“Sauti said. ‘Then when the night had passed away and the sun had risenin the morning, O thou whose wealth is asceticism, the two sisters Kadruand Vinata, having laid a wager about slavery, went with haste andimpatience to view the steed Uchchaishravas from a near point.
“Sauti said, ‘The Nagas after consultation arrived at the conclusion thatthey should do their mother’s bidding, for if she failed in obtaining herdesire she might withdraw her affection and burn them all. If, on theother hand, she were graciously inclined, she might free them from hercurse. They said, ‘We will certainly render the horse’s tail black.’ Andit is said that they then went and became hairs in the horse’s tail.
“Sauti said, ‘Having crossed the Ocean, Kadru of swift speed, accompaniedby Vinata, soon alighted near the horse. They then both beheld thatforemost of steeds of great speed, with body white as the rays of themoon but having black hairs (in the tail). And observing many black hairsin the tail, Kadru put Vinata, who was deeply dejected, into slavery. Andthus Vinata having lost the wager, entered into a state of slavery andbecame exceedingly sorry.
“Sauti said, ‘Then hearing of and beholding his own body, that bird ofbeautiful feathers diminished its size.’
“Sauti said, ‘Then that bird of great strength and energy and capable ofgoing at will to every place repaired to his mother’s side on the othershore of the great ocean.
“Sauti said, ‘And then Indra, the king of gods, having the best of horsesfor his bearer, thus adored by Kadru, covered the entire firmament withmasses of blue clouds. And he commanded the clouds, saying, Pour ye, yourvivifying and blessed drops!’ And those clouds, luminous with lightning,and incessantly roaring against each other in the welkin, poured abundantwater.
“Sauti said, ‘And then the Nagas drenched by that shower, becameexceedingly glad. And borne by that bird of fair feathers, they soonarrived at the island. That island had been fixed by the Creator of theUniverse as the abode of the makaras. There they saw the terrible LavanaSamudra (ocean of salt).
“Sauti said, ‘Garuda, thus addressed by the snakes, then said unto hismother, ‘I shall go to bring amrita, I desire to eat something in theway. Direct me to it.’ Vinata replied, ‘In a remote region in the midstof the ocean, the Nishadas have their fair home.
“Sauti continued, ‘A certain Brahmana with his wife had entered thethroat of that ranger of the skies. The former began to burn the bird’sthroat like a piece of flaming charcoal. Him Garuda addressed, saying, ‘Obest of Brahmanas, come out soon from my mouth which I open for thee. ABrahmana must never be slain by me, although he may be always engaged insinful practices.’
“Sauti said, ‘At the very touch by Garuda of great might with his feet,the branch of the tree broke as it was caught by Garuda.
