Vaishampayana said: -
1. Hearing these words of the Gandharva, that best of the Bharata race, Arjuna, was filled with devotion (towards him) and he stood as manifest as the full moon.
2. His curiosity being excited by what he heard of Vasishtha’s ascetic power, that best of the Kurus, that great bowman, thus spoke to the Gandharva,
3. “I desire to hear the history of the Rishi whom you have mentioned by the name of Vasishtha. Tell me all about him in detail.
4. O chief of the Gandharvas, tell me who this illustrious Rishi was, he who was the priest of our forefathers.”
The Gandharva said: -
5-6. Vasishtha was the Brahma’s son bom of his mind; and he was the husband of Arundhati. Ever difficult of being conquered even by the celestials. Desire and Anger, having been conquered by his ascetic penances, shampooed his feet. He was so high- souled that he did not exterminate the Kushikas.
7. Though the excellent Rishi’s anger was excited by Vishvamitra, though he was afflicted at the loss of his sons, though he was powerful, yet he appeared to be powerless.
8-9. He did not perform any dreadful deed for destroying Vishvamitra. Like the great ocean which does not cross its shore, he did not transgress the law of Yama by bringing back his sons from the land of the dead. It is by obtaining this self controlled and illustrious (Rishi), the kings,
10. (Namely) Ikshaku and others, became the lords over the whole earth. Getting the excellent Rishi Vasishtha as their priest,
11. O descendant of Kuru, O best of the Pandavas, these kings performed many great sacrifices. That Brahmarshi performed the priestly duty of all these excellent kings, as Brihaspati did that of the celestials.
12. Therefore, seek to appoint as your priest an accomplished Brahmana in whose heart virtue predominates and who is learned in the Vedas.
13. O Partha, a Kshatriya of noble birth should first appoint a priest, if he is (at all) desirous of extending his dominions by conquering the earth. He, who is desirous of conquering the earth, should have a Brahmana before him.
14. Therefore, let an accomplished and learned Brahmana, who has conquered his senses and who is learned in Dharma, Artha and Kama, be your priest.
Thus ends the hundred and seventy sixth chapter, whom to appoint a priest, in the Chaitraratha of the Adi Parva.