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170 vows can never fall off so. Therefore, thou of the fairest complexion, bow hast thou been born as his daughter ? This great doubt of mine it behoveth thee to dispel !'"

"Sakuntala then replied, 'Hear, O king, what I have learnt regard. ing all that befell me, of old and how I became the daughter of the Muni! Once on a time, a Rishi came here and asked about my birth. All that the illustrious one (Kanwa) told him, hear now from me, O king 1 "

"My father Kanwa, in answer to that Rishi's enquiries, said, 'Viswamitra, of old, having been engaged in the austerest penances alarmed Indra, the chief of the celestials, who thought that the mighty ascetic of blazing energy would, by his penances, burl him down from high seat in the heaven. Indra, thus alarmed, summoned Menaka and told ber._'Thou, O Menaka, art the first of celestial Apsaras ! Therefore, O amiable one, do me this service, Hear what I say 1 This great ascetic Viswamitra like unto the Sun in splendour, is engaged in the most severe of penances! My heart is trembling with fear. Indeed, O slender-waisted Menaka, this is thy business! Thou must see that Viswamitra of soul rapt in contemplation and engaged in the austerest penances, who might hurl down me from my seat! Go and tempt him, and frustrating his continued austericies accomplish my good! Win him away from his penances, O beautiful one, by tempting bim with thy beauty, youth, agreeableness, arts, smiles and speech I' Hearing all this, Menaka replied, "The illustrious Viswamitra is endued with great energy and is a mighty ascetic. He is very short-tempered too, as is known to thee. The energy, penances, and wrath of the highsouled one have made even thee anxious. Why should not I also be anxious? He it was who made even the illustrious Vasistha bear the pangs of witnessing the premature death of his children. He it was who, though at first born as Kshattriya, subsequently became a Brahmana by virtue of his ascetic penances. He it was who, for purposes of his ablutions, created a deep river that can with difficulty be forded, and which sacred stream is known by the name of the Kausiki. It was Viswamitra whose wife, in a season of distress, was maintained by the royal sage Mantanga (Trisanku) who was then living under a father's curse as a hunter. It was Viswamitra who, on returning after the famine was over, changed the name of the stream having his asylum from Kausik into Para. It was Viswamitra who in return for the services of Mantanga, himself became the latter's priest for purposes of a sacrifice. The lord of the celestials himself went through fear to drink the Soma juice. It was Viswamitra who in anger created a second world and numerous stars beginning with Sravana. He it was