ed, "After the Rishis and the royal sages had sworn these
diverse oaths, O Kuru king, the thousand-eyed chief of the deities,
filled with joy, cast his looks on the angered Rishi Agastya. Addressing
the Rishi who was very angry at the disappearance of his lotus-stalks,
Maghavat thus declared what was passing in his mind. Hear, O king, what
the words were that Indra spoke in the midst of those regenerate and
celestial Rishis and royal sages.

"'"Sakra said, 'Let him who has stolen thy stalks be possessed of the merit
of him who bestows his daughter in marriage upon a Brahmana that has duly
observed the vow of Brahmacharya or that has duly studied the Samans and
the Yajuses! Let him also have the merit of one that undergoes the final
bath after completing one's study of the Atharva Veda! Let him who has
stolen thy stalks have the merit of having studied all the Vedas. Let him
be observant of all duties and righteous in his behaviour! Indeed, let
him go to the region of Brahman!'

"'"Agastya said, 'Thou hast, O slayer of Vala, uttered a benediction
instead of a curse! (It is evident), thou hast taken my stalks! Give
them to me, for that is the eternal duty!'

"'"Indra said, 'O holy one, I did not remove thy stalks, led by cupidity!
Indeed, I removed them from desire of hearing this conclave recite what
the duties are that we should observe. It behoveth thee not to give way
to anger! Duties are the foremost of Srutis. Duties constitute the
eternal path (for crossing the sea of the world)! I have listened to this
discourse of the Rishis (on duties) that is eternal and immutable, and
that transcends all change![436] Do thou then, O foremost of learned
Brahmanas, take back these stalks of thine! O holy one, it behoves thee
to forgive my transgression, O thou that art free from every fault!'"

"'Bhishma continued, "Thus addressed by the chief of the deities, the
ascetic, viz., Agastya, who had been very angry, took back his stalks.
Endued with great intelligence, the Rishi became cheerful. After this,
those denizens of the woods proceeded to diverse other sacred waters.
Indeed, repairing to those sacred waters they performed their ablutions
everywhere. The man who reads this narrative with close attention on
every Parva day, will not have to become the progenitor of an ignorant
and wicked son. He will never be destitute of learning. No calamity will
ever touch him. He will, besides, be free from every kind of sorrow.
Decrepi