hus
permitted, said, "All four of us are blessed with long lives and have
indeed every virtue. We shall, therefore, be permitted to go to a
certain heaven and dwell there for a long period. Who amongst us,
however, O king, shall fall down first?" Thus questioned the _Rishi_
said, "This Ashtaka shall first come down." And thereupon the enquirer
asked, "For what cause?" And the _Rishi_ answered, "I lived for a few
days in the abode of Ashtaka. He carried me (one day) on his car out of
the town and there I beheld thousands of kine distinguished from one
another by difference of hue. And beholding those kine I asked Ashtaka
whose they were and Ashtaka answered me, saying, '_I have given away
these kine.' By this answer_ he gave expression to his own praise. It is
for this answer of his that Ashtaka shall have to come down." And after
Narada had said so, one of them again enquired, saying, "Three of us
then will stay in heaven. Amongst us three, who shall fall down first?"
And the _Rishi_ answered, "Pratardana." And the enquirer asked, "For
what cause?" And the _Rishi_ answered, "I lived for some days in the
abode of Pratardana also. And he carried me on his car one day. And
while doing so, a Brahmana asked him saying, '_Give me a horse_!' And
Pratardana replied, '_After returning, I will give thee one_!' And
thereupon the Brahmana said, '_Let it be given to me soon_.' And as the
Brahmana spoke those words, the king gave unto him the steed that had
been yoked on the right-hand wheel of the car. And there came unto him
another Brahmana desirous of obtaining a steed. And the king having
spoken to him in the same way, gave him the steed that had been yoked on
the left wheel of his car. And having given away the horse unto him, the
king proceeded on his journey. And then there came unto the king another
Brahmana desirous of obtaining a horse. And the king soon gave him the
horse on the left front of his car, unyoking the animal. And having done
so, the king proceeded on his journey. And then there came unto the king
another Brahmana desirous of obtaining a horse. And the king said unto
him, '_Returning, I will give thee a horse_.' But the Brahmana said,
'_Let the steed be given to me soon_.' And the king gave him the only
horse he had. And seizing the yoke of the car himself, the king began to
draw it. And as he did so, he said, '_There is now nothing for the
Brahmanas_.' The king had given away, it is true, but he had done so
wi