e splendour of Soma?' After the celestial Rishi (Parvata) said these
words, king Srinjaya answered, saying, 'O illustrious one, this girl is
my daughter. She beggeth my blessings.' Then Narada addressed king
Srinjaya and said. 'If, O monarch, thou wishest for great good (to
thyself), then give this daughter of thine unto me for a wife.' Delighted
(with the Rishi's proposal), Srinjaya addressed Narada, saying, 'I give
her unto thee.' At this, the other Rishi, viz., Parvata, indignantly
addressed Narada, saying, 'Chosen before this by me, within my heart,
thou hast taken this damsel as thy wife. And since thou hast done this,
thou, O Brahmana, shalt not go to heaven as thy will.' Thus addressed by
him, Narada answered him, saying, 'The husband's heart and speech
(directed thereto), (the giver's) consent, the speeches (of both), the
actual gift made by sprinkling water, and the (recital of the mantras)
ordained for the seizure of the (bride's hand),--these have been declared
to be indications by which one is constituted a husband. Even this
ceremonial is not all. That which (above all) is essential is the walk
for seven paces (by the bride in circumambulating the bridegroom).[88]
Without these thy purpose (about marriage) have been unaccomplished. Thou
hast cursed. Therefore, thou also shalt not go to heaven without me.'
Having cursed each other those two Rishis continued to live there.
Meanwhile, king Srinjaya, desirous of (obtaining) a son, began, with
cleansed soul, to carefully entertain the Brahmanas, to the utmost of his
power, with food and robes. After a certain time, those foremost of
Brahmanas devoted to the study of the Vedas and fully conversant with
those scriptures and their branches became gratified with that monarch,
desirous of getting a son. Together they came to Narada and said unto
him, 'Give this king a son of the kind he desires.'--Thus addressed by
the Brahmanas, Narada replied unto them, saying, 'So be it.'--and then
the celestial Rishi addressed Srinjaya saying, 'O royal sage, the
Brahmanas have been pleased and they wish thee a son! Solicit thou the
boon, blessed be thou, about the kind of son thou desirest.' Thus
addressed by him, the king, with joined hands, asked for a son possessed
of every accomplishment, famous, of glorious feats, of great energy, and
capable of chastising all foes. And he further asked that the urine, the
excreta, the phlegm and the sweat of that child should be gold. And in