a marvel!  How hath the dead come to life again?  Is it the power of his austere virtue by which he hath revived again?  We long to hear this, O Brahmana, if, indeed, it can be divulged?” To them, he replied, “Death, O lords of men, hath no power over us!  I shall tell ye the reason briefly and intelligibly.  We perform our own sacred duties; therefore, have we no fear of death; we speak well of Brahmanas but never think any ill of them; therefore hath death no terror for us.  Entertaining our guests with food and drink, and our dependants with plenty of food, we ourselves (then) partake of what is left; therefore we are not afraid of death.  We are peaceful and austere and charitable and forbearing and fond of visiting sacred shrines, and we live in sacred places; therefore we have no fear of death.  And we live in places inhabited by men who have great spiritual power; therefore hath death no terror for us.  I have briefly told ye all!  Return ye now all together, cured of all worldly vanity.  Ye have no fear of sin!” Saying amen, O foremost scion of Bharata’s race, and saluting the great Muni, all those princes joyously returned to their country.’”

SECTION CLXXXIV

“Markandeya continued, ’Do ye again hear from me the glory of the Brahmanas!  It is said that a royal sage of the name of Vainya was once engaged in performing the horse-sacrifice and that Atri desired to go to him for alms.  But Atri subsequently gave up his desire of wealth, from religious scruples.  After much thought he, of great power, became desirous of living in the woods, and, calling his wife and sons together, addressed them thus, “Let us attain the highly tranquil and complete fruition of our desires.  May it, therefore, be agreeable to you to repair quickly to the forest for a life of great merit.”  His wife, arguing from motives of virtue also then said to him, “Hie thee to the illustrious prince Vainya, and beg of him vast riches!  Asked by thee, that royal sage, engaged in sacrifice will give thee wealth.  Having gone there, O regenerate Rishi, and received from him vast wealth, thou canst distribute it among thy sons and servants and then thou canst go whithersoever thou pleasest.  This, indeed, is the higher virtue as instanced by men conversant with religion.”  Atri replied, “I am informed, O virtuous one, by the high-souled Gautama, that Vainya is a pious prince, devoted to the cause of truth; but there are Brahmanas (about his persons) who are jealous of me; and as Gautama hath told me this, I do not venture to go there, for (while) there, if I were to advise what is good and calculated to secure piety and the fulfilment of one’s desires, they would contradict me with words unproductive of any good.  But I approve of any counsel and will go there; Vainya will give me kine and hoards of riches."’