nd make him
immortal.'

"'"Agni said, 'I shall presently, O adorable one, repair thither as thy
messenger, to present Vrihaspati to king Marutta, and to make Indra's
words true, and to show respect to Vrihaspati, Agni departed.'"

"'Vyasa said, "Then the high-souled fire-god went on his errand,
devastating all the forests and trees, like unto the mighty wind, roaring
and revolving at random at the end of the winter season."

"'"Marutta said, 'Behold! I find the fire-god come in his own embodiment,
this day, therefore do thou, O Muni, offer him a seat and water, and a
cow, and water for washing the feet.'

"'"Agni said, 'I accept thy offerings of water, seat, and water for washing
the feet, O sinless one, do thou know me as the messenger of Indra, come
to thee, in accordance with his directions.'

"'"Marutta said, 'O Fire-god, is the glorious Lord of the Celestials happy,
and is he pleased with us, and are the other gods loyal to him? Do thou
enlighten me duly on all these points.'

"'"Agni said, 'O lord of the earth, Sakra is perfectly happy, he is pleased
with thee, and wishes to make thee free from senility, and all the other
gods are loyal to him. Do thou, O king, listen to the message of the Lord
of the Celestials. And the object for which he has sent me to thee is to
present Vrihaspati to Marutta. O prince, let this priest (of the
Celestials) perform thy sacrifice, and make thee, who art only a mortal,
attain immortality.'

"'"Marutta said, 'This twice-born Brahmana Samvarta will perform my
sacrifice, and I pray to Vrihaspati, that he having acted as priest to
Mahendra (Indra), it does not look well for him now to act as priest to
mortal men.'

"'"Agni said, 'If this Vrihaspati officiate as thy priest, then shalt thou
by the blessings of Devaraja (Indra) attain the highest region in the
celestial mansion and attaining fame shalt thou certainly conquer the
heavenly region. And, O lord of men, if Vrihaspati act as thy priest,
thou shalt be able to conquer all the regions inhabited by men, and the
heavenly regions, and all the highest regions created by Prajapati and
even the entire kingdom of the gods.'

"'"Samvarta said, 'Thou must never come again thus to present Vrihaspati to
Marutta: for know, O Pavaka, (Agni) if thou dost, I losing my temper,
will burn thee with my fierce evil eyes.'"

"'Vyasa said, "Then Agni apprehending destruction by fire, and trembling
like the leaves of the Aswattha tree (Ficus