And the mighty one sitting by the side of the Bhagirathi saw a
(golden) lotus being carried along by the current. And beholding that
(golden) lotus, they wondered much. And amongst them, that foremost of
celestials, viz., Indra, desirous of ascertaining whence it came,
proceeded up along the course of the Bhagirathi. And reaching that spot
whence the goddess Ganga issues perennially, Indra beheld a woman
possessing the splendour of fire. The woman who had come there to take
water was washing in the stream, weeping all the while. The tear-drops
she shed, falling on the stream, were being transformed into golden
lotuses. The wielder of the thunderbolt, beholding that wonderful sight,
approached the woman and asked her, 'Who art thou, amiable lady? Why dost
thou weep? I desire to know the truth. O, tell me everything.'
"Vyasa continued, 'The woman thereupon answered, 'O Sakra, thou mayest
know who I am and why, unfortunate that I am, I weep, if only, O chief of
the celestials, thou comest with me as I lead the way. Thou shall then see
what it is I weep for." Hearing these words of the lady, Indra followed
her as she led the way. And soon he saw, not far off from where he was, a
handsome youth with a young lady seated on a throne placed on one of the
peaks of Himavat and playing at dice. Beholding that youth, the chief of
the celestials said, 'Know, intelligent youth, that this universe is under
my sway.' Seeing, however, that the person addressed was so engrossed in
dice that he took no notice of what he said, Indra was possessed by anger
and repeated, 'I am the lord of the universe.
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