Narada said We also heard, O Srinjaya, that king Shashabindu, who was of great personal beauty and of prowess incapable of being repulsed and who performed numerous and diverse sacrifices, had to undergo death.

That one of illustrious soul had a hundred thousand wives, and each of these wives was blessed with a thousand sons.

All those princes were endowed with prowess; all of them performed ten millions of sacrifices each. Learned in the sacred scriptures, those royal heroes accomplished many excellent sacrifices.

All of them, (on occasions of battle) used to don golden coats of mail; and all were excellent bowmen. All those of Shashabindu accomplished the Horse-sacrifice.

That foremost of kings, their father gave them away to the Brahmanas as sacrificial peasants, at his own sacrifice. Each of those princes was followed by hundreds upon hundreds of car-warriors and elephants.

And beautiful dansels adorned with ornaments of gold. With each damsel were a sons hundred elephants and with each elephant a hundred chariots.

With each car were a hundred horses adorned with chains of gold and with each horse a thousand cows. With each cow were fifty goats.

This uncountable wealth was gifted by the prosperous and respected king Sasabindu to Brahmins in the great offering Ashvamedha arranged once by him.

In that great Horse-sacrifice of his, he gave away unlimited wealth and in other sacrifices also he gave away equal amount of gold.

There were piles of edibles, foods and confectionery of the height of two full miles. And when the Horse-sacrifices of the king was over thirteen such piles remained (un-used).

Having ruled for many years over his kingdom, where the people were well-fed, satisfied and free from diseases and where all kinds of evils rooted out, king Shashabindu ascended to heaven.

O Srinjaya, when even such a sovereign, who was superior in respect of the four cardinal virtues to you and consequently to your son, had to suffer death you should not lament of your son who performed no sacrifices and made no sacrificial gifts, saying 'O Shvaitya'. were