And I praised that
car, and thereupon the king told me, '_Holy one, by thee hath this car
been praised. Let this car, therefore, be thine_.' And after this I went
to Vasumanas another time when I was in need of a (flowery) car. And I
admired the car, and the king said, '_It is thine_.' And I went to the
king a third time and admired the car again. And even then the king
exhibiting the flowery car to the Brahmanas, cast his eyes on me, and
said, '_O holy one, thou hast praised the flowery car sufficiently_."
And the king only said these words, without making me a gift of that
car. And for this he will fall down from heaven."
[11] The ceremony of _Swastivachana_ is described to be "a
religious rite, preparatory to any important observance, in
which the Brahmanas strew boiled rice on the ground, and invoke
the blessings of the gods on the ceremony about to commence"
(_Vide_ Wilson's Diet).
A flowery car was, probably, one of celestial make that the
kings procured from heaven by performing costly rites and
ceremonies. These were sometimes exhibited to the people, and
prior to these exhibitions, the ceremony of _Swastivachana_ was
performed.
"'And one among them said, "Of the one who is to go with thee, who will
go and who will fall down?" And Narada answered, saying, "Sivi will go,
but I will fall down." "For what reason?" asked the enquirer. And Narada
said, "I am not the equal of Sivi.
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