'Thou art welcome!'"

SECTION CCCVIII

Vaisampayana said, "And when the king of the celestials presented himself
in the guise of a Brahmana, beholding him, Kama said, 'Welcome!' And not
knowing his intention, Adhiratha's son addressed the Brahmana, saying,
'Of a necklace of gold, and beauteous damsels, and villages with plenty
of kine, which shall I give thee?' Thereupon the Brahmana replied, 'I ask
thee not to give me either a necklace of gold, or fair damsels, or any
other agreeable object. To those do thou give them that ask for them. If,
O sinless one, thou art sincere in thy vow, then wilt thou, cutting off
(from thy person) this coat of mail born with thy body, and these
ear-rings also, bestow them on me! I desire, O chastiser of foes, that
thou mayst speedily give me these; for, this one gain of mine will be
considered as superior to every other gain!' Hearing these words, Kama,
said, 'O Brahmana, I will give thee homestead land, and fair damsels, and
kine, and fields; but my mail and ear-rings I am unable to give thee!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Although thus urged with various words by Karna,
still, O chief of the Bharata race, that Brahmana did not ask for any
other boon. And although Karna sought to pacify him to the best of his
power, and worshipped him duly, yet that best of Brahmanas did not ask
for any other boon. And when that foremost of Brahmanas did not ask for
any other boon, Radha's son again spake unto him with a smile, 'My mail,
O regenerate one, hath been born with my body, and this pair of ear-rings
hath arisen from Amrita. It is for these that I am unslayable in the
worlds. Therefore, I cannot part with them. Do thou, O bull among
Brahmanas, accept from me the entire kingdom of the earth, rid of enemies
and full of prosperity! O foremost of regenerate ones, if I am deprived
of my ear-rings, and the mail born with my body, I shall be liable to be
vanquished by the foes!'

Vaisampayana continued, "When the illustrious slayer of Paka refused to
ask for any other boon, Kama with a smile again addressed him, saying, 'O
god of gods, even before this, I had recognised thee, O Lord! O Sakra, it
is not proper for me to confer on thee any unprofitable boon, for thou
art the very lord of the celestials! On the contrary, being as thou art
the Creator and lord of all beings, it is thou that shouldst confer boons
on me! If, O god, I give thee this coat of mail and ear-rings, then I am
sure to meet w