Mahabharata 3.204.16

3.204.16

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca |
bāḍhamityeva tau vipraḥ pratyuvāca mudānvitaḥ |
dharmavyādhastu taṃ vipramarthavadvākyamabravīt || 16 ||

Thou art a good and dutiful son, for, we are constantly and reasonably looked after by thee, and even amongst the celestials thou hast not another divinity to worship. By constantly subduing thyself, thou hast become endowed with the self-restraining power of Brahmanas and all thy grandsires and ancestors are constantly pleased with thee for thy self-restraining virtues and for thy piety towards us. In thought, word or deed thy attention to us never flags, and it seems that at present thou hast no other thought in thy mind (save as to how to please us). As Rama, the son of Jamadagni, laboured to please his aged parents, so hast thou, O Son, done to please us, and even more. Then the fowler introduced the Brahmana to his parents and they received him with the usual salutation of welcome, and the Brahmana accepting their welcome, enquired if they, with their children and servants, were all right at home, and if they were always enjoying good health at that time (of life). The aged couple replied, 'At home, O Brahmana, we are all right, with all our servants. Hast thou, adorable sir, reached this place without any difficulty?' Markandeya continued, "The Brahmana replied, 'Yes, I have.' Then the fowler addressing himself to the Brahmana said to him, 'These my parents, worshipful sir, are the idols that I worship; whatever is due to the gods, I do unto them. As the thirty-three gods with Indra at their head are worshipped by men, so are these aged parents of mine worshipped by me.