Art thou a
friend of ours, or even our father himself?' At this the Yaksha
replied,--'O child, I am even thy father, the Lord of justice, possessed
of great prowess! Know, bull of the Bharata race, that I came hither
desirous of beholding thee! Fame, truth, self-restraint, purity,
candour, modesty, steadiness, charity, austerities and _Brahmacharya_,
these are my body! And abstention from injury, impartiality, peace,
penances, sanctity, and freedom from malice are the doors (through which
I am accessible). Thou art always dear to me! By good luck thou art
devoted to the five;[77] and by good luck also thou hast conquered the
six.[78] Of the six, two appear in the first part of life; two in the
middle part thereof; and the remaining two at the end, in order to make
men repair to the next world. I am, good betide thee, the lord of
justice! I came hither to test thy merit. I am well-pleased to witness
thy harmlessness; and, O sinless one, I will confer boons on thee. Do
thou, O foremost of kings, ask of me boons. I shall surely confer them,
O sinless one! Those that revere me, never come by distress!'
Yudhishthira said,--'A deer was carrying away the Brahmana's
fire-sticks. Therefore, the first boon that I shall ask, is, may that
Brahmana's adorations to _Agni_ be not interrupted!' The Yaksha
said,--'O Kunti's son endued with splendour, it was I who for examining
thee, was carrying away, in the guise of a deer, that Brahmana's
fire-sticks!'"
[77] That is, tranquillity of mind, self-restraint, abstention
from sensual pleasures, resignation, and Yoga meditation.
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