maddening revelry, and thorough mistresses of the arts of dance and singing.  Always opening their lips with smiles, they were equal to the very Apsaras in beauty.  Well-skilled in all the acts of dalliance, competent to read the thoughts of men upon whom they wait, possessed of every accomplishment, fifty damsels, of a very superior order and of easy virtue, surrounded the ascetic.  Presenting him with water for washing his feet, and worshipping him respectfully with the offer of the usual articles, they gratified him with excellent viands agreeable to the season.  After he had eaten, those damsels then, one after another, singly led him through the grounds, showing him every object of interest, O Bharata.  Sporting and laughing and singing, those damsels, conversant with the thoughts of all men, entertained that auspicious ascetic of noble soul.  The pure-souled ascetic born in the fire-sticks, observant without scruples of any kind of his duties, having all his senses under complete control, and a thorough master of his wrath, was neither pleased nor angered at all this.  Then those foremost of beautiful women gave him an excellent seat.  Washing his feet and other limbs, Suka said his evening prayers, sat on that excellent seat, and began to think of the object for which he had come there.  In the first part of the night, he devoted himself to Yoga.  The puissant ascetic, passed the middle portion of the night in sleep.  Very soon waking up from his slumber, he went through the necessary rites of cleansing his body, and though surrounded by those beautiful women, he once again devoted himself to Yoga.  It was in this way, O Bharata, that the son of the Island-born Krishna passed the latter part of that day and the whole of that night in the palace of king Janaka.’”

SECTION CCCXXVII

“Bhishma said, The next morning, king Janaka, O Bharata, accompanied by his minister and the whole household, came to Suka, placing his priest in the van.  Bringing with him costly seats and diverse kinds of jewels and gems, and bearing the ingredients of the Arghya on his own head, the monarch approached the son of his reverend preceptor.  The king, taking with his own hands, from the hands of his priest, that seat adorned with many gems, overlaid with an excellent sheet, beautiful in all its parts, and exceedingly costly, presented it with great reverence to his preceptor’s son Suka.  After the son of (the Island-born) Krishna had taken his seat on it, the king worshipped him according to prescribed rites.  At first offering him water to wash his feet, he then presented him the Arghya and kine.  The ascetic accepted that worship offered with due rites and mantras.  That foremost of regenerate persons, having thus accepted the worship offered by the king, and taking the kine also that were presented to him, then saluted the monarch.  Possessed of great energy, he next enquired after the king’s welfare and prosperity.