essed the hill thus, 'Whoever should utter any words here,
thou must throw stones at him, and thou must call up the winds to prevent
him from making any noise.' This was what the saint said. And so at this
place, as soon as a man utters any words, he is forbidden by a roaring
cloud. O king! thus these deeds were performed by that great saint, and
from wrath he also forbade other acts. O king! tradition says that when
the gods of yore had come to the Nanda, suddenly came over (there) a
number of men to look at the celestials. Those same gods at whose head
stood Indra did not, however, like to be seen; and so they rendered this
spot inaccessible, by raising obstructions in the form of hills. And from
that day forward, O Kunti's son! men could not cast their eyes at any
time on what looked like a hill, far less could they ascend the same.
This big mountain is incapable of being seen by one who hath not led an
austere life, nor can such a one ascend it. Therefore, O son of Kunti!
keep thou thy tongue under control. Here at that time all those gods
performed the best sacrificial rites. O Bharata's son! Even up to this
day these marks thereof may be seen. This grass here hath the form of the
sacred kusa grass: the ground here seemeth to be overspread with the
sacred grass; and. O lord of men! many of these trees here look like the
spots for tying the sacrificial beasts. O Bharata's son! still the Gods
and saints have residence here; and their sacred fire is observed in the
morning and in the evening. Here if one bathes, his sin is forthwith
destroyed, O Kunti's son! O most praiseworthy of the race of Kuru! do
thou, therefore, perform thy ablutions, together with thy younger
brothers. Then after having washed thyself in the Nanda, thou wilt repair
to the river Kausiki, the spot where the most excellent and severest form
of penances was practised by Viswamitra. Then the king with his
attendants, having washed his body there, proceeded to the river Kausiki,
which was pure and delightful and pleasant with cool water.'

"Lomasa said, 'This is the pure divine river by name Kausiki. O chief of
Bharata's race! and this is the delightful hermitage of Viswamitra,
conspicuous here. And this is a hermitage, with a holy name, belonging to
Kasyapa of mighty soul; whose son was Rishyasringa, devoted to penances,
and of passions under control. He by force of his penances caused Indra
to rain; and that god, the slayer of the demons Vala and Vri