May the ancient Boar, the mighty soul who journeyed layer by layer through the earth, worshipped by gods and siddhas as the very embodiment of sacrifice, the slayer of Daityas, forever protect me. May the imperishable Man-Lion, most formidable among yogis, fierce-faced and radiant with golden brilliance, the destroyer of demons who dwells among jewels, guard us as well. Let the great soul who, to destroy Bali’s sacrifice, adopted his hidden yogic form, bearing staff, stick, and deer skin, and once more traversed the earth with his foot, shield us. May he who conquered the world twenty-one times and, victorious, bestowed it upon Kaśyapa—he, the mighty son of Jamadagni, protector of the virtuous, Hiraṇyagarbha, destroyer of demons—watch over us. May the fourfold original form, marked by the likeness of Hiraṇyagarbha, and manifesting in many shapes beginning with Rāma, the destroyer of demons, keep us safe. Let the god who, out of fear for Cāṇūra, Kaṃsa, and other demons, and for the safety of the frightened gods, became Vāsudeva in every age—who, in every cycle, takes wondrous forms, and who, as Kalki, will restore order among the classes—protect us. May the eternal, Brahman-filled, ancient one, whose form is unseen by gods, siddhas, or demons who forsake the path of knowledge, yet is worshipped in countless ways, safeguard us as he moves among beings in forms beginning with the fish. Salutations, salutations to the Supreme Person—again and again, salutations before and behind! Lead me to liberation—salutations to you! As the sage worshipped thus, the god bearing the discus and mace appeared directly before him, his mind concentrated and steadfast. Upon seeing the divine presence, the sage’s awareness, undisturbed and rooted in his body, rose up; having attained the eternal Brahman, his divine self entered dissolution, known as liberation from rebirth. At that time, the earth spoke: “King of the Gods, Śatakratu, was cursed by Durvāsas; you will dwell among mortals, through the son of Supratīka.” When Bhūdhara declared, “You have been expelled from heaven, fool,” Indra, accompanied by all the gods, approached the mortal realm. What did Indra do, then, when the unconquerable one was struck down by the supreme lord, the blessed master of yoga? What did Vidyutsu and Vidyucca do in heaven at that time? Tell me, O splendid one, by your grace. Śrī Varāha replied: The earth had been conquered by Dūrjaya, and Śatakratu, King of the Gods, was defeated. At that time, in the land of Bhārata, east of Vārāṇasī, Indra remained with the gods, yakṣas, and great serpents. Vidyutsu and Vidyucca, adopting yoga, endured a long fever caused by the practice of wind and karma yoga. When they heard that Dūrjaya had died and now resided within the ocean, they gathered their fourfold army and advanced against the gods. The two demons, arriving with their great force, took refuge in the mountain Himavat and stayed there. Meanwhile, the gods assembled a great army and made preparations, eagerly desiring the position of Indra. The sage Āṅgiras, guru of the gods, spoke: “First, you must perform a cow-sacrifice, then the next.” He instructed that all immortals should perform sacrifices together, urging them to act quickly. Obeying his words, the gods prepared cows and other animals for ritual purposes, assigning Saramā to protect them. While the gods were absent, the cows, guarded by Saramā on the mountain, wandered to where the demons were. Upon seeing the cows, the demons spoke to Śukra, their priest: “The cows for sacrifice, the gods, and Brahman are being protected by Saramā, with the gods absent. Tell us, what should be done now?” Śukra replied, “Take these cows quickly, demons, do not delay.” The demons seized the cows as they pleased, and Saramā became intent on searching for their path. She saw that Diti’s sons had taken the cows to the mountain, and the demons observed her movements closely. Addressing her gently, they spoke conciliatory words: “O Saramā, auspicious one, milk these cows and drink the milk.” When told thus, she was promptly given the milk; the leaders of the demons granted her the opportunity to drink it. “Do not, O good one, inform the king of the gods about these cows,” they said, and released her into the forest. Freed by them, Saramā quickly went to the gods, trembling, and offered salutations to Indra, the foremost among gods. The Maruts, appointed by Indra, went secretly for protection, accompanied by the powerful divine dog. Thus instructed, they departed swiftly in subtle forms and, upon arrival, bowed to Indra on the mountain. Indra asked Saramā, “Where are the cows, Saramā?” She replied, “I do not know.” Filled with anger, Indra questioned the Maruts, “Where are the cows prepared for sacrifice?” and asked the dog as well. The Maruts, anxious, narrated the actions performed by Saramā. Then Indra, possessed by great wrath, rose and struck Saramā with his foot, the lord of the gods wielding the thunderbolt. “You have foolishly drunk the milk, and the cows have been taken by the demons,” he said, striking her on the mountain. From Indra’s kick, milk flowed from her mouth. With that streaming milk, Saramā went to where the cows were, and Indra, with his army, proceeded there on the mountain. Upon arrival, Indra saw the cows fiercely guarded by the demons. The powerful demons were immediately slain by the armies, and abandoned the cows, returning to their own forms. Thus, through divine intervention and the steadfastness of the gods, the cows were reclaimed, and the order of sacrifice was restored.