On hearing these words, Moochkoond accompanied them, and began to fight with the evil spirits. The battle lasted for many ages, when the gods said to Moochkoond, “O great king! you have undergone great labour on our account; rest somewhere now, and give ease to your body. You have fought for many days; your wealth, dwelling and family are all gone, not one of your relations is left; do not therefore set foot in your own house. Go any where else you please.” Moochkoond said in reply to the gods, “O lords of the earth! kindly point out to me some retired spot, where I may sleep, free from all care and anxiety, and no one awake me.” The gods were delighted at this speech, and said to Moochkoond, “O great king! go and sleep in the cave of the great white mountain. No one will awake you there: and if any one should go there by accident, and do so, he will be burnt to ashes by a single glance of your eye.” Having proceeded thus far in the narrative, Shree Shookdeo Jee, said to the Raja,--O great king! having obtained this boon from the gods, Moochkoond went and dwelt in that cave; and therefore, Kaljumun was burnt to ashes by a glance from his eye. Shortly afterwards Krishnù, the abode of compassion, the benefactor of his worshippers, of the colour of the clouds, with a face like the moon, lotus eyes, four arms, and holding in his hand a shell, quoit, club and lotus, wearing a crown in the shape of a peacock, and ear-rings formed like the sign Capricorn, having a garland reaching to his feet, and dressed in yellow silk, appeared to Moochkoond; who, on beholding him, prostrated himself, so as to touch the ground with the eight principal parts of his body, and rising up, said with joined hands, “O lord of mercy! as you have come into this great dark cave, and by your light have dispersed the darkness, please take compassion on me; and explaining your name and nature, remove all the doubts of my mind.” Shree Krishnù Chund replied, “My births, destinies and attributes are manifold, and cannot be counted by any one, whatever computations he may make. But I will explain to you the secrets of my present birth, to which listen. I have been born in the house of Basoodeo, and been named Basoodeo in consequence. And in the city of Muttra, I have destroyed Kuns and all evil spirits, and removed the burthens of the earth. And Joorasindhoo has been defeated by me, who attacked me seventeen times with twenty-three armies. And this Kaljumun, who has been reduced to ashes by your glance had brought a mob of three crores of unclean persons to fight with me.” When Krishnù had thus spoken, Moochkoond became possessed of knowledge, and said, “O great king! your delusive power is exceedingly great; it has enchanted the whole world; and under its influence no one’s understanding and senses retain their balance. All engage in schemes for the sake of happiness, and suffer calamity; as a dog, who, in gnawing a bone, sucks in his