owned by kings.  The Brahmanas do not deserve to possess jewels of such value.  What business have Brahmanas with horses?  Return thou contentedly!” And Atreya, thus addressed by the king, returned and told his preceptor all that had happened, and hearing this sad intelligence, Vamadeva’s heart was filled with wrath, and repairing in person to the king he asked him for his steeds, and the king refused to give the Rishi what the latter asked, and Vamadeva said, “O lord of earth, give me thou my Vami horses.  By them hast thou accomplished a task which was almost incapable of being accomplished by thee.  By transgressing the practices of Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, subject not thyself, O king, to death by means of the terrible noose of Varuna.”  And hearing this, the king answered, “O Vamadeva, this couple of excellent well-trained, and docile bulls are fit animals for Brahmanas.  O great Rishi, (take them and) go with them wherever thou likest.  Indeed, the very Vedas carry persons like thee.”  Then Vamadeva said, “O king, the Vedas do, indeed, carry persons like us.  But that is in the world hereafter.  In this world, however, O king, animals like these carry me and persons like me as also all others.”  At this the king answered, “Let four asses carry thee, or four mules of the best kind, or even four steeds endued with the speed of the wind.  Go thou with these.  This pair of Vami horses, however, deserves to be owned by Kshatriyas.  Know thou, therefore, that these are not thine.”  At this, Vamadeva said, “O king, terrible vows have been ordained for the Brahmanas.  If I have lived in their observance, let four fierce and mighty Rakshasas of terrible mien and iron bodies, commanded by me, pursue thee with desire of slaying, and carry thee on their sharp lances, having cut up thy body into four parts.”  Hearing this, the king said, “Let those, O Vamadeva, that know thee as a Brahmana that in thought, word, and deed, is desirous of taking life, at my command, armed with bright lances and swords prostrate thee with thy disciples before me.”  Then Vamadeva answered, “O king, having obtained these my Vami steeds, thou hadst said, ’I will return them.’  Therefore, give me back my Vami steeds, so thou mayst be able to protect thy life.”  Hearing this, the king said, “Pursuit of deer hath not been ordained for the Brahmanas.  I do punish thee, however, for thy untruthfulness.  From this day, too, obeying all thy commands I will, O Brahmana, attain to regions of bliss.”  Vamadeva then said, “A Brahmana cannot be punished in thought, word or deed.  That learned person who by ascetic austerities succeedeth in knowing a Brahmana to be so, faileth not to attain to prominence in this world."’