desirous of wealth. Give us what thou canst, without doing
injury to others."'

"Lomasa continued, 'That monarch then represented unto them the equality
of his expenditure and income, and said, "Knowing this, take ye what ye
desire." The Rishi, however, who saw both sides with equal eyes,
beholding the equality of that monarch's income with expenditure,
thought that if he took anything under the circumstances, his act would
result in injury to all creatures. Agastya and Srutarvan, with king
Vardhnaswa then went to Purokutsa's son, Trasadasyu, of enormous wealth.
The high-souled Trasadasyu, learning of their arrival on the confines of
his kingdom went out, O king, and received them well. And that best of
monarchs in Ikshvaku's line, having worshipped all of them duly,
enquired after the reason of their arrival. And Agastya answered, "O
lord of earth, know that we have all come to thee, desirous of wealth.
Give us what you can, without injuring others."'

"Lomasa continued, 'That monarch then, represented unto them the
equality of his income with expenditure, and said, "Knowing this, take
ye what ye desire." Beholding, however, the equality of that monarch's
expenditure with income, the Rishi who saw both sides with equal eyes,
thought that if he took anything under the circumstances, his act would
result in injury to all creatures. Then, O monarch, all those kings
looking at one another, together spoke unto the Rishis saying, "O
Brahmana, there is a Danava of the name Ilwala who of all persons on
earth, is possessed of enormous wealth. Let us all approach him to-day
and beg wealth of him."'

"Lomasa continued, 'This suggestion, O king, of begging wealth of Ilwala
appeared to them to be proper. And, O monarch, all of them went together
to Ilwala after this!'"

SECTION XCIX

"Lomasa said, 'When Ilwala learnt that those kings along with the great
Rishi had arrived on the confines of his domain, he went out with his
ministers and worshipped them duly. And that prince of Asuras received
them hospitably, entertaining them, O son of the Kuru race, with well
dressed meat supplied by his brother Vatapi (transformed into a ram).
Then all those royal sages, beholding the mighty Asura Vatapi, who had
been transformed into a ram thus cooked for them, became sad and
cheerless and were nearly deprived of themselves. But that best of
Rishis--Agastya--addressing those royal sages, said, "Yield ye not to
grief, I will eat up the