57. Mountainous clouds of fire, accompanied with flame and fume, poured liquid fire around; and burnt away all bodies, already dried up by heat and for want of water. 58. The dried leaves of trees ascending high in the air, were burnt away by the flame instead of the rain of heavy clouds. (Now the clouds were heavy with fire, and not with rain water). 59. The ambient and gorgeous flame passed by the Kailása mountain without touching it, knowing it to be the seat of the dread God Siva; in the manner of wise men, flying from the mud and mire of sin (knowing it to be attended with their perdition). 60. Then the God Rudra growing furious, at the final destruction of the world, darted the direful flame of his igneous eyes, and burnt down the sturdy arbours and robust rocks to ashes, with their stunning cracklings. 61. The hills at the foot of mountains, being crowned with flames of fire, moved forward as it were, to fight against the fire, with their stones and clubs of the clumps of trees. 62. The sky became as a bed of full blown lotuses, and creation became a mere name as that of Agastya, that departed and disappeared for ever from sight. 63. The suffering idiot on remembering into his mind the Kalpánta, took the world to be at an end; as the fire consumes all objects like the unreality of the world. 64. The falling thunderbolts pierced all bodies, and the glittering flames inflamed all the trees and plants; the winds too blew with fiery heat, and scorched the bodies of even the gods, and singed all things on every side. 65. Here the wild fire was raging loose among the arbours in the forest, and there were clouds of hot ashes flying in the air; and smoky mists emitting red hot embers and fiery sparks. Again darknesses were rising upward with faggots of fire falling from amidst them, and gusts of wind blew with speed and force, to befriend the destructive fire. (The air enkindled and spread the wild fire all about). CHAPTER LXXVI. THE STRIDOR OF PUSHKARÁVARTA CLOUDS. Argument:—Description of the Devouring fire below, and the Deluging clouds above. Vasishtha added:—Now blew the destroying winds, shaking the mountains by their force: and filling the seas with tremendous waves, and rending the skies with cyclonic storms. 2. The bounded seas broke their bounds, and ran to the boundless oceans by impulse of the wind, as poor people run to the rich, by compulsion of their driving poverty. 3. The earth being fried by the fire, went under the overflowing waters; and joined with the infernal regions, lying below the waters of the deep. 4. The heaven disappeared into nothing, and the whole creation vanished into the air. The worlds were reduced to vacuum, and the solar light dwindled to that of a star in the starry sphere.