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.’

“Markandeya continued, ’So saying, he, of great ascetic merit, hastened to Vainya’s sacrifice and reaching the sacrificial altar and making his obeisance to the king and praising him with well-meaning speeches, he spoke these words, ’Blessed art thou, O king!  Ruling over the earth, thou art the foremost of sovereigns!  The Munis praise thee, and besides thee there is none so versed in religious lore’!  To him the Rishi Gautama, of great ascetic merit, then indignantly replied saying, ’Atri, do not repeat this nonsense. (It seems) thou art not in thy proper senses.  In this world of ours, Mahendra the lord of all created beings (alone) is the foremost of all sovereigns!’ Then, O, great prince, Atri said to Gautama, ’As Indra, the lord of all creatures, ruleth over our destinies, so doth this king!  Thou art mistaken.  It is thou who hast lost thine senses from want of spiritual perception!’ Gautama replied, ’I know I am not mistaken; it is thou who art labouring under a misconception in this matter.  To secure the king’s countenance, thou art flattering him in (this) assembly of the people.  Thou dost not know what the highest virtue, is nor dost thou feel the need for it.  Thou art like a child steeped in ignorance, for what then hast thou become (so) old in years?’

“Markandeya continued, ’While those two men were thus disputing in the presence of the Munis, who were engaged in Vainya’s sacrifice the latter enquired, ’What is the matter with them, that maketh them talk so vociferously?’ Then the very pious Kasyapa learned in all religious lore, approaching the disputants asked them what was the matter.  And then Gautama, addressing that assembly of great Munis said, ’Listen, O great Brahmanas, to the point in dispute between us.  Atri hath said that Vainya is the ruler of our destinies; great is our doubt on this point.’

“Markandeya continued, ’On hearing this, the great-mind Munis went instantly to Sanatkumara who was well versed in religion to clear their doubt.  And then he of great ascetic merit, having heard the particulars from them addressed them these words full of religious meaning.  And Sanatkumara said, ’As fire assisted by the wind burneth down forests, so a Brahmana’s energy in union with a Kshatriya’s or a Kshatriya’s joined with a Brahmana’s destroyeth all enemies.  The sovereign is the