of righteous men, viz., the Rishi Bhrigu, penetrated with compassion, replied by saying,—­There is no Kshatriya in this retreat.  They that are here are all Brahmanas.  Hearing these words of Bhrigu that must accord he thought with truth, Pratarddana touched the Rishi’s feet slowly and, filled with delight, said,—­By this, O holy one, I am without doubt, crowned with success, since this king becomes abandoned by the very order of his birth in consequence of my prowess.  Give me thy permission, O Brahmana, to leave thee, and let me solicit thee to pray for my welfare.  This king, O founder of the race that goes by the name, has been compelled to leave of the very community of his birth, in consequence of my might.  Dismissed by the Rishi Bhrigu, king Pratarddana then departed from that retreat, having even as a snake vomits forth its real poison and repaired to the place he had come from.  Meanwhile, king Vitahavya attained to the status of a Brahmana sage by virtue of the words only of Bhrigu.  And he acquired also a complete mastery over all the Vedas through the same cause.  Vitahavya had a son named Gritsamada who in beauty of person was a second Indra.  Once on a time the Daityas afflicted him much, believing him to be none else than Indra.  With regard to that high-souled Rishi, one foremost of Srutis in the Richs goes like this viz., He with whom Gritsamada stays, O Brahmana, is held in high respect by all Brahmanas.  Endued with great intelligence, Gritsamada become a regenerate Rishi in the observance of Brahmacharyya.  Gritsamada had a regenerate son of the name of Sutejas.  Sutejas had a son of the name of Varchas, and the son of Varchas was known by the name of Vihavya.  Vihavya had a son of his loins who was named Vitatya and Vitatya had a son of name Satya.  Satya had a son of name Santa.  Santa had a son, viz., the Rishi Sravas.  Sravas begot a son named Tama.  Tama begot a son named Prakasa, who was a very superior Brahmana.  Prakasa had a son named Vagindra who was the foremost of all silent reciters of sacred Mantras.  Vagindra begot a son named Pramati who was a complete master of all the Vedas and their branches.  Pramati begot upon the Apsara Ghritachi a son who was named Ruru.  Ruru begot a son upon his spouse Pramadvara.  That son was the regenerate Rishi Sunaka.  Sunaka begot a son who is named Saunaka.  It was even thus, O foremost of monarchs, that king Vitahavya, though a Kshatriya by the order of his birth, obtained the status of a Brahmana, O chief of Kshatriyas, through the grace of Bhrigu.  I have also told thee the genealogy of the race that sprung from Gritsamada.  What else wouldst thou ask?’

SECTION XXXI

“Yudhishthira said, ’What men, O chief of Bharata’s race, are worthy of reverent homage in the three worlds?  Tell me this in detail verily.  I am never satiated with hearing thee discourse on these topics.’