Thus addressed by Brahmā many wicked-souled Asuras did not yield: but some of them, who knew Bhava's powers, expressed their willingness. The Grand-father said to the reluctant and wicked Asuras:—"O heroic Asuras, except your vengeance against Rudra do you pray for any other boon" (15-16).
Hearing it they said "O lord, may we become unslayable by all the gods. May we establish six cities under the earth: and they will pass by the name of Satpura. O lord, going to those six cities we will live there happily. O thou having asceticism for thy wealth, beholding Tripura slain we have been greatly stricken with fear. Do thou so arrange that we may have no fear from Rudra by whom all our kinsmen have been slain (17-19)."
The Grand-father said:—O Asuras, if you do not throw obstacles in the way of the Brāhmanas, fond of the pious and wending fair ways you will be unslayable by the gods and Sankara (20). If out out of ignorance you happen to injure the Brāhmanas you will meet with destruction for they are the most excellent refuge of the world (21). If you injure the Brāhmanas you shall have to fear Narayana for the Lord Janārddana encompasses the well-being of all creatures (22).
O king, thereupon dismissed by the Grand-father the Asuras went away. Seated on the white bull along with the goddess Umā accompanied by his followers, the Lord, Himself, the Divine Slayer of Tripura, and the refuge of the pious, appeared before those virtuous Asuras who were his followers and said (23–24):—
"May good betide you, O foremost of Asuras. Casting off enmity, pride and malice you have sought refuge with me. I am therefore ready to grant you a boon. I have been pleased with your actions. Do you repair to the celestial region along with the twice-born ones ever engaged in good works, by whom you have been initiated (25–26). The ascetics, conversant with the knowledge of Brahman, who will even live under this Kapithwa tree, will attain to my region. The hermits, who with ascetic rites will adore me for a month or a fortnight, will attain to the fruit of asceticism carried on for a thousand years. If they worship me for three nights they will attain to the desired-for region. If a man, living in the insular continent of Arka, worships me in this way he will reap two-fold fruits; but a man living in a hostile country will gain nothing. He, who will adore me here as Sweta-Vahana (having a white bull for carrier) will attain me even if his mind is possessed by fear (27-31). The men, who are virtuous, firm in devotion and who worship especially the Munis who live under fig-trees and in the dens of jackals, will attain to their desired-for regions (32-33)".
O great king, having said this the Divine, Swetavāhana, Mahādeva, repaired to Rudraloka along with them. What more, those even, who merely resolve "I shall go to Jamvudwipa, I shall live there," arrive at the region of Rudra (34-35).
CHAPTER CCXXX. THE ASURAS OBSTRUCTING A YAJNA.
Vaishampāyana said:—At that time, O king, in the city of Shatpura on the sacred bank of the good river Avarta, resorted to by the Munis, a Vajasaneyi Brāhmana, by name Brahmadatta, a disciple of Yajnawalka, well-read in the four Vedas and six Angas and endued with morality, was initiated into a Yajna extending over a year (1-3). O kingly discendant of Kuru, as Sakra (the king of gods) protects (their preceptor) Vrihaspati so when that foremost of the twice-born went to Shatpura for carrying on Yajna Vasudeva, with Devaki, repaired there for protecting him, for he was a class friend and preceptor of Anakadundubhi (Vasudeva) (4-5). In that Yajna of Brahmadatta, abounding in profuse food and presents were present Vyasa, Yajnawalka, Sumantu, Jaimini, Dhritimān, Jajali, Devala and other great and leading Munis of firm devotion. And I too had gone there. In that Yajna, by the grace of Vasudeva, the creator of the universe incarnated on earth, the pious Devaki distributed amongst the beggars various articles they wanted proportionate to the wealth of the intelligent Vasudeva. After the commencement of that Yajna, the inhabitants of Shatpura, Nikumbha and other Daityas, proud of their boon, assembled there and said:—"Give us our share in the Yajna. We will drink Soma and Brahmadatta must give us his daughters. We have heard that this great man has many beautiful daughters. So he must send for them and give them over to us (6-11). He should also give us the most valuable jems which he has got in his possession. If he transgresses this order we will not allow him to celebrate this Yajna. This is our order" (12). Hearing this Brahmadatta said to the great Asuras:—"O ye leading Asuras, no portion of sacrificial offerings has been laid down for you in the Vedas. How can I then allow you to drink Soma in this Yajna? If you do not believe my words you may ask these great Munis well-read in the Vedas and their commentaries. The daughters whom I shall give away in marriage I shall confer upon proper bridegrooms following the same Vedas with me; this is my resolution. If you however come to terms I may give you the entire collection of my jewels. If you show your force I will not give that even for Devaki's son is my supporter" (13-16).
Hearing those words the wicked Dānavas of Shatpura, Nikumbha and others began to scatter the articles of Yajna and carry away his daughters. Beholding the sacrificial articles robbed by the Asuras Anakadundubhi thought of the great Krishna, Balabhadra and Gada. As soon as he was thought of Krishna came to know of every thing and said to Pradyumna:—"Proceed, O my son, and save the maidens by virtue of your illusive powers. O powerful hero, I myself too will soon go to Shatpura with the Yādava army."
Hearing it the intelligent, highly powerful and heroic Pradyumna, ever obedient to his sire, went to Shatpura within a moment and took away the maidens by virtue of his illusive power. Creating their figures by his illusive power the pious son of Rukshmini kept them before the Daityas and said to Devaki "Be not afraid". O king, leaving aside Brahmadatta’s daughter the irrepressible Daityas carried away the illusory maidens and entered their city with satisfaction (17–23).