from my bed I went out of the chamber without accosting any of you.  I did this, O monarch, in the hope that thou wouldst ask me and thus I would have an opportunity of cursing thee.  I then made myself invisible, and again showed myself in the room of thy palace, and, once more betaking myself to Yoga, slept for one and twenty days.  The motive that impelled me was this.  Worn out with toil and hunger you two would be angry with me and do what would be unpleasant to me.  It was from this intention that I caused thyself and thy spouse to be afflicted with hunger.  In thy heart however, O king, the slightest feeling of wrath or vexation did not rise.  For this, O monarch, I became highly delighted with thee.  When I caused diverse kinds of food to be brought and then set fire to them, I hoped that thyself with thy wife wouldst give way to wrath at the sight.  Even that act however, of mine was tolerated by thee.  I then ascended the car, O monarch, and addressed thee, saying, ‘Do thou with thy wife bear me.’  Thou didst what I bade, without the least scruple, O king!  I became filled with delight at this.  The gifts of wealth I made could not provoke thy anger.  Pleased with thee, O king, I created with the aid of my Yoga puissance that forest which thyself with thy wife didst behold here.  Listen, O monarch, to the object I had.  For gratifying thee and thy queen I caused thee to have a glimpse of heaven.  All those things which thou hast seen in these woods, O monarch, are a foretaste of heaven.  O best of kings, for a little while I caused thee and thy spouse to behold, in even your earthly bodies, some sights of heaven.  All this was done for showing the puissance of penances and the reward that is in store for righteousness.  The desire that arose in thy heart, O monarch, at the sight of those delightful objects, is known to me.  Thou becamest desirous of obtaining the status of a Brahmana and the merit of penances, O lord of Earth, disregarding the sovereignty of the earth, nay, the sovereignty of very heaven!  That Which thou thoughtest, O king, was even this.  The status of a Brahmana is exceedingly difficult to obtain; after becoming a Brahmana, it is exceedingly difficult to obtain the status of a Rishi; for even a Rishi it is difficult to become an ascetic!  I tell thee that thy desire will be gratified.  From thee, O Kusika, will spring a Brahmana, who shall be called after thy name.  The person that will be the third in descent from thee shall attain to the status of a Brahmana.  Through the energy of the Bhrigus, thy grandson, O monarch, will be an ascetic endued with the splendour of fire.  He shall always strike all men, indeed, the inhabitants of the three worlds, with fear.  I tell thee the truth.  O royal sage, do thou accept the boon that is now in thy mind.  I shall soon set out on a tour to all the sacred waters.  Time is expiring.’

“Kusika said, ’Even this, O great ascetic, is a high boon, in my case, for thou hast been gratified by me.  Let that take place which thou hast said.  Let my grandson become a Brahmana, O sinless one!  Indeed, let the status of Brahmanahood attach to my race, O holy one.  This is the boon I ask for.  I desire to once more ask thee in detail, O holy one!  In what way, O delighter of Bhrigu, will the status of Brahmanahood attach to my race?  Who will be my friend?  Who will have my affection and respect?’"[313]