daughters of Rudra adorned with celestial garlands and endued with the effulgence of the midday sun or the fires of blazing flames.  Attaining to the regions of Rudra, he lives there in great happiness for countless years.  He who fasts for nine days and takes only one meal every tenth day for a whole year, and pours libations on his sacred fire every day, acquires the high merit of a thousand Horse-sacrifices, and attains to the companionship of Brahmanas’ daughters endued with beauty capable of charming the hearts of all creatures.  These damsels, possessed of such beauty, and some of them possessed of complexion like that of the lotus and some like that of the same flower of the blue variety, always keep him in joy[495].  He acquires a beautiful vehicle, that moves in beautiful circles and that looks like the dense cloud called Avarta, verily, it may be said to resemble also an ocean-wave.  That vehicle resounds with the constant tinkle of rows of pearls and gems, and the melodious blare of conchs, and is adorned with columns made of crystals and diamonds, as also with an altar constructed of the same minerals.  He makes his journeys on such a car, drawn by swans and cranes and lives for millions and millions of years in great happiness in heaven.  He who fasts for ten days and eats only ghee on every eleventh day for a whole year and pours libations on his sacred fire every day, who never, in word or thought, covets the companionship of other people’s wives and who never utters an untruth even for the sake of his mother and father, succeeds in beholding Mahadeva of great puissance seated on his car.  Such a person acquires the high merit of a thousand Horse-sacrifices.  He beholds the car of the Self-born Brahman himself approach for taking him on it.  He rides in it, accompanied by celestial damsels possessed of great beauty, and complexion as effulgent as that of pure gold.  Endued with the blazing splendour of the Yoga-fire, he lives for countless years in a celestial mansion in heaven, full of every happiness.  For those countless years he experiences the joy of bending his head in reverence unto Rudra adored by deities and Danavas.  Such a person obtains every day the sight of the great deity.  That man who having fasted for eleven days eats only a little ghee on the twelfth, and observes this conduct for a whole year, succeeds in obtaining the merits attaching to all the sacrifices.  The car he rides in is possessed of the effulgence of a dozen suns.  Adorned with gems and pearls and corals of great value, embellished with rows of swans and snakes and of peacocks and Chakravakas uttering their melodious notes, and beautified with large domes, is the residence to which he attains in the region of Brahman.  That abode, O king, is always filled with men and women (who wait upon him for service).  Even this is what the highly blessed Rishi Angiras, conversant with every duty, said (regarding the fruits of such a fast).  That man who having fasted for twelve days eats a little