ed by me, grant me the boons I desire but which are difficult of
acquisition. Do not hide thyself in thy illusion.'"

"'Vyasa continued, "The blue-throated God, of inconceivable soul, that
wielder of Pinaka, that divine Lord ever praised by the Rishis, then gave
boons unto Vasudeva who deserved them all. The great God said, 'O
Narayana, through my grace, amongst men, gods, and Gandharvas, thou shalt
be of immeasurable might and soul. Neither gods, nor Asuras, nor great
Uragas, nor Pisachas, nor Gandharvas, nor men, nor Rakshasas, nor birds,
nor Nagas, nor any creatures in the Universe, shall ever be able to bear
thy prowess. No one amongst even the celestials shall be able to vanquish
thee in battle. Through my grace, none shall ever be able to cause thee
pain by the weapon of thunderbolt or with any object that is wet or dry,
or with any mobile or immobile thing. Thou shalt be superior to myself if
thou ever goest to battle against me.' Thus were these boons acquired by
Sauri in days of yore. Even that God now walketh the earth (as Vasudeva),
beguiling the universe by his illusion. From Narayana's asceticism was
born a great Muni of the name of Nara, equal to Narayana himself. Know
that Arjuna is none else than that Nara. Those two Rishis, said to be
older than the oldest gods, take their births in every Yuga for serving
the purposes of the world. Thyself also, O thou of great heart, hast been
born as a portion of Rudra, by virtue of all thy religious acts and as a
consequence of high ascetic austerities, endued with great energy and
wrath. Thou wert (in a former life) endued with great wisdom and equal to
a god. Regarding the universe to consist only of Mahadeva, thou hadst
emaciated thyself by diverse vows from desire of gratifying that God.
Assuming the form of a very superior person, that blazes fourth with
splendour, thou hast, O giver of honours, worshipped the great god with
mantras, with homa, and with offerings. Thus adored by thee in thy former
life, the great god became gratified with thee, and granted thee numerous
boons, O learned one, that thou hadst cherished in thy heart. Like
Kesava's and Arjuna's thy birth acts and ascetic austerities are also
superior. Like them, in thy worship, thou hast, in every Yuga, adored the
great God in his Phallic form. Kesava is that devoted worshipper of Rudra
who has sprung from Rudra himself. Kesava always worship the Lord Siva,
regarding his Phallic emblem to be the origi