After the mighty Vṛtra was slain, all the gods rejoiced and praised the victorious one. Their delight was palpable, for the threat had been vanquished. But the remaining Daityas, stricken with grief at Vṛtra’s death, were swiftly struck down by the gods, their ranks shattered. Those great Asuras, swift as the wind, fled in terror from the gods’ wrath. Seeking refuge, they plunged into the vast, immeasurable ocean. Within its depths, teeming with fish and sparkling with jewels, the Asuras gathered together. There, they performed rituals and deliberated, some steadfast in their resolve, pondering various strategies to overcome their plight. Afflicted by fear and scorched by the power of the gods, the Asuras resolved to destroy the three worlds. As the hour of their doom approached, a dreadful idea took hold among them. They reasoned: “Those who possess knowledge and ascetic power must first be destroyed, for all worlds are upheld by asceticism. Let us hasten to bring about the end of asceticism itself. Whatever ascetics and knowers of dharma dwell upon the earth, let them be slain quickly; with their destruction, the world itself will perish.” With minds corrupted and intent on the world’s destruction, the Asuras took refuge in the fortress-like, wave-tossed ocean—the abode of Varuṇa, filled with riches. The Kaleyas gathered there, plotting the annihilation of the three worlds. Under cover of night, filled with hostility, they emerged from the ocean and devoured the sages dwelling in hermitages and sacred places. In the hermitage of Vasiṣṭha, the Brahmins were consumed by these evil-minded ones, along with eighty-eight hundred other ascetics in the forest. The demons then went to the sacred hermitage of Cyavana, frequented by twice-born sages, and devoured a hundred ascetics who lived on fruits and roots. Thus, acting by night, they entered the forests by day, reaching the hermitage of Bharadvāja, where disciplined, celibate sages resided. There, twenty ascetics who subsisted on air and water were slain. In this manner, step by step, the demons devoured sages as food, roaming at night by the strength of their arms and killing many groups of ascetics. Yet, O king of men, the people did not perceive what was happening. There was no recitation of the Vedas, no ritual exclamations, and the festivals of sacrifice had ceased. The world became dispirited, afflicted by the terror of the Kāleyas; the people were being destroyed. Frightened and desperate to save themselves, they fled in all directions. Some entered caves, others scattered, and among them were twice-born sages. Overwhelmed by fear, some abandoned their lives; others—heroic, proud archers—remained, striving to pursue the demons, though they dared not follow them into the ocean where they had taken refuge. Peace eluded them; only destruction prevailed. With the cessation of sacrifices and festivals, disorder engulfed the world. In this dire state, the gods, greatly distressed, assembled with Indra and held a council out of fear. Placing Nārāyaṇa, the unconquered one of Vaikuṇṭha, at the forefront, the assembled gods addressed Madhusūdana: “You are our creator, protector, and sustainer, O Lord of the world. All that moves and does not move has been created by you. Once, O lotus-eyed one, when the earth was lost in the ocean, you assumed the form of a boar and raised her up for the sake of the world. Long ago, you slew Hiraṇyakaśipu, the mighty demon, after taking the form of Narasiṃha. Bali, the great Asura, invincible to all beings, was cast down from the three worlds by you when you assumed the form of Vāmana. The Asura Jambha, famed as a mighty archer and cruel disturber of sacrifices, was struck down by you, O enemy of Madhu, together with the gods. Such deeds of yours are countless; for us, who are terrified, you are the refuge, O slayer of Madhu. Therefore, O Lord of gods, we entreat you for the sake of the worlds: protect the worlds, the gods, and Indra from this great danger. By your grace, all four kinds of beings flourish; humans remain well, and the celestials are satisfied with offerings of oblations and ancestral rites. Indeed, the worlds function in this way, mutually dependent; by your power, they are free from distress and are protected by you alone. Now, this supreme fear has come upon the worlds; we know not by whom these Brāhmaṇas are slain at night. If the Brāhmaṇas are destroyed, the earth will come to ruin; by your favor, O mighty-armed Lord of the world, all beings are preserved. Protected by you, they will not meet destruction; but if not, they will perish.” Viṣṇu replied, “O gods, I know well the cause of the destruction of beings. Listen without anxiety. There are fierce groups known as Kālakeyas. When they saw Vṛtra slain by the wise thousand-eyed one, they preserved their lives and entered Varuṇa’s abode. Entering the dreadful ocean, teeming with many sea-creatures, they kill sages here at night to destroy the world. But they cannot be destroyed, for they are hidden within the ocean. Consider carefully, among yourselves, how the ocean might be dried up.” Hearing these words spoken by Viṣṇu, the gods approached the supreme Brahmā and went to Agastya’s hermitage. There, they beheld the great-souled son of Varuṇa, blazing with splendor, revered by sages just as the gods revere the Grandsire.