attainment of great merit and virtue consequent on such pilgrimage: then the pilgrimage of the great sage Narada to the shrine Pulasta; also the pilgrimage of the high-souled Pandavas. 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 Lopā-mudrā from the desire of offspring. Then the story of Rishya-sringa who adopted the Brahmacharya mode of life from his very boyhood; then the history of Rama of great prowess the son of Yamadagni in which has been narrated the death of Karta-virya and the Haihayas; then the meeting between the Pandavas and the Vishnis in the sacred spot called Pravhasa; then the story of Su-kanya in which Chyavana, the son of Bhrigu, made the twins, Aswinas, drink, at the sacrifice of king Saryati, the Soma juice (from which they had been excluded by the other gods), and in which, besides, is shown how Chyavana himself acquired perpetual youth (as a boon from the grateful Aswinas). Then hath been described the history of king Mandhata; then the story of prince Jantu; and how king Somaka by offering up his only son (Jantu) in sacrifice obtained a hundred others; then the excellent history of the hawk and the pigeon; then the examination of king Shivi by Indra, Agni, and Dharma; then the story of Ashtāvakra, in which is the disputation, at the sacrifice of Janaka, between that Rishi and the first of logicians, Vandi, the son of Varuna; the defeat of Vandi by the great Ashtāvakra, and the release by the Rishi of his father from the depths of the ocean. Then the story of Yava-krita, and then that of the great Raivya; then the departure (of the Pandavas) for Gandha-madana and their abode in the asylum called Narayana; then Bhima-sena's journey to Gandha-madana at the request of Draupadi (in search of the sweet-scented flower). Bhima's meeting on his way, in a grove of bannanas, with Hanumana, the son of Pavana, of great prowess; Bhima's bath in the tank and the destruction of the flowers therein for obtaining the sweet-scented flower (he was in search of); his consequent battle with the mighty Rakshasas and the Yakshas of great prowess including Maniman, the destruction
