“The Brahmanas said, ’Oh, we shall subjugate the Kapas!  In this matter, we art one with the deities.  Hence, the Kapas deserve slaughter at your hands.  As regards Dhanin, he should return whence he came!  After this, Dhanin, returning to the Kapas, said unto them, ’The Brahmanas are not disposed to do you any good!  ’Hearing this, all the Kapas took up their weapons and proceeded towards the Brahmanas.  The Brahmanas, beholding the Kapas advancing against them with the standards of their cars upraised, forthwith created certain blazing fires for the destruction of the Kapas.  Those eternal fires, created with the aid of Vedic Mantras, having effected the destruction of the Kapas, began to shine in the firmament like so many (golden) clouds.  The gods, having assembled together in battle, slew many of the Danavas.  They did not know at that time that it was the Brahmanas who had effected their destruction.  Then Narada of great energy, coming there, O king, informed the deities how their foes; the Kapas, had been really slain by the Brahmanas of mighty energy (and not by deities themselves).  Hearing these words of Narada, the denizens of heaven became highly gratified.  They also applauded those regenerate allies of theirs that were possessed of great fame.  The energy and prowess of the deities then began to increase, and worshipped in all the worlds, they acquired also the boon of immortality!’ After the god of wind had said these words, king Arjuna worshipped him duly and addressing him answered in these words, ’Hear, O mighty armed monarch, what Arjuna said.’

“Arjuna said, O puissant god, always and by all means do I live for the Brahmanas!  Devoted to them, I worship them always!  Through the grace of Dattatreya I have obtained this might of mine!  Through his grace have I been able to accomplish great feats in the world and achieve high merit!  Oh, I have, with attention, heard of the achievements, O god of the wind, of the Brahmanas with all their interesting details as recited by thee truly.’

“The god of wind said, ’Do thou protect and cherish the Brahmanas, in the exercise of those Kshatriya duties which are thine by birth.  Do thou protect them even as thou protectest thy own senses!  There is danger to thee from the race of Bhrigu!  All that, however, will take place on a distant day.’”

SECTION CLVIII

“Yudhishthira said, ’Thou always worshippest, O king, Brahmanas of praiseworthy, vows.  Whatever, however is that fruit seeing which thou worshippest them, O king?  O thou of high vows, beholding what prosperity attaching to the worship of the Brahmanas dost thou worship them?  Tell me all this, O thou of mighty arms!