man who is not a Brahmana and let not the wife of a learned Brabmana ever live in infamy by accepting gifts! While, on earth, I ever desired to perform virtuous acts! Having never done so before, how shall I now accept a gift ?'
"Pratarddana who was amongst them asked-'O thou of the handsomest form. I am Pratarddana by name. I ask thee if there are any worlds for me to enjoy as fruits of my religious merits, in heaven or the firmament? Answer me, thou art acquainted with everything
"Yayati said.O king, numberless worlds, full of felicity, effulgent like the solar disc, and where woe can never dwell, await thee! If thou dwellest in each but for seven days, they would not yet be exhausted
"Pratarddana said. "These then I give unto thee! Therefore, though falling, thou must not fall! Let the worlds that are mine be thine! Whether they be in the firmament or heaven. O, soon take them 1 Let thy woe cease!'
'Yayati answered0 monarch, no king of equal energy should ever desire to receive as gift the religious merits of another king acquired by Yoga austerities. And no king who is afflicted with calamity through the fates should, if wise, act in a censurable way. A king keeping his eye fixed for ever on virtue should walk along the path of virtue like myself and knowing what his duties are should not act so meanly as thou directest. When others desirous of acquiring religious merits do not accept gifts, how can I do what they themselves do not ? On the conclusion of this speech, that best of kings. Yayati was then addressed by Vasumat in the following words.'!
Thusends the ninety-second section in the Sambhava Parva of the Adi Parva.!
SECTION XCIII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vasumat said I am Vasumat, the sum of the Oshadaswa. I would ask thee. O king, whether there are any worlds for me to enjoy as fruits of my religious merits, in heaven or the firmament, Thou art. O bighsouled one, acquainted with all holy regions I"
"Yayati answered,-"There are as many regions for thee to enjoy in heaven as the number of places in the firmament, the Earth and the tem points of the universe illumined by the Sun
"Vasumat then said, 'I give them to thee 1 Let those regions that are for me be thine. Therefore, though falling, thou shall not fall. It to accept them as gift be improper for thee, then, O monarch, buy them with a straw ?
