s of the Arghya, and then, with joined hands, I resigned myself
to him, being prepared to do whatever he would bid. Then, O sire, an
auspicious shower of flowers fell upon my head, possessed of celestial
fragrance and bedewed with cold water. The celestial musicians began to
play on their kettle-drums. A delicious breeze, fragrant and agreeable,
began to blow and fill me with pleasure. Then Mahadeva accompanied by his
spouse, and having the bull for his sign, having been gratified with me,
addressed the celestials assembled there in these words, filling me with
great joy,--"Behold, ye deities, the devotion of the high-souled Upamanyu.
Verily, steady and great is that devotion, and entirely immutable, for it
exists unalterably."--Thus addressed by the great God armed with the Sula,
the deities, O Krishna, having bowed down unto him and joined their hands
in reverence, said these words,--"O illustrious one, O God of the gods, O
master of the universe, O Lord of all, let this best of regenerate
persons obtain from thee the fruition of all his desires."--Thus addressed
by all the deities, with the Grandsire Brahma among them. Sarva,
otherwise called Isa and Sankara, said these words as if smiling unto
me.'

"'"'The illustrious Sankara said, "O dear Upamanyu, I am gratified with
thee. Behold me, O foremost of Munis, O learned Rishi, thou art firmly
devoted to me and well hast thou been tested by me. I have been very
highly pleased with thee in consequence of this thy devotion to Siva. I
shall, therefore, give thee today the fruition of whatever desires thou
mayst have in thy heart." Thus addressed by Mahadeva of great wisdom,
tears of joy came into my eyes and my hair stood on its end (through
emotion). Kneeling down unto him and bowing unto him repeatedly, I then,
with a voice that was choked with delight, said unto him,--"O illustrious
god, it seems to me that I was hitherto dead and that it is only today
that I have taken my birth, and that my birth hath today borne fruit,
since I am staying now in the presence of Him who is the Master of both
the deities and the Asuras! Who else is more praiseworthy than I, since I
am beholding with these eyes of mine, Him of immeasurable prowess whom
the very deities are unable to behold without first paying hearty
worship? That which they that are possessed of learning and wisdom say is
the highest of all topics, which is Eternal, which is distinguished from
all else, which is unborn, w