C 72- ] 



seven days, was preparing to cut off his own head also, as a pro- 

 pitiatory sacrifice. Mahadeva at length appeared to him, and 

 took hold of his hand, by which his flesh was instantly restored to 

 its former state, and told him, that, whatever was his wish, it 

 should be granted. At the same time he demanded why he had 

 proceeded to such severe austerities, declaring, that, whoever in 

 sincerity sacrificed to him, even with water, obtained the object 

 of his desires. Terek-Assoor demanded, " that on whose head 

 soever he should lay his hand, that person might be reduced in- 

 stantly to ashes." On hearing this extraordinary request, (which 

 of course was immediately granted,) fear came on the world, and 

 Mahadeva himself also recollecting the story of the black snake, 

 who prepared to bite his benefactor on the very day he had fed 

 him with milk, and concluding the Ditya had a mind to make ex- 

 periment of his power, by laying his hand on Mahadeva' s own 

 head, fled hastily away. Terek-Assoor following him at full speed, 

 Mahadeva made the circuit of the seven stages of the earth and the 

 seven stages of heaven, but no one was able to protect him from 

 his pursuer, so he urged his flight back again to paradise. There 

 Narayen, taking pity on his situation, came immediately forth to 

 comfort him, and assuming, by the force of his Maya, the figure 

 of a beautiful woman, met the exasperated Ditya, and, with a 

 delicate voice, asked what was the reason of his running so fast ? 

 adding, that if he had placed any confidence in Mahadeva's 

 promises, he was woefully deceived ; for that, ever since the day 

 when that deity had interrupted Dekshe's Yug, Dekshe had uttered 

 a curse against him, and from that tune Mahadeva's words never 

 produced any effect. That he had only to put his hand on his own 

 head, and he might depend on finding Mahadeva's promise to be 

 utterly false. On hearing the soft speeches of this enchanter of the 

 world and its inhabitants, Terek-Assoor put his hand on his own 



