Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.1645

c7.1645

Hearing these words Mahāviṣṇu approached the Asuras and said to them. "I am much pleased with you. So you may ask for any boon." Hearing this they laughed and said that they were more powerful than Viṣṇu and that he might ask of them any boon. Taking that opportunity Mahāviṣṇu said "Oh! powerful persons. I ask you to grant me this boon. Give me the boon to kill you." This request shook them. They were willing to be killed at any place except water. They thought that Viṣṇu would not be powerful enough to kill them. Mahāviṣṇu instantly raised his thighs which were enlarged to a great extent over the water as solid earth seeing which the Asuras enlarged their bodies to the extent of a thousand yojanas. But Mahāviṣṇu enlarged his thighs further, caught hold of Madhu and Kaiṭabha, laid them on his thighs and cut off their heads with his discus. All the surface of the sea was covered with the medas (fat) of these Asuras. This medas of Madhu and Kaiṭabha collected itself into a lump and became the earth. So the earth got the name 'Medinī'. As the earth was the fat of the Asuras it was not fit for food. (Devī Bhāgavata, Skandha 1).