’Seeing him plunged into sorrow (on account of the maiden) I said unto him,—­O Brahmana, I cannot, by any means, bestow this girl on my brother.  O thou of Bhrigu’s race, it was to myself that she said, I am Salwa’s!  And it was by me that she was permitted to go to Salwa’s city.  As regards myself, even this is my firm vow that I cannot abandon Kshatriya practices from fear or pity, or avarice of wealth, or lust!—­Hearing these words of mine, Rama addressed me, with eyes rolling in anger, saying, ’If, O bull among, men, thou dost not act according to my words, I will slay thee this very day along with all thy counsellors!’ Indeed, with eyes rolling in anger, Rama in great wrath told me these words repeatedly.  I, however, O chastiser of foes, then beseeched him in sweet words.  But though beseeched by me, he did not cool down.  Bowing down with my head unto that best of Brahmanas I then enquired of him the reason for which he sought battle with me.  I also said,—­O thou of mighty arms, while I was a child it was thou who instructed me in the four kinds of arms.[18] I am, therefore, O thou of Bhrigu’s race, thy disciple!  Then Rama answered me with eyes red in anger, ’Thou knowest me, O Bhishma, to be thy preceptor, and yet, O Kauravya, thou acceptest not, for pleasing me, this daughter of the ruler of Kasi!  O delighter of the Kurus, I cannot be gratified unless thou actest in this way!  O mighty-armed one, take this maiden and preserve thy race!  Having been abducted by thee, she obtaineth not a husband.  Unto Rama that subjugator of hostile cities, I replied, saying.—­This cannot be, O regenerate Rishi!  All thy labour is vain, O son of Jamadagni, remembering thy old preceptorship, I am striving, O holy one, to gratify thee!  As regards this maiden, she hath been refused by me before knowing what the faults, productive of great evils, of the female sex are, who is there that would admit into his abode a woman whose heart is another’s and who (on that account) is even like a snake of virulent poison?  O thou of high vows, I would not, even from fear of Vasava, forsake duty!  Be gracious unto me, or do me without delay that which thou hast thought proper.  This sloka also, O thou of pure soul, is heard in the Puranas, O lord, sung by the high-souled Marutta, O thou of great intelligence!  The renunciation is sanctioned by the ordinance of a preceptor who is filled with vanity, who is destitute of the knowledge of right and wrong, and who is treading in a devious path.—­Thou art my preceptor and it is for this that I have from love reverenced thee greatly.  Thou, however, knowest not the duty of a preceptor, and it is for this that I will fight with thee.  I would not slay any preceptor in battle, especially again a Brahmana, and more specially one endued with ascetic merit.  It was for this that I forgive thee.  It is well-known truth, gatherable from the scriptures, that he is not guilty of slaying a Brahmana who killeth in battle a person of that order that taketh up weapons like Kshatriya