give.'

"'"Kusika said, 'In thy presence, O holy one, I have stayed like one
staying in the midst of a fire. That I have not yet, O chief of Bhrigu's
race been consumed, is sufficient! Even this is the highest boon that has
been obtained, O delighter of Bhrigu! That thou hast been gratified by
me, O Brahmana, and that I have succeeded in rescuing my race from
destruction, O sinless one, constitute in my case the best boons. This I
regard, O learned Brahmana, as a distinct evidence of thy grace. The end
of my life has been accomplished. Even this is what I regard the very end
of my sovereignty. Even this is the highest fruit of my penances![311]
If, O learned Brahmana, thou hast been pleased with me, O delighter of
Bhrigu, then do thou expound some doubts which are in my mind!'"'"

SECTION LV

"'"Chyavana said, 'Do thou accept a boon from me. Do thou also, O chief of
men, tell me what the doubt is that is in thy mind. I shall certainly
accomplish all thy purposes.'

"'"Kusika said, 'If thou hast been gratified by me, O holy one, do thou
then, O son of Bhrigu, tell me thy object in residing in my palace for
some time, for I desire to hear it. What was thy object in sleeping on the
bed I assigned thee for one and twenty days continuously, without
changing sides? O foremost of ascetics, what also was thy object, again,
in going out of the room without speaking a single word? Why didst thou,
again, without any ostensible reason, make thyself invisible, and once
more become visible? Why, O learned Brahmana, didst thou again, lay
thyself down on the bed and sleep as before for one and twenty days? For
what reason didst thou go out after thou wert rubbed by us with oil in
view of thy bath? Why also, after having caused diverse kinds of food in
my palace to be collected, didst thou consume them with the aid of fire?
What was the cause of thy sudden journey through my city on the car? What
object hadst thou in view in giving away so much wealth? What was thy
motive in showing us the wonders of the forest created by the
Yoga-puissance? What indeed was thy motive for showing, O great ascetic,
so many palatial mansions made of gold and so many bedsteads supported on
posts of jewels, and gems? Why also did all these wonders vanish from our
sight? I wish to hear the cause of all this. In thinking of all these
acts of thine, O perpetuator of Bhrigu's race, I became stupefied
repeatedly. I fail to find what the certain motive was