"'The celestials said, "Through thy favour it is that all born beings of
the four kinds increase. And they being created, propitiate the dwellers
of heaven by offerings made to the gods and the names of departed
forefathers. Thus it is that people, protected by thee and free from
trouble live depending on one another, and (so) increase. Now this peril
hath befallen the people. We do not know by whom are Brahmanas being
killed during the night. If the Brahmanas are destroyed, the earth
itself will meet with destruction, and if the earth cometh to an end,
heaven also will cease to exist. O mighty-armed one, O lord of the
universe! we beseech thee (to act so) that all the worlds, protected by
thee, may not come to an end, so it may please thee."
"'Vishnu said, "Ye gods! To me is known the reason of the destruction of
the born beings, I shall speak of it to you; listen with minds free from
tribulation. There exists an exceedingly fierce host, known by the name
of Kalakeyas. They, under the lead of Vritra, were devastating the whole
universe. And when they saw that Vritra was slain by the sagacious Indra
endued with a thousand eyes, they, to preserve their lives, entered into
the ocean, that abode of Varuna. And having entered the ocean, abounding
with sharks and crocodiles, they at night killed the saints at this spot
with the view of exterminating the people. But they cannot be slain, as
they have taken shelter within the sea. Ye should, therefore, think of
some expedient to dry up the ocean. Who save Agastya is capable of
drying up the sea. And without drying up the ocean, these (demons)
cannot be assailed by any other means." Hearing these words of Vishnu,
the gods took the permission of Brahma, who lives at the best of all
regions, and went to the hermitage of Agastya. Then they beheld the
high-souled Agastya, the son of Varuna, of resplendent mien, and waited
upon by saints, even as Brahma is waited upon by celestials. And
approaching him, they addressed the son of Mitra and Varuna at the
hermitage, magnanimous and unswerving, and looking like an embodiment of
pious works piled together, and glorified him by reciting his deeds. The
deities said, "Thou wert formerly the refuge of the gods when they were
oppressed by Nahusha. Thorn of the world that he was, he was thrown down
from his throne of heaven--from the celestial regions. Vindhya, the
foremost of all mountains, suddenly began to increase his height, from a
wrathful competition with the sun (_i.e._, to rival him in altitude).
But he hath ceased to increase, as he was unable to disobey thy command.
And when darkness hath covered the world, the born beings were harassed
by death, but having obtained thee for a protector, they attained the
utmost security. Whenever we are beset by perils, thy reverence is
always our refuge; for this reason it is that we solicit a boon from
thee; as thou ever grantest the boon solicited (of thee)."'"