he enquirer asked, 'For what reason?' And
Narada said, 'In course of my wanderings I arrived at the abode of
Vasumanas. And at that time the Brahmanas were performing the ceremony of
Swastivachana for the sake of a flowery car.[51] And I approached the
king's presence. And after the Brahmanas had completed the ceremony, the
flowery car became visible to them. And I praised that car, and thereupon
the king told me, 'Holy one, by thee hath this car been praised. Let this
car, therefore, be thine.' And after this I went to Vasumanas another
time when I was in need of a (flowery) car. And I admired the car, and
the king said, 'It is thine.' And I went to the king a third time and
admired the car again. And even then the king exhibiting the flowery car
to the Brahmanas, cast his eyes on me, and said, 'O holy one, thou hast
praised the flowery car sufficiently." And the king only said these
words, without making me a gift of that car. And for this he will fall
down from heaven.'

"And one among them said, 'Of the one who is to go with thee, who will go
and who will fall down?' And Narada answered, saying, 'Sivi will go, but
I will fall down.' 'For what reason?' asked the enquirer. And Narada
said, 'I am not the equal of Sivi. For one day a Brahmana came unto Sivi
and addressing him, said, 'O Sivi, I came to thee for food.' And Sivi
replied unto him, saying. 'What shall I do? Let me have thy orders.' And
the Brahmana answered, 'This thy son known by the name of Vrihadgarbha
should be killed. And, O king, cook him for my food.' And hearing this, I
waited to see what would follow. And Sivi then killed his son and cooking
him duly and placing that food in a vessel and taking it upon his head,
he went out in search of the Brahmana and while Sivi was thus seeking,
for the Brahmana, some one told him, The Brahmana thou seekest, having
entered thy city, is setting fire to thy abode and he is also setting
fire, in wrath, to thy treasury, thy arsenal, the apartments of the
females and thy stables for horses and elephants.' And Sivi heard all
this, without change of colour, and entering his city spoke unto the
Brahmana, 'O holy one, the food has been cooked.' And the Brahmana
hearing this spoke not a word and from surprise he stood with downcast
looks. And Sivi with a view to gratifying the Brahmana said, 'O holy one,
eat thou this.' And the Brahmana looking at Sivi for a moment said, 'Eat
it thyself.' And thereupon Sivi said, 'Let it be