“Renuka said, ’O thou that art endued with wealth of penances, my head and feet were scorched by the rays of the sun!  Oppressed by the heat, I had betaken myself to the shade of a tree!  Just this has been the cause of the delay!  Informed of the cause, do thou, O lord, cease to be angry with me!’”

“Jamadagni said, ’O Renuka, this very day shall I destroy, with the fiery energy of my weapons, the star of day with his blazing rays, that has afflicted thee in this way!’”

“Bhishma continued, ’Drawing his celestial bow, and taking up many arrows, Jamadagni stood, turning his face towards the sun and watching him as he moved (in his diurnal course).  Then, O son of Kunti, beholding him addressed for fight, Surya approached him in the guise of a Brahmana, and said unto him.  ’What has Surya done to displease thee?  Coursing through the firmament, he draws up the moisture from the earth, and in the form of rains he pours it down once more on her.  It is through this, O regenerate one, that the food of human beings springs up,—­food that is so agreeable to them!  The Vedas say that it is food that constitutes the life-breaths.  O Brahmana, hidden in the clouds and encompassed by his rays, the sun drenches the seven islands with showers of rain.  O puissant one, the moisture, thus poured, diffusing itself into the leaves and fruits of vegetables and herbs, is transformed into food.  O son of Bhrigu, the rites of nativity, religious observances of every kind, investiture with the sacred thread, gifts of kine, weddings, all articles in view of sacrifices, the rules for the governance of men, gifts, all sorts of union (between man and man), and the acquisition of wealth, have their origin in food!  Thou knowest this well!  All the good and agreeable things in the universe, and all the efforts made by living creatures, flow from food.  I duly recite what is well-known to thee!  Indeed, thou fully knowest all that I have said!  Do thou, therefore, O regenerate Rishi, appease thy anger!  What wilt thou gain by annihilating the sun?’”

SECTION XCVI

“Yudhishthira said, ’What did that foremost of ascetics, viz., Jamadagni endued with great energy, do when thus besought by the maker of day?’”

“Bhishma said, ’O descendant of Kuru, despite all the supplications of Surya, the sage Jamadagni, endued with the effulgence of fire, continued to cherish his anger.  Then.  O king, Surya, in the guise of a Brahmana, bowed his head unto him and addressed him, with folded hands, in these soft words.  ’O regenerate Rishi, the sun is always in motion!  How shalt thou pierce the Lord of day who is continually moving forward?’”

“Jamadagni said, With the eye of knowledge I know thee to be both moving and motionless!  I shall surely read thee a lesson this day.  At midday thou seemest to stay in the heavens for a moment.  It is then, O Surya, that I shall pierce thee with my arrows!  There is no swerving from this my resolution!’”