"'"The king said, 'Tell me, O Virupa, what is that which thou owest thy friend here. It is my resolution to hear thee and then do what is proper.'
"'"Virupa said, 'Hear attentively, O king, all the circumstances in detail, about how I owe my companion, viz., this Vikrita, O ruler of men. This Vikrita had, in bygone days, for the sake of winning merit, O sinless one, given away an auspicious cow, O royal sage, unto a Brahmana devoted to penances as the study of the Vedas. Going unto him, O king, I begged of him the reward of that act. With a pure heart, Vikrita made a gift to me of that reward. I then, for my purification, did some good acts. I also purchased two kapila cows with calves, both of which used to yield large quantities of milk. I then made a present, according to due rites and with proper devotion, of those two cows unto a poor Brahmana living by the Unchha[639] method. Having formerly accepted the gift from my companion, I desire, O lord, even here, to give him return twice the reward![640] The circumstances being such, O tiger among men, who amongst us two shall be innocent and who guilty (according to your judgment)? Disputing with each other about this, we have both come to thee, O monarch! Whether thou judgest rightly or wrongly, establish both of us in peace. If this my companion does not wish to take from me in return a gift equal to what he gave me, thou shalt have to judge patiently and set us both on the right track.'
"'"The king said, 'Why do you not accept payment that is sought to be made of the debt that is owing to thee? Do not delay, but accept payment of what thou knowest is thy due.'
"'"Vikrita said, 'This one says that he owes me. I say unto him that what I gave I gave away. He doth not, therefore, owe me anything. Let him go whithersoever he wishes.'
"'"The king said, 'He is ready to give thee. Thou, however, art unwilling to take. This does not seem proper to me. I think that thou deservest punishment for this. There is little doubt in this.'
"'"Vikrita said, 'I made a gift to him, O royal sage! How can I take it back? If I am guilty in this, do thou pronounce the punishment, O puissant one.'
"'"Virupa said, 'If thou refusest to take when I am ready to give, this king will certainly punish thee, for he is an upholder of justice.'
"'"Vikrita said, 'Solicited by him I gave him what was my own. How shall I now retake that? Thou mayst go away. Thou hast my leave.'
"'"The Brahmana said, 'Thou hast heard, O king, the words of these two. Do thou take without scruple that which I have pledged myself to give thee.'
"'"The king said, 'This matter is, indeed, as deep (in importance) as an unfathomable pit. How will the pertinacity of this Reciter end? If I do not accept what has been given by this Brahmana, how shall I avoid being stained with a great sin?' The royal sage then said unto the two disputants, 'Go ye both, having won your respective objects. I should see that kingly duties, vested in me, may not become futile. It is settled that kings should observe the duties laid down for them. To my misfortune, however, the course of duties prescribed for Brahmanas has possessed my wretched self.'[641]