"For brahmins, for my blessing, by my hand
This food is got, the gift of faithful heart.
Away! what boots it in my sight to stand?
'Tis not for such as thou: vile wretch, depart!"

[381] Thereupon the Great Being repeated a stanza:

"They sow the seed on high ground and on low,
Hoping for fruit, and on the marshy plain:
In such a faith as this thy gifts bestow;
Worthy recipients so thou shalt obtain."

Then Mandavya repeated a stanza:

"I know the lands wherein I mean to sow,
The proper places in this world for seed,
Brahmins highborn, that holy scriptures know:
These are good ground and fertile fields indeed

Then the Great Being repeated two stanzas:

"The pride of birth, o'erweening self-conceit,
Drunkenness, hatred, ignorance, and greed,--
Those in whose hearts these vices find their seat,--
They all are bad and barren fields for seed.

"The pride of birth o'erweening, self-conceit,
Drunkenness, hatred, ignorance, and greed,--
[382] Those in whose hearts these vices find no seat,
They all are good and fertile fields for seed."

These words the Great Being repeated again and again; but the other grew angry, and cried--"The fellow prates overmuch. Where are my porters gone, that they do not cast out the churl?" Then he repeated a stanza:

"Ho Bhandakucchi, Upajjhaya ho!
And where is Upajotiya, I say?
Punish the fellow, kill the fellow, go--
And by the throat hale the vile churl away!"

The men hearing his call, came up at a run, and saluting him, asked, "What are we to do, my lord?" "Did you ever see this base outcast?" "No, Sire, we did not know he had come in at all: some juggler he is doubtless, or cunning rogue."--"Well, why do you stand there?"--"What are we to do, my lord?"--"Why, strike the fellow's mouth, break his jaw, tear his back with rods and cudgels, punish him, take the wretch by the throat, knock him down, away with him out of this place!" But the Great Being, ere they could come at him, rose up in the air, and there poised, repeated a stanza:

[383] "Revile a sage! to swallow blazing fire as much avails,
Or bite hard iron, or dig down a mountain with your nails."

Having uttered these words, the Great Being rose high in the air, while the youth and the brahmins gazed at the sight.

Explaining this, the Master recited a stanza:

"So spake the sage Matanga, champion of truth and right,
Then in the air he rose aloft before the brahmins' sight."