of compassion while some amongst them were Yogins devoted to the abstraction of Yoga-meditation.  Some amongst them subsisted upon smoke only, and some subsisted upon fire, and some upon milk.  Thus was that retreat adorned with many foremost of regenerate persons.  And some there were amongst them that had taken the vow of eating and drinking like kine,—­that is, by giving up the use of the hands at once.  And some used only two pieces of stone for husking their grain, and some used their teeth only for that purpose.  And some subsisted by drinking only the rays of the moon, and some by drinking only froth.  And some had betaken themselves to vow of living like deer.[39] And some there were that lived upon the fruits of the Ficus religiosa, and some that used to live upon water.  And some dressed themselves in rags and some in animal skins and some in barks of trees.  Indeed, I beheld diverse ascetics of the foremost order observing these and other painful vows.  I desired then to enter that asylum.  Verily, that asylum was honoured and adored by the deities and all high-souled beings, by Siva and others, O Bharata, and by all creatures of righteous acts.  Thus addressed, it stood in all its beauty on the breast of Himavat, like the lunar disc in the firmament.  The mongoose sported there with the snake, and the tiger with the deer, like friends, forgetting their natural enmity, in consequence of the energy of those ascetics of blazing penances and for their proximity to these high-souled ones.  In that foremost of asylums, which was delightful to all creatures, inhabited by many foremost of Brahmanas fully conversant with the Vedas and their branches, and by many high-souled Rishis celebrated for the difficult vows they observed, I saw, as soon as I entered, a puissant Rishi with matted locks on head and dressed in rags, who seemed to blaze forth like fire with his penances and energy.  Waited upon by his disciples and possessed of tranquil soul, that foremost of Brahmanas was young in aspect.  His name was Upamanyu.  Unto me who bowed unto him with a nod of the head, he said,—­Welcome art thou, O thou of eyes like lotus petals.  Today, by this visit of thine, we see that our penances have borne fruit.  Thou art worthy of our adoration, but thou adorest us still.  Thou art worthy of being seen, but thou desirest to see me.—­Joining my hands I addressed him the usual enquiries respecting the well-being of the animals and birds that resided in his asylum, of the progress of his righteousness, and of his disciples.  The illustrious Upamanyu then addressed me in words that were exceedingly sweet and delightful,—­Thou shalt, O Krishna, obtain without doubt a son like unto thyself.  Betaking thyself to severe penances, do thou gratify Isana, the Lord of all creatures.  That divine Master, O Adhokshaja, sporteth here with his spouse by his side.  O Janarddana, it was here that the deities with all the Rishis, in days of yore, gratified that foremost of deities by their penances and Brahmacharyya