the high-souled Agastya, the son of Varuna, of resplendent mien, and waited upon by saints, even as Brahma is waited upon by celestials.  And approaching him, they addressed the son of Mitra and Varuna at the hermitage, magnanimous and unswerving, and looking like an embodiment of pious works piled together, and glorified him by reciting his deeds.  The deities said, ’Thou wert formerly the refuge of the gods when they were oppressed by Nahusha.  Thorn of the world that he was, he was thrown down from his throne of heaven—­from the celestial regions.  Vindhya, the foremost of all mountains, suddenly began to increase his height, from a wrathful competition with the sun (i. e., to rival him in altitude).  But he hath ceased to increase, as he was unable to disobey thy command.  And when darkness hath covered the world, the born beings were harassed by death, but having obtained thee for a protector, they attained the utmost security.  Whenever we are beset by perils, thy reverence is always our refuge; for this reason it is that we solicit a boon from thee; as thou ever grantest the boon solicited (of thee).’”

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“Yudhishthira said, ’O great saint!  I am desirous of hearing in detail why it was that Vindhya, made senseless with wrath, suddenly began to increase his bulk.’”

“Lomasa said, ’The sun between his rising and setting used to revolve round that monarch of mountains—­the great Meru of golden lustre.  And seeing this the mountain Vindhya spake to Surya saying, ’As thou every day goest round Meru and honourest him by thy circumambulations, do thou even the same by me, O maker of light!’ Thus addressed, the sun replied to the great mountain, saying, ’I do not of my own will honour this mountain by my circumambulations.  By those who have built this universe hath that path been assigned to me.’  Thus addressed the mountain suddenly began to increase from wrath, desirous, O chastiser of foes, of obstructing the path of the Sun and the Moon.  And all the assembled gods came to Vindhya, the mighty king of mountains, and tried to dissuade him from his course.  But he heeded not what they said.  And then all the assembled gods went to the saint, living in the hermitage, engaged in the practice of austerities, and the very best of persons devoted to virtue; and stated all that happened to Agastya, possessed of exceeding marvellous power.

“The gods said, ’This king of hills, Vindhya, giving way to wrath, is stopping the path of the Sun and the Moon, and also the course of the stars.  O foremost of Brahmanas!  O thou great in gifts! excepting thyself, there is none who can prevent him; therefore do thou make him desist.’  Hearing these words of the gods the Brahmana came to the mountain.  And he with his wife, having arrived there, came near Vindhya and spake to him, saying, ’O thou best of mountains!  I wish to have a path given to me by thee, as, for some purpose, I shall have to go