Saraswati carries the Vadava fire to the sea

Sarasvati, as a river running under the earth, carries the world-burning Vadava fire to the western ocean.

The story, beat by beat

1. Dadhichi gives his bones to the gods for weapons and dies.
2. His son Pippalada, raised on pippal fruit, learns how his father died.
3. After a year's austerity the Vadava fire is born from him and is told to eat the gods.
4. Vishnu persuades the fire to eat the Waters first; it will travel only in a maiden's hands.
5. Ganga, Yamuna and Sindhu decline; Sarasvati says she must have her father's leave.
6. Brahma sends her and tells her to go underground and surface when scorched.
7. She takes leave of Ganga, descends at a plaksha tree in the Himalaya and runs with the fire.
8. Mount Kritasmara demands to marry her; she hands him the fire and he burns to ash.
9. At Prabhasa she divides into five streams for four sages.
10. On Vishnu's advice she asks the fire to drink with a needle-sized mouth.
11. The Ocean takes the fire, and Vishnu makes the waters inexhaustible.

fire errand underground river ocean trick