what the latter
asked, and Vamadeva said, 'O lord of earth, give me thou my Vami horses.
By them hast thou accomplished a task which was almost incapable of being
accomplished by thee. By transgressing the practices of Brahmanas and
Kshatriyas, subject not thyself, O king, to death by means of the
terrible noose of Varuna.' And hearing this, the king answered, 'O
Vamadeva, this couple of excellent well-trained, and docile bulls are fit
animals for Brahmanas. O great Rishi, (take them and) go with them
wherever thou likest. Indeed, the very Vedas carry persons like thee.'
Then Vamadeva said, 'O king, the Vedas do, indeed, carry persons like us.
But that is in the world hereafter. In this world, however, O king,
animals like these carry me and persons like me as also all others.' At
this the king answered, 'Let four assess carry thee, or four mules of the
best kind, or even four steeds endued with the speed of the wind. Go thou
with these. This pair of Vami horses, however, deserves to be owned by
Kshatriyas. Know thou, therefore, that these are not thine.' At this,
Vamadeva said, 'O king, terrible vows have been ordained for the
Brahmanas. If I have lived in their observance, let four fierce and
mighty Rakshasas of terrible mien and iron bodies, commanded by me,
pursue thee with desire of slaying, and carry thee on their sharp lances,
having cut up thy body into four parts.' Hearing this, the king said,
'Let those, O Vamadeva, that know thee as a Brahmana that in thought,
word, and deed, is desirous of taking life, at my command, armed with
bright lances and swords prostrate thee with thy disciples before me.'
Then Vamadeva answered, 'O king, having obtained these my Vami steeds,
thou hadst said, 'I will return them.' Therefore, give me back my Vami
steeds, so thou mayst be able to protect thy life.' Hearing this, the
king said, 'Pursuit of deer hath not been ordained for the Brahmanas. I
do punish thee, however, for thy untruthfulness. From this day, too,
obeying all thy commands I will, O Brahmana, attain to regions of bliss.'
Vamadeva then said, 'A Brahmana cannot be punished in thought, word or
deed. That learned person who by ascetic austerities succeedeth in
knowing a Brahmana to be so, faileth not to attain to prominence in this
world.'

"Markandeya continued, 'After Vamadeva had said this, there arose, O
king, (four) Rakshasas of terrible mien, and as they, with lances in
their hands, approached the king for slay