But how is it that Usinara's son, Sivi hath
already left us behind?'
"Yayati answered, 'This Usinara's son had given all he possessed for
attaining to the region of Brahman. Therefore, is he the foremost among us.
Besides, Sivi's liberality, asceticism, truth, virtue, modesty,
forgiveness, amiability, desire of performing good acts, have been so
great that none can measure them!'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'After this, Ashtaka, impelled by curiosity,
again asked his maternal grandfather resembling Indra himself, saying, 'O
king, I ask thee, tell me truly, whence thou art, who thou art, and whose
son? Is there any other Brahmana or Kshatriya who hath done what thou
didst on earth?' Yayati answered, 'I tell thee truly, I am Yayati, the son
of Nahusha and the father of Puru. I was lord of all the Earth. Ye are my
relatives; I tell thee truly, I am the maternal grandfather of you all.
Having conquered the whole earth, I gave clothes to Brahmanas and also a
hundred handsome horses fit for sacrificial offering. For such acts of
virtue, the gods became propitious to those that perform them. I also gave
to Brahmanas this whole earth with her horses and elephants and kine and
gold all kinds of wealth, along with a hundred Arbudas of excellent milch
cows. Both the earth and the firmament exist owing to my truth and virtue;
fire yet burneth in the world of men owing to my truth and virtue. Never
hath a word spoken by me been untrue. It is for this that the wise adore
Truth.
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