shall, besides, be the author of the ancient histories and do good to the
universe. Endued with severe penances, he shall, again, be the dear
friend of Sakra. Freed from diseases of every kind, that son of thine, O
Parasara, shall besides, be immortal.--Having said these words, the great
Deity disappeared there and then. Even such is the good, O Yudhishthira,
that I have obtained from that indestructible and immutable God, endued
with the highest penances and supreme energy.'

"Mandavya said,--'In former times though not a thief and yet wrongly
suspected of theft, I was impaled (under the orders of a king). I then
adored the illustrious Mahadeva who said unto me,--Thou shalt soon be
freed from impalement and live for millions of years. The pangs due to
impalement shall not be thine. Thou shalt also be freed from every kind
of affliction and disease. And since, O ascetic, this body of thine hath
sprung from the fourth foot of Dharma (viz., Truth). Thou shalt be
unrivalled on Earth. Do thou make thy life fruitful. Thou shalt, without
any obstruction, be able to bathe in all the sacred waters of the Earth.
And after the dissolution of thy body, I shall, O learned Brahmana,
ordain that thou shall enjoy the pure felicity of heaven for unending
Time.--Having said these words unto me, the adorable Deity having the
bull for his vehicle, viz., Maheswara of unrivalled splendour and clad in
animal skin, O king, disappeared there and then with all his associates.'

"Galava said, Formerly I studied at the feet of my preceptor Viswamitra.
Obtaining his permission I set out for home with the object of seeing my
father. My mother (having become a widow), was filled with sorrow and
weeping bitterly, said unto me,--Alas, thy father will never see his son
who, adorned with Vedic knowledge, has been permitted by his preceptor to
come home and who, possessed of all the graces of youth, is endued with
self-restraint.--Hearing these words of my mother, I became filled with