id, 'I ask thee that art incapable of being
vanquished and that standest on one leg in the tank, what god art thou,
for I cannot take thee for a Yaksha! Art thou the foremost of the Vasus,
or of the Rudras, or of the chief of the Maruts? Or art thou the lord
himself of the celestials, wielder of the thunder-bolt! Each of these my
brothers is capable of fighting as hundred thousand warriors, and I see
not the warrior that can slay them all! I see also that their senses have
refreshed, as if they have sweetly awaked from slumber. Art thou a friend
of ours, or even our father himself? At this the Yaksha replied,-'O
child, I am even thy father, the Lord of justice, possessed of great
prowess! Know, bull of the Bharata race, that I came hither desirous of
beholding thee! Fame, truth, self-restraint, purity, candour, modesty,
steadiness, charity, austerities and Brahmacharya, these are my body! And
abstention from injury, impartiality, peace, penances, sanctity, and
freedom from malice are the doors (through which I am accessible). Thou
art always dear to me! By good luck thou art devoted to the five;[119]
and by good luck also thou hast conquered the six.[120] Of the six, two
appear in the first part of life; two in the middle part thereof; and the
remaining two at the end, in order to make men repair to the next world.
I am, good betide thee, the lord of justice! I came hither to test thy
merit. I am well-pleased to witness thy harmlessness; and, O sinless one,
I will confer boons on thee. Do thou, O foremost of kings, ask of me
boons. I shall surely confer them, O sinless one! Those that revere me,
never come by distress!' Yudhishthira said,--'A deer was carrying away
the Brahmana's fire-sticks. Therefore, the first boon that I shall ask,
is, may that Brahmana's adorations to Agni be not interrupted!' The
Yaksha said,--'O Kunti's son endued with splendour, it was I who for
examining thee, was carrying away, in the guise of a deer, that
Brahmana's fire-sticks!"

Vaisampayana continued,--"Thereupon that worshipful one said,--'I give
thee this boon! Good betide thee! O thou that are like unto an immortal,
ask thou a fresh boon! Yudhishthira said,--'We have spent these twelve
years in the forest; and the thirteenth year is come. May no one
recognise us, as we spend this year somewhere.'

Vaisampayana continued,-'Thereat that worshipful one replied,--'I give
this boon unto thee!' And then reassuring Kunti's son having truth for