ing, with his mind free from anxiety, continued to live in the
forest of Kamyaka. The man that listeneth with reverence to the excellent
story of Savitri, attaineth to happiness, and success in everything, and
never meeteth with misery!"

SECTION CCLXLVIII

Janamejaya said,--"What, O Brahmana, was that great fear entertained by
Yudhishthira in respect of Karna, for which Lomasa had conveyed to the
son of Pandu a message of deep import from Indra in these words, That
intense fear of thine which thou dost never express to any one, I will
remove after Dhananjaya goeth from hence? And, O best of ascetics, why
was it that the virtuous Yudhishthira never expressed it to any one?"

Vaisampayana said, "As thou askest me, O tiger among kings, I will relate
that history unto thee! Do thou listen to my words, O best of the
Bharatas! After twelve years (of their exile) had passed away and the
thirteenth year had set in, Sakra, ever friendly to the sons of Pandu,
resolved to beg of Karna (his ear-rings). And, O mighty monarch,
ascertaining this intention of the great chief of the celestials about
(Karna's) ear-rings, Surya, having effulgence for his wealth, went unto
Karna. And, O foremost of kings, while that hero devoted to the Brahmanas
and truthful in speech was lying down at night at his ease on a rich bed
overlaid with a costly sheet, the effulgent deity, filled with kindness
and affection for his son, showed himself, O Bharata, unto him in his
dreams. And assuming from ascetic power the form of a handsome Brahmana
versed in the Vedas, Surya sweetly said unto Karna these words for his
benefit, 'O son, do thou O Karna, listen to these words of mine, O thou
foremost of truthful persons! O mighty-armed one, I tell thee to-day from
affection, what is for thy great good! With the object, O Karna, of
obtaining thy ear-rings, Sakra, moved by the desire of benefiting the
sons of Pandu, will come unto thee, disguised as a Brahmana! He, as Well
as all the world, knoweth thy character, viz., that when solicited by
pious people, thou givest away but never takest in gift! Thou, O son,
givest unto Brahmanas wealth or any other thing that is asked of thee and
never refusest anything to anybody. Knowing thee to be such, the subduer
himself of Paka will come to beg of thee thy ear-rings and coat of mail.
When he beggeth the ear-rings of thee, it behoveth thee not to give them
away, but to gratify him with sweet speeches to the best of thy