te robes, having
finished their meals, were seated at ease. The fowler, beholding them,
prostrated himself before them with his head at their feet. His aged
parents then addressed him thus, 'Rise, O man of piety, rise, may
righteousness shield thee; we are much pleased with thee for thy piety;
mayst thou be blessed with a long life, and with knowledge, high
intelligence, and fulfilment of thy desires. Thou art a good and dutiful
son, for, we are constantly and reasonably looked after by thee, and even
amongst the celestials thou hast not another divinity to worship. By
constantly subduing thyself, thou hast become endowed with the
self-restraining power of Brahmanas and all thy grandsires and ancestors
are constantly pleased with thee for thy self-restraining virtues and for
thy piety towards us. In thought, word or deed thy attention to us never
flags, and it seems that at present thou hast no other thought in thy
mind (save as to how to please us). As Rama, the son of Jamadagni,
laboured to please his aged parents, so hast thou, O Son, done to please
us, and even more. Then the fowler introduced the Brahmana to his parents
and they received him with the usual salutation of welcome, and the
Brahmana accepting their welcome, enquired if they, with their children
and servants, were all right at home, and if they were always enjoying
good health at that time (of life). The aged couple replied, 'At home, O
Brahmana, we are all right, with all our servants. Hast thou, adorable
sir, reached this place without any difficulty?' Markandeya continued,
"The Brahmana replied, 'Yes, I have.' Then the fowler addressing himself
to the Brahmana said to him, 'These my parents, worshipful sir, are the
idols that I worship; whatever is due to the gods, I do unto them. As the
thirty-three gods with Indra at their head are worshipped by men, so are
these aged parents of mine worshipped by me. As Brahmanas exert
themselves for the purpose of procuring offering for their gods, so do I
act with diligence for these two (idols of mine). These my father and
mother, O Brahmana, are my supreme gods, and I seek to please them always
with offering of flowers, fruits and gems. To me they are like the three
sacred fires mentioned by the learned; and, O Brahmana, they seem to me
to be as good as sacrifices or the four Vedas. My five life-giving airs,
my wife and children and friends are all for them (dedicated to their
service). And with my wife and chil