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Here is the deprivation of Karna of his ear-rings by Indra. Here also is recited the sacrificial magnificence of Gaya; then the story of Agastya in which the Rishi ate up the Asura Vatapi, and his connubial connection with Lopamudra from the desire of offspring.

"Yudhishthira said, 'O best of regenerate ones, I desire again to hear of the achievements in detail of Agastya that illustrious Rishi endued with great intelligence." "Lomasa said, 'Listen now, O king, to the excellent and wonderful and extraordinary history of Agastya, as also, O monarch, about the prowess of that Rishi of immeasurable energy.

Give us what thou canst, without injuring others. Thus addressed Ilwala saluted the Rishi and said, 'If thou say what it is that I mean to give, then will I give you wealth. Hearing this Agastya said, 'O great Asura, thou hast even purposed to give unto each of these kings ten thousand kine and as many gold coins.

And beholding the king along with the queen afflicted with sorrow, Lopamudra approached them in due time and said, "O monarch, it behoveth thee not to grieve on my account. Bestow me on Agastya, and, O father, save thyself, by giving me away." And at these words of his daughter, O monarch, the king gave away Lopamudra unto the illustrious Agastya with due rites.

I entertain no anger towards Bhimasena. Rather, O foremost of the Bharata race, I am pleased with him; nay, even before coming here, I had been gratified with this deed of Bhima." O Vrikodara, to-day I have been freed from a terrible curse. For some offence, that great Rishi, Agastya, had cursed me in anger. O Pandu's son, my disgrace had ere this been fated.

""Agastya said, 'How can I succeed in cursing Nahusha, O great Rishi? Coming to heaven, the boon that Nahusha solicited was that whoever would come within the range of his vision would, deprived of all energy, come within his sway. The self-born Brahman granted him even this boon, and it is for that reason that neither thyself nor I have been able to consume him.

It behoveth thee to recite everything to me." "'Bhishma said, "Even thus did those two Rishis, viz., Bhrigu and Agastya, converse with each other. I have already told thee how Nahusha, when he first became the chief of the gods, acted in a becoming way. Verily, all acts of human and celestial nature flowed from that high souled royal sage!

Lopamudra also, O timid one, endued with youth and beauty, followed Agastya, renouncing all the objects of enjoyment unattainable by men. And the intelligent and faultless Savitri also followed the heroic Satyavan, the son of Dyumatsena, alone into the world of Yama. Even like these chaste and beautiful ladies that I have named, thou, O blessed girl, bloomest with every virtue.

Indeed, tell me, O sire, once more of the merits of presenting incense and lights. Why are Valis offered on the ground by persons leading the domestic mode of life?" "'Bhishma said, "In this connection is recited the old narrative of the discourse between Nahusha and Agastya and Bhrigu.

"Salya said, 'Now when the great Indra, the intelligent chief of the gods, was deliberating with the guardians of the world and other deities upon the means of slaying Nahusha, there appeared at that spot the venerable ascetic Agastya.