Lomasha said: -
1. You have seen many mountains and rivers, towns and forests and also many charming Tirthas, the sacred water of which you have touched with your hands.
2. O sons of Pandu, this way leads to the celestials Mandara mountain; Therefore, be attentive and free from all anxieties.
3. You will now go to the abode of the celestials Rishis of virtuous deeds.
4. O king, here flows the great and beautiful river (Alakananda) of sacred water rising from the Badari tree. It is ever adored by the celestials Rishis.
5. It is always adored by the high-souled. Vaihayasa, Valakhilyas and the Gandharvas.
6. And the singers of the Sama (Veda) the Rishis, Marichi, Pulaha, Bhrigu and Angirasa chant the hymns in this place.
7. Here does the lord of the celestials with the Marutas perform his daily prayers. The Siddhas and the Ashvins wait upon him.
8. The moon with the sun and with all the luminaries and with the planets always go to this river by day and by night.
9. O greatly blessed one, that protector of the world, Vrishanka (Shiva) received on his head the all of the waters of this river at the source of the Ganges.
10. O child, now come to this goddess of six attributes and bow down before her with concentrated mind.
Vaishampayana said: -
11. Having heard the words of the illustrious Lomasha the Pandavas reverentially worshipped the river which flows from the sky.
12. Having worshipped her, all the virtuous Pandavas accompanied by the Rishis again cheerfully proceded.
13. Those best of men then saw at a distance some white objects of vast proportions which looked like the Meru (mountain) stretching in all directions.
14. Seeing the Pandavas eager to ask him about it, Lomasha, skillful in speech, thus spoke. “Hear, O sons of Pandu.
15-16. O foremost of men, what you see before you and what is of vast proportions looking like a mountain and appearing as beautiful as the Kailasa, is the collection of bones of the greatly powerful Daitya Naraka. As they have been kept on a mountain one mistakes it for a mountain.
17. In the days of yore, this Daitya was killed by the Supreme Soul, the eternal deity Vishnu, for the good of the king of the celestials.
18. That high-souled Daitya performed great asceticism for ten thousand years with the desire of getting possession of Indra's kingdom.
19. That son of Diti, becoming thus unrivalled by the power of his asceticism, as well as, that of arms, always harassed (Indra).
20. O sinless one, Sakra (Indra) became agitated. Afflicted with fear by learning his prowess, asceticism and observance of religious vows.
21. He mentally thought of the eternal deity Vishnu; and the graceful lord of the universe who is present everywhere appeared and stood before him.
22-23. The Rishis and the celestials propitiated Vishnu with prayers. In his presence even the exalted and blazing Havyavahana (fire), lost his effulgence. Seeing that giver of boons, the deity Vishnu, the lord of all the celestials.
24. The wielder of thunder (Indra) with joined hands and bowed down head, told him soon the cause of his fear.
Vishnu said: -
25. “O Sakra, I know your fear originates from the lord of the Daityas, Naraka. By his successful asceticism he desires to obtain India's kingdom.
26. O lord of the celestials, although he has achieved success in asceticism. I shall sever his soul from his body to do you good. Wait for a moment.”
Lomasha said: -
27. Thereupon the greatly powerful Vishnu deprived him (Naraka) of his senses by striking him with his hands. He (Naraka) the fell down on the ground dead, like a great mountain.
28. He was thus killed by a miracle and his bones were then gathered at this spot. Here thus is manifest another great deed of Vishnu.
29. Once the whole earth was lost, it sunk into the nether regions. But she was again lifted up by him (Vishnu) who had assumed the form of a boar.
Yudhishthira said: -
30-34. O exalted one, narrate in detail how Vishnu, the lord of the celestials, raised up the earth sunk down one hundred yoyanas. How was also that support of all created things, the greatly blessed Earth, who dispenses blessings, and produces all sorts of course, made stable? By whom she was forced to sink one hundred yoyanas and under what circumstances was this greatest exploit of the Supreme Being exhibited? O foremost of Brahmanas, I desire to hear all this in detail as it happened. You know all about it.
Lomasha said: -
35. O Yudhishthira, hear all in detail as I narrate the story which you have asked me to relate. O child, in the days of yore, in a terrible time in the Treta Yuga the ancient and primeval deity performed the duties of Yama.
36. O undeteriorating one, when the god of gods began to perform the duties of Yama, there was no death (on earth), but births were numerous.
37. Birds, beasts, kine, sheep, deer and all kinds of wild animals began to multiply.
38. O foremost of men, O chastiser of foes, men also began to multiply by thousands and tens of thousands like water.
39. O child, by this terrible increase of creatures, the Earth sank down one thousand yoyanas.
40. Being afflicted with pain all over her body and being deprived of her senses by this excessive weight (on her), she sought the protection of the foremost of deities Nara-Narayana.
The Earth said: -
41. O exalted deity, it is through your favour I was able to remain so long in my position. But (now) I have been overcome with (a heavy) burden and I am now unable to hold myself any longer.
42. O exalted deity, you should remove this burden. O deity, O lord, I ask your protection. Extend your favour towards me.
Lomasha said: -
43. Having heard her these words, the eternal deity of six attributes, cheerfully spoke these words to her with great distinctness.
Vishnu said: -
44. O Earth, O holder of treasures, O burdened earth, do not be afraid; I shall act in the way by which you will be relieved of your burden.
Lomasha said: -
45. Having thus sent away the earth adorned with mountains as her ear-rings, he then became a greatly effulgent boar with one tusk.
46. Causing terror with his red eyes and emitting smokes from his blazing lustre, he began to swell in magnitude in that place.
47. O hero, then holding the earth with his single tusk that eternal one raised her up one hundred yoyanas.
48-49. When she was thus raised up, a great agitation was created. All the celestials the Rishis and the ascetics were agitated; and the earth, the sky and the heaven were filled with “Alas! Oh!”. Neither the celestials nor men could find peace.
50. Then the celestials and the Rishis all approached Brahma who was seated as if blazing in his own prosperity.
51. Coming to the deity Brahma, the witness of the acts of all beings, they with joined hands thus said to these words.
The Celestials said: -
52. “O lord of heaven, all created beings have become agitated; all the mobile and immobile creatures have become restless. The ocean is also in great agitation.
53. This whole earth has gone one hundred yoyanas down. What is the cause of all this? By whom the whole universe has. been agitated? Kindly explain the cause to us without delay; we are all bewildered.
Brahma said: -
54. O immortals, there is no fear from the Asuras in any matter or in any place. Hear why all this agitation has taken place.
55. This heaven has been agitated from the prowess of the illustrious being, who is omnipresent, eternal and the never-perishing soul.
56. That supreme soul, Vishnu, has lifted up again the earth which sank down one hundred yoyanas.
57. On account of thus raising her up, this agitation has taken place. Know this to be the cause and dispel your doubts.
The Celestials said: -
58. O exalted deity, where is that God, who so easily raises up the earth? Tell us the place; we shall all go there.
Brahma said: -
59. Go there. Be blessed, you will find him in the Nandana. Yonder is the exalted and adored Supama (Garuda).
60. After having raised the earth, the Supreme Being, the creator of the world, blazes forth in the form of a boar like consuming fire at the universal dissolution.
61. On his breast is to be seen (the gem) Srivatsa. Behold all of you that being who does not know deterioration.
Lomasha said: -
62. The immortals, with the Grandsire at their head, after having seen that great soul and heard his praise, went back to the place whence they came.
Vaishampayana said: -
63. O Janamejya, having heard this story, all the Pandavas with great alacrity proceeded by the way pointed out by Lomasha.
Thus ends the hundred and forty-second chapter, entering Gandhamadana, in the Tirthayatra of the Vana Parva.