And
Kuvalaswa excelled his father in every quality. And when the time came,
his father Vrihadaswa installed him--the brave and highly virtuous
Kuvalaswa--on the throne. And having thus made over the royal dignity to
his son, that slayer of foes--king Vrihadaswa of great intelligence--
retired into the woods for asceticism.'
"Markandeya continued, 'O king, when the royal sage Vrihadaswa was about
to retire into the woods, that best of Brahmanas, Utanka heard of it.
And Utanka who was possessed of great energy and immeasurable soul,
approached that foremost of all wielders of weapons and best of men. And
approaching him, the _Rishis_ began to persuade him to give up
asceticism. And Utanka said, "O king, to protect (the people) is thy
duty. It behoveth thee to do that duty of thine. Let us be free from all
anxiety through thy grace. Possessed as thou art of a great soul,
protected by thee, the earth will be freed from all dangers. Therefore,
it behoveth thee, not to retire into the woods. Great merit attaches to
the act of protecting people in this world. Such merit can never be
acquired in the woods. Let not thy heart, therefore, turn to this
course. The merit, great king, that was acquired in days of old by great
royal sages by protecting their subjects was so great that nothing equal
to it could be seen. The king should always protect his subjects. It
behoveth thee, therefore, to protect thy people. O lord of the earth, I
cannot (at present) perform my ascetic devotions peacefully.
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