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Tripura Rahasya
31. At the same time, Varuna, the God of waters, wanted to perform a similar sacrifice, but worthy men did not accept the invitation. 32-37. For they were pleased with Janaka who respected them duly. Then Varuna’s son, who was a great dialectician, came to them. He disguised himself as a Brahmin, in order to decoy the Brahmin guests. On entering the royal chamber he duly blessed the king and addressed him thus before all the assembly: O King, your assembly is not as good as it should be. It looks like a lovely lake of lotuses ravaged by crows, jackdaws and herons; it would be better without this medley of incompetents. I do not find a single individual here who will be an ornament to a great assembly like a swan to a lovely lake of lotuses. May God bless you! I shall have nothing to do with this multitude of fools. 38-41. Being thus insulted by Varuna’s son, the whole assembly stood up to the man and said in anger: You charlatan of a Brahmin! How dare you insult everybody here? What learning have you which is wanting in us? Wicked man that you are, you are only a bluffer! You shall not leave this place until you have proved your superiority over us. There are great pandits assembled here from all over the world. Do you hope to subdue all of them by your learning? Tell us your special subject in which you imagine yourself more proficient than us! Thus challenged, Varuni replied: 42-43. I will in a minute outdo you all in debate; but that shall be only on the condition that if I am defeated,