Mahabharata Aswamedha Parva Chapter 9

Mahabharata Aswamedha Parva (Aswamedhika Parva) Chapter 9 Indra said, 'Dost thou, O Vrihaspati, sleep in peace, and are thy servants agreeable to thee, dost thou seek the welfare of the gods, and do the gods, O Brahmana, protect thee?' Vrihaspati said, 'I do sleep in peace in my bed, O Lord of the gods, and my servants are to my liking and I always seek the welfare of the gods, and they cherish me well.' Indra said, 'Whence then is this pain, mental or physical, and why art thou pale and altered in appearance (complexion) at present? Tell me, O Brahmana, who those people are, who have caused thee pain, so that I may kill them all.' Vrihaspati said, 'O Indra, I have heard that Marutta will perform a great sacrifice at which exquisite presents will be given by him (to Brahmanas) and that at his sacrifice Samvarta will act as the officiating priest, and therefore do I desire that he may not officiate as priest at that sacrifice.' Indra said, 'Thou, O Brahmana, hast attained all the object of thy desire when thou hast become the excellent priest of the gods, versed in all the sacred hymns, and hast overreached the influence of death and dotage, what can Samvarta do to thee now?' Vrihaspati said, 'Prosperity of a rival is always painful to one's feelings, and for this reason too, thou dost with thy attendant gods persecute the Asuras with their kith and kin, and kill the most prosperous among them; hence, O Lord of the gods, am I changed in appearance at the thought that my rival is prospering, therefore, O Indra, do thou, by all means, restrain Samvarta and king Marutta.' Indra turning to Agni said, 'Do thou, O Jataveda, following my direction, go to king Marutta to present Vrihaspati to him, and say unto him that this Vrihaspati will officiate at his sacrifice and make him immortal.' Agni said, 'I shall presently, O adorable one, repair thither as thy messenger, to present Vrihaspati to king Marutta, and to make Indra's words true, and to show respect to Vrihaspati, Agni departed.'" "'Vyasa said, "Then the high-souled fire-god went on his errand, devastating all the forests and trees, like unto the mighty wind, roaring and revolving at random at the end of the winter season." Marutta said, 'Behold! I find the fire-god come in his own embodiment, this day, therefore do thou, O Muni, offer him a seat and water, and a cow, and water for washing the feet.' Agni said, 'I accept thy offerings of water, seat, and water for washing the feet, O sinless one, do thou know me as the messenger of Indra, come to thee, in accordance with his directions.' Marutta said, 'O Fire-god, is the glorious Lord of the Celestials happy, and is he pleased with us, and are the other gods loyal to him? Do thou enlighten me duly on all these points.'