Yudhishthira said O grandfather, O wisest of men, O you who are learned in all the scriptures, I have heard, this great story, O foremost of intelligent men!

I am desirous of again listening to the recital of some history full of religious instruction, and you should satisfy me.

O king, tell me if any householder has ever succeeded in conquering Death by the practice of virtue! Do you recite this to me in full.

Bhishma said This ancient history is narrated describing the subject of the conquest, by a householder, of Death, by the practice of virtue.

The Prajapati Manu had a son, O king, named Ikshvaku. That king, illustrious as the Sun, begat a hundred sons.

His tenth son, O Bharata, was named Dashashva, and this virtuous prince of infallible prowess became the king of Mahismati.

Dashashva's son, o king, was a pious prince whose mind was continually devoted to the practice of truth and charity and devotion.

He was known by the name of Madirashva and ruled the Earth as her master. He was continually given to the study of the Vedas as also of the science of arms.

Madirashva's son was the king named Dyutimat who was ended with great good fortune and power and strength and energy.

Dyutimat's son was the highly devout and pious king who was celebrated in all the worlds by the name of Suvira. His soul was intent on religion and he possessed riches like another Indra the king of the gods.

Suvira too had a son who was invincible in battle, and who was the best of all warriors and known by the name of Sudurjaya.

And Durjaya too, endued with a body like that of Indra, had a son who was radiant with the effulgence of fire. He was the great king named Duryodhana who was one of the foremost of royal sages.

Indra used to pour rain profusely in the kingdom of this king, who never fled from the battle field and was gifted with valour like unto Indra himself.

The cities and the kingdom of this king were filled with wealth and gems and cattle and various sorts of grain.

There was no miser in his kingdom nor any person afflicted with distress or suffering from poverty. Nor was there in his kingdom any person who was weak in body or afflicted with disease.

This king was very intelligent, mild in speech, without envy, a master of his passions, of a righteous soul, full of mercy, gifted with prowess, and not given to boasting.

He celebrated sacrifices, and was selfcontrolled and intelligent, devoted to Brahmanas and Truth. He never humiliated others, and was charitable, and wellread in the Vedas and the Vedanta.

Auspicious and sacred and of cool waters, the celestial stream Narmada, in her own nature, O Bharata, courted him.

He begot upon that river, a lotus eyed daughter, named Sudarshana, who was, O king, gifted with great beauty.

No woman, O Yudhishthira, had been born before, who was so very beautiful as that excellent lady the daughter of Duryodhana.

The god Agni himself courted the beautiful princess Sudarshana, and assuming the shape of a Brahmana, O king, sought her hand from the king.

The king was reluctant to give his daughter in marriage to the Brahmana who was poor and not of equal rank with himself.

Thereupon Agni disappeared from his great sacrifice. The king, grieved at heart, then addressed the Brahmanas, saying,

What sin have, I you excellent Brahmanas, or you, have committed, that Agni should disappear from this sacrifice, as good done to wicked men vanishes from their estimation.

Indeed, we have committed a great iniquity for which Agni has thus disappeared! Either you have committed the sin, or I. Do you fully enquire into the matter.

Then hearing the king's words, O foremost prince of Bharata's race, the Brahmanas, controlling speech, sought with concentrated faculties the help of the god of fire.

The divine carrier of oblations, effugent as the autumnal Sun, appeared before them, covering his self in glorious refulgence.

The great Agni then addressed those excellent Brahmanas, saying, I seek the daughter of Duryodhana for my own self.

At this, all those Brahmanas were struck with surprise and rising on the morrow, they told the king what had been said by the firegod.

Hearing the words of those Brahmavadins, the wise king was delighted at heart, and said, Be it so! The king sought a boon of Do you, O Agni, be pleased to remain always with us here!

Be it so! said the divine Agni to that king. For this reason Agni has always been present in the kingdom of Mahismati to this day, and was seen by Sahadeva in his conquering expedition to the south.

Then the king gave his daughter, dressed in new raiments and decked with jewels, to the great god, and Agni too accepted, according to Vedic rites, the princess Sudarshana as his bride, as he accepts libations of clarified butter at sacrifices. Agni was well pleased with her look, her beauty, grace, character, and nobility of birth, and thought of begetting offspring upon her. And she soon gave birth to a son by Agni, of the name of Sudarshana.

Sudarshana, also, was, as beautiful as the full moon, and even in his childhood he acquired a knowledge of the supreme and eternal Brahma.

There was also a king named Oghavat, who was the grandfather of Nriga. He had a daughter named Oghavati, and a son, too, of the name of Ogharatha born to him.

King Oghavat gave his daughter Oghavati, beautiful as a goddess, 10 the learned Sudarshana, for wife.

Sudarshana, o king, leading the domestic mode of life with Oghavati, used to live in Kurukshetra with her.

This intelligent prince of fiery energy took the vow, O lord, of conquering Death by leading the life of a householder.

The son of Agni, O king, said to Oghavati Do you never act against the wishes of those who seek our hospitality.

You should ungrudgingly welcome the guests, even if you have to offer your own body.

O beautiful one, I always remember this vow, since for householders, there is no higher virtue than hospitality to guests.

Do you always remember without ever doubting it, if my words be any authority with you.

O sinless and blessed one, if you have any faith in me, do you never disregard a guest whether I be at your side or at a distance from you.

Oghavati placing her clasped hands on her forehead, replied, saying, I shall leave nothing indone of what you order me.

Then, O king, desiring to overreach Sudarshana, Mrityu began to watch him for Ginding out his short comings.

Once on a time, when the son of Agni went out fetch fuel from the forest, a graceful Brahmana sought the hospitality of Oghavati with these words.

O beautiful lady, if you have any faith in the virtue of hospitality as laid down for householders, then I would request you to extend the rites of hospitality to me today.

Thus addressed by that Brahmana, O king, the illustrious princess welcomed him according to the rites laid down in the Vedas.

Having offered him a seat, and water to wash his feet, she enquired, saying, What is your business? What can I offer you?

The Brahmana said to her, my business is with your body, O blessed one! Do you act accordingly without any hesitation whatever.

If the duties prescribed for householders be acceptable to you, do you, O princess, satisfy me by offering up your body to me.

Though tempted by the princess witi, offers of various other things, the Brahmana, however, did not seek the Brahmana, however, did not seek any thing else than the offer of her own person.

Finding him determined, that lady, recollecting the directions given to her by her husband, but filled with shame, said to that excellent Brahmana Be it so.

Recollecting the words of her husband who was desirous of acquiring the virtue of householders, she cheerfully approached the i twiceborn Rishi.

Meanwhile, the son of Agni, having collected fuel, returned to his home. Mrityu, with his dreadful and inexorable nature, was always by his side, as one attends upon his devoted friend.

When the son of Pavaka returned to his own asylum, he called out for Oghavati by name, and repeatedly exclaimed Where are you gone?

But the chaste lady, devoted to her husband, being then in the arms of that Brahmana, gave no reply to her husband.

Indeed, considering herself sullied, that chaste woman became speechless, overcome with shame.

Sudarshana, addressing her again, exclaimed Where can my chaste wife be? Where has she gone? Nothing can be so very important to me than this.

Why does not that simple and truthful lady, devoted to her husband, alas reply as she used to do before with sweet smiles.

Then that Brahmana, who was within the hut, thus replied to Sudarshana Know, O son of fire, that a Brahmana guest has arrived, and though tempted by your wife with various other offers of welcome, I have, O best of Brahmanas, desired only her body and this fair lady is engaged in welcoming me with due rites! You can do whatever you think proper on this occasion.

Armed with the iron club, death pursued the Rishi at that moment, desirous of bringing about the destruction of one who would, he thought, deviate from his promise.

Sudarshana was struck with wonder, but renouncing all, jealousy and anger by look, word, deed, or thought, said Do you enjoy yourself, O Brahmana! It is a great pleasure to me! A householder acquires the highest merit by honouring a guest.

The learned say that to the householders, there is no higher merit than what comes from a guest leaving his house after having been duly honoured by him.

My life, my wife and all my earthly belongings, are all dedicated to the use of my guests! This is the vow that I have taken.

As I have truly made this statement, by that truth, O Brahmana, I shall acquire the knowledge of Self.

O foremost of the virtuous, the five elements, viz., fire, air, earth, water, and sky, and the mind, the intellect and the Soul, and time and space and the ten organs of sense, are all in the bodies of men and always witness the good and evil deeds of men.

This truth I have spoken today, and let the gods bless me for it or destroy me if I have spoken an untruth.

At this, O Bharata, there arose from all sides, in repeated echoes, a voice, crying This is true, this is not false.

Then that Brahmana came out of the hovel, and like the wind rising and covering both Earth and sky, and making the three worlds echo with Vedic recitations, and calling that virtuous man by name, and congratulating him, said:

O sinless one, I am Dharma! All glory to you! I came here, O truthloving one, to try you, and I am well pleased with you by knowing you to be virtuous.

You have controlled and conquered Death who always has pursued you, seeking your shortcomings.

O best of men, no one in the three worlds has the power to insult, even with looks, this chaste lady devoted to her husband, far less to touch her body.

She has been saved from contamination by your virtue and by her own chastity. There can be nothing against what this proud lady will say.

This Brahmavadin, gifted with austere penances, shall, for the salvation of the world, be changed into a powerful river.

And you will acquire all the worlds in this your body, and because the science of Yoga is within her control, this highly blessed lady will follow you with only half her body, and with the other half will she be celebrated as the river Oghavati.

And you will acquire with her all the worlds that are acquired by penances.

You will acquire even in this material body those eternal and everlasting worlds from which none return.

You have conquered Death, "and acquired the highest happiness and by your own power (of mind), attaining to the speed of thought, you have transcended the five elements.

By thus following the duties of a householder, you have conquered your passions, desires, and anger and this princess, O best of virtuous men, has by serving you, conquered affliction, desire, illusion, enmity and lassitude of mind.

Bhishma said Then, riding in a fine chariot drawn by a thousand white steeds, the glorious Vasava approached that Brahmana.

Therefore, O best of men, do you remember that a to householder there is no greater god than the guest.

The learned say that the blessings of an honoured guest are more fruitful than the merit of a hundred sacrifices.

Whenever a deserving guest seeks the hospitality of a householder and is not respected by him, he takes away all the virtues of the latter giving him his sins.

I have now recited to you, my son, this excellent story as to how Death was conquered in days of yore by a householder.

The recital of this excellent story gives glory, fame, and longevity. The man who seeks worldly prosperity should consider it as powerful in removing all evil.

And, O Bharata, the learned man who daily recites this story of the life of Sudarshana acquires blessed regions.