therefore, in any way, attaches unto
thee, O Pandava.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'O divine one, why wast thou cursed by the
high-souled Agastya? O god, I am curious to hear about the occasion of
that imprecation. I wonder that at that very moment, thou together with
thy forces and attendants wast not consumed by the ire of that
intelligent one.'

"Thereupon the lord of treasures said, 'At Kusasthali, O king, once there
was held a conclave of the gods. And surrounded by grimvisaged Yakshas,
numbering three hundred maha-padmas, carrying various weapons, I was
going to that place. And on the way, I saw that foremost of sages,
Agastya, engaged in the practice of severe austerities on the bank of the
Yamuna, abounding in various birds and graced with blossoming trees. And,
O king, immediately on seeing that mass of energy, flaming and brilliant
as fire, seated with upraised arms, facing the sun, my friend, the
graceful lord of the Rakshasas, Maniman, from stupidity, foolishness,
hauteur and ignorance discharged his excrement on the crown of that
Maharshi. Thereupon, as if burning all the cardinal points by his wrath,
he said unto me, 'Since, O lord of treasures, in thy very presence,
disregarding me, this thy friend hath thus affronted me, he, together
with thy forces, shall meet with destruction at the hands of a mortal.
And, O wicked-minded one, thou also, being distressed on account of thy
fallen soldiers, shalt be freed from thy sin, on beholding that mortal.
But if they follow thy behests, their (the soldier's) powerful sons shall
not incur by this dreadful curse. This curse I received formerly from
that foremost of Rishis. Now, O mighty king, have I been delivered by thy
brother Bhima.'"

SECTION CLXI

"The lord of treasures said, 'O Yudhishthira, patience, ability,
(appropriate) time and place and prowess--these five lead to success in
human affairs. O Bharata, in the Krita Yuga, men were patient and able in
their respective occupations and they knew how to display prowess. And, O
foremost of the Kshatriyas, a Kshatriya that is endued with patience and
understandeth the propriety regarding place and time and is versed in all
mortal regulations, can alone govern the world for a long time,--nay, in
all transactions. He that behaveth thus, acquireth, O hero, fame in this
world and excellent state in the next. And by having displayed his
prowess at the proper place and time, Sakra with the Vasus hath obtained
the dom