41. After disappearance of the goddess in air, the husbands of these ladies returned to them from all sides, and at the lapse of some time after they had received their desired blessings. 42. Now was there a mutual interview of the wives with their husbands, and general meeting of the brothers with each other, and with their friends and relatives. 43. Hear now a wonderful event, which happened to them at this time; and which presented itself as an obstacle, towards the achievement of their noble purpose. 44. It was at the time when the brothers were employed in their devotion, that their parents had gone out with their wives in search of them, and were wandering about the hermitages of saints, with their sorrowful hearts. 45. Unmindful of their personal pains and pleasures, for the sake of the welfare of their sons, they intended to see the village of Kalapa, which lay on their way. 46. Passing by the village of _munis_ or saints, they espied on their way a white man of short stature, with grey and erect hairs on his head, and his body bedaubed with ashes. 47. Thinking him to be an ordinary old passenger, the parents forgot to do him due honour, and let the dust of the ground they trod upon, fly unwarily to his sacred person. This irritated the old passenger, who thus bespake to him in his ire. 48. You great fool that are going on pilgrimage in company with thy wife and daughters-in-law; don’t you heed me the sage Durvásas, that you slight to do me due reverence. 49. For this act of thy negligence, the boons so dearly earned by thy sons and daughters in law will go for nothing, and will be attained with their contrary effect. 50. On hearing this malediction the old parents and their daughters in law, were proceeding to do him reverence, when the ancient sage disappeared from their sight and vanished in air. 51. At this the parents and their daughters, were greatly dismayed and disheartened; and returned disappointed to their home, with their melancholy countenances. 52. Therefore I say, there was not the only inconsistency, in each of the brothers reigning over the seven continents all at once; but there were many other odds awaiting upon them as on all human wishes; and these occurring as thickly one after the other as the sores and ulcers growing on goitres. (Or pouches on the throat). 53. There are as many oddities and vanities, always occurring in the wishes, and aerial castles of the vacuous mind; as the numberless portents and comets and meteors and unnatural sights, are seen to appear in the empty sky. CHAPTER CLXXXIII. DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVEN CONTINENTS. Argument:--Brahmá’s relation of the contending sides of blessing and imprecation. Kunda-Danta rejoined:--I then asked the hermit of Gaurí’s asylum, whose head was hoary with age, and whose hair resembled the dried blades of withered grass.