SRIMAD MAHABHARATA - AADI PARVA - SAMBHAVA (UPA) PARVA - PART 88

"Vaishampaayana said, 'After this (Lord) Indra again asked Yayaati, 'O king, you did retire into the forest after accomplishing all your duties. O Yayaati, son of Nahusha, I would ask you to whom are you equal in severe Tapas.' 

"Yayaati answered, 'O Vaasava (Lord Indra), I do not, in the matter of severe penances, see my equal among men, Devas, Gandharvas, and Maharishis.'

"(Lord) Indra then said, 'O monarch (Yayaati), because you disregard those that are your superiors, your equals, and your inferiors, without, in fact, knowing their real merits, your Dharma has suffered a decline and you must fall from heaven.'

"Yayaati then said, 'O Shakra (Lord Indra), if, indeed, my Dharma has really sustained a decline and I must on that account fall down from heaven, I desire, O chief of Devas (Lord Indra), that I may at least fall among the people of Dharma and honest.'

"(Lord) Indra replied, 'O king (Yayaati), you shall fall among those that are Dharmic and wise, and also you shall acquire much fame. After this experience of your, O Yayati, never again disregard those that are your superiors or even your equals.'

"Vaishampaayana continued, 'Upon this, Yayati fell from Devaloka. As he was falling, he was seen by that foremost of Rajarishis, viz., Ashtaka, the protector of his own Dharma. Ashtaka seeing him, enquired, 'Who are you, O youth, of a beauty equal to that of (Lord) Indra, in splendour blazing as the fire, thus falling from on high? Are you that foremost of sky-travelling bodies -- the Sun -- emerging from, dark masses of clouds? Looking you falling from the solar course, possessed of immeasurable energy and the splendour of fire or the Sun, every one is curious as to what it is that is so falling, and is, besides, deprived of consciousness! Looking you in the path of Devas, possessed of energy like that of Shakra (Lord Indra), or Surya, or Vishnu, we have approached you to discover the truth. If you have first asked us who we were, we would never have been guilty of the incivility of asking you first. We now ask you who you are and why you approach here. Let your fears be dispelled; let your woes and pains cease. You are now in the presence of the people of Dharma and the wise. Even Shakra (Lord Indra) Himself -- the slayer of Bala -- cannot here do you any injury. O you of the skills of the chief of Devas (Lord Indra), the wise and the Dharmic people are the support of their brothers in grief. Here there are none but the wise and people of Dharma like you assembled together. Therefore, you stay here in peace. Fire alone has power to give heat. The Earth alone has power to infuse life into the seed. The Sun alone has power to illuminate everything. So the guest alone has power to command the people of Dharma and the wise.'"