And Vishnu made Sleep.
Men received this new gift with rejoicing, and very soon saw in it one of the greatest boons given by the deity thus far. In sleep vanished care and vexation, during sleep strength returned to the weary; sleep, like a cherishing mother, wiped away tears of sorrow and surrounded the heads of the slumbering with oblivion.
So people glorified sleep, and repeated:
“Be blessed, for thou art far better than life in our waking hours.”
And they had one regret only, that it did not continue forever. After sleep came awakening, and after awakening came labor with fresh toil and weariness.
This thought began soon to torture all men so sorely, that for the third time they stood before Vishnu.
“O Lord,” said they, “thou hast given us a boon which, though great and unspeakably precious, is incomplete as it now appears. Wilt thou grant us that sleep be eternal?”
Vishnu wrinkled his brows then in anger at this their insistence, and answered:
“I cannot give what ye ask of me, but go to the neighboring ford, and beyond ye will find that for which ye are seeking.”
The people heard the god’s voice and went on in legions immediately. They went to the ford, and, halting there, gazed at the shore lying opposite.