I always reside in those rivers also that have deep and large volumes of rolling waters rendered turbid by lions and elephants plunging into them for bathing or slaking their thirst.  I reside also in infuriate elephants, in bovine bulls, in kings, on the throne and good men.  I always reside in that house in which the inmate pours libation on the sacrificial fire and worships kine, Brahmanas and the deities.  I reside in that house where at the proper time offerings are made unto the deities, in course of worship.[29] I always reside in such Brahmanas as are devoted to the study of the Vedas, in Kshatriyas devoted to the observance of righteousness, in Vaisyas devoted to cultivation, and the Sudras devoted to the (menial) service of the three upper classes.  I reside, with a heart firm and unchangeable, in Narayana, in my embodied self.  In Him is righteousness in its perfection and full measure, devotion to the Brahmanas, and the quality of agreeableness.  Can I not say, O lady that I do not reside in my embodied form, (in any of these places that I have mentioned, except Narayana)?  That person in whom I reside in spirit increases in righteousness and fame and wealth and objects of desire.’”

SECTION XII

“Yudhishthira said, ’It behoveth, O king to tell me truly which of the two viz., man or woman derives the greater pleasure from an act of union with each other.  Kindly resolve my doubt in this respect.”

“Bhishma said, ’In this connection is cited this old narrative of the discourse between Bhangaswana and Sakra as a precedent illustrating the question.  In days of yore there lived a king of the name of Bhangaswana.  He was exceedingly righteous and was known as a royal sage.  He was, however, childless, O chief of man, and therefore performed a sacrifice from desire of obtaining an issue.  The sacrifice which that mighty monarch performed was the Agnishtuta.  In consequence of the fact that the deity of fire is alone adored in that sacrifice, this is always disliked by Indra.  Yet it is the sacrifice that is desired by men when for the purpose of obtaining an issue they seek to cleanse themselves of their sins.[30] The highly blessed chief of the celestials, viz.  Indra, learning that the monarch was desirous of performing the Agnishtuta, began from that moment to look for the laches of that royal sage of well-restrained soul (for if he could succeed in finding some laches, he could then punish his disregarder).  Notwithstanding all his vigilance, however, O king, Indra failed to detect any laches, on the part of the high-souled monarch.  Some time after, one day, the king went on a hunting expedition.  Saying unto himself—­This, indeed, is an opportunity,—­Indra stupefied the monarch.  The king proceeded alone on his horse, confounded because of the chief of the celestials having stupefied his senses.  Afflicted with hunger and thirst, the king’s confusion was so great that he could