The Great Epic of the Bhārata dynasty 5.35.15

5.35.15

virocana uvāca |
āvāṃ kutra gamiṣyāvaḥ prāṇayorvipaṇe kṛte |
na hi deveṣvahaṃ sthātā na manuṣyeṣu karhicit || 15 ||

"Vidura continued, 'When the night had passed away and the solar disc had risen, Sudhanwan, O best of kings, came to that place where, O master, Virochana was waiting with Kesini. And Sudhanwan saw there both Prahlada's son and Kesini. And beholding the Brahmana arrived, Kesini, O bull of the Bharata race, rising up from hers, offered him a seat, water to wash his feet, and Arghya. And asked by Virochana (to share his seat) Sudhanwan said, 'O son of Prahlada, I touch thy excellent golden seat. I cannot, however, suffer myself to be regarded as thy equal, and sit on it with thee.' Virochana said, 'A piece of wooden plank, an animal skin, or a mat of grass or straw,--these only, O Sudhanwan, are fit for thee. Thou deservest not, however, the same seat with me.' Sudhanwan said, 'Father and son. Brahmanas of the same age and equal learning, two Kshatriyas, two Vaisyas and two Sudras, can sit together on the same seat, Except these, no other can sit together. Your father used to pay his regards to me, taking a seat lower than that occupied by me. Thou art a child, brought tip in every luxury at home and thou understandest nothing.' Virochana said, 'Staking all the gold, kine, horses, and every other kind of wealth that we have among the [paragraph continues] Asuras, let us, O Sudhanwan, ask them this question that are able to answer.' Sudhanwan said, 'Let alone your gold, kine, and heroes, O Virochana? Making our lives forfeited, we will ask them this question that are competent.' Virochana said, 'Wagering our lives where shall we go? I will not appear before any of the gods and never before any among men.' Sudhanwan said, 'Having wagered our lives, we will approach thy father, for he, Prahlada, will never say an untruth even for the sake of his son.'