the celestials, by their (mere) determination attain to the fruits of their actions but mankind reap them only when they repair to the next world. Therefore, O daughter, by practising hard austerities in this world thou shalt reap the fruits thereof in the next (37)." Thus accosted by her own Pitris the maiden began propitiating them. Then realising the truth in their own minds, they all, out of compassion, became pleased with her (38). Knowing that all this is inevitable they asked that maiden to act (in that way) and said to her:—"Thou shalt be born as the daughter of the high-souled king Vasu who is born on earth among men. Being born as his daughter thou shalt again attain to thy own regions which it is so hard to gain (39-40). Thou shalt give birth to the illustrious son of Parāshara.³⁹ That great Brāhmana saint shall divide the one Veda into four parts (41). Two sons, the illustrious and pious Vichitravirya and Chitrangada, will be born unto the king Shāntanu, who was (in another birth the king) Mahābhisha. Having given birth to these sons thou shalt again attain to thy own regions. On account of thy transgressions towards thy ancestral manes thou shalt come by these inferior births (42-43). Thou shalt be begotten as his daughter by this king on his wife Adrikā. In the eighteenth Dwāpara cycle thou shalt be born as a fish" (44). Thus spoken to by her ancestral manes that maiden was born in Dasha family as Satyavati. First born as a fish she became the daughter of the king Vasu (45). The picturesque region Vaibhrāja, where dwell the Pitris celebrated in heaven as Varhishadas, is situate in Dyuloka (46). The highly effulgent celestials, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Rakshasas, Nāgas, Sarpas (serpents), Suparnas (birds) offer oblations for (the attainment of those) regions (47). They are the offspring of the high-souled Patriarch Pulastya. They were all great, highly meritorious, energetic and used to carry on ascetic observances. Their mind-born daughter was known as Pivari. She was (herself) a great ascetic, the wife of an ascetic, and the mother of an ascetic (48–49).