and destructive work.

'And downward dug they many a rood, and downward till they
saw aghast, Where the earth-bearing elephant stood, ev'n like
a mountain tall and vast. 'Tis he whose head aloft sustains
the broad earth's forest-clothed round, With all its vast and
spreading plains, and many a stately city crown'd. If
underneath the o'erbearing load bows down his weary head,
'tis then The mighty earthquakes are abroad, and shaking down
the abodes of men. Around earth's pillar moved they slowly,
and thus in humble accents blest Him the lofty and the holy,
that bears the region of the East. And southward dug they
many a rood, until before their shuddering sight, The next
earth-bearing elephant stood, huge Mahapadmas' mountain
height. Upon his head earth's southern bound, all full of
wonder, saw they rest. Slow and awe-struck paced they round,
and him, earth's southern pillar, blest. Westward then their
work they urge, king Sagara's six myriad race, Unto the vast
earth's western verge, and there in his appointed place The
next earth-bearing elephant stood, huge Saumanasa's mountain
crest; Around they paced in humble mood, and in like
courteous phrase addrest, And still their weary toil endure,
and onward dig until they see Last earth-bearing Himapandure,
glorying in his majesty.'

At length they reach the place where Vishnu appears in the form of
Kapila, with the horse feeding near him; a flame issues forth from the
indignant deity, and the six myriad sons of Sagara become a heap of
ashes.

The adventure devolves on the youthful Ansuman, who achieves it with
perfect success; Vishnu permits him to lead away the steed, but the
ashes of his brethren cannot be purified by earthly water; the goddess
Ganga must first be brought to earth, and, having undergone lustration
from that holy flood, the race of Sagara are to ascend to heaven. Yet
a long period elapses; and it is not till the reign of the virtuous
Bhagiratha, that Brahma is moved by his surpassing penance to grant
the descent of Ganga from heaven. King Bhagiratha had taken his stand
on the top of Gokarna, the sacred peak of the Himavan, (the Himalaya,)
and here

'Stands with arms outstretch'd on high, amid five blazing fires, the one
Towards each quarter of the sky, the fifth the full meridian sun.
Mid fiercest frosts on snow he slept, the dry and withered leaves hi