there came unto the king another Brahmana desirous of obtaining a horse.  And the king said unto him, ‘Returning, I will give thee a horse.’  But the Brahmana said, ‘Let the steed be given to me soon.’  And the king gave him the only horse he had.  And seizing the yoke of the car himself, the king began to draw it.  And as he did so, he said, ’There is now nothing for the Brahmanas.’  The king had given away, it is true, but he had done so with detraction.  And for that speech of his, he shall have to fall down from heaven.”  And after the Rishi had said so, of the two that remained, one asked, “Who amongst us two shall fall down?” And the Rishi answered, “Vasumanas.”  And the enquirer asked, “For what reason?” And Narada said, “In course of my wanderings I arrived at the abode of Vasumanas.  And at that time the Brahmanas were performing the ceremony of Swastivachana for the sake of a flowery car.[11] And I approached the king’s presence.  And after the Brahmanas had completed the ceremony, the flowery car became visible to them.  And I praised that car, and thereupon the king told me, ’Holy one, by thee hath this car been praised.  Let this car, therefore, be thine.’  And after this I went to Vasumanas another time when I was in need of a (flowery) car.  And I admired the car, and the king said, ‘It is thine.’  And I went to the king a third time and admired the car again.  And even then the king exhibiting the flowery car to the Brahmanas, cast his eyes on me, and said, ’O holy one, thou hast praised the flowery car sufficiently.”  And the king only said these words, without making me a gift of that car.  And for this he will fall down from heaven.”

[11] The ceremony of Swastivachana is described to be “a religious rite, preparatory to any important observance, in which the Brahmanas strew boiled rice on the ground, and invoke the blessings of the gods on the ceremony about to commence” (Vide Wilson’s Diet).

A flowery car was, probably, one of celestial make that the kings procured from heaven by performing costly rites and ceremonies.  These were sometimes exhibited to the people, and prior to these exhibitions, the ceremony of Swastivachana was performed.

“’And one among them said, “Of the one who is to go with thee, who will go and who will fall down?” And Narada answered, saying, “Sivi will go, but I will fall down.”  “For what reason?” asked the enquirer.  And Narada said, “I am not the equal of Sivi.  For one day a Brahmana came unto Sivi and addressing him, said, ‘O Sivi, I came to thee for food.’  And Sivi replied unto him, saying.  ‘What shall I do?  Let me have thy orders.’  And the Brahmana answered, ’This thy son known by the name of Vrihadgarbha should be killed.  And, O king, cook him for my food.’  And hearing this, I waited to see what would follow.  And Sivi then killed his son and cooking him duly