clarified butter. And increasing day by day like the moon in the bright
fortnight, the child began to enhance the joy of his parents.'


SECTION XIX

"Krishna said,--'some time after this, the great ascetic, the exalted
Chandakausika, again came into the country of the Magadhas. Filled with
joy at the advent of the Rishi, king Vrihadratha, accompanied by his
ministers and priest and wives and son, went out to receive him. And, O
Bharata, worshipping the Rishi with water to wash his feet and face, and
with the offerings of Arghya the king then offered his whole kingdom along
with his son for the acceptance of the Rishi. The adorable Rishi accepting
that worship offered by the king, addressing the ruler of Magadha, O
monarch, said with well-pleased heart,--"O king, I knew all this by
spiritual insight. But hear, O king of kings, what this son of thine will
be in future, as also what his beauty, excellence, strength, and valour
will be. Without doubt this son of thine, growing in prosperity and endued
with prowess, will obtain all these. Like other birds that can never
imitate the speed of Vinata's son (Garuda), the other monarchs of the
earth will not be able to equal in energy this thy son, who will be endued
with great valour. And all those that will stand in his way will certainly
be destroyed. Like the force of the current that can never make the
slightest impression upon the rocky breast of a mountain, weapons hurled
at him even by the celestials will fail to produce the least pain in him.
He will blaze forth above the heads of all that wear crowns on their brows.
Like the sun that dims the lustre of all luminous bodies, this son of
thine will rob all monarchs of their splendour. Even kings that are
powerful and own large armies and numberless vehicles and animals, upon
approaching this son of thine, will all perish as insects upon fire. This