his spouse). This, however, O chief of the Bharatas,
failed to disturb the equanimity of the royal couple.
The next time the puissant Rishi was seen seated,
after a bath on the throne. Indeed, it was from
that place that he then showed himself to the king
and the queen, O delighter of the Kurus. With
a cheerful face, king Kusika, together with his wife,
then offered the Rishi cooked food with great reverence.
Endued with wisdom, and with heart totally unmoved,
Kusika made this offer. ‘Let the food be
brought’ were the words that were then uttered
by the ascetic. Assisted by his spouse, the king
soon brought thither the food. There were diverse
kinds of meat and different preparations also thereof.
There was a great variety of vegetables also and pot-herbs.
There were juicy cakes too among those viands, and
several agreeable kinds of confectionery, and solid
preparations of milk. Indeed, the viands offered
presented different kinds of taste. Among them
there was also some food—the produce of
the wilderness—such as ascetics liked and
took. Diverse agreeable kinds of fruit, fit to
be eaten by kings, were also there. There were
Vadaras and Ingudas and Kasmaryas and Bhallatakas.
Indeed, the food that was offered contained such things
as are taken by persons leading a domestic mode of
life as also such things as are taken by denizens
of the wilderness. Through fear of the Rishi’s
curse, the king had caused all kinds of food to be
collected and dressed for his guest. All this
food, brought from the kitchen, was placed before
Chyavana. A seat was also placed for him and a
bed too was spread. The viands were then caused
to be covered with white cloths. Soon, however,
Chyavana of Bhrigu’s race set fire to all the
things and reduced them to ashes. Possessed of
great intelligence, the royal couple showed no wrath
at this conduct of the Rishi, who once more, after
this made himself invisible before the very eyes of
the king and the queen. The Royal sage Kusika
thereupon stood there in the same posture for the whole
night, with his spouse by his side, and without speaking
a word. Endued with great prosperity, he did
not give way to wrath. Every day, good and pure
food of diverse kinds, excellent beds, abundant articles
needed for bath, and cloths of various kinds, were
collected and kept in readiness in the palace for
the Rishi. Indeed, Chyavana failed to notice any
fault in the conduct of the king. Then the regenerate
Rishi, addressing king Kusika, said unto him, ’Do
thou with thy spouse, yoke thyself unto a car and bear
me on it to whichever place I shall direct.’
Without the least scruple, the king answered Chyavana
endued with wealth of asceticism, saying, ’So
be it!’ and he further enquired of the Rishi,
asking, ’Which car shall I bring? Shall
it be my pleasure-car for making progress of pleasure,
or, shall it be my battle-car? Thus addressed
by the delighted and contented monarch, the ascetic
said unto him, ’Do thou promptly equip that car