“The king said, ’If, O Brahmana, thou art really to give me the excellent reward of thy recitation, then let half that reward be mine, thyself taking at the same time half the reward that I myself have won by my acts.  Brahmanas are engaged in the duty of acceptance.  Persons born in the royal order are engaged in the duty of giving.  If thou art not unaware of the duties (laid down for both the orders), let our fruits be equal (according to the suggestion I have made).  Or, if thou dost not wish to be my equal in respect of our rewards, take then the whole of the rewards that I may have won.  Do take the merit I have won, if thou wishest to show me grace.’

“Bhishma continued, ’At this time, two individuals of very ungainly aspect came there.  Each had his arm upon the other’s shoulder; both were ill-dressed.  They said these words, ’Thou owest me nothing.  I really owe thee.  If we dispute in this way, here is the king who ruleth individuals.  I say truly, thou owest me nothing!  Thou speakest falsely.  I do owe thee a debt.  Both of them, waxing very hot in dispute, then addressed the king, saying, ’See, O monarch, that none of us may become stained with sin.’

“Virupa said, ’I woe my companion, Vikrita, O monarch, the merits of the gift of a cow.  I am willing to pay off that debt.  This Vikrita, however, refuses to take repayment.’[638]

“Vikrita said, ’This Virupa, O monarch, oweth me nothing.  He speaks a falsehood with the appearance of truth, O king.’

“The king said, “Tell me, O Virupa, what is that which thou owest thy friend here.  It is my resolution to hear thee and then do what is proper.’

“Virupa said, ’Hear attentively, O king, all the circumstances in detail, about how I owe my companion, viz., this Vikrita, O ruler of men.  This Vikrita had, in bygone days, for the sake of winning merit, O sinless one, given away an auspicious cow, O royal sage, unto a Brahmana devoted to penances as the study of the Vedas.  Going unto him, O king, I begged of him the reward of that act.  With a pure heart, Vikrita made a gift to me of that reward.  I then, for my purification, did some good acts.  I also purchased two kapila cows with calves, both of which used to yield large quantities of milk.  I then made a present, according to due rites and with proper devotion, of those two cows unto a poor Brahmana living by the Unchha[639] method.  Having formerly accepted the gift from my companion, I desire, O lord, even here, to give him return twice the reward![640] The circumstances being such, O tiger among men, who amongst us two shall be innocent and who guilty (according to your judgment)?  Disputing with each other about this, we have both come to thee, O monarch!  Whether thou judgest rightly or wrongly, establish both of us in peace.  If this my companion does not wish to take from me in return a gift equal to what he gave me, thou shalt have to judge patiently and set us both on the right track.’