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258 Vaisampayana said. There was a Brahmana known by the name of Mandavya. He was conversant with all duties and was devoted to religion, truth and asceticism. The great ascetic used to sit at the entrance of his asylum at the foot of a tree, with his arms upraised in the observance of the vow of silence. And as he sat there for years and years together, one day there came into his asylum a number of robbers laden with spoil. And, O bull in Bharata's race, those robbers were then being pursued by a superior body as guardians of the peace. The thieves, on entering that asylum, hid their booty there, and in fear concealed themselves thereabout before the guards came. But scarcely bad they thus concealed themselves when the constables in pursuit came to the spot. The latter, observing the Rishi sitting under the tree, questioned him, O king, saying. ---O best of Brabmanas which way have the thieves taken ? Point it out to us so that we may follow it without loss of time.' Thus questioned by the guardians of peace the ascetic, O king said not a word, good or otherwise, in reply. The officers of the king, however, on searching that asylum soon discovered the thieves concealed thereabout together with the plunder. Upon this, their suspicion fell upon the Muni, and accordingly they seized him with the thieves and brought him before the king. The king sentenced bim to be executed along with bis supposed associates. And the officers, acting in ignorance, carried out the sentence by impaling the celebrated Rishi. And having impaled him, they went to the king with the booty they have recovered. But the virtuous Rishi, though impaled and kept without food, remained in that state for a long time without dying. And the Rishi by the ascetic power not only preserved his life but summoned other Rishi to the scene. And they came there in the night in the forms of birds, and beholding him engaged in ascetic meditation though fixed on that stake became plunged into grief. And telling that best of Brahmanas who they were, they asked him saying.-O Brahmana, we desire to know what hath been thy sin for which thou hast thus been made to suffer the tortures of impalement !"

Thus ends the hundred and seventh section in the Sambhava Parva of the Adi Parva.

Vaisampayana said,Thus asked, the tiger among Munis then answered those Rishis of ascetic wealth,--'Whom shall I blame for this? In fact, none else (than my own self) bath offended against me l' After