y, I shall accept thy hand,
that thou shalt live with me for only one night!' Having agreed to that
compact, she gave him her hand.

"Indeed, Galava's son, according to the ordinances laid down and having
duly poured libations on the fire, accepted her hand and married her. On
that night, she became a young lady of the fairest complexion, robed in
celestial attire and decked in celestial ornaments and garlands and
smeared with celestial unguents and perfumes. Beholding her blazing with
beauty, Galava's son became very happy and passed one night in her
company.

"At morn she said unto him, 'The compact, O Brahmana, I had made with
thee, hath been fulfilled, O foremost of ascetics! Blessed be thou, I
shall now leave thee!' After obtaining his permission, she once more
said, 'He that will, with rapt attention, pass one night in this tirtha
after having gratified the denizens of heaven with oblations of water,
shall obtain that merit which is his who observes the vow of brahmacarya
for eight and fifty years!' Having said these words, that chaste lady
departed for heaven.

"The Rishi, her lord, became very cheerless, by dwelling upon the memory
of her beauty. In consequence of the compact he had made, he accepted
with difficulty half her penances. Casting off his body he soon followed
her, moved by sorrow, O chief of Bharata's race, and forced to it by her
beauty.

"Even this is the glorious history of the old maid that I have told thee!
Even this is the account of her brahmacarya and her auspicious departure
for heaven. While there Baladeva heard of the slaughter of Shalya. Having
made presents unto the Brahmanas there, he gave way to grief, O scorcher
of his foes, for Shalya who had been slain by the Pandavas in battle.
Then he of Madhu's race, having come out of the environs of
Samantapanchaka, enquired of the Rishis about the results of the battle
at Kurukshetra. Asked by that lion of Yadu's race about the results of
the battle at Kurukshetra, those high-souled ones told him everything as
it had happened."

53

"The Rishis said, 'O Rama, this Samantapanchaka is said to be the eternal
northern altar of Brahman, the Lord of all creatures. There the denizens
of heaven, those givers of great boons, performed in days of yore a great
sacrifice. That foremost of royal sages, the high-souled Kuru, of great
intelligence and immeasurable energy, had cultivated this field for many
years. Hence it came to be Kurukshetra