ful to wear ornaments (on such an occasion)." Hearing
these words of his wife, Agastya replied, "O blessed girl, O thou of
slender waist, I have not wealth like what thy father hath, O
Lopamudra!" She answered saying, "Thou who art endued with wealth of
asceticism, art certainly able to bring hither within a moment, by
ascetic power, everything that exists in the world of men." Agastya
said, "It is even so as thou hast said. That, however, would waste my
ascetic merit. O bid me do that which may not loosen my ascetic merit."
Lopamudra then said, "O thou endued with wealth of asceticism, my season
will not last long, I do not desire, however, to approach thee
otherwise. Nor do I desire to diminish thy (ascetic) merit in any way.
It behoveth thee, however, to do as I desire, without injuring thy
virtue."

"'Agastya then said, "O blessed girl, if this be the resolve that thou
hast settled in thy heart, I will go out in quest of wealth. Meanwhile,
stay thou here as it pleaseth thee."'"

SECTION XCVIII

"Lomasa continued, 'Agastya then, O son of the Kuru race, went to king
Srutarvan who was regarded as richer than other kings, to beg for
wealth. And that monarch, learning of the arrival of the pot-born Rishi
on the frontiers of his kingdoms, went out with his ministers and
received the holy man with respect. And the king duly offering the
_Arghya_ in the first instance, submissively and with joined hands
enquired then after the reason of the Rishi's arrival. And Agastya
answered saying, "O lord of the earth, know that I have come to thee,
desirous of wealth. Give me a portion according to thy ability and
without doing injury to others."'

"Lomasa continued, 'The king, then, representing unto the Rishi the
equality of his expenditure and income, said, "O learned one, take thou
from my possessions the wealth thou pleasest." Beholding, however, the
equality of that monarch's expenditure with income, the Rishi who always
saw both sides with equal eyes, thought that if he took anything under
the circumstances, his act would result in injury to creatures. Taking,
therefore, Srutarvan with him, the Rishi went to Vradhnaswa. The latter,
hearing of their arrival on his frontiers, received them duly. And
Vradhnaswa also offered them the _Arghyas_ and water to wash their feet.
And the monarch, with their permission, then enquired after the reason
of their coming. And Agastya said, "O lord of earth, know that we have
come to thee