religiosa), returned to the
gods, and the high-souled Sakra seeing that carrier of oblations (Agni)
in the company of Vrihaspati said as follows:

"'"Indra said, 'O Jataveda (Agni), didst thou go to present Vrihaspati to
Marutta according to my direction? What did that sacrificing king say
unto thee and did he accept my message?'

"'"Agni said, 'Thy message was not acceptable by Marutta and when urged by
me, he clasping the hands of Vrihaspati, repeatedly said, that Samvarta
would act as his priest. And he also observed that he did not desire to
attain the worldly and the heavenly regions and all the highest regions
of Prajapati, and that if he were so minded, he would accept the terms of
Indra.'

"'"Indra said, 'Do thou go back to that king and meeting him, tell him
these words of mine, full of significance, and if he obey them not, I shall
strike him with my thunderbolt.'

"'"Agni said, 'Let this king of the Gandharvas repair thither as thy
messenger, O Vasava, for, I am afraid to go thither myself. Know, O
Sakra, that highly incensed Samvarta, used to ascetic practices, told me
these words in a rage. 'I shall burn thee with my fierce evil eyes if
thou on any account come again here to present Vrihaspati to king
Marutta.'

"'"Sakra said, 'O Jataveda, it is thou who dost burn all other things and
there is none else who can reduce thee to ashes. All the world is afraid
to come in contact with thee. O carrier of oblations, these words of
thine are worthy of no credence.'

"'"Agni said, 'Thou, O Sakra, hast encompassed the dominion of the heaven
and the earth and the firmament by the might of thy own arms, but even
thus how could Vritra (of old) wrest from thee the sovereignty of the
celestial regions?'

"'"Indra said, 'I can reduce my foes to submission and can even reduce the
size of a mountain to an atom, if I will it. But, O Vahnni, as I do not
accept the libation of Soma if offered by a foe, and as I do not strike
the weak with my thunderbolt, Vritra seemed to triumph over me for a
time. But who among mortals can live in peace by creating feud with me. I
have banished the Kalakeyas to the earth, and removed the Danavas from
heaven, and have terminated the existence of Prahlada in heaven. Can
there be any man who can live in peace by provoking my enmity?'

"'"Agni said, 'Dost thou, O Mahendra, remember that in olden times when the
sage Chyavana officiated at the sacrifice of Saryati with the twin gods
Aswin