With a view to conquer the Gods, he went to the banks of the Ganges in the Himalayas, practiced a very hard penance, to Brahma, taking him to be the protector of the demons. First influenced by Tamas Guna, he withheld in his body the five Vayus and partook only the dry leaves and repeated, the Gayatri Mantra and practiced austerities. Thus he practiced for full ten thousand years. Then for another ten thousand years the demon lived drinking some drops of water only; then for another ten thousand years he remained by inhaling air only; and then for another ten thousand years he did not take any thing and thus practiced his wonderful penance. Thus practicing his penance, a sort of wonderful halo of light emitted from his body and began to burn the whole world. The demon was practicing his austerities and saw that the demon was immersed in meditation with his eyes closed; and he looked, as it were, blazing with fire, as if a second fire himself. His belly had become dried up, body withered and the nerves of the bodies, too, became almost visible; only the life breath was lingering here.