“Indra said, ’What is your object, O foremost of virtuous persons, in thus seeking to behold that Ancient and First of gods, viz., Narayana, of inconceivable energy, and infinite illusions?  Neither myself, nor Brahman himself, can obtain a sight of that god of universal form.  I shall grant thee what other objects may be in thy heart, for thou art the foremost of mortals.  Thy soul abides in peace; thou art devoted to righteousness; thou hast thy senses under control; and thou art possessed of heroism.  Thou seekest unflinchingly to do what is agreeable to the gods.  For the sake also of thy intelligence, devotion, and high faith, I shall grant thee whatsoever boons may be desired by thee.’

“Mandhatri said, I bend my head for gratifying thee.  Without doubt, however, I desire to see the first of gods.  O divine Lord!  Casting off all (earthly) desires, I wish to earn religious merit, and to lead the foremost mode of life, that path of the good, highly regarded by all.  By exercising the high duties of a Kshatriya, I have earned many regions of inexhaustible merit in the other world, and I have also, through those duties, spread my fame.  I do not, however, know how to discharge those duties, the foremost in the world, that have flowed from the first of gods.’

“Indra said, ’They that are not kings, however observant they may be of their duties, cannot easily attain the highest rewards of duty.  Kingly duties first flowed from the original god.  Other duties flowed afterwards from his body.  Infinite were the other duties, with those of the Vanaprastha mode of life, that were created afterwards.  The fruits of all those are exhaustible.  Kingly duties, however, are distinguished above them.  In them are included all other duties.  For this reason Kshatriya duties are said to be the foremost of all.  In days of old, Vishnu, by acting according to Kshatriya duties, forcibly suppressed and destroyed his foes and thereby afforded relief to the gods and the Rishis of immeasurable energy.  If the divine Vishnu of inconceivable energy had not slain all his foes among the Asuras, then the Brahmanas, and (Brahman) the Creator of the worlds and Kshatriya duties, and the duties that first flowed from the Supreme deity, would all have been destroyed.  If that first and foremost of gods had not, by putting forth his prowess, subjugated the earth with all her Asuras, then all the duties, of the four orders and all the duties in respect of the four modes of life would all have been destroyed in consequence of the destruction of Brahmanas.  The eternal duties (of men) had all suffered destruction.  It was by the exercise of Kshatriya duties that they were revived.[204] In every Yuga, the duties of Brahmanas in respect of attaining to Brahma first set in.  These, however, are all protected by kingly duties.  The latter, on this account, are regarded as the foremost.  Casting away life in battle, compassion for all creatures, knowledge of the affairs of the world, protection