ng with earnestness and attention. Meanwhile the holy
Brahmana, having thus laid his commands upon the king, slept soundly,
without changing his posture or turning even once, for a space of one and
twenty days. The king, O delighter of the Kurus, foregoing all food,
along with his wife, sat joyfully the whole time engaged in tending and
serving the Rishi. On the expiration of one and twenty days, the son of
Bhrigu rose of his own accord. The great ascetic then went out of the
room, without accosting them at all. Famished and toil-worn the king and
the queen followed him, but that foremost of Rishis did not deign to cast
a single glance upon any of them. Proceeding a little way, the son of
Bhrigu disappeared in the very sight of the royal couple (making himself
invisible by his Yoga-power). At this, the king, struck with grief, fell
down on the earth. Comforted, he rose up soon, and accompanied by his
queen, the monarch, possessed of great splendour, began to search
everywhere for the Rishi."'"

SECTION LIII

"'Yudhishthira said, "After the Rishi had disappeared, what did the king
do and what also did highly-blessed spouse do? Tell me this, O grandsire!"

"'Bhishma said, "Having lost sight of the Rishi, the king, overwhelmed
with shame, toil-worn and losing his senses, returned to his palace,
accompanied by his queen. Entering his mansion in a cheerless mood, he
spoke not a word with any one. He thought only of that conduct of
Chyavana. With a despairing heart he then proceeded to his chamber. There
he saw the son of Bhrigu stretched as before on his bed. Beholding the
Rishi there, they wondered much. Indeed, they began to reflect upon that
very strange incident. The sight of the Rishi dispelled their fatigue.
Taking their seats once more by his side, they again set themselves to
gently press his feet as before. Meanwhile, the great ascetic continued
to sleep soundly as before. Only, he now lay on another side. Endued with
great energy, he thus passed another period measured by one and twenty
day. Agitated by their fears, the royal couple showed no change in their
attitude or sentiment towards the Rishi. Awaking then from his slumber,
the ascetic addressed the king and the queen, saying, 'Do ye rub my body
with oil. I wish to have a bath.' Famishing and toil-worn though they
were they readily assented, and soon approached the Rishi with a costly
oil that had been prepared by boiling it a hundred times. While the Ris