Hearing this Devayani replied, ’Be it a penalty or not, listen to me with attention.  O, hear that all Sarmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparvan, hath said unto me.  Really hath she said that thou art only the hired chanter of the praises of the Asura king!  Even thus hath she—­that Sarmishtha, Vrishaparvan’s daughter,—­spoken to me, with reddened eyes, these piercing and cruel words, ’Thou art the daughter of one that ever chanteth for hire the praises of others, of one that asketh for charities, of one that accepteth alms; whereas I am the daughter of one that receiveth adorations, of one that giveth, of one that never accepteth anything as gift!’ These have been the words repeatedly spoken unto me by the proud Sarmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparvan, with eyes red with anger.  If, O father, I am really the daughter of a hired chanter of praises, of one that accepteth gifts, I must offer my adorations in the hope of obtaining her grace!  Oh, of this I have already told her!’

“Sukra replied, ’Thou art, O Devayani, no daughter of a hired adorer, of one that asketh for alms and accepteth gifts.  Thou art the daughter of one that adores none, but of one that is adored by all!  Vrishaparvan himself knoweth it, and Indra, and king Yayati too.  That inconceivable Brahma, that unopposable Godhead, is my strength!  The self-create, himself, gratified by me, hath said that I am for aye the lord of that which is in all things on Earth or in Heaven!  I tell thee truly that it is I who pour rain for the good of creatures and who nourish the annual plants that sustain all living things!’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’It was by such sweet words of excellent import that the father endeavoured to pacify his daughter afflicted with woe and oppressed by anger.’”

SECTION LXXIX

(Sambhava Parva continued)

“Sukra continued, ’Know, then, O Devayani, that he that mindeth not the evil speeches of others, conquereth everything!  The wise say that he is a true charioteer who without slackening holdeth tightly the reins of his horses.  He, therefore, is the true man that subdueth, without indulging in his rising wrath.  Know thou, O Devayani, that by him is everything conquered, who calmly subdueth his rising anger.  He is regarded as a man who by having recourse to forgiveness, shaketh off his rising anger like a snake casting off its slough He that suppresseth his anger, he that regardeth not the evil speeches of others, he that becometh not angry, though there be cause, certainly acquireth the four objects for which we live (viz., virtue, profit, desire, and salvation) Between him that performeth without fatigue sacrifices every month for a hundred years, and him that never feeleth angry at anything, he that feeleth not wrath is certainly the higher.  Boys and girls, unable to distinguish between right and wrong, quarrel with each other.  The wise never imitate them.’