relieve the earth of her load. O lord, if thou dost wish to accomplish the object of the earth in this her calamity do thou, without delay, ascertain the duties of Mahendra, Yama, Varuna, the king of riches, Nārāyana, the moon, the sun, the air, the Adityās, the Vasus, the Rudras, the Patriarchs of the world, the celestial physicians, the Aswinis, of the Sāddhyas, of Vrihaspati, preceptor Sukra, of Kāla, of Kali, of Maheswara, of Kārtikeya, of Yakshas, Rākshasas, Gandharvas, Chāranas, great serpents, of birds, huge mountains and oceans consisting of great waves of rivers headed by Gangā (2–8). O grand-father, how shall we send down our portions? Let us create bodies, not born of any woman, in the family of those kings who range in the sky, in that of the kings who tread the earth and in that of courtier Brāhmanas and other princes (9-10)". Hearing this great resolution of the gods assembled together for one common cause the grand-father of all, eulogised by the celestials, said to them (11). "O ye leading celestials, I like very much your resolution. Do you create portions of your body on earth with your energy (12). Ye are all leading celestials, do ye, with your energy, descend on earth. And acquiring the prosperity of the three worlds do you relieve the earth of her burden (13). Listen to what I did in the days of yore for removing the load of