ave unto him a boar and a
buffalo. Aruna himself gave him a cock of fiery splendour. Chandramas
gave him a sheep, and Aditya gave him some dazzling rays of his. The
mother of all kine, viz., Surabhi, gave him kine by hundreds and
thousands. Agni gave him a goat possessed of many good qualities. Ila
gave him an abundant quantity of flowers and fruit. Sudhanwan gave him a
riding chariot and a car of Kuvara. Varuna gave him many auspicious and
excellent, products of the Ocean, with some elephants. The chief of the
celestials gave him lions and tigers and pards and diverse kinds of
feathery denizens of the air, and many terrible beasts of prey and many
umbrellas also of diverse kinds. Rakshasas and Asuras, in large bands,
began to walk in the train of that puissant child. Beholding the son of
Agni grow up, Taraka sought, by various means, to effect his destruction,
but he failed to do anything unto that puissant deity. The god in time
invested Agni's son born in the solitude (of a forest of reeds) with the
command of their forces. And they also informed him of the oppressions
committed upon them by the Asura Taraka. The generalissimo of the
celestial forces grew up and became possessed of great energy and
puissance. In time Guha slew Taraka, with his irresistible dart. Verily,
Kumara slew the Asura as easily as if in sport. Having accomplished the
destruction of Taraka he re-established the chief of the deities in his
sovereignty of the three worlds. Endued with mighty prowess, the
celestial generalissimo blazed with beauty and splendour. The puissant
Skanda became the protector of the deities and did what was agreeable to
Sankara. The illustrious son of Pavaka was endued with a golden form.
Verily, Kumara is always the leader of the celestial forces. Gold is the
puissant energy of the god of fire and was born with Kartikeya (from the
same seed). Hence is Gold highly auspicious and, as a valuable, is
excellent and endued with inexhaustible merit. Even thus, O son of Kuru's
race, did Vasishtha recite this discourse unto Rama of Bhrigu's race in
days of old. Do thou, therefore, O king of men, try to make gifts of
Gold. By making gifts of Gold, Rama became cleansed of all his sins, and
finally attained to a high place in heaven that is unattainable by other
men."'"

SECTION LXXXVII

"'Yudhishthira said, "Thou hast discoursed to me, O thou of righteous
soul, on the duties of the four orders. Do thou, after the same manner,