had showered these upon them. Beholding
those golden fishes and sharks and tortoises in hundreds and thousands,
Atithi's son became filled with wonder. Collecting that vast wealth of
gold that covered the earth, Suhotra performed a sacrifice at Kurujangala
and gave it away unto the Brahmanas. When that king, O Srinjaya, who
transcended thee in the four attributes of religious merit, knowledge,
renunciation, and affluence, and who was purer than thy son, felt a prey
to death, do not grieve for thy son (that is dead). Thy son never
performed a sacrifice and never made gifts. Knowing this, pacify thy mind
and do not give away to grief.[88] We hear also, O Srinjaya, that
Vrihadratha the king of the Angas, fell a prey to death. He gave away a
hundred thousand steeds. A hundred thousand maidens also, adorned with
golden ornaments, he gave away as presents in a sacrifice he performed. A
hundred thousand elephants also of the best breed, he gave away as
presents in another sacrifice performed by him. A hundred millions also
of bulls, adorned with golden chains, with thousands of kine accompanying
them, he gave away as sacrificial presents. While the king of Anga
performed his sacrifice by the hill called Vishnupada, Indra became
intoxicated with the Soma he drank, and the Brahmanas with the presents
they received. In the sacrifices, O monarch, numbering by hundreds, that
this king performed of old, the presents he made far surpassed those ever
made by the gods, the Gandharvas, and men. No other man was born, or will
ever be born, that gave or will give away so much wealth as was given
away by the king of the Angas in the seven sacrifices he performed, each
of which was characterised by the consecration of the Soma.[89] When, O
Srinjaya, this Vrihadratha even, who was thy superior in the four
attributes and who was purer than thy son, fell a prey to death, do not
grieve for thy son that is dead. We hear also, O Srinjaya, that Sivi, the
son of Usinara, fell a prey to death. That king swayed the whole earth as
one sways the leathern shield in his hand. Riding on a single car that
proved victorious in every battle, king Sivi caused the whole earth to
resound with the rattle of his wheels and subjugated all monarchs.[90]
Usinara's son Sivi gave away, in a sacrifice, all the kine and horses he
had, both domestic and wild. The Creator himself thought that no one
amongst the kings of the past or the future had or would have the ability
t