the wielder of the bow
called Saranga, and all those bulls among Brahmanas, and all others that
were there, became filled with joy. And having heard those blessed words
appertaining to olden time, from Markandeya gifted with wisdom, their
hearts were filled with wonder."

SECTION CLXLI

Janamejaya said, "It behoveth thee to narrate to me in full the greatness
of the Brahmanas even as the mighty ascetic Markandeya had expounded it
to the sons of Pandu."

"Vaisampayana said, 'The eldest son of Pandu had asked Markandeya saying,
'It behoveth thee to expound to me the greatness of Brahmanas.'
Markandeya answered him saying, 'Hear, O king, about the behaviour of
Brahmanas in days of old.'

"And Markandeya continued, 'There was a king, by name Parikshit in
Ayodhya and belonging to the race of Ikshvaku. And once upon a time
Parikshit went a-hunting. And as he was riding alone on a horse chasing
deer, the animal led him to a great distance (from the habitations of
men). And fatigued by the distance he had ridden and afflicted with
hunger and thirst he beheld in that part of the country whither he had
been led, a dark and dense forest, and the king, beholding that forest,
entered it and seeing a delightful tank within the forest, both the rider
and the horse bathed in it, and refreshed by the bath and placing before
his horse some stalks and fibres of the lotus, the king sat by the side
of the tank. And while he was lying by the side of the tank, he heard
certain sweet strains of music, and hearing those strains, he reflected,
'I do not see here the foot-prints of men. Whose and whence then these
strains?' And the king soon beheld a maiden of great beauty gathering
flowers singing all the while, and the maiden soon came before the king,
and the king thereupon asked her, 'Blessed one, who art thou and whose?'
And she replied, 'I am a maiden.' And the king said, 'I ask thee to be
mine.' And the maiden answered, 'Give me a pledge, for then only I can be
thine, else not.' And the king then asked about the pledge and the girl
answered. 'Thou wilt never make me cast my eyes on water', and the king
saying, 'So be it,' married her, and king Parikshit having married her
sported (with her) in great joy, and sat with her in silence, and while
the king was staying there, his troops reached the spot, and those troops
beholding the monarch stood surrounding him, and cheered by the presence
of troops, the king entered a handsome vehic