Vaisampayana continued, “Having listened to the words of the intelligent Markandeya, the sons of Pandu, O king, along with the wielder of the bow called Saranga, and all those bulls among Brahmanas, and all others that were there, became filled with joy.  And having heard those blessed words appertaining to olden time, from Markandeya gifted with wisdom, their hearts were filled with wonder.”

SECTION CLXLI

Janamejaya said, “It behoveth thee to narrate to me in full the greatness of the Brahmanas even as the mighty ascetic Markandeya had expounded it to the sons of Pandu.”

“Vaisampayana said, ’The eldest son of Pandu had asked Markandeya saying, ‘It behoveth thee to expound to me the greatness of Brahmanas.’  Markandeya answered him saying, ’Hear, O king, about the behaviour of Brahmanas in days of old.’

“And Markandeya continued, ’There was a king, by name Parikshit in Ayodhya and belonging to the race of Ikshvaku.  And once upon a time Parikshit went a-hunting.  And as he was riding alone on a horse chasing deer, the animal led him to a great distance (from the habitations of men).  And fatigued by the distance he had ridden and afflicted with hunger and thirst he beheld in that part of the country whither he had been led, a dark and dense forest, and the king, beholding that forest, entered it and seeing a delightful tank within the forest, both the rider and the horse bathed in it, and refreshed by the bath and placing before his horse some stalks and fibres of the lotus, the king sat by the side of the tank.  And while he was lying by the side of the tank, he heard certain sweet strains of music, and hearing those strains, he reflected, ’I do not see here the foot-prints of men.  Whose and whence then these strains?’ And the king soon beheld a maiden of great beauty gathering flowers singing all the while, and the maiden soon came before the king, and the king thereupon asked her, ‘Blessed one, who art thou and whose?’ And she replied, ‘I am a maiden.’  And the king said, ’I ask thee to be mine.’  And the maiden answered, ’Give me a pledge, for then only I can be thine, else not.’  And the king then asked about the pledge and the girl answered.  ‘Thou wilt never make me cast my eyes on water’, and the king saying, ‘So be it,’ married her, and king Parikshit having married her sported (with her) in great joy, and sat with her in silence, and while the king was staying there, his troops reached the spot, and those troops beholding the monarch stood surrounding him, and cheered by the presence of troops, the king entered a handsome vehicle accompanied by his (newly) wedded wife.  And having arrived at his capital he began to live with her in privacy.  And persons that were even near enough to the king could not obtain any interview with him and the minister-in-chief enquired of those females that waited upon the king, asking, ‘What do ye do here?’ And those