Vaishampayana said:—Hearing those words of Krishna and recollecting the ancient history the mighty-armed son of Rohini was filled with his own strength pervading the three worlds and with his well-formed fist resembling a thunder-bolt struck the wicked Pralamva on the head (50-51). His head, shorn of its fore part, entered into the body of the Danava and he too, divested of his life, touched the ground with his knees (52). Thereupon, with his body out-stretched on the ground Pralamva looked like a cloud scattered on the sky (53). As streams of water, mixed with various minerals, come out of the summit of a mountain so blood came out of his body shorn of head (54). Having thus slain Pralamva and withdrawn his own strength the powerful son of Rohini embraced Krishna (55). Thereupon Krishna, along with the gods stationed in the sky and milkmen began to chant the glories of the highly powerful Baladeva with benedictory hymns bespeaking his victory (56). In the sky was heard an invisible voice of the celestials declaring "This Daitya has been by force killed by a boy of unwearied actions" (57). Thus on that Daitya, irrepressible unto the deities, being slain, the celestials, stationed in the sky, gave him the name Baladeva after his action. Therefore all the worlds call him by the name of Baladeva (58–59). ²¹⁵ The word in the text literally means the _bow of Indra_. According to the Hindu mythology the rain-bow is supposed to be the bow of Indra who is the presiding deity of rain and showers. ²¹⁶ Literally means one having no end. The God has no beginning or end. ²¹⁷ According to the Hindu mythology the world is bounded by the four oceans on the four sides. This figuratively refers to the universal form of the God. ²¹⁸ There are four principal _Varnas_ or castes, the _Brāhmanas_, _Kshatriyas_, _Vaisyas_ and _Sudras_. The Brāhmanas are said to have sprung from the mouth of Brahma and belong to the sacerdotal class. The Kshatriyas, or the military caste, are said to have arisen from His arms. The Vaisyas or the trading class are said to have sprung from His thighs and the Sudra or the servile class from His feet. The earliest reference to the origin of caste is seen in a hymn of the Rig-Veda called _Purusha Sukta_. There are various other accounts seen in the various Puranas. ²¹⁹ _Yuga_ is an age of the world of which there are four namely, Satya, Treta, Dwapara and Kali. ²²⁰ An article intended as fit for offering with fire. Burnt offering, oblation with fire. ²²¹ A name of Balaveda. It is also the name of the serpent-king, the thousand-headed snake who was the couch and canopy of Vishnu. CHAPTER LXX. AN ACCOUNT OF INDRA-YAJNA.