king then, with his friends and relatives, casting off all sloth, repeatedly courted his priests with great persistence, by bowing down unto them, by conciliatory speeches, and by gifts of wealth.  All of them, however, refused to accomplish the purpose which that king of immeasurable energy had in view.  Then that royal sage, getting angry, addressed those Brahmanas sitting in their asylums, and said, ’If, ye Brahmanas, I were a fallen person, or, if, I were wanting in homage and service to you, I should then deserve to be abandoned without scruple by you and by other Brahmanas at the same time.  But as I am neither degraded nor wanting in homage to you, it behoveth you not to obstruct the performance by me of my sacrifice or to abandon me thus, ye foremost of Brahmanas, without adequate reason.  I seek, ye Brahmanas, your protection!  It behoveth you to be propitious unto me.  But, ye foremost of Brahmanas, if you abandon me from enmity alone or any improper motive, I shall go unto other priests for their assistance in this sacrifice of mine, and conciliating them by sweet words and gifts, I shall represent unto them the business I have on hand, so that they may accomplish it.’  Having said this, the monarch became silent.  And, O chastiser of foes, when those priests well knew that they could not assist at the king’s sacrifice, they pretended to be angry, and addressing that best of monarchs said, ’O best of kings, thy sacrifices are incessant!  By assisting thee always, we have all been fatigued.  And as we have been wearied in consequence of these labours, it behoveth thee to give us leave.  O sinless one, from loss of judgment thou canst not wait (but urgest us repeatedly).  Go unto Rudra!  He will assist at thy sacrifice!’ Hearing those words of censure and wrath, king Swetaki became angry.  And the monarch wending to the mountains of Kailasa, devoted himself to asceticism there.  And, O king, the monarch began to worship Mahadeva, with fixed attention, and by observing the most rigid vows.  And foregoing all food at times, he passed a long period.  The monarch ate only fruits and roots sometimes at the twelfth and sometimes at the sixteenth hour of the whole day.  King Swetaki stood for six months, rapt in attention, with arms upraised and steadfast eyes, like the trunk of a tree or a column rooted to the ground.  And, O Bharata, Sankara at last gratified with that tiger among kings, who was undergoing such hard penances, showed himself unto him.  And the god spake unto the monarch in a calm and grave voice, saying, ’O tiger among kings, O chastiser of foes, I have been gratified with thee for thy asceticism!  Blest be thou!  Ask now the boon that thou, O king, desirest.’  Hearing these words of Rudra of immeasurable energy, the royal sage bowed unto that deity and replied, saying, ’O illustrious one, O thou that art worshipped by the three worlds, if thou hast been gratified with me, then, O god of gods, assist me thyself, O lord of the celestials, in my sacrifice!’ Hearing