en cherishing this wish from a long time."
Thus addressed, Nara and Narayana said, "O best of kings, wrath and
covetousness have no place in this retreat. How can a battle, therefore,
be possible here? There are no weapons here, and nothing of
unrighteousness and malice. Seek battle elsewhere. There are many
Kshatriyas on earth."'

"Rama continued, 'Although thus addressed, the king still pressed them
for giving him battle. The Rishis, however, continually soothed him and
overlooked his importunity. King Dambhodbhava, still desirous of battle,
repeatedly summoned those Rishis to fight. Nara, then, O Bharata, taking
up a handful of grass-blades, said, "Desirous of battle as thou art,
come, O Kshatriya, and fight! Take up all thy arms, and array thy troops.
I will curb thy eagerness for battle hereafter!" Dambhodbhava then said,
"If, O ascetic, thou thinkest this weapon of thine fit to be used against
us, I shall fight with thee though thou mayest use that weapon, for I
have come hither desirous of fighting." Saying this, Dambhodbhava with
all his troops, desirous of slaying that ascetic, covered all sides with
a shower of arrows. That ascetic, however, by means of those blades of
grass, baffled all those terrible shafts of the king that were capable of
mangling the bodies of hostile warriors. The invincible Rishi then let
off towards the king his own terrible weapon made of grass-blades and
which was incapable of being counteracted. And highly wonderful was that
which happened, for that ascetic, incapable of missing his aim, pierced
and cut off, by those grass-blades alone, the eyes and ears and noses of
the hostile warriors, aided also by his power of illusion. And beholding
the entire welkin whitened by those grass-blades, the king fell at the
feet of the Rishi and said, "Let me be blessed!" Ever inclined to grant
protection unto those that sought it, Nara then, O king, said unto that
monarch, "Be obedient to the Brahmanas and be virtuous. Never do so
again. O king, O tiger among monarchs, a conqueror of hostile towns, a
Kshatriya mindful of the duties of his own order, should never, within even
his heart, be as thou art. Filled with pride, never insult anybody on any
occasion, be he inferior or superior to thee. Even such conduct would befit
thee. Acquiring wisdom, abandoning covetousness and pride, controlling
thy soul, restraining thy passions, practising forgiveness and humility,
and becoming amiable, O king, go, an