ace, O holy one! I wish to meet with my
child. What thou hast said, O best of Brahmanas, is very true. There is
no doubt of the truth of thy utterances."'

"'"Rishabha continued, 'The holy Tanu, that foremost of virtuous persons,
smiling, caused, by means of his learning and his penances the king's son
to be brought to that spot. Having caused the prince to be brought
thither, the sage rebuked the king (his father).[386] That foremost of
virtuous persons then displayed himself to be the god of righteousness.
Indeed, having displayed his own wonderful and celestial form, he entered
an adjacent forest, with heart freed from wrath and the desire of
revenge. I saw all this, O king, and heard the words I have said. Drive
off thy hope, that is even slenderer (than any of those which the sage
indicated).'"

"'Bhishma continued, "Thus addressed, O monarch, by the high-souled
Rishabha, king Sumitra speedily cast off the hope that was in his heart
and which was slenderer (than any of the kinds of hope indicated by the
emaciated Rishi). Do thou also, O son of Kunti, hearing these words of
mine, be calm and collected like Himavat. Overcome with distress,[387]
thou hast questioned me and heard my answer. Having heard it, O monarch,
it behoves thee to dispel these regrets of thine!"'"

SECTION CXXIX

"'Yudhishthira said, "Like one that drinks nectar I am never satiated with
listening to thee as thou speakest. As a person possessing a knowledge of
self is never satiated with meditation, even so I am never satiated with
hearing thee. Do thou, therefore, O grandsire, discourse once more upon
morality. I am never satiated with drinking the nectar of thy discourse
upon morality."

"'Bhishma said, "In this connection is cited the old narrative of the
discourse between Gotama and the illustrious Yama. Gotama owned a wide
retreat on the Paripatra hills. Listen to me as to how many years he
dwelt in that abode. For sixty thousand years that sage underwent ascetic
austerities in that asylum. One day, the Regent of the world, Yama, O
tiger among men, repaired to that great sage of cleansed soul while he
was engaged in the severest austerities. Yama beheld the great ascetic
Gotama of rigid penances. The regenerate sage understanding that it was
Yama who had come, speedily saluted him and sat with joined hands in an
attentive attitude (waiting for his commands). The royal Dharma,
beholding that bull among Brahmanas, duly saluted him (in