power.
Even this, is for thy supreme good! While asking thee for the ear-rings,
thou shalt, with various reasons, repeatedly refuse Purandara who is
desirous of obtaining them, offering him, instead, various other kinds of
wealth, such as gems and women and kine, and citing various precedents.
If thou, O Kama, givest away thy beautiful ear-rings born with thee, thy
life being shortened, thou wilt meet with death! Arrayed in thy mail and
ear-rings, thou wilt, O bestower of honours, be incapable of being slain
by foes in battle! Do thou lay to heart these words of mine! Both these
jewelled ornaments have sprung from Amrita. Therefore, they should be
preserved by thee, if thy life is at all dear to thee."

"Hearing these words, Kama said, 'Who art thou that tellest me so,
showing me such kindness? If it pleaseth thee, tell me, O illustrious
one, who thou art in the guise of a Brahmana!'--The Brahmana thereupon
said, 'O son, I am he of a thousand rays! Out of affection, I point out
to thee the path! Act thou according to my words, as it is for thy great
good to do so!' Kama replied, 'Surely, this itself is highly fortunate
for me that the god himself of splendour addresses me today, seeking my
welfare. Listen, however, to these words of mine! May it please thee, O
bestower of boons, it is only from affection that I tell thee this! If I
am dear to thee, I should not be dissuaded from the observance of my vow!
O thou that are possessed of the wealth of effulgence, the whole world
knoweth this to be my vow that, of a verity, I am prepared to give away
life itself unto superior Brahmanas! If, O best of all rangers of the
sky, Sakra cometh to me, disguised as a Brahmana, to beg for the benefit
of the sons of Pandu, I will, O chief of the celestials, give him the
ear-rings and the excellent mail, so that my fame which hath spread over
the three worlds may not suffer any diminution! For persons like us, it
is not fit to save life by a blame-worthy act. On the contrary, it is
even proper for us to meet death with the approbation of the world and
under circumstances bringing fame. Therefore, will I bestow upon Indra
the ear-rings with my coat of mail! If the slayer himself of Vala and
Vritra cometh to ask for the ear-rings for the benefit of the sons of
Pandu, that will conduce to my fame, leading at the same time to his
infamy! O thou possessed of splendour, I wish for fame in this world,
even if it is to be purchased with life its