200.5

“Now that you are endowed with this reward, royal seer, you shall become exalted! If you allow it, let me get on with my quiet recitation once again. O Mighty King, Lord of the earth, the goddess granted me a boon earlier on, saying: ‘May your faith never fail you, as you practice quiet recitation!’.”

the king said:

If you still have the faith to practice quiet recitation, despite the futility of the religious accomplishment you achieved thereby, then go with me, brahmin: attain the reward of quiet recitation!

the brahmin said:

I have made a monumental effort in front of everyone gathered here. So let us go together towards our destiny, partaking of the same reward.

bhishma said:

Once the Lord of the thirty gods understood that the two had made up their minds, he approached them accompanied by the gods and the protectors of the world.

200.10

There was tremendous music and they were joined by the Sadhyas, all the maruts, the gods of the rivers, mountains and oceans, and by the gods of the various sacred bathing spots, ascetic practices, the rules of yoga, the Vedas and the chants that accompany the Sama Veda. Then there was the goddess Sarasvati, the royal seer Narada, the seer Parvata, the gandharvas including Vishva·vasu, Haha, Huhu and Chitra·sena with his retinue of servants; the serpent demons, the Siddhas, silent sages and Praja·pati, the god of gods. And finally Vishnu arrived, the thousand headed, _________________