e of this Brahmasara!'"

SECTION XCVI

Vaisampayana said, "After this the royal son of Kunti who was ever
distinguished for his profuse gifts unto Brahmanas, proceeded to the
asylum of Agastya and took up his abode in Durjaya. It was here that
that foremost of speakers, king Yudhishthira asked Lomasa as to why
Agastya had slain Vatapi there. And the king also enquired after the
extent of that man-destroying Daitya's prowess, and the reason also of
the illustrious Agastya's wrath being excited against that Asura.

"Thus questioned, Lomasa said, 'O son of Kuru race, there was in the
city called Manimati, in days of yore, a Daitya named Ilwala, whose
younger brother was Vatapi. One day that son of Diti addressed the
Brahmana endued with ascetic merit, saying, "O holy one, grant me a son
equal unto Indra." The Brahmana, however, did not grant the Asura a son
like Indra. And at this, the Asura was inflamed with wrath against the
Brahmana. And from that day, O king, the Asura Ilwala became a destroyer
of Brahmanas. And endued with power of illusion the angry Asura
transformed his brother into a ram. And Vatapi also capable of assuming
any form at will, would immediately assume the shape of a ram. And the
flesh of that ram, after being properly dressed, was offered to
Brahmanas as food. And after they had eaten of it, they were slain. For
whomsoever Ilwala summoned with his voice, he would come back to Ilwala
even if he had gone to the abode of Yama, in re-embodied form endued
with life, and show himself to Ilwala. And so having transformed the
Asura Vatapi into a ram and properly cooked his flesh and feeding
Brahmanas therewith, he would summon Vatapi. And the mighty Asura
Vatapi, that foe of Brahmanas, endued with great strength and power of
illusion, hearing, O king, those sounds uttered with a loud voice by
Ilwala, and ripping open the flanks of the Brahmana would come
laughingly out, O lord of earth! And it was thus, O monarch, that the
wicked-hearted Daitya Ilwala, having fed Brahmanas, frequently took away
their lives.

"'Meanwhile, the illustrious Agastya beheld his deceased ancestors
hanging in a pit with heads downwards. And he asked those personages
thus suspended in that hole, saying, "_What is the matter with you?_"
Thus questioned those utterers of _Brahma_ replied, "It is even for
offspring." And they also told him, "We are your ancestors. It is even
for offspring that we stay suspended in this pit. If, O