Vishnu Reveals the Kaleyas' Refuge in the Ocean
The gods are in distress. After Vritra's death, the terrible Kaleyas have taken refuge in Varuna's ocean and are killing sages by night. The gods seek Vishnu's counsel, and he tells them what they must do: the ocean itself must be destroyed, and only Agastya can accomplish it.
The gods were in distress.
After Vritra had been killed by the wise one with the thousand eyes — Indra — a class of demons called the Kaleyas had survived. They were terrible, famous for their cruelty. They had once sought refuge with Vritra and oppressed the entire universe alongside him. When Vritra fell, they fled into Varuna's abode — the ocean — to save their lives.
But they did not hide quietly. Having entered the terrible ocean, infested with crocodiles and sharks, they emerged by night. They killed the sages. They did it with the intention of destroying the worlds.
The gods went to Vishnu.
Vishnu said: "O gods! I know everything about the reasons behind the decay of beings. I shall tell you everything. Listen and be free of your fever."
He told them what the Kaleyas had done and where they had gone. Then he told them the problem: the Kaleyas could not be destroyed while they remained in the ocean. The ocean itself was their shield.
"You should therefore set your minds on destroying the ocean," Vishnu said. "But except Agastya, who is capable of drying up the ocean?" Aranyaka Parva, Chapter 398