he sat upon a new and excellent seat of great splendour.[198] After the
Rishi had taken his seat upon it, the old lady began to wash his person
with her own soft hands whose touch was exceedingly agreeable. One after
another in due order, the lady rendered the most agreeable services to
the Rishi in the matter of his ablutions. Between the lukewarm water with
which he was washed, and the soft hands that were employed in washing
him, the Rishi of rigid vows failed to understand that the whole night
had passed away in the process. Rising from the bath the Rishi became
highly surprised. He saw the Sun risen above the horizon on the East. He
was amazed at this and asked himself,--Was it really so or was it an
error of the understanding?--The Rishi then duly worshipped the god of a
thousand rays. This done, he asked the lady as to what he should do. The
old lady prepared some food for the Rishi that was as delicious to the
taste as Amrita itself. In consequence of the delicious character of that
food the Rishi could not take much. In taking that little, however, the
day passed away and evening came. The old lady then asked the Rishi to go
to bed and sleep. An excellent bed was assigned to the Rishi and another
was occupied by herself. The Rishi and the old lady occupied different
beds at first but when it was midnight, the lady left her own bed for
coming to that of the Rishi.'

"Ashtavakra said, 'O blessed lady, my mind turns away from sexual
congress with one who is the spouse of another. Leave my bed, O good
lady. Blessed be thou, do thou desist from this of thy own accord.'[199]

"Bhishma continued, 'Thus dissuaded by that Brahmana with the aid of his
self-restraint, the lady answered him, saying,--I am my own mistress. In
accepting me thou wilt incur no sin.'

"Ashtavakra said, 'Women can never be their own mistresses. This is the