Friends,
Full details as found in Vishnu Purana about one of the battles between the Devas and the Asuras is presented below for favour of the readers' comments with a request to identify the chronology and personages involved in the battle alongwith the region and reasons of the contest between the two parties:
1. According to Vishnu Purana, (Book IV, Part-II, p 288):
“In the Treta age a violent war broke out between the gods and the Asuras, in which the former were vanquished. They consequently had recourse to Vishnu for assistance, and propitiated him by their adorations. The eternal ruler of the universe, Narayana, had compassion upon them, and said: “What you desire is known unto me. Hear how your wishes shall be fulfilled. There is an illustrious prince named Puranjaya, the son of a royal sage; into his person I will infuse a portion of myself, and having descended upon earth I will in his person subdue all your enemies. Do you therefore endevour to secure the aid of Puranjaya for the destruction of your foes.”
Acknowledging with reverence the kindness of the deity, the immortals quitted his presence, and repaired to Puranjaya, whom they thus addressed:
“Most renowned Kshatriya, we have come to thee to solicit thy alliance against our enemies; it will not become thee to disappoint our hope.”
The Prince replied, “Let this your Indra, the monarch of the spheres, the god of a hundred sacrifices, consent to carry me upon his shoulders, and I will wage battle with your adversaries as your ally.” The gods and Indra readily answered, “So be it;” and the latter assuming the shape of a bull, the Prince mounted upon his shoulder.
Being then filled with delight, and invigorated by the power of the eternal ruler of all movable and immovable things, he destroyed in the battle that ensued all the enemies of the gods; and because he annihilated the demon host whilst seated upon the shoulder [or the hump, Kakud] of the bull, he thence obtained the appellation Kukutstha [seated on the hump].
Bhagavata Purana adds several title to his name: that he captured the city of the Asuras, whence his name Puranjaya, ‘Victor of the city’, he is also termed Praranjaaya, ‘vanquisher of foes;’ he is also called Indravaha ‘born by Indra.’
To be contd…[next post, the version of Vayu Purana]