besmeared with dirt, surrounded by a
pack of dogs. Extremely fierce-looking, he carried a sword and was armed
with bow and arrows. That foremost of regenerate ones beheld copious
streams of water issuing from the urinary organs of that hunter. As soon
as Utanka had thought of Krishna, that hunter smilingly addressed him,
saying,--"O Utanka, O thou of Bhrigu's race, do thou accept this water
from me. Beholding thee afflicted by thirst I have felt great compassion
for thee." Thus addressed by the hunter, the ascetic showed no
inclination to accept that water. The intelligent Utanka even began to
censure Krishna of unfading glory. The hunter, however, repeatedly
addressed the Rishi, saying,--"Drink!" The ascetic refused to drink the
water thus offered. On the other hand, with heart afflicted by hunger and
thirst, he even gave way to wrath. Disregarded by the high-souled Rishi
through that conviction, the hunter, O king, with his pack of dogs,
disappeared there and then. Beholding that (wonderful) disappearance,
Utanka became filled with shame. He even thought that Krishna, that
slayer of foes, had beguiled him (in the matter of the boon he had
granted). Soon after, the holder of the conch and discus and mace, endued
with great intelligence, came to Utanka by the way (along which the
hunter had come). Addressing Krishna, the Brahmana said,--"O foremost of
beings, it was scarcely proper for thee to offer water unto foremost of
Brahmanas in the form of a hunter's urine, O lord." Unto Utanka who said
these words, Janarddana of great intelligence replied, comforting him
with many soft words--"That form which it was proper to assume for
offering thee water, in that form was water offered to thee. But, also,
thou couldst not understand it. The wielder of the thunder bolt,
Purandara, was requested by me for thy sake. My words to that puissant
deity were--'Do thou give nectar in the form of water unto Utanka.' The
chief of the celestials replied to me saying--'It is not proper that a
mortal should become immortal. Let some other boon be granted to
Utanka.'--O son of Bhrigu's race, these words were repeatedly addressed
to me. The lord of Sachi, however, was once more requested by me in these
words, viz., 'even nectar should be given to Utanka.'--The chief of the
celestials then, comforting me, said,--'If, O thou of great intelligence,
nectar is to be given to him, I shall then assume the form of a hunter
and give it to that high-soule