em in that vessel on the roaring and billow beaten sea. And, O
conqueror of thy enemies and hostile cities, tossed by the tempest on
the great ocean, the vessel reeled about like a drunken harlot. And
neither land nor the four cardinal points of the compass, could be
distinguished. And there was water every where and the waters covered
the heaven and the firmament also. And, O bull of Bharata's race, when
the world was thus flooded, none but Manu, the seven _Rishis_ and the
fish could be seen. And, O king, the fish diligently dragged the boat
through the flood for many a long year and then, O descendant of Kuru
and ornament of Bharata's race, it towed the vessel towards the highest
peak of the Himavat. And, O Bharata, the fish then told those on the
vessel to tie it to the peak of the Himavat. And hearing the words of
the fish they immediately tied the boat on that peak of the mountain
and, O son of Kunti and ornament of Bharata's race, know that that high
peak of the Himavat is still called by the name of _Naubandhana_ (the
harbour). Then the fish addressing the associated _Rishis_ told them
these words, "I am Brahma, the Lord of all creatures; there is none
greater than myself. Assuming the shape of a fish, I have saved you from
this cataclysm. Manu will create (again) all beings--gods, _Asuras_ and
men, all those divisions of creation which have the power of locomotion
and which have it not. By practicing severe austerities he will acquire
this power, and with my blessing, illusion will have no power over him."

"'So saying the fish vanished instantly. And Vaivaswata Manu himself
became desirous of creating the world. In this work of creation illusion
overtook him and he, therefore, practised great asceticism. And endowed
with ascetic merit, Manu, O ornament of Bharata's race, again set about
his work of creating all beings in proper and exact order. This story
which I have narrated to thee and the hearing of which destroyeth all
sin, is celebrated as the Legend of the Fish. And the man who listeneth
every day to this primeval history of Manu, attaineth happiness and all
other objects of desire and goeth to heaven.'"

SECTION CLXXXVII

"Then the virtuous king Yudhishthira in all humility again enquired of
the illustrious Markandeya, saying, 'O great _Muni_, thou hast seen many
thousands of ages pass away. In this world there is none so longlived as
thou! O best of those that have attained the knowledge of Supreme