the sovereignty of all luminous bodies (in the universe) and acquired also his great energy.  There, in that tirtha situated on the bank of that river, all the gods with Vasava at their head, the Viswedevas, the Maruts, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras, the Island-born (Vyasa), Suka, Krishna the slayer of Madhu, the Yakshas, the Rakshasas, and the Pisachas, O king, and diverse others, numbering by thousands, all crowned with ascetic success, always reside.  Indeed in that auspicious and sacred tirtha of the Sarasvati, Vishnu himself, having in days of yore slain the Asuras, Madhu and Kaitabha, had, O chief of the Bharatas, performed his ablutions.  The island-born (Vyasa) also, of virtuous soul, O Bharata, having bathed in that tirtha, obtained great Yoga powers and attained to high success.  Endued with great ascetic merit, the Rishi Asita-Devala also, having bathed in that very tirtha with soul rapt in high Yoga meditation, obtained great Yoga powers.”

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Vaishampayana said, “In that tirtha lived in days of yore a Rishi of virtuous soul, named Asita-Devala, observant of the duties of Domesticity.  Devoted to virtue, he led a life of purity and self-restraint.  Possessed of great ascetic merit, he was compassionate unto all creatures and never injured anyone.  In word, deed, and thought, he maintained an equal behaviour towards all creatures.  Without wrath, O monarch, censure and praise were equal to him.  Of equal attitude towards the agreeable and the disagreeable, he was, like Yama himself, thoroughly impartial.  The great ascetic looked with an equal eye upon gold and a heap of pebbles.  He daily worshipped the gods and guests, and Brahmanas (that came to him).  Ever devoted to righteousness, he always practised the vow of brahmacarya.  Once upon a time, an intelligent ascetic, O monarch, of the name of Jaigishavya, devoted to Yoga and rapt in meditation and leading the life of a mendicant, came to Devala’s asylum.  Possessed of great splendour, that great ascetic, ever devoted to Yoga, O monarch, while residing in Devala’s asylum, became crowned with ascetic success.  Indeed, while the great Muni Jaigishavya resided there, Devala kept his eyes on him, never neglecting him at any time.  Thus, O monarch, a long time was passed by the two in days of yore.  On one occasion, Devala lost sight of Jaigishavya, that foremost of ascetics.  At the hour, however, of dinner, O Janamejaya, the intelligent and righteous ascetic, leading a life of mendicancy, approached Devala for soliciting alms.  Beholding that great ascetic re-appear in the guise of a mendicant, Devala showed him great honour and expressed much gratification.  And Devala worshipped his guest, O Bharata, according to the measure of his abilities, after the rites laid down by the Rishis and with great attention for many years.  One day, however, O king, in the sight of that great Muni, a deep anxiety perturbed the heart of the highsouled Devala.  The latter thought within himself, ’Many years have I passed in