nk it. I had before that drunk milk on one
occasion, for my father had, at the time of a sacrifice, taken me to the
residence of some of our great kinsmen. A celestial cow, who delights the
deities, was being milked on that occasion. Drinking her milk that
resembled Amrita in taste, I knew what the virtues are of milk. I
therefore, at once understood the origin of the substance that my mother
offered me, telling me that it was milk. Verily, the taste of that cake,
O son, did not afford me any pleasure whatever. Impelled by childishness
I then addressed mother, saying,--"This O mother, that thou hast given me
is not any preparation of milk."--Filled with grief and sorrow at this,
and embracing me from parental affection and smelling my head, O Madhava,
she said unto me,--"Whence, O child, can ascetics of cleansed souls obtain
food prepared with milk? Such men always reside in the forest and subsist
upon bulbs and roots and fruits. Whence shall we who live by the banks of
rivers that are the resort of the Valikhilyas, we who have mountains and
forest, for our home,--whence, indeed, O child, shall we obtain milk? We,
dear child, live (sometimes) on air and sometimes on water. We dwell in
asylums in the midst of forests and woods. We habitually abstain from all
kinds of food that are taken by persons living in villages and towns. We
are accustomed to only such food as is supplied by the produce of the
wilderness. There cannot be any milk, O child, in the wilderness where
there are no offspring of Surabhi.[42] Dwelling on the banks of rivers or
in caves or on mountain-breasts, or in tirthas and other places of the
kind, we pass our time in the practice of penances and the recitation of
sacred Mantras, Siva being our highest refuge. Without gratifying the
boon-giving Sthanu of unfading glory,--him, that is, who has three
eyes,--whence, O child, can one obtain food prepared with milk and good
robes and other objects of enjoyment in the world? Do thou devote
thyself, O dear son, to Sankara with thy whole soul. Through his grace, O
child, thou art sure to obtain all such objects as administer to the
indulgence of all thy wishes,"--Hearing these words of my mother, O slayer
of foes, that day, I joined my hands in reverence and bowing unto her,
said,--"O mother, who this Mahadeva? In what manner can one gratify him?
Where does that god reside? How may he be seen? With what does he become
pleased? What also is the form of Sarva? How m