Vyasa said, ’Having signified his assent to the proposal of Narada, that royal sage after duly worshipping him, and taking his permission, repaired to the city of Varanasi, and having reached there, that famous prince did as he had been told, and remembering the words of Narada, he placed a corpse at the gate of the city.  And by coincidence, that Brahmana also entered the gate of the city at the same time.  Then on beholding the corpse, he suddenly turned away.  And on seeing him turn back, that prince, the son of Avikshit followed his footsteps with his hands clasped together, and with the object of receiving instruction from him.  And then finding him in a lonely place, Samvarta covered the king with mud and ashes and phlegm and spittle.  And though thus worried and oppressed by Samvarta, the king followed that sage with his hands clasped together in supplication and trying to appease him.  At length overcome with fatigue, and reaching the cool shade of a sacred fig tree with many branches, Samvarta desisted from his course and sat himself to rest.’

SECTION VII

“Samvarta said, ’How hast thou come to know me, and who has referred thee to me, do thou tell this to me truly, if thou wishest me to do what is good to thee.  And if thou speak truly, thou shalt attain all the objects of thy desire, and shouldst thou tell a lie, thy head shall be riven in a hundred pieces.’

Marutta said, ’I have been told by Narada, wandering on his way, that thou art the son of our family-priest, and this (information) has inclined my mind (towards thee), with exquisite satisfaction.’

Samvarta said, ’Thou hast told this to me truly.  He (Narada) knows me to be a performer of sacrifices.  Now tell me where is Narada living at present.’

Marutta said, ’That prince of celestial saints (Narada) having given me this information about thee, and commended me to thy care, has entered into the fire.’

Vyasa said, ’Hearing these words from the king (Marutta) Samvarta was highly gratified, and he said (addressing Marutta).  ’I too am quite able to do all that.’  Then, O prince, that Brahmana, raving like a lunatic, and repeatedly scolding Marutta with rude words, again accosted him thus, ’I am afflicted with a cerebral disorder, and, I always act according to the random caprices of my own mind.  Why art thou bent upon having this sacrifice performed by a priest of such a singular disposition?  My brother is able to officiate at sacrifices, and he has gone over to Vasava (Indra), and is engaged in performing his sacrifices, do thou therefore have thy sacrifice performed by him.  My elder brother has forcibly taken away from me all my household goods and mystical gods, and sacrificing clients, and has now left to me only this physical body of mine, and, O son of Avikshit, as he is worthy of all respect from me, I cannot by any means officiate at thy sacrifice, unless with his permission.  Thou must therefore go to Vrihaspati first, and taking his permission thou canst come back to me, if thou hast any desire to perform a sacrifice, and then only shall I officiate at thy sacrifice.’