*SKANDHA VI. CHAP. 7-8.*
Indra surrounded by the Devas, was seated on the throne of _Triloki_. He
felt the pride of his position. Brihaspati, the preceptor and guide of
all Devas came, but Indra did not rise up to receive him. Thus insulted,
Brihaspati left the place at once and abandoned the Devas. The Asuras
took this opportunity to put down the Devas and carried on a severe
struggle under the lead of Sukra. The Devas were worsted in the fight
and they went to Brahma for redress. Brahma advised them to accept the
guidance of Visvarupa, son of Tvastri. They gladly went to Visvarupa and
he consented to be their preceptor. Visvarupa initiated Indra into the
mysteries of Narayana Kabacha (an invocation to Vishnu which preserves
one against all danger. The invocation must be read in the original, so
no attempt has been made to render it into English). With the help of
that Kabacha, Indra easily conquered the Asuras and firmly established
once more the Kingdom of Triloki.
Visvarupa had three mouths. With one he used to drink Soma, with another
he used to drink wine and with the third he used to take his food. While
performing Yajna, he openly gave oblations to the Devas, but secretly
reserved some for his mother's relations the Asuras. Indra once found
out this treachery. He became angry and cut off the three heads of
Visvarupa. The Soma drinking head became Chataka (the Swallow, supposed
to live only on rain drops). The liquor imbibing head became Chataka
(the Sparrow). The food eating head became Tittiri (the francoline
partridge). The sin of killing a Brahmana attached to Indra. He divided
it into equal parts and distributed them between earth, water, trees and
woman. Earth accepted her part on receiving the boon that her cavities
would be filled up by nature. But the sin manifests itself in the barren
lands. The trees took their part in return for the boon that the wounds
on their cuticle should naturally heal up of themselves. But the sin
shows itself in the exudation. Water was persuaded by the boon that it
could mix with any other substance. But the sin shows itself in bubbles
and foam.