that if he took anything under the circumstances, his act would result in
injury to all creatures. Agastya and Srutarvan, with king Vradhnaswa then
went to Purokutsa's son, Trasadasyu, of enormous wealth. The high-souled
Trasadasyu, learning of their arrival on the confines of his kingdom went
out, O king, and received them well. And that best of monarchs in
Ikshvaku's line, having worshipped all of them duly, enquired after the
reason of their arrival. And Agastya answered, 'O lord of earth, know
that we have all come to thee, desirous of wealth. Give us what you can,
without injuring others.'"

"Lomasa continued, 'That monarch then, represented unto them the equality
of his income with expenditure, and said, 'Knowing this, take ye what ye
desire.' Beholding, however, the equality of that monarch's expenditure
with income, the Rishi who saw both sides with equal eyes, thought that
if he took anything under the circumstances, his act would result in
injury to all creatures. Then, O monarch, all those kings looking at one
another, together spoke unto the Rishis saying, 'O Brahmana, there is a
Danava of the name Ilwala who of all persons on earth, is possessed of
enormous wealth. Let us all approach him to-day and beg wealth of him.'"

"Lomasa continued, 'This suggestion, O king, of begging wealth of Ilwala
appeared to them to be proper. And, O monarch, all of them went together
to Ilwala after this!'"

SECTION XCIX

"Lomasa said, 'When Ilwala learnt that those kings along with the great
Rishi had arrived on the confines of his domain, he went out with his
ministers and worshipped them duly. And that prince of Asuras received
them hospitably, entertaining them, O son of the Kuru race, with well
dressed meat supplied by his brother Vatapi (transformed into a ram).
Then all those royal sages, beholding the mighty Asura Vatapi, who had
been transformed into a ram thus cooked for them, became sad and
cheerless and were nearly deprived of themselves. But that best of
Rishis--Agastya--addressing those royal sages, said, 'Yield ye not to
grief, I will eat up the great Asura.' And the mighty Rishi then sat
himself down on an excellent seat, and the prince of Asuras, Ilwala,
began to distribute the food smilingly. And Agastya ate up the whole of
the meat supplied by Vatapi (transformed into a ram). And after the
dinner was over, Ilwala began to summon his brother. But thereupon a
quantity of air alone came out of the illu