n hear from me the glory of the
_Brahmanas_! It is said that a royal sage of the name of _Vainya_ was
once engaged in performing the horse-sacrifice and that Atri desired to
go to him for alms. But Atri subsequently gave up his desire of wealth,
from religious scruples. After much thought he, of great power, became
desirous of living in the woods, and, calling his wife and sons
together, addressed them thus, "Let us attain the highly tranquil and
complete fruition of our desires. May it, therefore, be agreeable to you
to repair quickly to the forest for a life of great merit." His wife,
arguing from motives of virtue also then said to him, "Hie thee to the
illustrious prince Vainya, and beg of him vast riches! Asked by thee,
that royal sage, engaged in sacrifice will give thee wealth. Having gone
there, O regenerate _Rishi_, and received from him vast wealth, thou
canst distribute it among thy sons and servants and then thou canst go
whithersoever thou pleasest. This, indeed, is the higher virtue as
instanced by men conversant with religion." Atri replied, "I am
informed, O virtuous one, by the high-souled Gautama, that Vainya is a
pious prince, devoted to the cause of truth; but there are _Brahmanas_
(about his persons) who are jealous of me; and as Gautama hath told me
this, I do not venture to go there, for (while) there, if I were to
advise what is good and calculated to secure piety and the fulfilment of
one's desires, they would contradict me with words unproductive of any
good. But I approve of any counsel and will go there; Vainya will give
me kine and hoards of riches."'

"Markandeya continued, 'So saying, he, of great ascetic merit, hastened
to Vainya's sacrifice and reaching the sacrificial altar and making his
obeisance to the king and praising him with well-meaning speeches, he
spoke these words, "Blessed art thou, O king! Ruling over the earth,
thou art the foremost of sovereigns! The _Munis_ praise thee, and
besides thee there is none so versed in religious lore!" To him the
_Rishi_ Gautama, of great ascetic merit, then indignantly replied
saying, "Atri, do not repeat this nonsense. (It seems) thou art not in
thy proper senses. In this world of ours, Mahendra the lord of all
created beings (alone) is the foremost of all sovereigns!" Then, O,
great prince, Atri said to Gautama, "As Indra, the lord of all
creatures, ruleth over our destinies, so doth this king! Thou art
mistaken. It is thou who hast lost th