[Note:  There was no section CCLXIV in the source edition.—­JBH]

SECTION CCCLXV

“The Brahmana said, ’Without doubt, this is very wonderful, O Naga, I have been highly gratified by listening to thee.  By these words of thine that are fraught with subtile meaning, thou hast shown me the way I am to follow.  Blessed be thou, I desire to depart hence O best of Nagas, thou shouldst recollect me now and then and enquire after me by sending thy servant.’

“The Naga said, ’The object that brought thee higher is still in thy breast, for thou hast not as yet disclosed it to me.  Where then wilt thou go?  Tell me, O regenerate one, what should be done by me, and what that object is which brought thee hither.  After the accomplishment of thy business, whatever it is, expressed or unexpressed in speech, thou mayst depart, O foremost of regenerate persons, saluting me and dismissed by me cheerfully, O thou of excellent vows.  Thou hast conceived a friendship for me.  O regenerate Rishi, it behoveth thee not to depart from this place after having only seen me, thyself sitting under the shade of this tree.  Thou hast become dear to me and I have become dear to thee, without doubt.  All the persons in this city are thine.  What objection then is there, O sinless one, to pass some time in my house?—­’

“The Brahmana said, ’It is even so, O thou of great wisdom, O Naga that hast acquired a knowledge of the soul.  It is very true that the deities are not superior to thee in any respect.  He that is thyself, is verily myself, as he that is myself is truly thyself.  Myself, thyself, and all other creatures, shall all have to enter into the Supreme Soul.  Doubt penetrated my mind, O chief of Nagas, in the matter of the best means for winning righteousness or merit.  That doubt has been dispelled by thy discourse, for I have learnt the value of the Unccha vow.  I shall hence follow that which is so very efficacious in the matter of beneficial consequences.  That, O blessed one, has become my certain conclusion now, based on excellent reasons.  I take thy leave.  Blessings to thee.  My object has been accomplished, O Naga.’”

“Bhishma said, ’Having saluted that foremost of Nagas in this way, the Brahmana (named Dharmaranya), firmly resolved to follow the Unccha mode of life, proceeded to the presence, O king, of Chyavana of Bhrigu’s race, from desire of being formally instructed and initiated in that vow.[1942] Chyavana performed the Samskara rites of the Brahmana and formally initiated him into the Unccha mode of life.  The son of Bhrigu, O monarch, recited this history to king Janaka in his place.  King Janaka, in his turn, narrated it to the celestial Rishi Narada of high soul.  The celestial Rishi Narada too, of stainless acts, repairing on one occasion to the abode of Indra, the chief of the deities, gave to Indra this history upon being asked by him.  The chief of the celestials,