ld him everything exactly as it had
occurred.'

'And the councillors said, 'O king, that father of thine, that protector
of the whole earth, that foremost of all persons obedient to the
scriptures, became addicted to the sports of the field, even as Pandu of
mighty arms, that foremost of all bearers of the bow in battle. He made
over to us all the affairs of state from the most trivial to the most
important. One day, going into the forest, he pierced a deer with an
arrow. And having pierced it he followed it quickly on foot into the deep
woods, armed with sword and quiver. He could not, however, come upon the
lost deer. Sixty years of age and decrepit, he was soon fatigued and
became hungry. He then saw in the deep woods a high-souled Rishi. The
Rishi was then observing the vow of silence. The king asked him about the
deer, but, though asked, he made no reply. At last the king, already
tired with exertion and hunger, suddenly became angry with that Rishi
sitting motionless like a piece of wood in observance of his vow of
silence. Indeed, the king knew not that he was a Muni observing the vow
of silence. Swayed by anger, thy father insulted him. O excellent one of
the Bharata race, the king, thy father taking up from the ground with the
end of his bow a dead snake placed it on the shoulders of that Muni of
pure soul. But the Muni spake not a word good or bad and was without
anger. He continued in the same posture, bearing the dead snake.'"

SECTION L

(Astika Parva continued)

'Sauti continued, 'The ministers said, 'That king of kings then, spent
with hunger and exertion, and having placed the snake upon the shoulders
of that Muni, came back to his capital. The Muni had a son, born of a
cow, of the name of Sringin. He was widely known, possessed of great
prowess and energy, and very wrathful. Going (every day) to his preceptor
he was in the habit of worshipping him. Commanded by him, Sringin was
returning home, when he heard from a friend of his about the insult of
his father by thy parent. And, O tiger among kings, he heard that his
father, without having committed any fault, was bearing, motionless like
a statue, upon his shoulders a dead snake placed thereon. O king, the
Rishi insulted by thy father was severe in ascetic penances, the foremost
of Munis, the controller of passions, pure, and ever engaged in wonderful
acts. His soul was enlightened with ascetic penances, and his organs and
their functions were u