Section CXV

"Narada said,

'Thus addressed by Suparna in excellent words fraught with truth, that performer of thousand sacrifices, that foremost of givers, that liberal ruler of all the Kasis, the lord Yayati, revolving those words in his mind and reflecting on them coolly, and seeing before him his dear friend, Tarkshya, and that bull among Brahmanas, Galava, and regarding the alms sought as an indication, highly praiseworthy, of (Galava’s) ascetic merit, and in view particularly of the fact that those two came to him having passed over all the kings of the Solar race, said,

'Blessed is my life today, and the race also in which I am born, has, indeed, been blessed today. This very province also of mine has equally been blessed by you, O sinless Tarkshya. There is one thing, however, O friend, that I desire to say unto you, and that is, I am not so rich now as you think, for my wealth has suffered a great diminution. I cannot, however, O ranger of the skies, make your advent here a fruitless one. Nor can I venture to frustrate the hopes entertained by this regenerate Rishi. I shall, therefore, give him that which will accomplish his purpose. If one having come for alms, returns disappointed, he may consume the (host’s) race. O son of Vinata, it is said that there is no act more sinful than that of saying, 'I have nothing'—and thus destroying the hope of one that comes, saying, 'Give.'

The disappointed man whose hopes have been killed and his object not accomplished, can destroy the sons and grandsons of the person that fails to do him good. Therefore, O Galava, take you this daughter of mine, this perpetrator of four families. In beauty, she resembles a daughter of the celestials. She is capable of prompting every virtue. Indeed, owing to her beauty, she is always solicited (at my hands) by gods and men, and Asuras. Let alone twice four hundred steeds each with a black ear, the kings of the earth will give away their whole kingdoms as her dower. Take you, therefore, this daughter of mine, named Madhavi. My sole desire is that I may have a daughter’s son by her.

Accepting that daughter in gift, Galava then, with Garuda, went away, saying, 'We will again see you'. And they took that maiden with them.

And Galava’s oviparous friend addressed him, saying,

'The means have at last been obtained whereby the steeds may be obtained.'

And saying this, Garuda went away to his own abode, having obtained Galava’s permission. And after the prince of birds had gone, Galava, with that maiden in his company, began to think of going to some one among the kings who would be able to give (fit) dower for the maiden. And he first thought of that best of kings, Haryasva of Ikshaku’s race, who ruled at Ayodhya, was endued with great energy, possessed of a large army consisting of four kinds of forces, had a well-filled treasury and abundance of corn, and who was dearly loved by his subjects, and who loved the Brahmanas well. Desirous of offspring, he was living in quiet and peace, and engaged in excellent austerities.

And the Brahmana Galava, repairing unto Haryasva, said,

'This maiden, O king of kings, will increase the family of her husband by bringing forth offspring. Accept her from me, O Haryasva, as your wife, by giving me a dower. I will tell you what dower you shalt have to give. Hearing it, settle what you shalt do.'"