completing his studies, he requested the latter to ask something by way of the preceptor’s fee (Gurudakƒi˜Œ). ViÜvŒmitra would ask nothing; but GŒlava persisted in importuning him. At last, in order to get rid of his obstinate student, the sage ViÜvŒmitra ordered him to get for him a thousand snow-white horses with dark ears. GŒlava had to experience a good deal of trouble in procuring this rare breed of horses. (who was a BrŒhma˜a by birth) he incurred the sin of having killed a BrŒhma˜a and out of shame hid himself in the MŒnasarovara lake. Finding themselves without a king the gods installed King Nahuƒa on the throne of Indra and proclaimed him as their ruler. Nahuƒa once beheld Indra’s wife and, enamoured of her beauty, longed to take her to wife. Ýac¶, who was noted for her fidelity to her husband, did not approve of Nahuƒa’s overtures and approached the sage B¾haspati (the preceptor of gods) for protection. The gods and sages thereupon expostulated with Nahuƒa and tried to dissuade him but in vain. According to B¾haspati’s advice Ýac¶ then offered to accept Nahuƒa as her husband if the latter rode to her on a palanquin carried by sages. Nahuƒa, who was blinded by passion and was bent on having her as his wife at all costs, gladly agreed and prevailed on the sages to carry him on their shoulders. As the sages, who got tired very soon, were proceeding rather slowly, Nahuƒa spurred them on and while doing so kicked the sage Agastya and the latter pronounced a curse upon him that he should take the form of a python. “As for myself listen, O fair and sensible lady: I will soon return after redeeming my father’s word. Days will steal away quickly; therefore, heed my advice, O charming lady. If on the other hand, you persist in your obstinacy due to your affection for me, O pretty girl, you will eventually come to grief. The forest is rugged and most dreadful with its terrible heat, cold, rain and blasts. The tracks are beset with prickly grass and thorns and stones of various kinds and you will have to tread them without any protection for the feet. Your lotus-like feet are delicate and lovely, while the paths are most difficult and intercepted by huge mountains, caves and chasms, streams, rivers and rivulets that are unapproachable, unfathomable and terrible to look at. Bears and tigers, wolves, lions and elephants raise such a cry as staggers one’s presence of mind.” (1—4)