"Lord, why are you ill?
What has caused The god of fire agreed and went on this
this languishing? Do you sleep well? Do
the attendants serve you properly? Do
they anticipate your wishes and not wait
to be told? Do the gods behave
courteously towards you or has there been
any lapse in this respect?"
To Indra's anxious inquiry, Brihaspati
replied: "Deva raja, I sleep on a good bed
and in right time. The attendants serve me
with all devotion. There is nothing
wanting in the respect and courtesies
shown by the gods." Then his voice failed
and he could not proceed. So great was his
prostration of spirit.
"Why are you grieved?" asked Indra
affectionately. "Why have you grown thin
and bloodless? Tell me what troubles your
mind."
Brihaspati then told Indra about it all.
"Samvarta is going to conduct a great
yajna. It is this that has made me wan and
thin. I cannot help it," said he. Indra was
surprised.
"Learned brahmana, there is no object of
desire that is not already yours. You are
wise and learned, and the gods themselves
have accepted you as their priest and wise
counselor. What harm can Samvarta do to
you? There is nothing you can lose on
account of him. Why do you needlessly
take upon yourself this suffering by mere
envy?"
It was amusing that Indra should so far
and so humanly forget his own history as
to give counsel of good conduct. But
Brihaspati refreshed his memory on the
point and asked: "Would you yourself
delightedly watch your enemy's power
growing? Judge me by how you would
have felt had you been in my position. I
beg of you to save me against this
Samvarta. You must find a way to put this
man down."
Indra sent for Agni and said to him: "Go
and stop the yajna of Marutta somehow."
mission. The trees and the creepers along
his path caught fire and the earth trembled
as he marched roaring.
He presented himself before the king in
his divine form.
The king was mightily pleased to see Agni
stand before him. He ordered the
attendants to do all the usual honors of
hospitality. "Let him be duly seated. Have
his feet laved and bring the gifts proper to
his greatness," said the king, and this was
done.
Agni then explained why he had come.
"Do give up this Samvarta. If you require
a priest, I shall bring Brihaspati himself to
help you."
Samvarta, who heard this, was indignant.
The wrath of one who led the strict life of
a brahmacharin was exceedingly potent.
"Stop this chatter!" he said to Agni. "Do
not let my anger burn you up."
Fire reduces things to ashes, but
brahmacharya can burn up fire itself!
At Samvarta's anger Agni, trembling like
an aspen leaf, retired quickly. He returned
to Indra and told him what had happened.
The king of the gods could not believe the
story. "Agni, you burn up other things in
the world. How can anything burn you?
What is this story of Samvarta’s angry
eyes reducing you to ashes?"'
"Not so, king of the gods," said Agni.
"Brahmic power and the potency born of
brahmacharya are not unknown to you."
Agni thus reminded Indra of what the
latter had suffered; incurring the wrath of
those whom had attained Brahmic power.
Indra did not wrangle but called a
Gandharva had said: "Now, Agni has
failed. I want you to go as my messenger
and ask Marutta to give up Samvarta. Tell
him that if he does not, he will incur my
wrath and be destroyed."