Agni said, “I accept thy offerings of water, seat, and water for washing the feet, O sinless one, do thou know me as the messenger of Indra, come to thee, in accordance with his directions.”

Marutta said, “O Fire-god, is the glorious Lord of the Celestials happy, and is he pleased with us, and are the other gods loyal to him?  Do thou enlighten me duly on all these points.”

Agni said, “O lord of the earth, Sakra is perfectly happy, he is pleased with thee, and wishes to make thee free from senility, and all the other gods are loyal to him.  Do thou, O king, listen to the message of the Lord of the Celestials.  And the object for which he has sent me to thee is to present Vrihaspati to Marutta.  O prince, let this priest (of the Celestials) perform thy sacrifice, and make thee, who art only a mortal, attain immortality.”

Marutta said, “This twice-born Brahmana Samvarta will perform my sacrifice, and I pray to Vrihaspati, that he having acted as priest to Mahendra (Indra), it does not look well for him now to act as priest to mortal men.”

Agni said, “If this Vrihaspati officiate as thy priest, then shalt thou by the blessings of Devaraja (Indra) attain the highest region in the celestial mansion and attaining fame shalt thou certainly conquer the heavenly region.  And, O lord of men, if Vrihaspati act as thy priest, thou shalt be able to conquer all the regions inhabited by men, and the heavenly regions, and all the highest regions created by Prajapati and even the entire kingdom of the gods.”

Samvarta said, “Thou must never come again thus to present Vrihaspati to Marutta:  for know, O Pavaka, (Agni) if thou dost, I losing my temper, will burn thee with my fierce evil eyes.”

Vyasa said, “Then Agni apprehending destruction by fire, and trembling like the leaves of the Aswattha tree (Ficus religiosa), returned to the gods, and the high-souled Sakra seeing that carrier of oblations (Agni) in the company of Vrihaspati said as follows: 

Indra said, “O Jataveda (Agni), didst thou go to present Vrihaspati to Marutta according to my direction?  What did that sacrificing king say unto thee and did he accept my message?”

Agni said, “Thy message was not acceptable by Marutta and when urged by me, he clasping the hands of Vrihaspati, repeatedly said, that Samvarta would act as his priest.  And he also observed that he did not desire to attain the worldly and the heavenly regions and all the highest regions of Prajapati, and that if he were so minded, he would accept the terms of Indra.”

Indra said, “Do thou go back to that king and meeting him, tell him these words of mine, full of significance, and if he obey them not, I shall strike him with my thunderbolt.”

Agni said, “Let this king of the Gandharvas repair thither as thy messenger, O Vasava, for, I am afraid to go thither myself.  Know, O Sakra, that highly incensed Samvarta, used to ascetic practices, told me these words in a rage.  ’I shall burn thee with my fierce evil eyes if thou on any account come again here to present Vrihaspati to king Marutta.’”