“Parasara said,—­’In former times I gratified Sarva, O king.  I then cherished the desire of obtaining a son that would be possessed of great ascetic merit, endued with superior energy, and addressed to high Yoga, that would earn world-wide fame, arrange the Vedas, and become the home of prosperity, that would be devoted to the Vedas and the Brahmanas and be distinguished for compassion.  Even such a son was desired by me from Maheswara.  Knowing that this was the wish of my heart, that foremost of Deities said unto me.—­Through the fruition of that object of thine which thou wishest to obtain from me, thou shalt have a son of the name of Krishna.  In that creation which shall be known after the name of Savarni-Manu, that son of thine shall be reckoned among the seven Rishis.  He shall arrange the Vedas, and be the propagator of Kuru’s race.  He shall, besides, be the author of the ancient histories and do good to the universe.  Endued with severe penances, he shall, again, be the dear friend of Sakra.  Freed from diseases of every kind, that son of thine, O Parasara, shall besides, be immortal.—­Having said these words, the great Deity disappeared there and then.  Even such is the good, O Yudhishthira, that I have obtained from that indestructible and immutable God, endued with the highest penances and supreme energy.’

“Mandavya said,—­’In former times though not a thief and yet wrongly suspected of theft, I was impaled (under the orders of a king).  I then adored the illustrious Mahadeva who said unto me,—­Thou shalt soon be freed from impalement and live for millions of years.  The pangs due to impalement shall not be thine.  Thou shalt also be freed from every kind of affliction and disease.  And since, O ascetic, this body of thine hath sprung from the fourth foot of Dharma (viz., Truth).  Thou shalt be unrivalled on Earth.  Do thou make thy life fruitful.  Thou shalt, without any obstruction, be able to bathe in all the sacred waters of the Earth.  And after the dissolution of thy body, I shall, O learned Brahmana, ordain that thou shall enjoy the pure felicity of heaven for unending Time.—­Having said these words unto me, the adorable Deity having the bull for his vehicle, viz., Maheswara of unrivalled splendour and clad in animal skin, O king, disappeared there and then with all his associates.’

“Galava said, Formerly I studied at the feet of my preceptor Viswamitra.  Obtaining his permission I set out for home with the object of seeing my father.  My mother (having become a widow), was filled with sorrow and weeping bitterly, said unto me,—­Alas, thy father will never see his son who, adorned with Vedic knowledge, has been permitted by his preceptor to come home and who, possessed of all the graces of youth, is endued with self-restraint.—­Hearing these words of my mother, I became filled with despair in respect of again beholding my sire.  I then paid my adoration with a rapt soul to Maheswara who, gratified with me, showed himself to me and said,—­Thy