as are uncommon and as apply to us two only, O best of regenerate persons, we are duly observing all excellent and high vows fraught with the austerest penances.  Thou, O celestial Rishi, endued with wealth of penances wert beheld by us in White Island when thou wert there.  Having met with Narayana, thou hast made a particular resolution, which is known to us.  In the three worlds consisting of mobile and immobile Beings, there is nothing that is unknown to us.  Of good or evil that will occur or has occurred or is occurring, that God of gods, O great ascetic, has informed thee!’”

Vaisampayana continued, “Having heard these words of Nara and Narayana both of whom were engaged in the practice of the austerest penances, the celestial Rishi Narada joined his hands in reverence and became entirely devoted to Narayana.  He employed his time in mentally reciting, with due observances, innumerable sacred Mantras that are approved by Narayana.  Worshipping the Supreme Deity Narayana, and adoring those two ancient Rishis also that had taken birth in the house of Dharma, the illustrious Rishi Narada, endued with great energy, continued to reside, thus employed, in that retreat, called Vadari, on the breast of Himavat, belonging to Nara and Narayana, for a thousand years as measured by the standard of the celestials.’”

SECTION CCCXLVI

Vaisampayana said, “On one occasion, while residing in the retreat of Nara and Narayana, Narada the son of Pramesthi, having duly accomplished the rites and observances in honour of the deities, set himself to perform thereafter the rites in honour of the Pitris.  Beholding him thus prepared, the eldest son of Dharma, viz., the puissant Nara addressed him, saying, ’Whom art thou worshipping, O foremost of regenerate persons, by these rites and observances in connection with the deities and the Pitris?  O foremost of all persons endued with intelligence, tell me this, agreeably to the scriptures.  What is this that thou art doing?  What also are the fruits desired by thee of those rites thou hast addrest thyself in performing?’

“Narada said, “Thou saidst unto me on a former occasion that rites and observances in honour of the deities should be accomplished.  Thou saidst that the rites in honour of the deities constitute the highest sacrifice and are equivalent to the worship of the eternal Supreme Soul.  Instructed by that teaching, I always sacrifice in honour of the eternal and immutable Vishnu, through these rites that I perform in worshipping the deities.  It is from that Supreme Deity that Brahma, the Grandsire of all the worlds, took his rise in days of yore.  That Brahma, otherwise called Prameshthi, filled with cheerfulness, caused my sire (Daksha) to start into being.  I was the son of Brahma, created before all others, by a fiat of his will (although I had to take birth afterwards as the son of Daksha through a curse of that Rishi).