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498 complete, through thy grace, O god of gods! Let me, therefore, be installed at the sacrifice to-morrow ! Having heard these words of that illustrious king, Rudra summoned Durvasah before him and said, "This. O Durvasah, is that best of monarchs called Swetaki. At my command, O best of Brahmanas, assist even this king in his sacrifice !! And the Rishi Durvasah said unto Rudra.-'So be it.' Then the sacrifice for which king Swetaki had made those preparations, took place. And the illustrious monarch's sacrifice was performed according to the ordinance and in proper season! And the gifts, on that occasion, unto the Brahmanas were large. And after that monarch's sacrifice had come to an end, all the other priests who had come to assist at it went away with Durvasah's leave. All other Sadasyas also of immeasurable energy, who had been installed at that sacrifice, then went away. That exalted monarch then entered his own palace, worshipped by exalted Brahmanas conversant with the Vedas, eulogised by chanters of panegyrical hymns and congratulated by the citizens.

"Such was the history of that best of monarchs, the royal sage Swetaki, who, when the time came, ascended to heaven, having won. great renown on earth, and accompanied by the Ritwijas and the Sadasyas that had helped him in life."

Vaisampayana continued. --At that sacrifice of Swetaki, Agni had drunk clarified butter for twelve years. Indeed, clarified butter had been poured into Agni's mouth in a continuous stream for that period. Having drunk so much butter, Agni, satiated, desired not to drink butter again from the band of any body else at any other sacrifice. Agni became pale, having lost his colour, and he could not shine as before. He felt a loss of appetite from surfeit, and his energy itself became weakened and sickness afflicted him. Then when the drinker of sacri. ficial libations perceived that his energy was gradually diminishing, he went to the sacred abode of Brahman that is worshipped by all. Approaching the great Deity seated on bis seat, Agni said, 'O exalted one, Swetaki hath (by his sacrifice) gratified me to excess. Even now I am suffering from surfeit which I cannot dispel. O Lord of the universe, I am being reduced both in splendour and strength! I desire to regain, through thy grace, my own permanent nature !" Hearing these words from Hutavaha, the illustrious Creator of all things smilingly replied unto him, saying 'O exalted one, thou hast eaten, for twelve years, a continuous stream of sacrificial butter poured into thy mouth! It is for this that illness hath seized thee! But, О Agni, grieve not for it 1 Thou shalt soon regain thy own nature. I shall dispel this surfeit of thine the time for it is even come, O Vibhavasu! The dreadful forest Khandava, that abode of the enemies of the gods, which thou hadst