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Rh ﻿words of censure and wrath, king Swetaki became angry. And the monarch wending to the mountains of Kailasa, devoted himself to asceticism there. And, O king, the monarch began to worship Mahadeva. with fixed attention, and by observing the most rigid vows. And foregoing all food at times, he passed a long period. The monarch ate only fruits and roots sometimes at the twelfth and sometimes at the sixteenth hour of the whole day (of twenty four hours). King Swetaki stood for six months, fapt in attention, with arms upraised and steadfast eyes, like the trunk of a tree or a column rooted to the ground. And O Bharata. Sankara at last, gratified with that tiger among kings, who was undergoing such hard penances, showed himself unto him. And the god spake unto the monarch in a calm and grave tone, saying,-0 tiget among kings, O chastiser of foes, I have been gratified with thee for thy asceticism | Blest be thou! Ask now the boon that thou, O king, desirest l' Hearing these words of Rudra of immeasurable energy, the royal sage bowed unto that high-souled deity and replied, saying.--'O illustrious one, O thou that art worshipped by the three worlds, if thou hast been gratified with me th:28. O god of gods, assist me thyself, O lord of the celestials, in my sacrifice! Hearing these words spoken by the monarch, the illustrious god was gratified, and smilingly said, 'We do not ourselves assist at sacrifices : but as thou, O king, hast undergone severe penances, desirous of obtaining a boon, I will, O chastiser of foes, assist at thy sacrifice, upon, O king, this condition ! Ani Rudra conti. nued-'If, O king of kings, thou canst, for twelve years, pour without intermission libations of clarified butter into the fire, thyselt leading all the while the life of a Brahmacharin with rapt attention, then thou shalt obtain from me what thou askest King Swetaki, thus addressed by Rudra, did all that he was directed to do by the wielder of the trident. And after twelve years had elapsed, he again came unto Maheswara. And Sankara, the Creator of the worlds, upon seeing Swetaki, that excellent monarch, immediately said, in great gratification,-'I have been gratified by thee, of best of kings, with this thy own act! But, O chastiser of foes, the duty of assisting at sacrifices properly belongeth to Brahmanas. Therefore, O oppressor of foes, I will not myself assist at thy sacrifice to-day! There is on earth an exalted Brahmana who is even a portion of my own self ! He is known by the name of Durvasah. Even that Brahmana endued with great energy will assist you in thy sacrifice. Let, therefore, every preparation be made ' Hearing these words uttered by Rudra, the king, returning to his own capital, began to collect all that was necessary. After everything had been collected. the monarch again presented himself before Rudra and said, --Every necessary article hath been collected, and all my preparations are

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