Rishis possessed of great prosperity, beholding the prowess
of Vritra, repaired to Mahadeva, and impelled by the desire of benefiting
the three worlds, urged him to destroy the great Asura. The energy of
that illustrious lord of the universe thereupon assumed the character of
a fierce fever and penetrated the body of Vritra the lord of
Asuras.[1392] The illustrious and divine Vishnu, adored of all the
worlds, bent upon protecting the universe, entered the thunderbolt of
Indra. Then Vrihaspati of great intelligence and Vasishtha of exceeding
energy, and all the other foremost of Rishis, repairing to Him of a
hundred sacrifices, viz., the boon-giving Vasava, the adored of all the
worlds, addressed him, saying, 'Slay Vritra, O puissant one, without
delay!'

"'"Maheswara said, 'Yonder, O Sakra, stands the great Vritra, accompanied
by a great force. He is the soul of the universe, capable of going
everywhere, endued with large powers of illusion, and possessed of great
celebrity. This foremost of Asuras is, therefore, incapable of being
vanquished by even the three worlds united together. Aided by Yoga, do
thou slay him, O chief of the deities. Do not disregard him. For full
sixty thousand years, O chief of the celestials, Vritra practised the
severest penances for obtaining strength. Brahman gave him the boons he
had solicited, viz., the greatness that belongs to Yogins, large powers
of illusion, excess of might, and superabundant energy. I impart to thee
my energy, O Vasava! The Danava has now lost his coolness. Do thou,
therefore, slay him now with thy thunderbolt!'

"'"Sakra said, 'Before thy eyes, O foremost of gods, I shall, through thy
grace, slay with my thunderbolt this invincible son of Diti.'"

"'Bhishma continued, "When the great Asura or Daitya was overtaken by that
fever (born of Mahadeva's energy), the deities and the Rishis, filled
with joy, uttered loud cheers. At the same time drums, and conchs of loud
blare, and kettle drums and tabors began to beat and blow by thousands.
Suddenly all the Asuras became afflicted with the loss of memory. In a
trice, their powers of illusion also disappeared. The Rishis and the
deities, ascertaining the foe to be thus possessed, uttered the praises
of both Sakra and Isana, and began to urge the former (to make no delay
in destroying Vritra). The form that Indra assumed on the eve of the
encounter, while seated on his car and while his praises were being
hymned by the Rish