and placing that food in a vessel and taking it upon
his head, he went out in search of the Brahmana and while Sivi was thus
seeking, for the Brahmana, some one told him, 'The Brahmana thou
seekest, having entered thy city, is setting fire to thy abode and he is
also setting fire, in wrath, to thy treasury, thy arsenal, the
apartments of the females and thy stables for horses and elephants.' And
Sivi heard all this, without change of colour, and entering his city
spoke unto the Brahmana, 'O holy one, the food has been cooked.' And the
Brahmana hearing this spoke not a word and from surprise he stood with
downcast looks. And Sivi with a view to gratifying the Brahmana said, 'O
holy one, eat thou this.' And the Brahmana looking at Sivi for a moment
said, 'Eat it thyself.' And thereupon Sivi said, 'Let it be so.' And
Sivi cheerfully taking the vessel from his head desired to eat it and
thereupon the Brahmana caught hold of Sivi's hand and addressing him
said, 'Thou hast conquered wrath. There is nothing that thou canst not
give unto the Brahmanas.' And saying this, that Brahmana adored Sivi,
and then as Sivi cast his eyes before him, he beheld his son standing
like a child of the _gods_, decked in ornaments and yielding a fragrance
from his body and the Brahmana, having accomplished all this, made
himself visible and it was _Vidhatri_ himself who had thus come in that
guise to try that royal sage, and after _Vidhatri_ had disappeared, the
counsellors addressed the king, saying, 'Thou knowest everything. For
what didst thou do all this?' And Sivi answered, 'It was not for fame,
nor for wealth, nor from desire of acquiring objects of enjoyment that I
did all this. This course is not sinful. It is for this that I do all
this. The path which is trodden by the virtuous is laudable. My heart
always inclineth towards such a course. This high instance of Sivi's
blessedness I know, and I have, therefore, narrated it duly!'"'"

SECTION CLXLVIII

Vaisampayana said, "The sons of Pandu and those _Rishis_ then asked
Markandeya, 'Is there anybody that is blessed with longer life than
thou?' And Markandeya answered them, saying, 'There is without doubt, a
royal sage of the name of Indradyumna and his virtue having diminished,
he fell from heaven, crying, "My achievements are lost!" And he came
unto me and asked, "Dost thou know me?" And I answered him, saying,
"From our anxiety to acquire religious merit we do not confine ourselves
to