vigour. For the extermination (of the wicked) and for serving
the purposes of the gods, ye have come from the other world and have
taken your birth in this! Ye, who are so valiant, and engaged in
asceticism, self-restraining exercises, and religious ordinances, and
fond of exertion, after having performed great deeds and gratified the
gods and Rishis and the Pitris, ye will at last in due course attain by
your own acts the supreme region--the abode of all virtuous men! O
ornament of Kuru's race, may no doubts cross thy mind on account of these
thy sufferings, for this affliction is for thy good!"

SECTION CLXXXIII

Vaisampayana continued,--"The sons of Pandu said to the high-souled
Markandeya, 'We long to hear of the greatness of the Brahmanas Do thou
tell us of it!' Thus asked, the revered Markandeya, of austere virtue and
high spiritual energy, and proficient in all departments of knowledge,
replied, 'A strong-limbed, handsome young prince of the race of the
Haihayas, a conqueror of hostile cities, (once) went out hunting. And
(while) roaming in the wilderness of big trees and thickets of grass, he
saw, at no great distance from him, a Muni with the skin of a black
antelope for his upper garment, and killed him for a deer. Pained at what
he had done, and his senses paralysed with grief, he repaired to the
presence of the more distinguished of the Haihaya chiefs. The louts-eyed
prince related to them the particulars. On hearing the account, O my son,
and beholding the body of the Muni who had subsisted on fruits and roots,
they were sorely afflicted in mind. And they all set out enquiring here
and there as they proceeded, as to whose son the Muni might be. And they
soon after reached the hermitage of Arishtanemi, son of Kasyapa. And
saluting that great Muni, so constant in austerity, they all remained
standing, while the Muni, on his part, busied himself about their
reception. And they said unto the illustrious Muni, 'By a freak of
destiny, we have ceased to merit thy welcome: indeed, we have killed a
Brahmana!' And the regenerate Rishi said to them, 'How hath a Brahmana
come to be killed by you, and say where may be he? Do ye all witness the
power of my ascetic practices!' And they, having related everything to
him as it had happened went back, but found not the body of the dead
Rishi on the spot (where they had left it). And having searched for him,
they returned, ashamed and bereft of all perception, as in a dre