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TLearinc those wondrous words of Lakshmana Rama was greatly delighted and said “O thou having an auspicious look, thou art gifted with great intellect and after my heart ; a friend like thee is rare at such a time. But O beautiful Saumitri, do thou, apprised of my intention, carry out my words. O gentle son of Sumitr4, for not looking to state business for these four days I have been pierced to the very vitals. Do thou therefore call here men,.or women, priests or councillors who have come for business. For sooth do

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a king falls into the dreadful hell where the wind doth not blew,who does not daily look into his state «affairs. I have heard, O foremost of men, that there lived in the days of yore a highly illustrious, truthful and pure-minded king, ever devoted unto the Brahmanas, by the name of Nriga. Once on atime at the sacred pilgrimage of Pushpaka that king conferred upon the Brahmanas one Kotz of kine with calves adorned with golden ornaments. Accidentally on that occasion, a cow with calf belonging toa poor Brahman, living upon low means, was given away along with other kine. Undergoing hunger and thirst, - the miaster of that lost cow travelled for a long time in many places in search of it. Thereupon having reached the province of Kanakhal he espied his own tow in the house of a Brahmana. The cow was well kept and the young one was grown up. Thereupon the Brahman called the cow by the name given by him saying “ Savala, come.” The cow heard that and recognizing the voice of the Brahman followed him. And he preceded her burning like fire. And the Brahmana, iri whose house the cow so long remained, speedily pursued her and approaching the ascetic said. “This cow is mine. The king Nriga conferred this upon me.’ So there arose a great quarrel between the two learned Brahrnanas. And thus .quarreling they both approached him who .had given away the cow. And though they waited fora long time at the gate they did not obtain permission to enter the palace. .Theréat both of them were greatly engraged and imprecated dreadful curses, saying “Since thou hast not granted us an interview though we have been waiting here for a long time, thou shalt, by our curse, remain invisible, being a lizard. Thou shalt in this state live in a den for many hundred and thousand years. When Vishnu assuming a human person shall be born in the Vasudeva family of Yadavas and enhance their glory he shall liberate thee from the curse: Immediately befere the advent 218

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of the Kali Yuga the Rishi Nara Narayana gifted with great prewess shall descend upon earth to relieve her of the burden. “ Having thus imprecated the curse upon the king the Rishis became silent. The cow was old and weak so they both, with mutual consent, conferred that upon another Brahman. O Lakshmana, the king Nriga is still suffering from that dreadful curse. It is the king’s folly that is manifest from the mutual disagreement of the workers. Do thou bring them all speedily to me who have come for business. For, sooth shall the kings profit by the just administration. Do thou therefore go in person, O Lakshmana and see who hath come for business.”