“Galava said, ’Let him who has stolen thy stalks be more infamous than a sinful man!  Let him be sinful in his acts towards his kinsmen and relatives!  Let him proclaim the gifts he makes to others!’”

“Arundhati said, ’Let her who has stolen thy stalks speak ill of her mother-in-law!  Let her feel disgust for her lord.  Let her eat alone any good food that comes to her house!’”

“The Valakhilyas said, ’Let him who has stolen thy stalks stand on one foot at the entrance of a village (for earning his subsistence)!  Let him. while knowing all duties, be guilty of every breach!’"[434]

“Sunahsakha said, ’Let him who has stolen thy stalks be a Brahmana that sleeps in happiness, having disregarded his daily Homa!  Let him, after becoming a religious mendicant, behave in whatever way he pleases, without observing any restraint!’”

“Surabhi said, ’Let her who has stolen thy stalks be milked, with her (hind) legs bound with a rope of human hair, and with the aid of a calf not her own, and, while milked, let her milk be held in a vessel of white brass!’[435]

“Bhishma continued, ’After the Rishis and the royal sages had sworn these diverse oaths, O Kuru king, the thousand-eyed chief of the deities, filled with joy, cast his looks on the angered Rishi Agastya.  Addressing the Rishi who was very angry at the disappearance of his lotus-stalks, Maghavat thus declared what was passing in his mind.  Hear, O king, what the words were that Indra spoke in the midst of those regenerate and celestial Rishis and royal sages.’”

“Sakra said, ’Let him who has stolen thy stalks be possessed of the merit of him who bestows his daughter in marriage upon a Brahmana that has duly observed the vow of Brahmacharya or that has duly studied the Samans and the Yajuses!  Let him also have the merit of one that undergoes the final bath after completing one’s study of the Atharva Veda!  Let him who has stolen thy stalks have the merit of having studied all the Vedas.  Let him be observant of all duties and righteous in his behaviour!  Indeed, let him go to the region of Brahman!’

“Agastya said, ’Thou hast, O slayer of Vala, uttered a benediction instead of a curse! (It is evident), thou hast taken my stalks!” Give them to me, for that is the eternal duty!’”

“Indra said, ’O holy one, I did not remove thy stalks, led by cupidity!  Indeed, I removed them from desire of hearing this conclave recite what the duties are that we should observe.  It behoveth thee not to give way to anger!  Duties are the foremost of Srutis.  Duties constitute the eternal path (for crossing the sea of the world)!  I have listened to this discourse of the Rishis (on duties) that is eternal and immutable, and that transcends all change![436] Do thou then, O foremost of learned Brahmanas, take back these stalks of thine!  O holy one, it behoves thee to forgive my transgression, O thou that art free from every fault!’”