The Great Epic of the Bhārata dynasty 3.183.12

3.183.12

tamabravīdṛṣistatra vacaḥ kruddho mahātapāḥ |
maivamatre punarbrūyā na te prajñā samāhitā |
atra naḥ prathamaṃ sthātā mahendro vai prajāpatiḥ || 12 ||

"Markandeya continued, 'So saying, he, of great ascetic merit, hastened to Vainya's sacrifice and reaching the sacrificial altar and making his obeisance to the king and praising him with well-meaning speeches, he spoke these words, 'Blessed art thou, O king! Ruling over the earth, thou art the foremost of sovereigns! The Munis praise thee, and besides thee there is none so versed in religious lore'! To him the Rishi Gautama, of great ascetic merit, then indignantly replied saying, 'Atri, do not repeat this nonsense. (It seems) thou art not in thy proper senses. In this world of ours, Mahendra the lord of all created beings (alone) is the foremost of all sovereigns!' Then, O, great prince, Atri said to Gautama, 'As Indra, the lord of all creatures, ruleth over our destinies, so doth this king! Thou art mistaken. It is thou who hast lost thine senses from want of spiritual perception!' Gautama replied, 'I know I am not mistaken; it is thou who art labouring under a misconception in this matter. To secure the king's countenance, thou art flattering him in (this) assembly of the people. Thou dost not know what the highest virtue, is nor dost thou feel the need for it. Thou art like a child steeped in ignorance, for what then hast thou become (so) old in years?'