of great power and strength and celestial vigour.  For the extermination (of the wicked) and for serving the purposes of the gods, ye have come from the other world and have taken your birth in this!  Ye, who are so valiant, and engaged in asceticism, self-restraining exercises, and religious ordinances, and fond of exertion, after having performed great deeds and gratified the gods and Rishis and the Pitris, ye will at last in due course attain by your own acts the supreme region—­the abode of all virtuous men!  O ornament of Kuru’s race, may no doubts cross thy mind on account of these thy sufferings, for this affliction is for thy good!’”

SECTION CLXXXIII

Vaisampayana continued,—­“The sons of Pandu said to the high-souled Markandeya, ’We long to hear of the greatness of the Brahmanas.  Do thou tell us of it!’ Thus asked, the revered Markandeya, of austere virtue and high spiritual energy, and proficient in all departments of knowledge, replied, ’A strong-limbed, handsome young prince of the race of the Haihayas, a conqueror of hostile cities, (once) went out hunting.  And (while) roaming in the wilderness of big trees and thickets of grass, he saw, at no great distance from him, a Muni with the skin of a black antelope for his upper garment, and killed him for a deer.  Pained at what he had done, and his senses paralysed with grief, he repaired to the presence of the more distinguished of the Haihaya chiefs.  The lotus-eyed prince related to them the particulars.  On hearing the account, O my son, and beholding the body of the Muni who had subsisted on fruits and roots, they were sorely afflicted in mind.  And they all set out enquiring here and there as they proceeded, as to whose son the Muni might be.  And they soon after reached the hermitage of Arishtanemi, son of Kasyapa.  And saluting that great Muni, so constant in austerity, they all remained standing, while the Muni, on his part, busied himself about their reception.  And they said unto the illustrious Muni, “By a freak of destiny, we have ceased to merit thy welcome:  indeed, we have killed a Brahmana!” And the regenerate Rishi said to them, “How hath a Brahmana come to be killed by you, and say where may be he?  Do ye all witness the power of my ascetic practices!” And they, having related everything to him as it had happened went back, but found not the body of the dead Rishi on the spot (where they had left it).  And having searched for him, they returned, ashamed and bereft of all perception, as in a dream.  And then, O thou conqueror of hostile cities, the Muni Tarkshya, addressed them, saying, “Ye princes, can this be the Brahmana of your killing?  This Brahmana, endowed with occult gifts from spiritual exercises, is, indeed, my son!” Seeing that Rishi, O lord of the earth, they were struck with bewilderment.  And they said, “What