of that girl’s fair lips.  And it was said in King Nila’s palace and in the house of all his subjects that the god Agni desired that beautiful girl for his bride.  And it so happened that he was accepted by the girl herself.  One day the deity assuming the form of a Brahmana, was happily enjoying the society of the fair one, when he was discovered by the king.  And the virtuous king thereupon ordered the Brahmana to be punished according to law.  At this the illustrious deity flamed up in wrath.  And beholding this, the king wondered much and bent his head low on the ground.  And after some time the king bowing low bestowed the daughter of his upon the god Agni, disguised as a Brahmana.  And the god Vibhabasu (Agni) accepting that fair-browed daughter of king Nila, became gracious unto that monarch.  And Agni, the illustrious gratifier of all desires also asked the monarch to beg a boon of him.  And the king begged that his troops might never be struck with panic while engaged in battle.  And from that time, O king, those monarchs who from ignorance of this, desire to subjugate king Nila’s city, are consumed by Hutasana (Agni).  And from that time, O perpetuator of the Kuru race, the girls of the city of Mahishmati became rather unacceptable to others (as wives).  And Agni by his boon granted them sexual liberty, so that the women of that town always roam about at will, each unbound to a particular husband.  And, O bull of the Bharata race, from that time the monarchs (of other countries) forsake this city for fear of Agni.  And the virtuous Sahadeva, beholding his troops afflicted with fear and surrounded by flames of fire, himself stood there immovable as a mountain.  And purifying himself and touching water, the hero (Sahadeva) then addressed Agni, the god that sanctifieth everything, in these words,—­

’I bow unto thee, O thou whose track is always marked with smoke.  These my exertions are all for thee.  O thou sanctifier of all, thou art the mouth of the gods and thou art Sacrifice personified.  Thou art called Pavaka because thou sanctifiest everything, and thou art Havyavahana, because thou carriest the clarified butter that is poured on thee.  The Veda have sprung for ministering unto thee, and, therefore, thou art called Jataveda.  Chief of the gods as thou art, thou art called Chitrabhanu, Anala, Vibhavasu, Hutasana, Jvalana, Sikhi, Vaiswanara, Pingesa, Plavanga, Bhuritejah.  Thou art he from whom Kumara (Kartikeya) had his origin; thou art holy; thou art called Rudragarva and Hiranyakrit.  Let thee, O Agni, grant me energy, let Vayu grant me life, let Earth grant me nourishment and strength, and let Water grant me prosperity.  O Agni, thou who art the first cause of the waters, thou who art of great purity, thou for ministering unto whom the Vedas have sprung, thou who art the foremost of the deities, thou who art their mouth, O purify me by thy truth.  Rishis and Brahmanas, Deities and Asuras pour clarified butter every day,