so.' And Sivi cheerfully
taking the vessel from his head desired to eat it and thereupon the
Brahmana caught hold of Sivi's hand and addressing him said, 'Thou hast
conquered wrath. There is nothing that thou canst not give unto the
Brahmanas.' And saying this, that Brahmana adored Sivi, and then as Sivi
cast his eyes before him, he beheld his son standing like a child of the
gods, decked in ornaments and yielding a fragrance from his body and the
Brahmana, having accomplished all this, made himself visible and it was
Vidhatri himself who had thus come in that guise to try that royal sage,
and after Vidhatri had disappeared, the counsellors addressed the king,
saying, 'Thou knowest everything. For what didst thou do all this?' And
Sivi answered, 'It was not for fame, nor for wealth, nor from desire of
acquiring objects of enjoyment that I did all this. This course is not
sinful. It is for this that I do all this. The path which is trodden by
the virtuous is laudable. My heart always inclineth towards such a
course. This high instance of Sivi's blessedness I know, and I have,
therefore, narrated it duly!'"

SECTION CLXLVIII

Vaisampayana said, "The sons of Pandu and those Rishis then asked
Markandeya, 'Is there anybody that is blessed with longer life than
thou?' And Markandeya answered them, saying, 'There is without doubt, a
royal sage of the name of Indradyumna and his virtue having diminished,
he fell from heaven, crying, 'My achievements are lost!' And he came unto
me and asked, 'Dost thou know me?' And I answered him, saying, 'From our
anxiety to acquire religious merit we do not confine ourselves to any
home. We live but for a night in the same village or town. A person like
us, therefore, cannot possibly know thy pursuits. The fasts and vows we
observe render us weak in body and unable to follow any worldly pursuits
on our own behalf. Hence, one like us cannot possibly know thee.' He then
asked me, 'Is there any one who is longerlived than thou'? I answered
him, saying, 'There liveth on the Himavat an owl of the name of
Pravarakarna. He is older than I. He may know thee. The part of the
Himavat where he dwelleth is far off from here.' And at this Indradyumna
became a horse and carried me to where that owl lived and the king asked
the owl, saying, 'Dost thou know me?' And the owl seemed to reflect for a
moment and then said unto the king, 'I do not know thee.' And the royal
sage Indradyumna thereupon asked t