Brihaspati said O Agni, you are within all beings and concealed there you act like a witness.

The poets sang of you as the one and then again as the three. O you consumer of offerings, bereft of you this world is at once annihilated.

The Brahmanas, having bowed down to you, go away along with their wives and sons, to the eternal region, which has been won by the merit of their own deeds.

You are, O god of fire, the receiver of offering and you are yourself the best offering. They worship you in a sacrificial ceremony by the best offerings.

O you receiver of offerings, having created the three worlds in due time you again in due time consume them in an enkindled form; you are, O god of fire, the progenitor of the entire world and you again annihilate it.

Wise people called you, O Agni, the giver of water and lightning and flames coming out from you support all beings.

Water depends on you, everything and this entire world; o you purifying element, there is not the least thing unknown to you in these three worlds.

Everything accepts that which comes from it, enter the waters without any fear. I shall make you strong by reciting eternal hymns relating to Brahma.

Thus propitiated, the bearer of offerings, the god, the best among poets, said to Brihaspati, these good words indicating satisfaction. “I shall show you Shakra. I speak this truly.

Shalya said Agni (the god of fire) thus having entered the waters including the seas and the small lakes, came to the lake where Shakra lay in disguise.

And there searching among the lotuses, O you foremost in the race of Bharata, he saw at last the king of gods, in one of the stalks.

And then coming back quickly he gave that information to Brihaspati, namely that the lord having assumed a diminutive form was lying within a lotus.

Brihaspati, then having gone (there) along with the Devarshis and Gandharvas, propitiated the slayer of Bala by reciting his deeds of olden days.

0 Shakra, the great Asura, Namuchi of great power has been slain by you; so are Shambara and Bala, both of great prowess.

O you performer of a hundred sacrifices, gain in strength and slay all enemies; rise up Shakra and see the Devarshis come to you.

O Great Indra, having slain the Danavas, you have saved the worlds. O Lord, having got the foam of the waters and with the assistance of the strength of Vishnu, you have killed Vritra before this; o you king of the gods, 0 you lord of the universe.

You are the saviour of all beings and worthy of beings and worthy of being propitiated by them. There is no being is this world equal to you. All the beings and support by you, O Shakra and you created the greatness of the gods.

O great Indra, rule over all three worlds and grow in strength. Being thus propitiated he, by slow degrees, increased (in strength).

Having gained his own form he became endowed with strength and the god thus addressed his preceptor who was standing before him.

What is there still remaining to be done. The great Asura, the son of Tvashtri, has been killed and so has been Vritra of large stature who destroyed the three worlds.

Brihaspati said The human being Nahusha, through the influence of the Devarshis, having gained the kingdom of gods, is very much inflecting us.

Indra said How did Nahusha obtain the kingdom of the gods, which is hard to gain; with what strength of devotion is he endued, what is his power, O Brihaspati.

Brihaspati said Yourself having left the celebrated position of Indra, the gods became anxious and wished for a Shakra; and at that time the gods, the Pitris, the Rishis and the chief among the Gandharvas all united together.

And going, O Shakra, to Nahusha they said-Be you king, the protector of the worldNahusha said to them-I am not capable of being your king); infuse in me, strength with the virtue of devotion.

The gods being thus spoken to, infused strength into Nahusha (now) of great strength and, he became the king; having got the kingdom of the three worlds, he has made the great Rishis his bears and the wicked-minded one is now roaming about the worlds.

Never do you look at Nahusha who absorbs all energy and whose gaze is as very subtle as poison. The gods too, being very much afraid of Nahusha, do not look at him and roam about in concealment.

Shalya said While Brihaspati, that best among the race of Angira, was yet speaking, Kubera, the ruler of the world and Yama, the son of Vivasvata and the aged god Soma and Varuna came there.

They having come there spoke thus to the great Indra-"it is lucky that the son of Tvashtri has been killed and Vritra; it is lucky that we see you, O Shakra, safe and sound and without any would, with all your enemies slain.

And he, the great Indra, with a glad heart having greeted the assembled rulers of the world each with suitable words, said to them, with a view to cutwit Nahusha.

"Nahusha, the king of the gods is of a terrible form; therefore assistance to me must be rendered by you.” They too said-"Nahusha is terrible-looking and we fear, O lord, his poisonous gaze.

If you overthrow the king Nahusha, then O Shakra, it is only fitting that we too shall be entitled to our share (of the glory).” Indra said-you, O lord of waters and Kubera and Yama be crowed king along with me.

Coming together, shall we this day, with the aid of the gods, win victory over our enemy, Nahusha, of terrific gaze. Then the god of fire said to Shakra-"give me a share, I shall render you assistance" and Indra said to him; "O God of fire, you too shall get a share; in large sacrificial ceremonies, there will be but one share for Indra and Agni."

Shalya said Thus thinking, the god, the great Indra, the chastiser of the Paka, the giver of boons, with due deliberation, gave to Kubera the lordship of all the Yakshas and treasures and to the son of Vivasvata that over the Pitris and to Varuna that over the waters.