Chapter 64

“Narada said, ‘Gaya, the son of Amartarayas, O Srinjaya, we hear, fell aprey to death, That king, for a hundred years, ate nothing but whatremained of the libations of clarified butter poured into the sacrificialfire. Agni (gratified with his proof of great devotion) offered to givehim a boon. Gaya solicited the boon (desired), saying, ‘I desire to havea thorough knowledge of the Vedas through ascetic penances, throughpractice of Brahmacharya, and of vows and rules, and through the grace ofmy superiors.[107] I desire also inexhaustible wealth, through practiceof the duties of my own order and without injury to others. I wish alsothat I may always be able to make gifts unto the Brahmanas, withdevotion. Let me also procreate sons upon wives belonging to my own orderand not upon others. Let me be able to give away food with devotion. Letmy heart always delight in righteousness. O (Agni) thou supreme cleanser,let no impediment overtake me while I am engaged in acts for theattainment of religious merit.’ Saying ‘Be it so,’ Agni disappeared thenand there. And Gaya also, acquiring all he had asked for, subjugated hisfoes in fair fight. King Gaya then performed, for a full hundred years,diverse kinds of sacrifices with profuse presents unto the Brahmanas andthe vows called Chaturmasyas and others. Every year, for a century, theking gave (unto the Brahmanas) one hundred and sixty thousand kine, tenthousand steeds, and one crore gold (nishkas) upon rising (on thecompletion of his sacrifices). Under every constellation also he gaveaway the presents ordained for each of these occasions.[108] Indeed, theking performed various sacrifices like another Soma or another Angiras.In his great Horse-sacrifice, king Gaya, making a golden earth, gave heraway unto the Brahmanas. In that sacrifice, the stakes of king Gaya wereexceedingly costly, being of gold, decked with gems delightful to allcreatures. Capable of killing every wish, Gaya gave those stakes untowell-pleased Brahmanas and other people. The diverse classes of creaturesdwelling in the ocean, the woods, the islands, the rivers male andfemale, the waters, the towns, the provinces, and even in heaven, wereall gratified with wealth and food distributed at Gaya’s sacrifices. Andthey all said, ‘No other sacrifice can come up to this one of Gaya. Thesacrificial altar of Gaya was thirty Yojanas in length, six and twentyYojanas in width, and twenty Yojanas in height. And it was made entirelyof gold, and overspread with pearls and diamonds and gems. And he gaveaway this altar unto the Brahmanas, as also robes and ornaments. And themunificent monarch also gave unto the Brahmanas other presents of thekind laid down (in the scriptures). Upon the completion of that sacrificefive and twenty hills of food remained untouched, and many lakes andseveral beautifully flowing rivulets of juicy drinks, and many heaps,besides, of robes and ornaments. And in consequence of the merit of thatgreat sacrifice, Gaya came to be well-known in the three worlds. And dueto that sacrifice are the eternal Banian and the sacred Brahmasara. Whenhe died, O Srinjaya, who was superior to thee in respect of four cardinalvirtues and who superior to thee, was, therefore, much superior to thyson, thou shouldst not, saying, ‘Oh, Swaitya, Oh, Swaitya,’ grieve forthe latter who performed no sacrifice and made no sacrificial present.'”