Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.2403

c8.2403

All the mighty dānavas reached the forest of Naimiṣa and after bathing in the holy pond there went for hunt-ing. During their wanderings they found the river Sar-asvatī, flowing with crystal-like water. On the shore of the same they saw a pine tree covered with arrows. The arrows were sticking to it one above another. The arr-ows looked like serpents and the gruesome sight roused Prahlāda's anger. Near that tree sat two ascetics wear-ing the hide of Kṛṣṇa deer and matted hair on thei heads. By their side were two divine bows, Śārṅga and Ajagava with two never-empty quivers. Prahlāda mis-took them for two fake sannyāsins and therefore question-ed them thus : "Why are you thus falsely trading on virtuousness? What connection is there between matted hair and penance and weapons of such supreme qual-ity?" Then one of the ṛṣis, Nararṣi, said "King of dait-yas, why do you think like that? If one is powerful whatever one does will be right." Prahlāda jeered and said "When I, who have fixed limits for virtue and righte-ousness, am here what power can you wield?" Nara replied "Oh king, our ability is really supreme. There is nobody in the three worlds to conquer us in a fight." Prahlāda got furious on hearing the boasting of the ṛṣi and took a vow thus immediately : "I will fight and win against Naranārāyaṇas." Then the great Prah-lāda keeping aside his army in the forest took his bow and made a thundering noise with it.