so, he shall be proof against grief and forest-fire and ocean and every
object of desire shall be his.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having heard from Dhaumya these words suitable
to the occasion, Yudhishthira the just, with heart concentrated within
itself and purifying it duly, became engaged in austere meditation, moved
by the desire of supporting the Brahmanas. And worshipping the maker of
day with offerings of flowers and other articles, the king performed his
ablutions. And standing in the stream, he turned his face towards the god
of day. And touching the water of the Ganges the virtuous Yudhishthira
with senses under complete control and depending upon air alone for his
sustenance, stood there with rapt soul engaged in pranayama.[7] And
having purified himself and restrained his speech, he began to sing the
hymn of praise (to the sun).'

'Yudhishthira said, "Thou art, O sun, the eye of the universe. Thou art
the soul of all corporeal existences. Thou art the origin of all things.
Thou art the embodiment of the acts of all religious men. Thou art the
refuge of those versed in the Sankhya philosophy (the mysteries of the
soul), and thou art the support of the Yogins. Thou art a door unfastened
with bolts. Thou art the refuge of those wishing for emancipation. Thou
sustainest and discoverest the world, and sanctifiest and supportest it
from pure compassion. Brahmanas versed in the Vedas appearing before
thee, adore thee in due time, reciting the hymns from the respective
branches (of the Vedas) they refer. Thou art the adored of the Rishis.
The Siddhas, and the Charanas and the Gandharvas and the Yakshas, and the
Guhyakas, and the Nagas, desirous of obtaining boons follow thy car
coursing through the skies. The thirty-three gods[8] with Upendra
(Vishnu) and Mahendra, and the order of Vaimanikas[9] have attained
success by worshipping thee. By offering thee garlands of the celestial
Mandaras[10] the best of the Vidyadharas have obtained all their desires.
The Guhyas and the seven orders of the Pitris--both divine and
human--have attained superiority by adoring thee alone. The Vasus, the
Manilas, and the Rudras, the Sadhyas, the Marichipas, the Valikhilyas,
and the Siddhas, have attained pre-eminence by bowing down unto thee.
There is nothing that I know in the entire seven worlds, including that
of Brahma which is beyond thee. There are other beings both great and
endued with energy; but none of them hath thy lustre a