and frequently fell down.  At this the regenerate Rishi became angry and began to urge Rukmini on by striking her with the whip.  At last, filled with a towering passion, the Brahmana leapt down from the car, and fled towards the south, running on foot, over a pathless ground.  Beholding that foremost of Brahmanas flying along the pathless ground, we followed him, although we were smeared with frumenty, exclaiming behind him, ’Be gratified with us, O holy one!  Endued with great energy, the Brahmana, seeing me, said, ’O mighty-armed Krishna, thou hast subdued wrath by the strength of thy nature?  O thou of excellent vows, I have not found the slightest fault in thee!  O Govinda, I have been highly gratified with thee.  Do thou solicit the fruition of such wishes as thou pleasest!  Behold duly, O son, what the puissance is of myself when I become gratified with any one.  As long as deities and human beings will continue to entertain a liking for food, so long will every one among them cherish the same liking for thee that they cherish for their food!  As long, again, as there will be Righteousness in the several world, so long will the fame of thy achievements last!  Indeed, thy distinction will last so long in the three worlds!  O Janardana, agreeable thou shalt be to all persons!  Whatever articles of thine have been broken or burnt or otherwise destroyed (by me), thou shalt see restored, O Janardana, to their former state or they will reappear even in a better form!  As long, again, O thou of unfading glory, as thou wilt wish to live, so long wilt thou have no fear of death assailing thee through such parts of thy body as have been smeared with the frumenty I gave thee!  O son, why didst thou not smear that frumenty on the soles of thy feet as well?  By not doing it, thou have acted in a way that is not approved by me!  Even these were the words that he said, well-pleased with me on that occasion.  After he had ceased speaking, I saw that my body became endued with great beauty and splendour.  Unto Rukmini also, the Rishi, well-pleased with her, said, ’O beautiful lady, thou shalt be the foremost one of thy sex in fame, and great glory and achievements will be thine.  Decrepitude or disease or loss of complexion will never be thine!  Every one will see thee engaged in waiting upon Krishna, possessed as thou already art with a fragrant odour which is always present in thee.  Thou shalt become the foremost of all spouses, numbering sixteen thousand, O Kesava.  At last, when the time comes for thy departure from the world, thou shalt attain to the inseparable companionship of Krishna hereafter!’ Having said these words unto thy mother, the Rishi once more addressed me and uttering following words, left the spot.  Indeed, the Rishi Durvasa, blazing like a fire, said, ’O Kesava, let thy understanding be always disposed even thus towards the Brahmana!’ Verily after uttering these words, that Brahmana disappeared there and then before my eyes.  After his disappearance