And the Brahmana looking at Sivi for a moment said, ’Eat it thyself.’  And thereupon Sivi said, ‘Let it be so.’  And Sivi cheerfully taking the vessel from his head desired to eat it and thereupon the Brahmana caught hold of Sivi’s hand and addressing him said, ’Thou hast conquered wrath.  There is nothing that thou canst not give unto the Brahmanas.’  And saying this, that Brahmana adored Sivi, and then as Sivi cast his eyes before him, he beheld his son standing like a child of the gods, decked in ornaments and yielding a fragrance from his body and the Brahmana, having accomplished all this, made himself visible and it was Vidhatri himself who had thus come in that guise to try that royal sage, and after Vidhatri had disappeared, the counsellors addressed the king, saying, ‘Thou knowest everything.  For what didst thou do all this?’ And Sivi answered, ’It was not for fame, nor for wealth, nor from desire of acquiring objects of enjoyment that I did all this.  This course is not sinful.  It is for this that I do all this.  The path which is trodden by the virtuous is laudable.  My heart always inclineth towards such a course.  This high instance of Sivi’s blessedness I know, and I have, therefore, narrated it duly!’”

SECTION CLXLVIII

Vaisampayana said, “The sons of Pandu and those Rishis then asked Markandeya, ’Is there anybody that is blessed with longer life than thou?’ And Markandeya answered them, saying, ’There is without doubt, a royal sage of the name of Indradyumna and his virtue having diminished, he fell from heaven, crying, ‘My achievements are lost!’ And he came unto me and asked, ‘Dost thou know me?’ And I answered him, saying, ’From our anxiety to acquire religious merit we do not confine ourselves to any home.  We live but for a night in the same village or town.  A person like us, therefore, cannot possibly know thy pursuits.  The fasts and vows we observe render us weak in body and unable to follow any worldly pursuits on our own behalf.  Hence, one like us cannot possibly know thee.’  He then asked me, ‘Is there any one who is longerlived than thou’?  I answered him, saying, ’There liveth on the Himavat an owl of the name of Pravarakarna.  He is older than I. He may know thee.  The part of the Himavat where he dwelleth is far off from here.’  And at this Indradyumna became a horse and carried me to where that owl lived and the king asked the owl, saying, ‘Dost thou know me?’ And the owl seemed to reflect for a moment and then said unto the king, ‘I do not know thee.’  And the royal sage Indradyumna thereupon asked the owl, ’Is there any one who is older than thou?’ And thus asked the owl answered, saying, There is a lake of the name of Indradyumna.  In that lake dwelleth a crane of the name of Nadijangha.  He is older than we.  Ask thou him.’  And at this king Indradyumna taking both myself and the owl went to that lake where the crane Nadijangha dwelt.  And that crane was asked by us, ’Dost thou know