completion of’ his Horse-sacrifice, thirteen
such mountains of food and drink remained (untouched).
His kingdom abounded in people that were contented
and well-fed. And it was free from all inroads
of evil and the people were perfectly happy. Having
ruled for many long years, Sasavindu, at last, ascended
to heaven. When he died, O Srinjaya, who was
superior to thee in respect of the four cardinal virtues
and who superior to thee was, therefore, much more
superior to thy son, thou shouldst not, saying, ‘Oh,
Swaitya, Oh Swaitya’, grieve for the latter
who performed no sacrifice and made no sacrificial
present.’”
“Narada said, ’Gaya, the son of Amartarayas,
O Srinjaya, we hear, fell a prey to death, That king,
for a hundred years, ate nothing but what remained
of the libations of clarified butter poured into the
sacrificial fire. Agni (gratified with his proof
of great devotion) offered to give him a boon.
Gaya solicited the boon (desired), saying, ’I
desire to have a thorough knowledge of the Vedas through
ascetic penances, through practice of Brahmacharya,
and of vows and rules, and through the grace of my
superiors.[107] I desire also inexhaustible wealth,
through practice of the duties of my own order and
without injury to others. I wish also that I
may always be able to make gifts unto the Brahmanas,
with devotion. Let me also procreate sons upon
wives belonging to my own order and not upon others.
Let me be able to give away food with devotion.
Let my heart always delight in righteousness.
O (Agni) thou supreme cleanser, let no impediment
overtake me while I am engaged in acts for the attainment
of religious merit.’ Saying ‘Be it
so,’ Agni disappeared then and there. And
Gaya also, acquiring all he had asked for, subjugated
his foes in fair fight. King Gaya then performed,
for a full hundred years, diverse kinds of sacrifices
with profuse presents unto the Brahmanas and the vows
called Chaturmasyas and others. Every year, for
a century, the king gave (unto the Brahmanas) one
hundred and sixty thousand kine, ten thousand steeds,
and one crore gold (nishkas) upon rising (on the completion
of his sacrifices). Under every constellation
also he gave away the presents ordained for each of
these occasions.[108] Indeed, the king performed various
sacrifices like another Soma or another Angiras.
In his great Horse-sacrifice, king Gaya, making a golden
earth, gave her away unto the Brahmanas. In that
sacrifice, the stakes of king Gaya were exceedingly
costly, being of gold, decked with gems delightful
to all creatures. Capable of killing every wish,
Gaya gave those stakes unto well-pleased Brahmanas
and other people. The diverse classes of creatures
dwelling in the ocean, the woods, the islands, the
rivers male and female, the waters, the towns, the
provinces, and even in heaven, were all gratified
with wealth and food distributed at Gaya’s sacrifices.
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