of Existence.  By attaining to thee, Yogins think that they attain to the highest success that is open to them.  Thou art Contentment, thou art Success, thou art the Sruti, and thou art the Smriti.  Thou art that Refuge of the Soul after which Yogins strive, and thou art that indestructible Prapti which men of Knowledge pursue.  Thou art, without doubt, that End which those persons have in view that are habituated to sacrifices and that pour sacrificial libations, impelled by specific desires, and that make large presents on such occasions.  Thou art that high End which is sought for by persons that waste and scorch their bodies with severe penances with ceaseless recitations, with those rigid vows and fasts that appertain to their tranquil lives, and with other means of self-affliction.  O Eternal one, thou art that End which is theirs that are unattached to all things and that have relinquished all acts.  Thou, O Eternal one, art that End which is theirs that are desirous of achieving Emancipation from rebirth, that live in dissociation from all enjoyments, and that desire the annihilation of the Prakriti elements.  Thou art that high End, O illustrious one, which is indescribable, which is stainless, which is the immutable one, and which is theirs that are devoted to knowledge and science.  These are the live Ends that have been declared in the Vedas and the Scriptures and the Puranas.  It is through thy grace that persons attain to those Ends, or, if they fail to attain to them, it is through thy grace being denied to them.—­It was thus Tandi, who was a vast heap of penances, praised Isana.  And he sang also that high Brahman which in ancient days was sung by the Creator himself (in honour of Mahadeva).

“Upamanyu continued, ’Thus praised by that utterer of Brahma, Viz., Tandi, Mahadeva that illustrious and puissant Deity, who was accompanied by his spouse lima, said these words.  Tandi had further said,—­Neither Brahma, nor Indra nor Vishnu, nor the Viswedevas, nor the great Rishis, know thee.  Gratified at this, Siva said the following words.’

“The holy one said, ’Thou shalt be indestructible and eternal.  Thou shalt be freed from all sorrow.  Great fame shall be thine.  Thou shalt be endued with energy.  Spiritual knowledge shall be thine.  All the Rishis shall seek thee, and thy son, through my grace, shall become the author of Sutras, O foremost of regenerate persons.  What wishes of thine shall I grant today?  Tell me, O son, what those objects are which thou desirest.—­At this, Tandi joined his hands and said—­O Lord, let my devotion to thee be steady.’

“Upamanyu continued, ’Having given unto Tandi these boons and having received the adorations of both the deities and the Rishis, the great Deity disappeared there and then.  When the illustrious deity, O lord of the Yadavas, thus, disappeared with all his followers, the Rishi came to my asylum and said unto me all that had happened to him.  Do thou hear, O foremost of men, all those celebrated