“Hear our advice, O king of gods! A devotee is supremely dear to Ýr¶ RŒma; He is gratified through service rendered to His devotees, and bears great enmity to those who are hostile to them. Even though the Lord is alike to all without either love or anger and receives neither sin nor virtue, neither merit nor demerit, and even though He has made Fate the ruling factor in this world, so that one reaps what one sows, yet according as one possesses the heart of a devotee or an unbeliever He appears to be impartial or hostile in His dealings. Though devoid of attributes, unattached, free from pride and ever unchanged, Ýr¶ RŒma has assumed a form with attributes yielding to the love of His but none afforded him shelter. Even BhagavŒn Viƒ˜u pleaded His helplessness and asked him to approach the king himself and ask for his forgiveness. The king, who was too good to harbour any ill- will against the sage and out of sympathy for him had remained without any food ever since he left, was moved to pity at his predicament and prayed to the Lord’s weapon, SudarÜana, to spare the BrŒhma˜a. SudarÜana granted the king’s prayer and left. The sage, who now realized the king’s greatness, fell at his feet and craved for his forgiveness for what he had done. The king in his turn felt sorry for the hardships which the sage had to suffer on his account and bade him good-bye after entertaining him to a sumptuous dinner and showing him every respect. 546 * ÝR” RMACARITAMNASA* devotees. Ýr¶ RŒma has ever respected the wishes of His devotees: the Vedas and PurŒ˜as as well as saints and gods can bear testimony to this. Bearing this in mind give up perversity and cherish ideal love for Bharata’s feet.” (1—4)