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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 4: Chapter 30: Verses 32-47
Bhagavan Visnu confers a boon on the Pracetas, who then return to their city and marry the foster-daughter of the trees
When the celestial tree of Parijata is easily got, a bee does not resort to another. (Even so) having directly reached the soles of Your feet, what other things should we seek (from You) ? So long as we revolve in the whirligig of birth and death under the impulse of our actions, dominated as we are by Your Maya (deluding potency), let us have in every life the fellowship of Your loving devotees. We are not prepared to equate with the fellowship of Your loving devotees, enjoyed even for half a moment, the delights of paradise nor (even) final beatitude (freedom from birth and death), much less the blessings sought by mortal men. (For) in the company of such devotees are sung the delightful stories (of Sri Hari) which slake the thirst for enjoyment, and we find no enmity with nor fear of any kind for any being. In their midst is glorified Bhagavan Narayana Himself, the goal of the recluses, through beautiful stories again and again by men who are free from attachment. How can the meeting of such devotees of Yours, who go about (from place to place) with the intention of purifying the sacred places with (the touch of) their feet, not be welcome to him who is afraid of transmigration ? As for ourselves, O Lord, we have, through a moment's association only with Your
beloved friend, Lord Siva (the Source of this world), found today our refuge directly in You, the best physician for the malady of birth and death, so very difficult to cure. Whatever we have properly studied (at the house of our teacher), the efforts we have made to propitiate our teachers, the Brahmanas and the elders by constantly waiting on them, the salutations we have offered to (all) worthy men as well as to our kinsmen and brothers, nay, to (all) living beings in an uncavilling spirit, the austerities duly practised by us in water for a long time
without food-all this, 0 Lord, we desire to convert into a means of pleasing You, the all-pervading Spirit. Swayambhuva Manu, Brahma (the self-born) and Lord Siva (the Source of the universe) and others whose intellect has been purified through asceticism and Self-Realization (constantly) extol You, though unable to perceive the end of Your glory. Hence we (too) glorify You according to our own (poor) lights. Hail to You, the Supreme Purusa, the same to all and untainted by Maya. Obeisance to Lord Vasudeva, who is (absolute) Sattva personified !Maitreya went on : Thus glorified the Pracetas and (highly) pleased with them, Sri Hari, who is full of affection for those seeking refuge in Him and is possessed of irresistible might, said,"Be it so!" and returned to His own (divine) Abode, even though the princes, whose eyes had not been sated with His sight, did not want that He should go. Now the Pracetas emerged from the water of the ocean-like lake and were filled with anger to see the earth covered (all over) with trees, that had grown (very) tall as if to block the way to heaven. Then, like Kalagnirudra (the god of destruction presiding over the all-destroying fire) at the dissolution of the three worlds, they breathed out fire and wind through their mouths in rage, O king, in order to strip the earth of all vegetation. Seeing the trees being reduced to ashes, Brahma (the creator) arrived (there) and pacified the sons of Barhisman by words of wisdom. Seized with terror, such of the trees as had survived (destruction) bestowed their daughter upon the Pracetas under the advice of Brahma (the self-born).
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