desire now to hear what is the high religion of the Rishis. I always have
a liking for those that dwell in ascetic retreats. The perfume that
emanates from the smoke of the libations of clarified butter poured on
the sacred fire seems to pervade the entire retreats and make them
delightful. Marking this, O great god, my heart becomes always filled
with delight. O puissant deity, I have doubts regarding the religion of
the ascetics. Thou art conversant with the details of all religions. Do
thou enlighten me, O god of gods, in detail, respecting this topic truly
about which I have asked thee, O great deity!"

"'"'The blessed and holy one said, "Yes, I shall recite to thee the high
and excellent religion of the ascetics. By following the dictates of that
religion, O auspicious lady, the ascetics attain to success through the
severe penances they practise. O highly blessed one, do thou hear, from
the beginning, what the duties are of those righteous Rishis that are
conversant with every duty and that are known by the name of Phenapas.
The Grandsire Brahma (during the days he devoted to the observance of
penances) drank some nectar (in the form of water). That water had flowed
in heaven from a great sacrifice. The froth of that water is highly
auspicious and (in consequence of Brahma's having drunk it) it partook of
His own nature. Those Rishis that subsist upon the measure of froth that
thus issued (from the water indicated) are called Phenapas
(Froth-eaters). Even this is the conduct of those pure-souled Rishis, O
lady, possessed of wealth of penances! Listen now to me as I explain to
thee who the Valkhilyas are. The Valkhilyas are ascetics that have won
success by their penances. They reside in the solar disc. Adopting the
means of subsistence that is followed by the birds, those Rishis,
conversant with every duty of righteousness, live according to the Unchha
mode. Their attire consists of deer-skins or barks of trees. Freed from
every pair of opposites, the Valkhilyas, possessed of wealth of penances,
walk in this track of righteousness. They are as big as a digit of the
thumb. Distributed into classes, each class lives in the practice of the
duties assigned to it. They desire only to practise penance. The merits
they win by their righteous conduct are very high. They are regarded as
having attained to an equality with the gods and exist for the
accomplishment of the purposes of the gods. Having burnt off all their
sins