{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_12333/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_12333","id":"gutenberg_12333","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12333","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Epic literature, Sanskrit","Hinduism"],"text":"The Mahabharata of\n\nKrishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa\n\nBOOK 3\n\nVANA PARVA\n\nTranslated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text\n\nby\n\nKisari Mohan Ganguli\n\n[1883-1896]\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTHE MAHABHARATA\n\n\nVANA PARVA\n\nPART 2\n\n\nSECTION CXLV (continued from previous eBook)\n\nAnd the ruddy geese, and the gallinules and the ducks and\nthe _karandavas_ and the _plavas_ and the parrots and the male _kokilas_\nand the herons in confusion flew in all directions, while some proud\nelephants urged by their mates, as also some lions and elephants in\nrage, flew at Bhimasena. And as they were distracted at heart through\nfear, these fierce animals discharging urine and dung, set up loud yells\nwith gapping mouths. Thereupon the illustrious and graceful son of the\nwind-god, the mighty Pandava, depending upon the strength of his arms,\nbegan to slay one elephant with another elephant and one lion with\nanother lion while he despatched the others with slaps. And on being\nstruck by Bhima the lions and the tigers and the leopards, in fright\ngave loud cries and discharged urine and dung. And after having\ndestroyed these the handsome son of Pandu, possessed of mighty strength,\nentered into the forest, making all sides resound with his shouts. And\nthen the long-armed one saw on the slopes of the Gandhamadana a\nbeautiful plantain tree spreading over many a _yojana_. And like unto a\nmad lion, that one of great strength proceeded amain towards that tree\nbreaking down various plants. And that foremost of strong\npersons--Bhima--uprooting innumerable plaintain trunks equal in height\nto many palm-trees (placed one above another), cast them on all sides\nwith force. And that highly powerful one, haughty like a male lion, sent\nup shouts. And then he encountered countless beasts of gigantic size,\nand stags, and monkeys, and lions, and buffaloes, and aquatic animals.\nAnd what with the cries of these, and what with the shouts of Bhima,\neven the beasts and birds that were at distant parts of the wood, became\nall frightened. And hearing those cries of beasts and birds, myriads of\naquatic fowls suddenly rose up on wetted wings. And seeing these fowls\nof water, that bull among the Bharatas proceeded in that direction; and\nsaw a vast and romantic lake. And that fathomless lake was, as it were,\nbeing fanned by the golden plantain trees on the coast, shaken by the\nsoft breezes. And immediately descending into the lake abounding in\nlilies and lotuses, he began to sport lustily like unto a mighty\nmaddened elephant. Having thus sported there for a long while, he of\nimmeasurable effulgence ascended, in order to penetrate with speed into\nthat forest filled with trees. Then the Pandava winded with all his\nmight his loud-blowing shell. And striking his arms with his hands, the\nmighty Bhima made all the points of heaven resound. And filled with the\nsounds of the shell, and with the shouts of Bhimasena, and also with the\nreports produced by the striking of his arms, the caves of the mountain\nseemed as if they were roaring. And hearing those loud arm-strokes, like\nunto the crashing of thunder, the lions that were slumbering in the\ncaves, uttered mighty howls. And being terrified by the yelling of the\nlions, the elephants, O Bharata, sent forth tremendous roars, which\nfilled the mountain. And hearing those sounds emitted, and knowing also\nBhimasena to be his brother, the ape Hanuman, the chief of monkeys, with\nthe view of doing good to Bhima, obstructed the path leading to heaven.\nAnd thinking that he (Bhima) should not pass that way, (Hanuman) lay\nacross the narrow path, beautified by plantain trees, obstructing it for\nthe sake of the safety of Bhima. With the object that Bhima might not\ncome by curse or defeat, by entering into the plantain wood, the ape\nHanuman of huge body lay down amidst the plantain trees, being overcome\nwith drowsiness. And he began to yawn, lashing his long tail, raised\nlike unto the pole consecrated to Indra, and sounding like thunder. And\non all sides round, the mountains by the mouths of caves emitted those\nsounds in echo, like a cow lowing. And as it was being shaken by the\nreports produced by the lashing of the tail, the mountain with its\nsummits tottering, began to crumble all around. And overcoming that\nroaring of mad elephants, the sounds of his tail spread over the varied\nslopes of the mountain.\n\n\"On those sounds being heard the down of Bhima's body stood on end; and\nhe began to range that plantain wood, in search of those sounds. And\nthat one of mighty arms saw the monkey-chief in the plantain wood, on an\nelevated rocky base. And he was hard to be looked at even as the\nlightning-flash; and of coppery hue like that of the lightning-flash;\nand endued with the voice of the lightning-flash; and quick moving as\nthe lightning-flash; and having his short flesh neck supported on his\nshoulders; and with his waist slender in consequence of the fullness of\nhis shoulders. And his tail covered with long hair, and a little bent at\nthe end, was raised like unto a banner. And (Bhima) saw Hanuman's head\nfurnished with small lips, and coppery face and tongue, and red ears,\nand brisk eyes, and bare white incisors sharpened at the edge. And his\nhead was like unto the shining moon; adorned with white teeth within the\nmouth; and with mane scattered over, resembling a heap of _asoka_\nflowers. And amidst the golden plantain trees, that one of exceeding\neffulgence was lying like unto a blazing fire, with his radiant body.\nAnd that slayer of foes was casting glances with his eyes reddened with\nintoxication. And the intelligent Bhima saw that mighty chief of\nmonkeys, of huge body, lying like unto the Himalaya, obstructing the\npath of heaven. And seeing him alone in that mighty forest, the\nundaunted athletic Bhima, of long arms, approached him with rapid\nstrides, and uttered a loud shout like unto the thunder. And at that\nshout of Bhima, beasts and birds became all alarmed. The powerful\nHanuman, however, opening his eyes partially looked at him (Bhima) with\ndisregard, with eyes reddened with intoxication. And then smilingly\naddressing him, Hanuman said the following words, 'Ill as I am, I was\nsleeping sweetly. Why hast thou awakened me? Thou shouldst show kindness\nto all creatures, as thou hast reason. Belonging to the animal species,\nwe are ignorant of virtue. But being endued with reason, men show\nkindness towards creatures. Why do then reasonable persons like thee\ncommit themselves to acts contaminating alike body, speech, and heart,\nand destructive of virtue? Thou knowest not what virtue is, neither hast\nthou taken council of the wise. And therefore it is that from ignorance,\nand childishness thou destroyest the lower animals. Say, who art thou,\nand what for hast thou come to the forest devoid of humanity and human\nbeings? And, O foremost of men, tell thou also, whither thou wilt go\nto-day. Further it is impossible to proceed. Yonder hills are\ninaccessible. O hero, save the passage obtained by the practice of\nasceticism, there is no passage to that place. This is the path of the\ncelestials; it is ever impassable by mortals. Out of kindness, O hero,\ndo I dissuade thee. Do thou hearken unto my words. Thou canst not\nproceed further from this place. Therefore, O lord, do thou desist. O\nchief of men, to-day in every way thou art welcome to this place. If thou\nthink it proper to accept my words, do thou then, O best of men, rest\nhere, partaking of fruits and roots, sweet as ambrosia, and do not have\nthyself destroyed for naught.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CXLVI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"O represser of foes, hearing these words of the\nintelligent monkey-chief, the heroic Bhima answered, 'Who art thou? And\nwhy also hast thou assumed the shape of a monkey? It is a Kshatriya--one\nof a race next to the Brahmanas--that asketh thee. And he belongeth to\nthe Kuru race and the lunar stock, and was borne by Kunti in her womb,\nand is one of the sons of Pandu, and is the off spring of the windgod,\nand is known by the name of Bhimasena.' Hearing these words of the Kuru\nhero, Hanuman smiled, and that son of the wind-god (Hanuman) spake unto\nthat offspring of the windgod (Bhimasena), saying, 'I am a monkey, I\nwill not allow thee the passage thou desirest. Better desist and go\nback. Do thou not meet with destruction.' At this Bhimasena replied,\n'Destruction at anything else do I not ask thee about, O monkey. Do thou\ngive me passage. Arise! Do not come by grief at my hands.' Hanuman said,\n'I have no strength to rise; I am suffering from illness. If go thou\nmust, do thou go by overleaping me.' Bhima said, 'The Supreme Soul void\nof the properties pervadeth a body all over. Him knowable alone by\nknowledge, I cannot disregard. And therefore, will I not overleap thee.\nIf I had not known Him from Whom become manifest all creatures, I would\nhave leapt over thee and also the mountain, even as Hanuman had bounded\nover the ocean.' Thereupon Hanuman said, 'Who is that Hanuman, who had\nbounded over the ocean? I ask thee, O best of men. Relate if thou\ncanst.' Bhima replied, 'He is even my brother, excellent with every\nperfection, and endued with intelligence and strength both of mind and\nbody. And he is the illustrious chief of monkeys, renowned in the\nRamayana. And for Rama's queen, that king of the monkeys even with one\nleap crossed the ocean extending over a hundred _yojanas_. That mighty\none is my brother. I am equal unto him in energy, strength and prowess\nand also in fight. And able am I to punish thee. So arise. Either give\nme passage or witness my prowess to-day. If thou do not listen to my\nbidding, I shall send thee to the abode of Yama.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued. \"Then knowing him (Bhima) to be intoxicated with\nstrength, and proud of the might of his arms, Hanuman, slighting him at\nheart, said the following words, 'Relent thou, O sinless one. In\nconsequence of age, I have no strength to get up. From pity for me, do\nthou go, moving aside my tail.' Being thus addressed by Hanuman, Bhima\nproud of the strength of his arms, took him for one wanting in energy\nand prowess, and thought within himself, 'Taking fast hold of the tail,\nwill I send this monkey destitute of energy and prowess, to the region\nof Yama.' Thereat, with a smile he slightingly took hold of the tail\nwith his left hand; but could not move that tail of the mighty monkey.\nThen with both arms he pulled it, resembling the pole reared in honour\nof Indra. Still the mighty Bhima could not raise the tail with both his\narms. And his eye-brows were contracted up, and his eyes rolled, and his\nface was contracted into wrinkles and his body was covered with sweat;\nand yet he could not raise it. And when after having striven, the\nillustrious Bhima failed in raising the tail, he approached the side of\nthe monkey, and stood with a bashful countenance. And bowing down,\nKunti's son, with joined hands, spake these words, 'Relent thou, O\nforemost of monkeys; and forgive me for my harsh words. Art thou a\nSiddha, or a god, or a Gandharva, or a Guhyaka? I ask thee out of\ncuriosity. Tell me who thou art that hast assumed the shape of monkey,\nif it be not a secret, O long-armed one, and if I can well hear it. I\nask thee as a disciple, and I, O sinless one, seek thy refuge.'\nThereupon Hanuman said, 'O represser of foes, even to the extent of thy\ncuriosity to know me, shall I relate all at length. Listen, O son of\nPandu! O lotus-eyed one, I was begotten by the windgod that life of the\nworld--upon the wife of Kesari. I am a monkey, by name Hanuman. All the\nmighty monkey-kings, and monkey-chiefs used to wait upon that son of the\nsun, Sugriva, and that son of Sakra, Vali. And, O represser of foes, a\nfriendship subsisted between me and Sugriva, even as between the wind\nand fire. And for some cause, Sugriva, driven out by his brother, for a\nlong time dwelt with me at the Hri-syamukh. And it came to pass that the\nmighty son of Dasaratha the heroic Rama, who is Vishnu's self in the\nshape of a human being, took his birth in this world. And in company\nwith his queen and brother, taking his bow, that foremost of bowmen with\nthe view of compassing his father's welfare, began to reside in the\nDandaka forest. And from Janasthana, that mighty Rakshasa monarch, the\nwicked Ravana, carried away his (Rama's) queen by stratagem and force,\ndeceiving, O sinless one, that foremost of men, through the agency of a\nRakshasa, Maricha, who assumed the form of a deer marked with gem-like\nand golden spots.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CXLVII\n\n\"Hanuman said, 'And after his wife was carried away, that descendant of\nRaghu, while searching with his brother for his queen, met, on the\nsummit of that mountain, with Sugriva, chief of the monkeys. Then a\nfriendship was contracted between him and the high-souled Raghava. And\nthe latter, having slain Vali installed Sugriva in the kingdom. And\nhaving obtained the kingdom, Sugriva sent forth monkeys by hundreds and\nby thousands in search of Sita. And, O best of men, I too with\ninnumerable monkeys set out towards the south in quest of Sita, O\nmighty-armed one. Then a mighty vulture Sampati by name, communicated\nthe tidings that Sita was in the abode of Ravana. Thereupon with the\nobject of securing success unto Rama, I all of a sudden bounded over the\nmain, extending for a hundred _yojanas_. And, O chief of the Bharatas,\nhaving by my own prowess crossed the ocean, that abode of sharks and\ncrocodiles, I saw in Ravana's residence, the daughter of king Janaka,\nSita, like unto the daughter of a celestial. And having interviewed that\nlady, Vaidehi, Rama's beloved, and burnt the whole of Lanka with its\ntowers and ramparts and gates, and proclaimed my name there, I returned.\nHearing everything from me the lotus-eyed Rama at once ascertained his\ncourse of action, and having for the passage of his army constructed a\nbridge across the deep, crossed it followed by myriads of monkeys. Then\nby prowess Rama slew those Rakshasas in battle, and also Ravana, the\noppressor of the worlds together with his Rakshasa followers. And having\nslain the king of the Rakshasas, with his brother, and sons and kindred,\nhe installed in the kingdom in Lanka the Rakshasa chief, Vibhishana,\npious, and reverent, and kind to devoted dependants. Then Rama recovered\nhis wife even like the lost Vaidic revelation. Then Raghu's son, Rama,\nwith his devoted wife, returned to his own city, Ayodhya, inaccessible\nto enemies; and that lord of men began to dwell there. Then that\nforemost of kings, Rama was established in the kingdom. Thereafter, I\nasked a boon of the lotus-eyed Rama, saying, \"O slayer of foes, Rama,\nmay I live as long as the history of thy deeds remaineth extant on\nearth!\" Thereupon he said, \"So be it.\" O represser of foes, O Bhima,\nthrough the grace of Sita also, here all excellent objects of\nentertainment are supplied to me, whoever abide at this place. Rama\nreigned for the thousand and ten hundred years. Then he ascended to his\nown abode. Ever since, here Apsaras and Gandharvas delight me, singing\nfor aye the deeds of that hero, O sinless one. O son of the Kurus, this\npath is impassable to mortals. For this, O Bharata, as also with the\nview that none might defeat or curse thee, have I obstructed thy passage\nto this path trod by the immortals. This is one of the paths to heaven,\nfor the celestials; mortals cannot pass this way. But the lake in search\nof which thou hast come, lieth even in that direction.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CXLVIII\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed, the powerful Bhimasena of\nmighty arms, affectionately, and with a cheerful heart, bowed unto his\nbrother, Hanuman, the monkey-chief, and said in mild words, 'None is\nmore fortunate than I am; now have I seen my elder brother. It is a\ngreat favour shown unto me; and I have been well pleased with thee. Now\nI wish that thou mayst fulfil this desire of mine. I desire to behold, O\nhero, that incomparable form of thine, which thou at that time hadst\nhad, in bounding over the main, that abode of sharks and crocodiles.\nThereby I shall be satisfied, and also believe in thy words.' Thus\naddressed, that mighty monkey said with a smile, 'That form of mine\nneither thou, not any one else can behold. At that age, the state of\nthings was different, and doth not exist at present. In the Krita age,\nthe state of things was one; and in the Treta, another; and in the\nDwapara, still another. Diminution is going on this age; and I have not\nthat form now. The ground, rivers, plants, and rocks, and _siddhas_,\ngods, and celestial sages conform to Time, in harmony with the state of\nthings in the different yugas. Therefore, do not desire to see my former\nshape, O perpetuator of the Kuru race. I am conforming to the tendency\nof the age. Verily, Time is irresistible.' Bhimasena said, 'Tell me of\nthe duration of the different yugas, and of the different manners and\ncustoms and of virtue, pleasure and profit, and of acts, and energy, and\nof life and death in the different yugas.' Thereupon Hanuman said, 'O\nchild, that yuga is called Krita when the one eternal religion was\nextant. And in that best of yugas, every one had religious perfection,\nand, therefore, there was no need of religious acts. And then virtue\nknew no deterioration; nor did people decrease. It is for this that this\nage is called Krita (perfect). But in time the yuga had come to be\nconsidered as an inferior one. And, O child, in the Krita age, there\nwere neither gods, nor demons, nor Gandharvas, nor Yakshas, nor\nRakshasas, nor Nagas. And there was no buying and selling. And the Sama,\nthe Rich, and the Yajus did not exist. And there was no manual labour.\nAnd then the necessaries of life were obtained only by being thought of.\nAnd the only merit was in renouncing the world. And during that yuga,\nthere was neither disease, nor decay of the senses. And there was\nneither malice, nor pride, nor hypocrisy, nor discord, nor ill-will, nor\ncunning, nor fear, nor misery, nor envy, nor covetousness. And for this,\nthat prime refuge of Yogis, even the Supreme Brahma, was attainable to\nall. And Narayana wearing a white hue was the soul of all creatures. And\nin the Krita Yuga, the distinctive characteristics of Brahmanas,\nKshatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras were natural and these ever stuck to\ntheir respective duties. And then Brahma was the sole refuge, and their\nmanners and customs were naturally adapted to the attainment of Brahma\nand the objects of their knowledge was the sole Brahma, and all their\nacts also had reference to Brahma. In this way all the orders attained\nmerit. And one uniform Soul was the object of their meditation; and\nthere was only one _mantra_ (the _Om_), and there was one ordinance. And\nalthough of different characteristics, all of them followed a single\nVeda; and they had one religion. And according to the divisions of time,\nthey led the four modes of life, without aiming at any object, and so\nthey attained emancipation. The religion consisting in the\nidentification of self with Brahma indicates the Krita Yuga. And in the\nKrita Yuga, the virtue of the four orders is throughout entire in\nfour-fold measure. Such is the Krita Yuga devoid of the three qualities.\nDo thou also hear from me of the character of the Treta Yuga. In this\nage, sacrifices are introduced, and virtue decreaseth by a quarter. And\nNarayana (who is the Soul of all creatures) assumeth a red colour. And\nmen practise truth, and devote themselves to religion and religious\nrites. And thence sacrifices and various religious observances come into\nexistence. And in the Treta Yuga people begin to devise means for the\nattainment of an object; and they attain it through acts and gifts. And\nthey never deviate from virtue. And they are devoted to asceticism and\nto the bestowal of gifts. And the four orders adhere to their respective\nduties; and perform rites. Such are the men of the Treta Yuga. In the\nDwapara Yuga, religion decreaseth by one half. And Narayana weareth a\nyellow hue. And the Veda becometh divided into four parts. And then some\nmen retain (the knowledge of) the four Vedas, and some of three Vedas,\nand some of one Veda, while others do not know even the Richs. And on\nthe Shastras becoming thus divided, acts become multiplied. And largely\ninfluenced by passion, people engage in asceticism and gifts. And from\ntheir incapacity to study the entire Veda, it becomes divided into\nseveral parts. And in consequence of intellect having decreased, few are\nestablished in truth. And when people fall off from truth, they become\nsubject to various diseases; and then lust, and natural calamities\nensue. And afflicted with these, people betake themselves to penances.\nAnd some celebrate sacrifices, desiring to enjoy the good things of\nlife, or attain heaven. On the coming of the Dwapara Yuga, men become\ndegenerate, in consequence of impiety. O son of Kunti, in the Kali Yuga\na quarter only of virtue abideth. And in the beginning of this iron age,\nNarayana weareth a black hue. And the Vedas and the institutes, and\nvirtue, and sacrifices, and religious observances, fall into disuse. And\n(then) reign _iti_[1], and disease, and lassitude, and anger and other\ndeformities, and natural calamities, and anguish, and fear of scarcity.\nAnd as the yugas wane, virtue dwindles. And as virtue dwindles away,\ncreatures degenerate. And as creatures degenerate, their natures undergo\ndeterioration. And the religious acts performed at the waning of the\nyugas, produce contrary effects. And even those that live for several\nyugas, conform to these changes. O represser of foes, as regards thy\ncuriosity to know me, I say this,--Why should a wise person be eager to\nknow a superfluous matter? (Thus), O long-armed one, have I narrated in\nfull what thou hadst asked me regarding the characteristics of the\ndifferent yugas. Good happen to thee! Do thou return.'\"\n\n    [1] It means these six things, unfavourable to crops--excessive\n    rain, drought, rats, locusts, birds, and a neighbouring hostile\n    king.\n\n\nSECTION CXLIX\n\n\"Bhimasena said, 'Without beholding thy former shape, I will never go\naway. If I have found favour with thee, do thou then show me thine own\nshape.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Being thus addressed by Bhima, the monkey with\na smile showed him that form of his in which he had bounded over the\nmain. And wishing to gratify his brother, Hanuman assumed a gigantic\nbody which (both) in length and breadth increased exceedingly. And that\nmonkey of immeasurable effulgence stood there, covering the plantain\ngrove furnished with trees, and elevating himself to the height reached\nby the Vindhya. And the monkey, having attained his lofty and gigantic\nbody like unto a mountain, furnished with coppery eyes, and sharp teeth,\nand a face marked by frown, lay covering all sides and lashing his long\ntail. And that son of the Kurus, Bhima, beholding that gigantic form of\nhis brother, wondered, and the hairs of his body repeatedly stood on\nend. And beholding him like unto the sun in splendour, and unto a golden\nmountain, and also unto the blazing firmament, Bhima closed his eyes.\nThereupon Hanuman addressed Bhima with a smile, saying, 'O sinless one,\nthou art capable of beholding my size up to this extent. I can, however,\ngo on swelling my size as long as I wish. And, O Bhima, amidst foes, my\nsize increaseth exceedingly by its own energy.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Witnessing that dreadful and wonderful body of\nHanuman, like unto the Vindhya mountain, the son of the wind-god became\nbewildered. Then with his down standing erect, the noble-minded Bhima,\njoining his hands, replied unto Hanuman saying (there), 'O lord, by me\nhave been beheld the vast dimensions of thy body. Do thou (now), O\nhighly powerful one, decrease thyself by thy own power. Surely I cannot\nlook at thee, like unto the sun risen, and of immeasurable (power), and\nirrepressible, and resembling the mountain Mainaka. O hero, to-day this\nwonder of my heart is very great, that thou remaining by his side, Rama\nshould have encountered Ravana personally. Depending on the strength of\nthy arms, thou wert capable of instantly destroying Lanka, with its\nwarriors, and horses, elephants and chariots. Surely, O son of the\nwind-god, there is nothing that is incapable of being achieved by thee;\nand in fight, Ravana together with his followers was no match for thee\nsingle-handed.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed by Bhima, Hanuman, the chief of\nmonkeys, answered in affectionate words uttered in solemn accents. 'O\nmighty-armed one, O Bharata, it is even as thou sayest. O Bhimasena,\nthat worst of Rakshasas was no match for me. But if I had slain\nRavana--that thorn of the worlds--the glory of Raghu's son would have\nbeen obscured;--and for this it is that I left him alone. By slaying\nthat lord of the Rakshasas together with his followers, and bringing\nback Sita unto his own city, that hero hath established his fame among\nmen. Now, O highly wise one, being intent on the welfare of thy\nbrothers, and protected by the wind-god, do thou go along a fortunate\nand auspicious way. O foremost of the Kurus, this way will lead thee to\nthe Saugandhika wood. (Proceeding in this direction), thou wilt behold\nthe gardens of Kuvera, guarded by Yakshas and Rakshasas. Do thou not\npluck the flowers (there) personally by thy own force; for the gods\ndeserve regard specially from mortals. O best of the Bharata race, the\ngods confer their favour (upon men), (being propitiated) by offerings,\nand _homas_, and reverential salutations, and recitation of _mantras_,\nand veneration, O Bharata. Do thou not, therefore, act with rashness, O\nchild; and do thou not deviate from the duties of thy order. Sticking to\nthe duties of thy order, do thou understand and follow the highest\nmorality. Without knowing duties and serving the old, even persons like\nunto Vrihaspati cannot understand profit and religion. One should\nascertain with discrimination those cases in which vice goeth under the\nname of virtue, and virtue goeth under the name of vice,--(cases) in\nwhich people destitute of intelligence become perplexed. From religious\nobservances proceedeth merit; and in merit are established the Vedas;\nand from the Vedas sacrifices come into existence; and by sacrifices are\nestablished the gods. The gods are maintained by the (celebration of)\nsacrifices prescribed by the Vedas and the religious ordinances; while\nmen maintain themselves by (following) the ordinances of Vrihaspati and\nUsanas and also by these avocations, by which the world is\nmaintained,--serving for wages, (receiving) taxes, merchandise,\nagriculture and tending kine and sheep. The world subsisteth by\nprofession. The (study of the) three Vedas and agriculture and trade and\ngovernment constitutes, it is ordained by the wise, the professions of\nthe twice born ones; and each order maintaineth itself by following the\nprofession prescribed for it. And when these callings are properly\npursued, the world is maintained with ease. If, however, people do not\nrighteously lead their lives, the world becometh lawless, in consequence\nof the want of Vedic merit and government. And if people do not resort\nto (their) prescribed vocations, they perish, but by regularly following\nthe three professions, they bring about religion. The religion of the\nBrahmanas consisteth in the knowledge of the soul and the hue of that\norder alone is universally the same. The celebration of sacrifices, and\nstudy and bestowal of gifts are well-known to be the three duties common\n(to all these orders). Officiating at sacrifices, teaching and the\nacceptance of gifts are the duties of a Brahmana. To rule (the subjects)\nis the duty of the Kshatriya; and to tend (cattle), that of the Vaisya,\nwhile to serve the twice-born orders is said to be the duty of the\nSudra. The Sudras cannot beg alms, or perform _homas_, or observe vows;\nand they must dwell in the habitation of their masters. Thy vocation, O\nson of Kunti, is that of the Kshatriya, which is to protect (the\nsubjects). Do thou carry out thy own duties, in an humble spirit,\nrestraining thy senses. That king alone can govern, who taketh counsel\nof experienced men, and is helped by honest, intelligent and learned\nministers; but a king who is addicted to vices, meeteth with defeat.\nThen only is the order of the world secured, when the king duly\npunisheth and conferreth favours. Therefore, it is necessary to ascertain\nthrough spies the nature of the hostile country, its fortified places\nand the allied force of the enemy and their prosperity and decay and the\nway in which they retain the adhesion of the powers they have drawn to\ntheir side. Spies are among the important auxiliaries of the king; and\ntact, diplomacy, prowess, chastisement, favour and cleverness lead to\nsuccess. And success is to be attained through these, either in\nseparation, or combined--namely, conciliation, gift, sowing dissensions,\nchastisement, and sight. And, O chief of the Bharatas, polity hath for\nits root diplomacy; and diplomacy also is the main qualification of\nspies. And polity, if well judged conferreth success. Therefore, in\nmatters of polity the counsels of Brahmanas should be resorted to. And\nin secret affairs, these should not be consulted,--namely, a woman, a\nsot, a boy, a covetous person, a mean-minded individual, and he that\nbetrayeth signs of insanity. Wise men only should be consulted, and\naffairs are to be despatched through officers that are able. And polity\nmust be executed through persons that are friendly; but dunces should in\nall affairs be excluded. In matters religious, pious men; and in matters\nof gain, wise men; and in guarding families, eunuchs; and in all crooked\naffairs, crooked men, must be employed. And the propriety or impropriety\nof the resolution of the enemy, as also their strength or weakness, must\nbe ascertained through one's own as well as hostile spies. Favour should\nbe shown to honest persons that have prudently sought protection; but\nlawless and disobedient individuals should be punished. And when the\nking justly punisheth and showeth favour, the dignity of the law is well\nmaintained. O son of Pritha, thus have I expounded, unto thee the hard\nduties of kings difficult to comprehend. Do thou with equanimity\nobserve these as prescribed for thy order. The Brahmanas attain heaven\nthrough merit, mortification of the senses, and sacrifice. The Vaisyas\nattain excellent state through gifts, hospitality, and religious acts.\nThe Kshatriyas attain the celestial regions by protecting and chastising\nthe subjects, uninfluenced by lust, malice, avarice and anger. If kings\njustly punish (their subjects), they go to the place whither repair\nmeritorious persons.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CL\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then contracting that huge body of his, which he had\nassumed at will, the monkey with his arms again embraced Bhimasena. And\nO Bharata, on Bhima being embraced by his brother, his fatigue went off,\nand all (the powers of body) as also his strength were restored. And\nhaving gained great accession of strength, he thought that there was\nnone equal to him in physical power. And with tears in his eyes, the\nmonkey from affection again addressed Bhima in choked utterance, saying,\n'O hero, repair to thy own abode. May I be incidentally remembered by\nthee in thy talk! O best of Kurus, do not tell any one that I abide\nhere. O thou of great strength, the most excellent of the wives of the\ngods and Gandharvas resort to this place, and the time of their arrival\nis nigh. My eyes have been blessed (by seeing thee). And, O Bhima,\nhaving felt a human being by coming in contact with thee, I have been\nput in mind of that son of Raghu, who was Vishnu himself under the name\nof Rama, and who delighted the heart of the world; and who was as the\nsun in regard to the lotus face of Sita, and also to that\ndarkness--Ravana. Therefore, O heroic son of Kunti, let not thy meeting\nwith me be fruitless. Do thou with fraternal feeling ask of me a boon, O\nBharata. If this be thy wish, that going to Varanavata, I may destroy\nthe insignificant sons of Dhritarashtra--even this will I immediately\ndo. Or if this be thy wish that, that city may be ground by me with\nrocks, or that I may bind Duryodhana and bring him before thee, even\nthis will I do to-day, O thou of mighty strength.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Hearing those words of that high-souled one,\nBhimasena with a cheerful heart answered Hanuman, saying, 'O foremost of\nmonkeys, I take all this as already performed by thee. Good happen to\nthee. O mighty-armed one! I ask of thee this,--be thou well pleased with\nme. O powerful one, on thy having become our protector, the Pandavas\nhave found help. Even by thy prowess shall we conquer all foes.' Thus\naddressed, Hanuman said unto Bhimasena, 'From fraternal feeling and\naffection, I will do good unto thee, by diving into the army of thy foes\ncopiously furnished with arrows and javelins. And, O highly powerful\none, O hero, when thou shall give leonine roars, then shall I with my\nown, add force to shouts. Remaining on the flagstaff of Arjuna's car\nwill I emit fierce shouts that will damp the energy of thy foes. Thereby\nye will slay them easily.' Having said this unto Pandu's son, and also\npointed him out the way. Hanuman vanished at that spot.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"When that foremost of monkeys had gone away, Bhima,\nthe best of strong men, began to range the huge Gandhamadana along that\npath. And he went on, thinking of Hanuman's body and splendour\nunrivalled on earth, and also of the greatness and dignity of\nDasaratha's son. And proceeding in search of the place filled with\nlotuses of that kind, Bhima beheld romantic woods, and groves, and\nrivers, and lakes graced with trees bearing blossoms, and flowery\nwoodlands variegated with various flowers. And, O Bharata, he beheld\nherds of mad elephants besmeared with mud, resembling masses of pouring\nclouds. And that graceful one went on with speed, beholding by the\nwayside woods wherein there stood with their mates deer of quick\nglances, holding the grass in their mouths. And fearless from prowess,\nBhimasena, as if invited by the breeze-shaken trees of the forest ever\nfragrant with flowers, bearing delicate coppery twigs, plunged into the\nmountainous regions inhabited by buffaloes, bears and leopards. And on\nthe way, he passed by lotus-lakes haunted by maddened black-bees, having\nromantic descents and woods, and on account of the presence of\nlotus-buds, appearing as if they had joined their hands (before Bhima).\nAnd having for his provisions on the journey the words of Draupadi,\nBhima went on with speed, his mind and sight fixed on the blooming\nslopes of the mountain. And when the sun passed the meridian, he saw in\nthe forest scattered over with deer, a mighty river filled with fresh\ngolden lotuses. And being crowded with swans and Karandavas, and graced\nwith Chakravakas, the river looked like a garland of fresh lotuses put\non by the mountain. And in that river that one of great strength found\nthe extensive assemblage of Saugandhika lotuses, effulgent as the rising\nsun, and delightful to behold. And beholding it, Pandu's son thought\nwithin himself that his object had been gained, and also mentally\npresented himself before his beloved worn out by exile.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having reached that spot, Bhimasena saw in the\nvicinity of the Kailasa cliff, that beautiful lotus lake surrounded by\nlovely woods, and guarded by the Rakshasas. And it sprang from the\ncascades contiguous to the abode of Kuvera. And it was beautiful to\nbehold, and was furnished with a wide-spreading shade and abounded in\nvarious trees and creepers and was covered with green lilies. And this\nunearthly lake was filled with golden lotuses, and swarmed with diverse\nspecies of birds. And its banks were beautiful and devoid of mud. And\nsituated on the rocky elevation this expanse of excellent water was\nexceedingly fair. And it was the wonder of the world and healthful and\nof romantic sight. In that lake the son of Kunti saw, the water of\nambrosial taste and cool and light and clear and fresh; and the Pandava\ndrank of it profusely. And that unearthly receptacle of waters was\ncovered with celestial Saugandhika lotuses, and was also spread over\nwith beautiful variegated golden lotuses of excellent fragrance having\ngraceful stalks of _lapis lazulis_. And swayed by swans and Karandavas,\nthese lotuses were scattering fresh farina. And this lake was the\nsporting region of the high-souled Kuvera, the king of the Yakshas. And\nit was held in high regard by the Gandharvas, the Apsaras and the\ncelestials. And it was frequented by the celestial sages and the Yakshas\nand the Kimpurushas and the Rakshasas and the Kinnaras; and it was\nwell-protected by Kuvera. And as soon as he beheld that river and that\nunearthly lake, Kunti's son, Bhimasena of mighty strength became\nexceedingly delighted. And agreeably to the mandate of their king,\nhundreds and thousands of Rakshasas, named Krodhavasas, were guarding\nthat lake, wearing uniforms and armed with various weapons. And as that\nrepressor of foes, Kunti's son, the heroic Bhima of dreadful prowess,\nclad in deer-skins and wearing golden armlets and equipped with weapons\nand girding his sword on, was fearlessly proceeding, with the view of\ngathering the lotus, those (Rakshasas) saw him and immediately began to\naddress each other, shouting forth, 'It behoveth you to enquire for the\nerrand on which this foremost of men, clad in deer skins, and equipped\nwith arms, hath come.' Then they all approached the effulgent Vrikodara\nof mighty arms and asked, 'Who art thou? Thou shouldst answer our\nquestions. We see thee in the guise of an ascetic and yet armed with\nweapons. O thou of mighty intelligence, do thou unfold unto us the\nobject with which thou hast come (hither).'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLIII\n\n\"Bhima said, 'I am the son of Pandu, and next by birth to Yudhishthira\nthe just, and my name is Bhimasena. O Rakshasas, I have come with my\nbrothers to the jujube named Visala. At that place, Panchali saw an\nexcellent Saugandhika lotus, which, of a certainty, was carried thither\nby the wind from this region. She wisheth to have those flowers in\nabundance. Know ye, ye Rakshasas, that I am engaged in fulfilling the\ndesire of my wedded wife of faultless features, and have come hither to\nprocure the flowers.' Thereat the Rakshasas said, 'O foremost of men,\nthis spot is dear unto Kuvera, and it is his sporting region. Men\nsubject to death cannot sport here. O Vrikodara, the celestial sages,\nand the gods taking the permission of the chief of the Yakshas, drink of\nthis lake, and sport herein. And, O Pandava, the Gandharvas and the\nApsaras also divert themselves in this lake. That wicked person who,\ndisregarding the lord of treasures, unlawfully attempteth to sport here,\nwithout doubt, meeteth with destruction. Disregarding him, thou seekest\nto take away the lotuses from this place by main force. Why then dost\nthou say that thou art the brother of Yudhishthira the just? First,\ntaking the permission of the lord of Yakshas, do thou drink of this lake\nand take away the flowers. If thou dost not do this, thou shall not be\nable even to glance at a single lotus.' Bhimasena said, 'Ye Rakshasas, I\ndo not see the lord of wealth here. And even if I did see that mighty\nking, I would not beseech him: Kshatriyas never beseech (any body). This\nis the eternal morality; and I by no means wish to forsake the Kshatriya\nmorality. And, further this lotus-lake hath sprung from the cascades of\nthe mountain; it hath not been excavated in the mansion of Kuvera.\nTherefore it belongeth equally to all creatures with Vaisravana. In\nregard to a thing of such a nature, who goeth to beseech another?'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having said this unto the Rakshasas, the\nmighty-armed and exceedingly unforbearing Bhimasena of great strength\nplunged into the lotus-lake. Thereat that powerful one was forbidden by\nthe Rakshasas, saying, 'Do not do this;' and they from all sides began\nto abuse him in anger. But slighting these Rakshasas, that mighty one of\ndreadful prowess plunged (farther and farther). Now they all prepared\nfor opposing him. And with eyes rolling, they upraised their arms, and\nrushed in wrath at Bhimasena, exclaiming, 'Seize him! Bind him! Hew him!\nWe shall cook Bhimasena, and eat him up!' Thereupon that one of great\nforce, taking his ponderous and mighty mace inlaid with golden plates,\nlike unto the mace of Yama himself, turned towards those, and then said,\n'Stay!' At this, they darted at him with vehemence, brandishing lances,\nand axes, and other weapons. And wishing to destroy Bhima, the dreadful\nand fierce Krodhavasas surrounded Bhima on all sides. But that one,\nbeing endued with strength, had been begotten by Vayu in the womb of\nKunti; and he was heroic and energetic, and the slayer of foes, and ever\ndevoted to virtue and truth, and incapable of being vanquished by\nenemies through prowess. Accordingly this high-souled Bhima defeating\nall the manoeuvres of the foes, and breaking their arms, killed on the\nbanks of the lake more than a hundred, commencing with the foremost. And\nthen witnessing his prowess and strength, and the force of his skill,\nand also the might of his arms, and unable to bear (the onset), those\nprime heroes all of a sudden fled on all sides in bands.\n\n\"Beaten and pierced by Bhimasena, those Krodhavasas quitted the field of\nbattle, and in confusion quickly fled towards the Kailasa cliff,\nsupporting themselves in the sky. Having thus by the exercise of his\nprowess defeated those hosts, even as Sakra had defeated the armies of\nDaityas and Danavas, he (Bhima), now that he had conquered the enemy,\nplunged into the lake and began to gather the lotuses, with the object\nof gaining his purpose. And as he drank of the waters, like unto nectar,\nhis energy and strength were again fully restored; and he fell to\nplucking and gathering Saugandhika lotuses of excellent fragrance. On\nthe other hand, the Krodhavasas, being driven by the might of Bhima and\nexceedingly terrified, presented themselves before the lord of wealth,\nand gave an exact account of Bhima's prowess and strength in fight.\nHearing their words, the god (Kuvera) smiled and then said, 'Let Bhima\ntake for Krishna as many lotuses as he likes. This is already known to\nme.' Thereupon taking the permission of the lord of wealth, those\n(Rakshasas) renouncing anger, went to that foremost of the Kurus, and in\nthat lotus-lake beheld Bhima alone, disporting in delight.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLIV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then, O best of the Bharatas, Bhima began to collect\nthose rare unearthly, variegated and fresh flowers in abundance.\n\n\"And it came to pass that a high and violent wind, piercing to the\ntouch, and blowing about gravels, arose, portending battle. And\nfrightful meteors began to shoot, with thundering sounds. And being\nenveloped by darkness, the sun became pale, his rays being obscured. And\non Bhima displaying his prowess, dreadful sounds of explosion rang\nthrough the sky. And the earth began to tremble, and dust fell in\nshowers. And the points of the heavens became reddened. And beasts and\nbirds began to cry in shrill tones. And every thing became enveloped in\ndarkness; and nothing could be distinguished. And other evil omens\nbesides these appeared there. Witnessing these strange phenomena,\nDharma's son Yudhishthira, the foremost of speakers, said, 'Who is it\nthat will overcome us? Ye Pandavas who take delight in battle, good\nbetide you! Do ye equip yourselves. From what I see, I infer that the\ntime for the display of our prowess hath drawn nigh.' Having said this,\nthe king looked around. Then not finding Bhima, that represser of foes,\nDharma's son, Yudhishthira, enquired of Krishna and the twins standing\nnear regarding his brother, Bhima, the doer of dreadful deeds in battle,\nsaying, 'O Panchali, is Bhima intent upon performing some great feat, or\nhath that one delighting in daring deeds already achieved some brave\ndeed? Portending some great danger, these omens have appeared all\naround, indicating a fearful battle.' When Yudhishthira said this, his\nbeloved queen, the high-minded Krishna of sweet smiles, answered him, in\norder to remove his anxiety. 'O king, that Saugandhika lotus which\nto-day had been brought by the wind, I had out of love duly shown unto\nBhimasena; and I had also said unto that hero, If thou canst find many\nof this species, procuring even all of them, do thou return speedily,--O\nPandava, that mighty armed one, with the view of gratifying my desire,\nmay have gone towards the north-east to bring them.' Having heard these\nwords of hers, the king said unto the twins, 'Let us together follow the\npath taken by Vrikodara. Let the Rakshasas carry those Brahmanas that\nare fatigued and weak. O Ghatotkacha, O thou like unto a celestial, do\nthou carry Krishna. I am convinced and it is plain that Bhima hath dived\ninto the forest; for it is long since he hath gone, and in speed he\nresembleth the wind, and in clearing over the ground, he is swift like\nunto Vinata's son, and he will ever leap into the sky, and alight at his\nwill. O Rakshasas, we shall follow him through your prowess. He will not\nat first do any wrong to the Siddhas versed in the Vedas.' O best of the\nBharatas, saying, 'So be it,' Hidimva's son and the other Rakshasas who\nknew the quarter where the lotus lake of Kuvera was situated, started\ncheerfully with Lomasa, bearing the Pandavas, and many of the Brahmanas.\nHaving shortly reached that spot, they saw that romantic lake covered\nwith Saugandhika and other lotuses and surrounded by beautiful woods.\nAnd on its shores they beheld the high-souled and vehement Bhima, as\nalso the slaughtered Yakshas of large eyes, with their bodies, eyes,\narms and thighs smashed, and their heads crushed. And on seeing the\nhigh-souled Bhima, standing on the shore of that lake in an angry mood,\nand with steadfast eyes, and biting his lip, and stationed on the shore\nof the lake with his mace upraised by his two hands, like unto Yama with\nhis mace in his hand at the time of the universal dissolution,\nYudhishthira the just, embraced him again and again, and said in sweet\nwords, 'O Kaunteya, what hast thou done? Good betide thee! If thou\nwishest to do good unto me, thou shouldst never again commit such a rash\nact, nor offend the gods.' Having thus instructed the son of Kunti, and\ntaken the flowers those god-like ones began to sport in that very lake.\nAt this instant, the huge-bodied warders of the gardens, equipped with\nrocks for weapons, presented themselves at the spot. And seeing\nYudhishthira the just and the great sage Lomasa and Nakula and Sahadeva\nand also the other foremost of Brahmanas, they all bowed themselves down\nin humility. And being pacified by Yudhishthira the just, the Rakshasas\nbecame satisfied. And with the knowledge of Kuvera, those foremost of\nKurus for a short time dwelt pleasantly at that spot on the slopes of\nthe Gandhamadana, expecting Arjuna.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Once upon a time Yudhishthira, while living at that\nplace, addressed Krishna, his brother, and the Brahmanas, saying, 'By us\nhave been attentively seen one after another sacred and auspicious\n_tirthas_, and woods, delightful to beheld, which had ere this been\nvisited by the celestials and the high-souled sages, and which had been\nworshipped by the Brahmanas. And in various sacred asylums we have\nperformed ablutions with Brahmanas, and have heard from them the lives\nand acts of many sages, and also of many royal sages of yore, and other\npleasant stories. And with flowers and water have the gods been\nworshipped by us. And with offerings of fruits and roots as available at\neach place we have gratified the _pitris_. And with the high-souled ones\nhave we performed ablutions in all sacred and beautiful mountains and\nlakes, and also in the highly sacred ocean. And with the Brahmanas we\nhave bathed in the Ila, and in the Saraswati, and in the Sindhu, and in\nthe Yamuna, and in the Narmada, and in various other romantic _tirthas_.\nAnd having passed the source of the Ganga, we have seen many a lovely\nhill and the Himalaya mountains, inhabited by various species of birds,\nand also the jujube named Visala, where there is the hermitage of Nara\nand Narayana. And (finally) we have beheld this unearthly lake, held in\nveneration by the Siddhas, the gods and the sages. In fact, O foremost\nof Brahmanas, we have one by one carefully seen all celebrated and\nsacred spots in company with the high-souled Lomasa. Now, O Bhima, how\nshall we repair to the sacred abode of Vaisravana, inhabited by the\nSiddhas? Do thou think of the means of entering (the same).'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"When that king had said this, an aerial voice spake,\nsaying. 'Thou will not be able to go to that inaccessible spot. By this\nvery way, do thou repair from this region of Kuvera to the place whence\nthou hadst come even to the hermitage of Nara and Narayana, known by the\nname of Vadari. Thence, O Kaunteya, thou wilt repair to the hermitage of\nVrishaparva, abounding in flowers and fruit, and inhabited by the\nSiddhas and the Charanas. Having passed that, O Partha, thou wilt\nproceed to the hermitage of Arshtishena, and from thence thou wilt behold\nthe abode of Kuvera.' Just at that moment the breeze became fresh, and\ngladsome and cool and redolent of unearthly fragrance; and it showered\nblossoms, And on hearing the celestial voice from the sky, they all were\namazed,--more specially those earthly _rishis_ and the Brahmanas. On\nhearing this mighty marvel, the Brahmana Dhaumya, said, 'This should not\nbe gainsaid. O Bharata, let this be so.' Thereupon, king Yudhishthira\nobeyed him. And having returned to the hermitage of Nara and Narayana,\nhe began to dwell pleasantly, surrounded by Bhimasena and his other\nbrothers, Panchali, and the Brahmanas.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLVI\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus dwelling with the Brahmanas in that best\nof mountains, in expectation of Arjuna's return, when the Pandavas had\ngrown confident and when all those Rakshasas together with Bhima's son\nhad departed, one day while Bhimasena was away, a Rakshasa all of a\nsudden carried off Yudhishthira the just and the twins and Krishna. That\nRakshasa (in the guise of a Brahmana) had constantly remained in the\ncompany of the Pandavas, alleging that he was a high-class Brahmana,\nskilled in counsel, and versed in all the _Sastras_. His object was to\npossess himself of the bows, the quivers and the other material\nimplements belonging to the Pandavas; and he had been watching for an\nopportunity of ravishing Draupadi. And that wicked and sinful one was\nnamed Jatasura. And, O king of kings, Pandu's son (Yudhishthira) had\nbeen supporting him, but knew not that wretch like unto a fire covered\nwith ashes.\n\n\"And once on a day while that represser of foes, Bhimasena, was out\nhunting, he (the Rakshasa), seeing Ghatotkacha and his followers scatter\nin different directions and seeing those vow-observing great _rishis_,\nof ascetic wealth, viz., Lomasa and the rest, away for bathing and\ncollecting flowers, assumed a different form, gigantic and monstrous and\nfrightful; and having secured all the arms (of the Pandavas) as also\nDraupadi, that wicked one fled away taking the three Pandavas. Thereupon\nthat son of Pandu, Sahadeva, extricated himself with exertion, and by\nforce snatched the sword named Kausika from the grasp of the enemy and\nbegan to call Bhimasena, taking the direction in which that mighty one\nhad gone. And on being carried off Yudhishthira the just, addressed him\n(that Rakshasa), saying, 'O stupid one, thy merit decreaseth (even by\nthis act of thine). Dost thou not pay heed unto the established order of\nnature? Whether belonging to the human race, or to the lower orders, all\npay regard to virtue,--more specially the Rakshasas. In the first\ninstance, they knew virtue better than others. Having considered all\nthese, thou ought to adhere to virtue. O Rakshasa, the gods, the\n_pitris_, the Siddhas, the _rishis_, the Gandharvas, the brutes and even\nthe worms and ants depend for their lives on men; and thou too liveth\nthrough that agency. If prosperity attendeth the human race, thy race\nalso prospereth; and if calamities befall the former, even the\ncelestials suffer grief. Being gratified by offerings, do the gods\nthrive. O Rakshasa, we are the guardians, governors and preceptors of\nkingdoms. If kingdoms become unprotected, whence can proceed prosperity\nand happiness? Unless there be offence, a Rakshasa should not violate a\nking. O man-eating one, we have committed no wrong, ever so little.\nLiving on _vighasa_, we serve the gods and others to the best of our\npower. And we are ever intent upon bowing down to our superiors and\nBrahmanas. A friend, and one confiding, and he whose food hath been\npartaken of, and he that hath afforded shelter, should never be injured.\nThou hast lived in our place happily, being duly honoured. And, O\nevil-minded one, having partaken of our food, how canst thou carry us\noff? And as thy acts are so improper and as thou hast grown in age\nwithout deriving any benefit and as thy propensities are evil, so thou\ndeservest to die for nothing, and for nothing wilt thou die to-day. And\nif thou beest really evil-disposed and devoid of all virtue, do thou\nrender us back our weapons and ravish Draupadi after fight. But if\nthrough stupidity thou must do this deed, then in the world thou wilt\nonly reap demerit and infamy. O Rakshasa, by doing violence to this\nfemale of the human race, thou hast drunk poison, after having shaken\nthe vessel.' Thereupon, Yudhishthira made himself ponderous to the\nRakshasa. And being oppressed with the weight, he could not proceed\nrapidly as before. Then addressing Draupadi, Nakula and Sahadeva,\nYudhishthira said, 'Do ye not entertain any fear of this wretched\nRakshasa, I have checked his speed. The mighty-armed son of the Wind-god\nmay not be far away; and on Bhima coming up at the next moment, the\nRakshasa will not live.' O king, staring at the Rakshasa bereft of\nsense, Sahadeva addressed Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, saying, 'What\ncan be more meritorious for a Kshatriya than to fall in fight, or defeat\na foe? O repressor of foes, we will fight and either this one will slay\nus, or we shall slay him, O mighty-armed one. Verily this is the place\nand time, O king. And, O thou of unfailing prowess, the time hath come\nfor the display of our Kshatriya virtue. It behoveth us to attain heaven\neither by gaining victory or being slain. If the sun sets to-day, the\nRakshasa living yet, O Bharata, I will not any more say that I am a\nKshatriya. Ho! Ho! Rakshasa, say! I am Pandu's son, Sahadeva. Either,\nafter having killed me, carry off this lady, or being slain, lie\nsenseless here.'\n\n\"Madri's son, Sahadeva, was speaking thus, when Bhimasena made his\nappearance, with a mace in his hand, like unto Vasava himself wielding\nthe thunder-bolt. And here he saw his two brothers and the noble-minded\nDraupadi (on the shoulders of the demon), and Sahadeva on the ground\nrebuking the Rakshasa and also that stupid Rakshasa himself deprived of\nsense by Fate, going round in different directions through bewilderment\ncaused by Destiny. And finding his brothers and Draupadi being carried\noff, Bhima of mighty strength was fired with wrath, and addressed the\nRakshasa, saying, 'I had ere this found thee out for a wicked wight from\nthy scrutiny of our weapons; but as I had no apprehension of thee, so I\nhad not slain thee at that time. Thou wert in the disguise of a\nBrahmana--nor didst thou say anything harsh unto us. And thou didst take\ndelight in pleasing us. And thou also didst not do us wrong. And,\nfurthermore, thou wert our guest. How could I, therefore, slay thee, who\nwert thus innocent of offence, and who wert in the disguise of a\nBrahmana? He that knowing such a one to be even a Rakshasa, slayeth him,\ngoes to hell. Further, thou canst not be killed before the time cometh.\nSurely to-day thou hast reached the fullness of thy time in as much as\nthy mind hath been thus turned by the wonder-performing Fate towards\ncarrying off Krishna. By committing thyself to this deed, thou hast\nswallowed up the hook fastened to the line of Fate. So like unto a fish\nin water, whose mouth hath been hooked, how canst thou live to-day? Thou\nshall not have to go whither thou intendest to, or whither thou hadst\nalready gone mentally; but thou shall go whither have repaired Vaka and\nHidimva.'\n\n\"Thus addressed by Bhima, the Rakshasa in alarm put them down; and being\nforced by Fate, approached for fight. And with his lips trembling in\nanger he spake unto Bhima, saying, 'Wretch! I have not been bewildered;\nI had been delaying for thee. Today will I offer oblations of thy blood\nto those Rakshasas who, I had heard, have been slain by thee in fight.'\nThus addressed, Bhima, as if bursting with wrath, like unto Yama himself\nat the time of the universal dissolution, rushed towards the Rakshasa,\nlicking the corners of his mouth and staring at him as he struck his own\narms with the hands. And seeing Bhima waiting in expectation of fight,\nthe Rakshasa also darted towards him in anger, like unto Vali towards\nthe wielder of the thunderbolt, repeatedly gaping and licking the\ncorners of his mouth. And when a dreadful wrestling ensued between those\ntwo, both the sons of Madri, waxing exceeding wroth rushed forward; but\nKunti's son, Vrikodara, forbade them with a smile and said, 'Witness ye!\nI am more than a match for this Rakshasa. By my own self and by my\nbrothers, and by my merit, and by my good deeds, and by my sacrifices,\ndo I swear that I shall slay this Rakshasa.' And after this was said,\nthose two heroes, the Rakshasa and Vrikodara challenging each other,\ncaught each other by the arms. And they not forgiving each other, then\nthere ensued a conflict between the infuriated Bhima and the Rakshasa,\nlike unto that between a god and a demon. And repeatedly uprooting\ntrees, those two of mighty strength struck each other, shouting and\nroaring like two masses of clouds. And those foremost of athletes, each\nwishing to kill the other, and rushing at the other with vehemence,\nbroke down many a gigantic tree by their thighs. Thus that encounter\nwith trees, destructive of plants, went on like unto that between the\ntwo brothers Vali and Sugriva--desirous of the possession of a single\nwoman. Brandishing trees for a moment, they struck each other with them,\nshouting incessantly. And when all the trees of the spot had been pulled\ndown and crushed into fibres by them endeavouring to kill each other,\nthen, O Bharata, those two of mighty strength, taking up rocks, began to\nfight for a while, like unto a mountain and a mighty mass of clouds. And\nnot suffering each other, they fell to striking each other with hard and\nlarge crags, resembling vehement thunder-bolts. Then from strength\ndefying each other, they again darted at each other, and grasping each\nother by their arms, began to wrestle like unto two elephants. And next\nthey dealt each other fierce blows. And then those two mighty ones began\nto make chattering sounds by gnashing their teeth. And at length, having\nclenched his fist like a five-headed snake, Bhima with force dealt a\nblow on the neck of the Rakshasa. And when struck by that fist of Bhima,\nthe Rakshasa became faint, Bhimasena stood, catching hold of that\nexhausted one. And then the god-like mighty-armed Bhima lifted him with\nhis two arms, and dashing him with force on the ground, the son of Pandu\nsmashed all his limbs. And striking him with his elbow, he severed from\nhis body the head with bitten lips and rolling eyes, like unto a fruit\nfrom its stem. And Jatasura's head being severed by Bhimasena's might,\nhe fell besmeared with gore, and having bitten lips. Having slain\nJatasura, Bhima presented himself before Yudhishthira, and the foremost\nBrahmanas began to eulogise him (Bhima) even as the Marutas (eulogise)\nVasava.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLVII\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"On that Rakshasa having been slain, that lord,\nthe royal son of Kunti, returned to the hermitage of Narayana and began\nto dwell there. And once on a time, remembering his brother Jaya\n(Arjuna), Yudhishthira summoned all his brothers, together with Draupadi\nand said these words, 'We have passed these four years peacefully\nranging the woods. It hath been appointed by Vibhatsu that about the\nfifth year he will come to that monarch of mountains, the excellent\ncliff Sweta, ever graced with festivities held by blooming plants and\nmaddened Kokilas and black bees, and peacocks, and chatakas and\ninhabited by tigers, and boars and buffaloes, and gavayas, and deer, and\nferocious beasts; and sacred; and lovely with blown lotuses of a hundred\nand a thousand petals, and blooming lilies and blue lilies and\nfrequented by the celestials and the Asuras. And we also, eagerly\nanxious of meeting him on his arrival have made up our minds to repair\nthither. Partha of unrivalled prowess hath appointed with me, saying, \"I\nshall remain abroad for five years, with the object of learning military\nscience.\" In the place like unto the region of the gods, shall we behold\nthe wielder of Gandiva arrive after having obtained the weapons.' Having\nsaid this, the Pandava summoned the Brahmanas, and the sons of Pritha\nhaving gone round the ascetics of rigid austerities and thereby pleased\nthem, informed them of the matter mentioned above. Thereupon the\nBrahmanas gave their assent, saying, 'This shall be attended by\nprosperity and welfare. O foremost of the Bharatas, these troubles shall\nresult in happiness. O pious one, gaining the earth by the Kshatriya\nvirtue, thou shall govern it.' Then in obedience to these words of the\nascetics, that represser of foes, Yudhishthira, set out with his\nbrothers and those Brahmanas, followed by the Rakshasa and protected by\nLomasa. And that one of mighty energy, and of staunch vows, with his\nbrothers, at places went on foot and at others were carried by the\nRakshasas. Then king Yudhishthira, apprehending many troubles, proceeded\ntowards the north abounding in lions and tigers and elephants. And\nbeholding on the way the mountain Mainaka and the base of the\nGandhamadana and that rocky mass Sweta and many a crystal rivulet higher\nand higher up the mountain, he reached on the seventeenth day the sacred\nslopes of the Himalayas. And, O king, not far from the Gandhamadana,\nPandu's son beheld on the sacred slopes of the Himavan covered with\nvarious trees and creepers the holy hermitage of Vrishaparva surrounded\nby blossoming trees growing near the cascades. And when those repressers\nof foes, the sons of Pandu, had recovered from fatigue, they went to the\nroyal sage, the pious Vrishaparva and greeted him. And that royal sage\nreceived with affection those foremost of Bharatas, even as his own\nsons. And those repressers of foes passed there seven nights, duly\nregarded. And when the eighth day came, taking the permission of that\nsage celebrated over the worlds, they prepared to start on their\njourney. And having one by one introduced unto Vrishapava those\nBrahmanas, who, duly honoured, remained in his charge as friends; and\nhaving also entrusted the highsouled Vrishaparva with their remaining\nrobes, the sons of Pandu, O king, left in the hermitage of Vrishaparva\ntheir sacrificial vessels together with their ornaments and jewels. And\nwise and pious and versed in every duty and having a knowledge of the\npast as well as the future, that one gave instructions unto those best\nof the Bharatas, as unto his own sons. Then taking his permission those\nhigh-souled ones set out towards the north. And as they set out the\nmagnanimous Vrishaparva followed them to a certain distance. Then having\nentrusted the Pandavas unto the care of the Brahmanas and instructed and\nblessed them and given directions concerning their course, Vrishaparva\nof mighty energy retraced his steps.\n\n\"Then Kunti's son, Yudhishthira of unfailing prowess, together with his\nbrothers, began to proceed on foot along the mountain path, inhabited by\nvarious kinds of beasts. And having dwelt at the mountain slopes,\ndensely overgrown with trees, Pandu's son on the fourth day reached the\nSweta mountain, like unto a mighty mass of clouds, abounding in streams\nand consisting of a mass of gold and gems. And taking the way directed\nby Vrishaparva, they reached one by one the intended places, beholding\nvarious mountains. And over and over they passed with ease many\ninaccessible rocks and exceedingly impassable caves of the mountain. And\nDhaumya and Krishna and the Parthas and the mighty sage Lomasa went on\nin a body and none grew tired. And those highly fortunate ones arrived\nat the sacred and mighty mountain resounding with the cries of birds and\nbeasts and covered with various trees and creepers and inhabited by\nmonkeys, and romantic and furnished with many lotus-lakes and having\nmarshes and extensive forests. And then with their down standing erect,\nthey saw the mountain Gandhamadana, the abode of Kimpurushas, frequented\nby Siddhas and Charanas and ranged by Vidyadharis and Kinnaris and\ninhabited by herds of elephants and thronged with lions and tigers and\nresounding with the roars of Sarabhas and attended by various beasts.\nAnd the war-like sons of Pandu gradually entered into the forest of the\nGandhamadana, like unto the Nandana gardens, delightful to the mind and\nheart and worthy of being inhabited and having beautiful groves. And as\nthose heroes entered with Draupadi and the high-souled Brahmanas, they\nheard notes uttered by the mouths of birds, exceedingly sweet and\ngraceful to the ear and causing delight and dulcet and broken by reason\nof excess of animal spirits. And they saw various trees bending under\nthe weight of fruits in all seasons, and ever bright with flowers--such\nas mangoes and hog-plums and bhavyas and pomegranates, citrons and jacks\nand lakuchas and plantains and aquatic reeds and parvatas and champakas\nand lovely kadamvas and vilwas, wood-apples and rose-apples and kasmaris\nand jujubes and figs and glomerous figs and banians and aswatthas and\nkhirikas and bhall atakas and amalkas and bibhitakas and ingudas and\nkaramardas and tindukas of large fruits--these and many others on the\nslopes of the Gandhamadana, clustered with sweet and nectarine fruits.\nAnd besides these, they beheld champakas and asokas and ketakas and\nvakulas and punnagas and saptaparnas and karnikaras, and patals, and\nbeautiful kutajas and mandaras, and lotuses, and parijatas, and\nkovidaras and devadarus, and salas, and palmyra palms, and tamalas, and\npippalas, and salmalis and kinsukas, and singsapas, and saralas and\nthese were inhabited by Chakoras, and wood-peckers and chatakas, and\nvarious other birds, singing in sweet tones pleasing to the ear. And\nthey saw lakes beautiful on all sides with aquatic birds, and covered\nall around with kumudas, and pundarikas, and kokanadas, and utpalas, and\nkalharas, and kamalas and thronged on all sides with drakes and ruddy\ngeese, and ospreys, and gulls and karandavas, and plavas, and swans, and\ncranes, and shags, and other aquatic birds. And those foremost of men\nsaw those lotus-lakes beautified with assemblages of lotuses, and\nringing with the sweet hum of bees, glad, and drowsy on account of\nhaving drunk the intoxicating honey of lotuses, and reddened with the\nfarina falling from the lotus cups. And in the groves they beheld with\ntheir hens peacocks maddened with desire caused by the notes of\ncloud-trumpets; and those woods-loving glad peacocks drowsy with desire,\nwere dancing, spreading in dalliance their gorgeous tails, and were\ncrying in melodious notes. And some of the peacocks were sporting with\ntheir mates on kutaja trees covered with creepers. And some sat on the\nboughs of the kutajas, spreading their gorgeous tails, and looking like\ncrowns worn by the trees. And in the glades they beheld the graceful\nsindhuvaras like unto the darts of Cupid. And on the summits of the\nmountain, they saw blooming karnikaras bearing blossoms of a golden hue,\nappearing like ear-rings of excellent make. And in the forest they saw\nblossoming kuruvakas, like unto the shafts of Cupid, which smiteth one\nwith desire and maketh him uneasy. And they saw tilakas appearing like\nunto beauty-spots painted on the forehead of the forest. And they saw\nmango trees graced with blossoms hummed over by black bees, and serving\nthe purpose of Cupid's shafts. And on the slopes of the mountain there\nwere diverse blossoming trees, looking lovely, some bearing flowers of a\ngolden hue, and some, of the hue of the forest-conflagration, and some,\nred and some sable, and some green like unto lapises. And besides these,\nthere were ranges of salas and tamalas and patalas and vakula trees,\nlike unto garlands put on by the summits of the mountain. Thus gradually\nbeholding on the slopes of the mountain many lakes, looking transparent\nlike crystal, and having swans of white plumage and resounding with\ncries of cranes, and filled with lotuses and lilies, and furnished with\nwaters of delicious feel; and also beholding fragrant flowers, and\nluscious fruits, and romantic lakes, and captivating trees, the Pandavas\npenetrated into the forest with eyes expanded with wonder. And (as they\nproceeded) they were fanned by the breeze of balmy feel, and perfumed by\nkamalas and utpalas and kalharas and pundarikas. Then Yudhishthira\npleasantly spake unto Bhima saying, 'Ah! O Bhima, beautiful is this\nforest of the Gandhamadana. In this romantic forest there are various\nheavenly blossoming wild trees and creepers, bedecked with foliage and\nfruit, nor are there any trees that do not flower. On these slopes of\nthe Gandhamadana, all the trees are of sleek foliage and fruit. And\nbehold how these lotus-lakes with fullblown lotuses, and ringing with\nthe hum of black bees, are being agitated by elephants with their mates.\nBehold another lotus-lake girt with lines of lotuses, like unto a second\nSree in an embodied form wearing garlands. And in this excellent forest\nthere are beautiful ranges of woods, rich with the aroma of various\nblossoms, and hummed over by the black bees. And, O Bhima, behold on all\nsides the excellent sporting ground of the celestials. By coming here,\nwe have attained extra-human state, and been blessed. O Partha, on these\nslopes of the Gandhamadana, yon beautiful blossoming trees, being\nembraced by creepers with blossoms at their tops, look lovely. And, O\nBhima, hark unto the notes of the peacocks crying with their hens on the\nmountain slopes. And birds such as chakoras, and satapatras, and\nmaddened kokilas, and parrots, are alighting on these excellent\nflowering trees. And sitting on the twigs, myriads of jivajivakas of\nscarlet, yellow and red hues, are looking at one another. And the cranes\nare seen near the spots covered with green and reddish grass, and also\nby the side of the cascades. And those birds, bhringarajas, and\nupachakras, and herons are pouring forth their notes charming to all\ncreatures. And, lo! with their mates, these elephants furnished with\nfour tusks, and white as lotuses, are agitating that large lake of the\nhue of lapises. And from many cascades, torrents high as several palmyra\npalms (placed one upon another) are rushing down from the cliffs. And\nmany argent minerals splendid, and of the effulgence of the sun, and\nlike unto autumnal clouds, are beautifying this mighty mountain. And in\nsome places there are minerals of the hue of the collyrium, and in some\nthose like unto gold, in some, yellow orpiment and in some, vermilion,\nand in some, caves of red arsenic like unto the evening clouds and in\nsome, red chalk of the hue of the rabbit, and in some, minerals like\nunto white and sable clouds; and in some, those effulgent as the rising\nsun, these minerals of great lustre beautify the mountain. O Partha, as\nwas said by Vrishaparva, the Gandharvas and the Kimpurushas, in company\nwith their loves, are visible on the summits of the mountain. And, O\nBhima, there are heard various songs of appropriate measures, and also\nVedic hymns, charming to all creatures. Do thou behold the sacred and\ngraceful celestial river Mahaganga, with swans, resorted to by sages and\nKinnaras. And, O represser of foes, see this mountain having minerals,\nrivulets, and beautiful woods and beasts, and snakes of diverse shapes\nand a hundred heads and Kinnaras, Gandharvas and Apsaras.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having attained excellent state, those valiant and\nwarlike repressers of foes with Draupadi and the high-souled Brahmanas\nwere exceedingly delighted at heart, and they were not satiated by\nbeholding that monarch of mountains. Thereafter they saw the hermitage\nof the royal sage Arshtishena, furnished with flowers and trees bearing\nfruits. Then they went to Arshtishena versed in all duties of rigid\nausterities, skeleton-like, and having muscles bare.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLVIII\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having approached that one, whose sins had been\nconsumed by asceticism, Yudhishthira announced his name, and gladly\ngreeted him, bending his head. And then Krishna, and Bhima, and the\ndevout twins, having bowed down their heads unto the royal sage, stood\n(there) surrounding him. And that priest of the Pandavas, the virtuous\nDhaumya, also duly approached that vow-observing sage. And by his\nprophetic eye that virtuous Muni had already known (the identity of)\nthose foremost of the Kurus, the sons of Pandu. And he said unto them.\n'Be ye seated.' And that one of rigid austerities, after having duly\nreceived that chief of the Kurus, when the latter with his brothers had\nseated himself enquired after his welfare saying, 'Dost thou not turn\nthy inclination upon untruth? And art thou intent upon virtue? And, O\nPartha, hath not thy attention to thy father and thy mother diminished?\nAre all thy superiors, and the aged, and those versed in the Vedas,\nhonoured by thee? And O Pritha's son, dost thou not turn thy inclination\nunto sinful acts? And dost thou, O best of the Kurus, properly know how\nto perform meritorious acts, and to eschew wicked deeds? Dost thou not\nexalt thyself? And are pious men gratified, being honoured by thee? And\neven dwelling in the woods, dost thou follow virtue alone? And, O\nPartha, doth not Dhaumya grieve at thy conduct? Dost thou follow the\ncustoms of thy ancestors, by charity, and religious observances, and\nasceticism, and purity, and candour, and forgiveness? And dost thou go\nalong the way taken by the royal sages? On the birth of a son in their\n(respective) lines, the _Pitris_ in their regions, both laugh and\ngrieve, thinking--Will the sinful acts of this son of ours harm us, or\nwill meritorious deeds conduce to our welfare? He conquereth both the\nworlds that payeth homage unto his father, and mother, and preceptor,\nand Agni, and fifthly, the soul.' Yudhishthira said, 'O worshipful one,\nthose duties have been mentioned by thee as excellent. To the best of my\npower I duly and properly discharge them.'\n\n\"Arshtishena said, 'During the Parvas sages subsisting on air and water\ncome unto this best of the mountains ranging through the air. And on the\nsummits of the mountain are seen amorous Kimpurushas with their\nparamours, mutually attached unto each other; as also, O Partha, many\nGandharvas and Apsaras clad in white silk vestments; and lovely-looking\nVidyadharas, wearing garlands; and mighty Nagas, and Suparnas, and\nUragas, and others. And on the summits of the mountain are heard, during\nthe Parvas, sounds of kettle-drums, and tabors, shells and mridangas. O\nforemost of the Bharatas, even by staying here, ye shall hear those\nsounds; do ye by no means feel inclined to repair thither. Further, O\nbest of the Bharata race, it is impossible, to proceed beyond this. That\nplace is the sporting-region of the celestials. There is no access\nthither for mortals. O Bharata, at this place all creatures bear\nill-will to, and the Rakshasas chastise, that man who committeth\naggression, be it ever so little. Beyond the summit of this Kailasa\ncliff, is seen the path of the celestial sages. If any one through\nimpudence goeth beyond this, the Rakshasas slay him with iron darts and\nother weapons. There, O child, during the Parvas, he that goeth about on\nthe shoulders of men, even Vaisravana is seen in pomp and grandeur\nsurrounded by the Apsaras. And when that lord of all the Rakshasas is\nseated on the summit, all creatures behold him like unto the sun arisen.\nO best of Bharatas, that summit is the sporting-garden of the\ncelestials, and the Danavas, and the Siddhas, and Vaisravana. And during\nthe Parvas, as Tumburu entertaineth the Lord of treasures, the sweet\nnotes of his song are heard all over the Gandhamadana. O child, O\nYudhishthira, here during the Parvas, all creatures see and hear marvels\nlike this. O Pandavas, till ye meet with Arjuna, do ye stay here,\npartaking of luscious fruits, and the food of the Munis. O child as thou\nhast come hither, do thou not betray any impertinence. And, O child,\nafter living here at thy will and diverting thyself as thou listest,\nthou wilt at length rule the earth, having conquered it by the force of\nthy arms.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLIX\n\nJanamejaya said, \"How long did my great grandsires, the highsouled sons\nof Pandu of matchless prowess, dwell in the Gandhamadana mountain? And\nwhat did those exceedingly powerful ones, gifted with manliness, do? And\nwhat was the food of those high-souled ones, when those heroes of the\nworlds dwelt (there)? O excellent one, do thou relate all about this. Do\nthou describe the prowess of Bhimasena, and what that mighty-armed one\ndid in the mountain Himalayan. Surely, O best of Brahmanas, he did not\nfight again with the Yakshas. And did they meet with Vaisravana? Surely,\nas Arshtishena said, the lord of wealth cometh thither. All this, O thou\nof ascetic wealth, I desire to hear in detail. Surely, I have not yet\nbeen fully satisfied by hearing about their acts.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having heard from that one of incomparable\nenergy, (Arshtishena), that advice conducive to their welfare, those\nforemost of the Bharatas, began to behave always accordingly. Those best\nof men, the Pandavas, dwelt upon the Himavan, partaking of the food\neaten by the Munis, and luscious fruit, and the flesh of deer killed\nwith unpoisoned shafts and various kinds of pure honey. Living thus,\nthey passed the fifth year, hearing various stories told by Lomasa. O\nlord, saying, 'I shall be present when occasion ariseth,' Ghatotkacha,\ntogether with all the Rakshasas, had ere this already gone away. Those\nmagnanimous ones passed many months in the hermitage of Arshtishena,\nwitnessing many marvels. And as the Pandavas were sporting there\npleasantly, there came to see them some complacent vow-observing Munis\nand Charanas of high fortune, and pure souls. And those foremost of the\nBharata race conversed with them on earthly topics. And it came to pass\nthat when several days has passed, Suparna all of a sudden carried off\nan exceedingly powerful and mighty Naga, living in the large lake. And\nthereupon that mighty mountain began to tremble, and the gigantic trees,\nbreak. And all the creatures and the Pandavas witnessed the wonder. Then\nfrom the brow of that excellent mountain, the wind brought before the\nPandavas various fragrant and fair blossoms. And the Pandavas, and the\nillustrious Krishna, together with their friends, saw those unearthly\nblossoms of five hues. And as the mighty-armed Bhimasena was seated at\nease upon the mountain, Krishna addressed him, saying, 'O best of the\nBharata race, in the presence of all the creatures, these flowers of\nfive hues, carried by the force of the wind raised by Suparna, are\nfalling in amain on the river Aswaratha. In Khandava thy high-souled\nbrother, firm in promise, had baffled Gandharvas and Nagas and Vasava\nhimself, and slain fierce Rakshasas, and also obtained the bow Gandiva.\nThou also art of exceeding prowess and the might of thy arms is great,\nand irrepressible, and unbearable like unto the might of Sakra. O\nBhimasena, terrified with the force of thy arms, let all the Rakshasas\nbetake themselves to the ten cardinal points, leaving the mountain. Then\nwill thy friends be freed from fear and affliction, and behold the\nauspicious summit of this excellent mountain furnished with variegated\nflowers. O Bhima, I have for long cherished this thought in my\nmind,--that protected by the might of thy arms, I shall see that\nsummit.'\n\n\"Thereupon, like a high-mettled bull that hath been struck, Bhimasena,\nconsidering himself as censured by Draupadi, could not bear (that). And\nthat Pandava of the gait of a lion or a bull, and graceful, and\ngenerous, and having the splendour of gold, and intelligent, and strong,\nand proud, and sensitive, and heroic, and having red eyes, and broad\nshoulders, and gifted with the strength of mad elephants, and having\nleonine teeth and a broad neck, and tall like a young sala tree, and\nhighsouled, and graceful in every limb, and of neck having the whorls of\na shell and mighty-armed, took up his bow plaited at the back with gold,\nand also his sword. And haughty like unto a lion, and resembling a\nmaddened elephant, that strong one rushed towards that cliff, free from\nfear or affliction. And all the creatures saw him equipped with bows and\narrows, approaching like a lion or a maddened elephant. And free from\nfear or affliction, the Pandava taking his mace, proceeded to that\nmonarch of mountains causing the delight of Draupadi. And neither\nexhaustion, nor fatigue, nor lassitude, nor the malice (of others),\naffected that son of Pritha and the Wind-god. And having arrived at a\nrugged path affording passage to one individual only, that one of great\nstrength ascended that terrible summit high as several palmyra palms\n(placed one upon another). And having ascended that summit, and thereby\ngladdened Kinnaras, and great Nagas, and Munis, and Gandharvas, and\nRakshasas, that foremost of the Bharata line, gifted with exceeding\nstrength described the abode of Vaisravana, adorned with golden crystal\npalaces surrounded on all sides by golden walls having the splendour of\nall gems, furnished with gardens all around, higher than a mountain\npeak, beautiful with ramparts and towers, and adorned with door-ways and\ngates and rows of pennons. And the abode was graced with dallying\ndamsels dancing around, and also with pennons waved by the breeze. And\nwith bent arms, supporting himself on the end of his bow, he stood\nbeholding with eagerness the city of the lord of treasures. And\ngladdening all creatures, there was blowing a breeze, carrying all\nperfumes, and of a balmy feel. And there were various beautiful and\nwonderful trees of diverse hues resounding with diverse dulcet notes.\nAnd at that place the foremost of the Bharatas surveyed the palace of\nthe Lord of the Rakshasas scattered with heaps of gems, and adorned with\nvariegated garlands. And renouncing all care of life the mighty-armed\nBhimasena stood motionless like a rock, with his mace and sword and bow\nin his hands. Then he blew his shell making the down of his adversaries\nstand erect; and twanging his bow-string, and striking his arms with the\nhands he unnerved all the creatures. Thereat with their hairs standing\nerect, the Yakshas and Rakshasas began to rush towards the Pandavas, in\nthe direction of those sounds. And taken by the arms of the Yakshas and\nRakshasas the flamed maces and clubs and swords and spears and javelins\nand axes, and when, O Bharata, the fight ensued between the Rakshasas\nand Bhima, the latter by arrows cut off the darts, javelins and axes of\nthose possessing great powers of illusion, and he of exceeding strength\nwith arrows pierced the bodies of the roaring Rakshasas, both of those\nthat were in the sky, and of those that remained on the earth. And Bhima\nof exceeding strength was deluged with the mighty sanguine rain sprung\nfrom the bodies of the Rakshasas with maces and clubs in their hands and\nflowing on all sides from their persons. And the bodies and hands of the\nYakshas and Rakshasas were seen to be struck off by the weapon\ndischarged by the might of Bhima's arms. And then all the creatures saw\nthe graceful Pandava densely surrounded by the Rakshasas, like unto the\nSun enveloped by clouds. And even as the Sun surrounds everything with\nhis rays, that mighty-armed and strong one of unfailing prowess, covered\nall with arrows destroying foes. And although menacing and uttering\nyells, the Rakshasas did not see Bhima embarrassed. Thereupon, with\ntheir bodies mangled, the Yakshas afflicted by fear of Bhimasena began to\nutter frightful sounds of distress, throwing their mighty weapons. And\nterrified at the wielder of a strong bow, they fled towards the southern\nquarter, forsaking their maces and spears and swords and clubs and axes.\nAnd then there stood, holding in his hands darts and maces, the\nbroad-chested and mighty-armed friend of Vaisravana, the Rakshasa named\nManiman. And that one of great strength began to display his mastery and\nmanliness. And seeing them forsake the fight, he addressed them with a\nsmile, 'Going to Vaisravana's abode, how will ye say unto that lord of\nwealth, that numbers have been defeated by a single mortal in battle?'\nHaving said this unto them that Rakshasa, taking in his hands clubs and\njavelins and maces, set out and rushed towards the Pandava. And he\nrushed in amain like a maddened elephant. Bhimasena pierced his sides\nwith three choice arrows. And the mighty Maniman, on his part, in wrath\ntaking and flourishing a tremendous mace hurled it at Bhimasena.\nThereupon Bhimasena beset with innumerable shafts sharpened on stones,\nhurled that mighty mace in the sky, dreadful, and like unto the\nlightning flash. But on reaching the mace those shafts were baffled; and\nalthough discharged with force by that adept at hurling the mace, still\nthey could not stay its career. Then the mighty Bhima of dreadful\nprowess, baffled his (the Rakshasa's) discharge by resorting to his\nskill in mace-fighting. In the meanwhile, the intelligent Rakshasa had\ndischarged a terrible iron club, furnished with a golden shaft. And that\nclub, belching forth flames and emitting tremendous roars, all of a\nsudden pierced Bhima's right arm and then fell to the ground. On being\nseverely wounded by that club, that bowman, Kunti's son, of immeasurable\nprowess, with eyes rolling in ire, took up his mace. And having taken\nthat iron mace, inlaid with golden plates, which caused the fear of foes\nand brought on their defeat, he darted it with speed towards the mighty\nManiman, menacing (him) and uttering shouts. Then Maniman on his part,\ntaking his huge and blazing dart, with great force discharged it at\nBhima, uttering loud shouts. Thereat breaking the dart with the end of\nhis mace, that mighty-armed one skilled in mace-fighting, speedily\nrushed to slay him, as Garuda (rushed) to slay a serpent. Then all of a\nsudden, advancing ahead in the field, that mighty-armed one sprang into\nthe sky and brandishing his mace hurled it with shouts. And like unto\nthe thunder-bolt hurled by Indra, that mace like a pest, with the speed\nof the wind destroyed the Rakshasa and then fell to the ground. Then all\nthe creatures saw that Rakshasa of terrible strength slaughtered by\nBhima, even like a bull slain by a lion. And the surviving Rakshasas\nseeing him slain on the ground went towards the east, uttering frightful\nsounds of distress.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLX\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Hearing various sounds resounding in the caves of\nthe mountain and not seeing Bhimasena, Kunti's son, Ajatasatru and the\ntwin sons of Madri and Dhaumya and Krishna and all the Brahmanas and the\nfriends (of the Pandavas), were filled with anxiety. Thereupon,\nentrusting Draupadi to the charge of Arshtishena and equipped in their\narms, those valiant and mighty charioteers together began to ascend the\nsummit of the mountain. And having reached the summit, as those\nrepressors of foes and mighty bowmen and powerful charioteers they were\nlooking about, saw Bhima and those huge Rakshasas of mighty strength and\ncourage weltering in a state of unconsciousness having been struck down\nby Bhima. And holding his mace and sword and bow, that mighty-armed one\nlooked like Maghavan, after he had slain the Danava hosts. Then on\nseeing their brother, the Pandavas, who had attained excellent state,\nembraced him and sat down there. And with those mighty bowmen, that\nsummit looked grand like heaven graced by those foremost of celestials,\nthe highly fortunate Lokapalas. And seeing the abode of Kuvera and the\nRakshasas, lying slain on the ground, the king addressed his brother who\nwas seated, saying, 'Either it be through rashness, or through\nignorance, thou hast, O Bhima, committed a sinful act. O hero, as thou\nart leading the life of an anchorite, this slaughter without cause is\nunlike thee. Acts, it is asserted by those versed in duties, as are\ncalculated to displease a monarch, ought not to be committed. But thou\nhast, O Bhimasena, committed a deed which will offend even the gods. He\nthat disregarding profit and duty, turneth his thoughts to sin must, O\nPartha, reap the fruit of his sinful actions. However, if thou seekest\nmy good, never again commit such a deed.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having said this to his brother, Vrikodara the\nvirtuous, the highly energetic and firm-minded son of Kunti,\nYudhishthira versed in the particulars of (the science of) profit,\nceased, and began to reflect on that matter.\n\n\"On the other hand, the Rakshasas that had survived those slain by Bhima\nfled in a body towards the abode of Kuvera. And they of exceeding\nfleetness having speedily reached Vaisravana's abode, began to utter\nloud cries of distress, being afflicted with the fear of Bhima. And, O\nking bereft of their weapons and exhausted and with their mail besmeared\nwith gore and with dishevelled hair they spake unto Kuvera, saying. 'O\nlord, all thy foremost Rakshasas fighting with maces and clubs and\nswords and lances and barbed darts, have been slain. O lord of\ntreasures, a mortal, trespassing into the mountain, hath, singlehanded,\nslaughtered all thy Krodhavasa Rakshasas assembled together. And, O lord\nof wealth, there lie the foremost of the Yakshas and Rakshasas senseless\nand dead, having been struck down; and we have been let off through his\nfavour. And thy friend, Maniman also hath been slain. All this hath been\ndone by a mortal. Do thou what is proper, after this.' Having heard\nthis, that lord of all the Yaksha hosts waxing wroth, with eyes reddened\nin anger, exclaimed, 'What!' And hearing of Bhima's second (act of)\naggression, that lord of treasures, the king of the Yakshas, was filled\nwith wrath, and said, 'Yoke' (the horses). Thereat unto a car of the hue\nof dark clouds, and high as a mountain summit, they yoked steeds having\ngolden garments. And on being yoked unto the car, those excellent horses\nof his, graced with every noble quality and furnished with the ten\nauspicious curls of hair and having energy and strength, and adorned\nwith various gems and looking splendid, as if desirous of speeding like\nthe wind, began to neigh at each other the neighing emitted at (the hour\nof) victory. And that divine and effulgent king of the Yakshas set out,\nbeing eulogised by the celestials and Gandharvas. And a thousand\nforemost Yakshas of reddened eyes and golden lustre and having huge\nbodies, and gifted with great strength, equipped with weapons and\ngirding on their swords, followed that high-souled lord of treasures.\nAnd coursing through the firmament they (the steeds) arrived at the\nGandhamadana, as if drawing forward the sky with their fleetness. And\nwith their down standing erect, the Pandavas saw that large assemblage\nof horses maintained by the lord of wealth and also the highsouled and\ngraceful Kuvera himself surrounded by the Yaksha hosts. And seeing those\nmighty charioteers the son of Pandu, possessed of great strength,\nequipped with bows and swords, Kuvera also was delighted; and he was\npleased at heart, keeping in view the task of the celestials. And like\nunto birds, they, (the Yakshas) gifted with extreme celerity, alighted\non the summit of the mountain and stood before them (the Pandavas), with\nthe lord of treasures at their head. Then, O Bharata, seeing him pleased\nwith the Pandavas, the Yakshas and the Gandharvas stood there, free from\nagitation. Then thinking themselves as having transgressed, those\nhigh-souled and mighty charioteers, the Pandavas, having bowed down unto\nthat lord, the giver of wealth stood surrounding the lord of treasures\nwith joined hands. And the lord of treasures sat on that excellent seat,\nthe elegant Pushpaka, constructed by Viswakarma, painted with diverse\ncolours. And thousands of Yakshas and Rakshasas, some having huge frames\nand some ears resembling pegs, and hundreds of Gandharvas and hosts of\nApsaras sat in the presence of that one seated, even as the celestials\nsit surrounding him of a hundred sacrifices and wearing a beautiful\ngolden garland on his head and holding in his hands his noose and sword\nand bow, Bhima stood, gazing at the lord of wealth. And Bhimasena did\nnot feel depressed either on having been wounded by the Rakshasas, or\neven in that plight seeing Kuvera arrive.\n\n\"And that one going about on the shoulders of men, on seeing Bhima stand\ndesirous of fighting with sharpened shafts, said unto Dharma's son, 'O\nPartha, all the creatures know thee as engaged in their good. Do thou,\ntherefore, with thy brothers fearlessly dwell on this summit of the\nmountain. And, O Pandava, be thou not angry with Bhima. These Yakshas\nand Rakshasas had already been slain by Destiny: thy brother hath been\nthe instrument merely. And it is not necessary to feel shame for the act\nof impudence that hath been committed. This destruction of the Rakshasas\nhad been foreseen by the gods. I entertain no anger towards Bhimasena.\nRather, O foremost of the Bharata race, I am pleased with him;\nnay,--even before coming here, I had been gratified with this deed of\nBhima.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having spoken thus unto the king, (Kuvera) said unto\nBhimasena, 'O child, O best of the Kurus, I do not mind this, O Bhima,\nas in order to please Krishna, thou hast, disregarding the gods and me\nalso, committed this rash act, namely, the destruction of the Yakshas\nand the Rakshasas, depending on the strength of thy arms, I am\nwell-pleased with thee. O Vrikodara, to-day I have been freed from a\nterrible curse. For some offence, that great Rishi, Agastya, had cursed\nme in anger. Thou hast delivered me by this act (of thine). O Pandu's\nson, my disgrace had ere this been fated. No offence, therefore, in any\nway, attaches unto thee, O Pandava.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O divine one, why wast thou cursed by the\nhigh-souled Agastya? O god, I am curious to hear about the occasion of\nthat imprecation. I wonder that at that very moment, thou together with\nthy forces and attendants wast not consumed by the ire of that\nintelligent one.'\n\n\"Thereupon the lord of treasures said, 'At Kusasthali, O king, once\nthere was held a conclave of the gods. And surrounded by grimvisaged\nYakshas, numbering three hundred maha-padmas, carrying various weapons,\nI was going to that place. And on the way, I saw that foremost of sages,\nAgastya, engaged in the practice of severe austerities on the bank of\nthe Yamuna, abounding in various birds and graced with blossoming trees.\nAnd, O king, immediately on seeing that mass of energy, flaming and\nbrilliant as fire, seated with upraised arms, facing the sun, my friend,\nthe graceful lord of the Rakshasas, Maniman, from stupidity,\nfoolishness, hauteur and ignorance discharged his excrement on the crown\nof that Maharshi. Thereupon, as if burning all the cardinal points by\nhis wrath, he said unto me, \"Since, O lord of treasures, in thy very\npresence, disregarding me, this thy friend hath thus affronted me, he,\ntogether with thy forces, shall meet with destruction at the hands of a\nmortal. And, O wicked-minded one, thou also, being distressed on account\nof thy fallen soldiers, shalt be freed from thy sin, on beholding that\nmortal. But if they follow thy behests, their (the soldier's) powerful\nsons shall not incur by this dreadful curse.\" This curse I received\nformerly from that foremost of Rishis. Now, O mighty king, have I been\ndelivered by thy brother Bhima.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXI\n\n\"The lord of treasures said, 'O Yudhishthira, patience, ability,\n(appropriate) time and place and prowess--these five lead to success in\nhuman affairs. O Bharata, in the Krita Yuga, men were patient and able\nin their respective occupations and they knew how to display prowess.\nAnd, O foremost of the Kshatriyas, a Kshatriya that is endued with\npatience and understandeth the propriety regarding place and time and is\nversed in all mortal regulations, can alone govern the world for a long\ntime,--nay, in all transactions. He that behaveth thus, acquireth, O\nhero, fame in this world and excellent state in the next. And by having\ndisplayed his prowess at the proper place and time, Sakra with the\nVasus hath obtained the dominion of heaven. He that from anger cannot\nsee his fall and he that being naturally wicked and evilminded followeth\nevil and he that knoweth not the propriety relative to acts, meet with\ndestruction both in this world and the next. The exertions of that\nstupid person become fruitless, who is not conversant with the\nexpediency regarding time and acts, and he meeteth with destruction both\nin this world and the next. And the object of that wicked and deceitful\npersons is vicious, who, aiming at mastery of every kind, committeth\nsome rash act. O best of men, Bhimasena is fearless, and ignorant of\nduties, and haughty, and of the sense of a child, and unforbearing. Do\nthou, therefore, check him. Repairing again to the hermitage of the\npious sage Arshtishena, do thou reside there during the dark fortnight,\nwithout fear or anxiety. O lord of men, deputed by me, all the\nGandharvas residing at Alaka, as also those dwelling in this mountain,\nwill, O mighty-armed one, protect thee, and these best of the Brahmanas.\nAnd, O king, O chief among virtuous men, knowing that Vrikodara hath\ncome hither out of rashness, do thou check him. Henceforth, O monarch,\nbeings living in the forest will meet you, wait upon you and always\nprotect you all. And, ye foremost of men, my servants will always\nprocure for you various meats and drinks of delicious flavour. And, O\nson, Yudhishthira, even as by reason of your being the progeny of\nspiritual intercourse, Jishnu is entitled to the protection of Mahendra,\nand Vrikodara, of the Wind-god, and thou, of Dharma, and the twins\npossessed of strength, of the Aswins,--so ye all are entitled to my\nprotection. That one next by birth to Bhimasena, Phalguna, versed in the\nscience of profit and all mortal regulations, is well in heaven. And, O\nchild, those perfections that are recognised in the world as leading to\nheaven, are established in Dhananjaya even from his very birth. And\nself-restraint, and charity, and strength, and intelligence, and\nmodesty, and fortitude, and excellent energy--even all these are\nestablished in that majestic one of magnificent soul. And, O Pandava,\nJishnu never committed any shameful act through poverty of spirit. And\nin the world, none ever say that Partha hath uttered an untruth. And, O\nBharata, honoured by the gods, _pitris_, and the Gandharvas, that\nenhancer of the glory of the Kurus is learning the science of weapons in\nSakra's abode. And, O Partha, in heaven he that with justice had brought\nunder his subjection all the rulers of the earth, even that exceedingly\npowerful and highly energetic monarch, the grandsire of thy father,\nSantanu himself, is well-pleased with the behaviour of that wielder of\nthe Gandiva--the foremost of his race. And, O king, abiding in Indra's\nregions, he who on the banks of the Yamuna had worshipped the gods, the\n_pitris_, and the Brahmanas, by celebrating seven grand horse\nsacrifices, that great grandsire of thine, the emperor Santanu of severe\nausterities, who hath attained heaven, hath enquired of thy welfare.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having heard these words of the dispenser of wealth,\nthe Pandavas were well-pleased with them. Then lowering his club and\nmace and sword and bow, that foremost of the Bharatas bowed down unto\n_Kuvera_. And that giver of protection, the lord of treasures, seeing\nhim prostrate, said, 'Be thou the destroyer of the pride of foes, and\nthe enhancer of the delight of friends. And ye oppressors of enemies, do\nye live in our romantic region. The _Yakshas_ will not cross your\ndesires. Gudakesa, after having acquired mastery over weapons, will come\nback soon. Bidden adieu by Maghavat himself, Dhananjaya will join you.'\n\n\"Having thus instructed Yudhishthira of excellent deeds, the lord of the\n_Guhyakas_, vanished from that best of mountains. And thousands upon\nthousands of _Yakshas_, and _Rakshasas_ followed him in vehicles spread\nover with checkered cushions, and decorated with various jewels. And as\nthe horses proceeded towards the abode of Kuvera, a noise arose as of\nbirds flying in the air. And the chargers of the lord of treasures\nspeedily coursed through the sky as if drawing forward the firmament,\nand devouring the air.\n\n\"Then at the command of the lord of wealth, the dead bodies of the\n_Rakshasas_ were removed from the summit of the mountain. As the\nintelligent Agastya had fixed this period as the limit of (the duration\nof) his curse, so being slain in conflict, the _Rakshasas_ were freed\nfrom the imprecation. And being honoured by the _Rakshasas_, the\nPandavas for several nights dwelt pleasantly in those habitations.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXII\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then, O represser of foes, at sunrise, having\nfinished his daily devotions, _Dhaumya_ came unto the Pandavas, with\n_Arshtishena_. And having bowed down unto the feet of Arshtishena and\nDhaumya, they with joined hands paid homage unto all the Brahmanas. Then\nDhaumya taking Yudhishthira's right hand, said these words, looking at\nthe east, 'O mighty monarch, this king of mountains, Mandara lieth vast,\ncovering the earth up to the ocean. O Pandava, Indra and Vaisravana\npreside over this point graced with woods and forests and mountains.\nAnd, O child, the intelligent sages versed in every duty, say, that this\n(region) is the abode of Indra and king Vaisravana. And the twice-born\nones, and the sages versed in the duties, and the _Sidhas_, and the\n_Sadhyas_, and the celestials pay their adorations unto the Sun as he\nriseth from this point. And that lord of all living beings, king _Yama_,\nconversant with duty, presideth over yonder southern region whither come\nthe spirits of the departed. And this is _Sanyamana_, the abode of the\nlord of departed spirits, sacred, and wonderful to behold, and crowned\nwith prime prosperity. And the intelligent ones call that monarch of\nmountains (by the name of) Asta. Having, O king, arrived at this, the\nSun ever abideth by the truth. And king _Varuna_ protects all creatures,\nabiding in this king of mountains, and also in the vast deep. And, O\nhighly fortunate one, there illumining the northern regions, lieth the\npuissant Mahameru, auspicious and the refuge of those knowing _Brahma_,\nwhere is the court of _Brahma_, and remaining where that soul of all\ncreatures, _Prajapati_, hath created all that is mobile and immobile.\nAnd the _Mahameru_ is the auspicious and healthy abode even of the seven\nmind-born sons of _Brahma_, of whom _Daksha_ was the seventh. And, O\nchild, here it is that the seven celestial _rishis_ with Vasishtha at\ntheir head rise and set. Behold that excellent and bright summit of the\nMeru, where sitteth the great sire (_Brahma_) with the celestials happy\nin self-knowledge. And next to the abode of _Brahma_ is visible the\nregion of him who is said to be the really primal Cause or the origin of\nall creatures, even that prime lord, god Narayana, having neither\nbeginning nor end. And, O king, that auspicious place composed of all\nenergies even the celestials, cannot behold. And the region of the\nhigh-souled _Vishnu_, by its native splendour, exceeding in effulgence\nthe sun or fire, cannot be beheld by the gods, or the Danavas. And the\nregion of Narayana lieth resplendent to the east of the _Meru_, where, O\nchild, that lord of all creatures, the self-create primal Cause of the\nuniverse, having manifested all beings, looketh splendid of his\nexcellent grace. O child, not to speak of the _Maharshis_-even\n_Brahmarshis_ have no access to that place. And, O best of the Kurus, it\nis the _Yatis_ only who have access to it. And, O Pandu's son, (at that\nplace) luminaries cannot shine by him; there that lord of inconceivable\nsoul alone shineth transcendental. There by reverence, and severe\nausterities, Yatis inspired by virtue of pious practices, attain\nNarayana Hari. And, O Bharata, repairing thither, and attaining that\nuniversal Soul--the self-create and eternal God of gods, high-souled\nones, of _Yoga_ success, and free from ignorance and pride have not to\nreturn to this world. O highly fortunate Yudhishthira, this region is\nwithout beginning, or deterioration, or end for it is the very essence\nof that God. And, O son of the Kurus, the Sun and the Moon every day go\nround this Meru, coursing in an opposite direction. And, O sinless one,\nO mighty monarch, the other luminaries also go round this king of\nmountains in the self-same way. Thus the worshipful Sun who dispelleth\ndarkness, goeth round this (mountain) obscuring other luminaries. Then\nhaving set, and passed the evening, that Maker of day, the Sun, taketh a\nnortherly course. Then again nearing the _Meru_, the divine Sun (ever)\nintent on the good of all beings, again courseth, facing the east. And\nin this way, the divine Moon also together with the stars goeth round\nthis mountain, dividing the month unto several sections, by his arrival\nat the Parvas. Having thus unerringly coursed round the mighty _Meru_,\nand, nourished all creatures, the Moon again repaireth unto the\n_Mandar_. In the same way, that destroyer of darkness--the divine\nSun--also moveth on this unobstructed path, animating the universe.\nWhen, desirous of causing dew, he repaireth to the south, then there\nensueth winter to all creatures. Then the Sun, turning back from the\nsouth, by his rays draweth up the energy from all creatures both mobile\nand immobile. Thereupon, men become subject to perspiration, fatigue,\ndrowsiness and lassitude; and living beings always feel disposed to\nslumber. Thence, returning through unknown regions, that divine\neffulgent one causeth shower, and thereby reviveth beings. And having,\nby the comfort caused by the shower, wind, and warmth, cherished the\nmobile and the immobile, the powerful Sun resumeth his former course. O\nPartha, ranging thus, the Sun unerringly turneth on the wheel of Time,\ninfluencing created things. His course is unceasing; he never resteth, O\nPandava. Withdrawing the energy of all beings, he again rendereth it\nback. O Bharata, dividing time into day and night, and Kala, and\nKashiba, that lord, the Sun, dealeth life and motion to all created\nthings.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXIII\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Dwelling in that best of mountains those\nhigh-souled ones observing excellent vows, felt themselves attracted (to\nthat place), and diverted themselves, eager to behold Arjuna. And\nmultitudes of _Gandharvas_ and _Maharshis_ gladly visited those\nenergetic ones, possessing prowess, of chaste desires and being the\nforemost of those endued with truth and fortitude. And having arrived at\nthat excellent mountain furnished with trees bearing blossoms, those\nmighty charioteers were exceedingly delighted, even as the _Marutas_, on\narriving at the celestial regions. And experiencing great exhilaration,\nthey lived (there), seeing the slopes and summits of that mighty\nmountain, filled with flowers, and resonant with the cries of peacocks\nand cranes. And on that beautiful mountain they beheld lakes filled with\nlotuses, and having their shores covered with trees, and frequented by\ndarkness, and _karandavas_ and swans. And the flourishing\nsporting-regions, graceful on account of the various flowers, and\nabounding in gems, was capable of captivating that king, the dispenser\nof wealth (_Kuvera_). And always ranging (there), those foremost of\nascetics (the Pandavas) were incapable of conceiving (the significance\nof) that Summit, furnished with mighty trees, and masses of\nwide-spreading clouds. And, O great hero, owing to its native splendour,\nand also on account of the brilliance of the annual plants, there was no\ndifference there between night and day. And staying in the mountain,\nremaining in which the Sun of unrivalled energy cherisheth the mobile\nand immobile things, those heroes and foremost of men beheld the rising\nand the setting of the Sun. And having seen the rising and the setting\npoints of the Sun and the rising and the setting mountain, and all the\ncardinal points, as well as the intervening spaces ever blazing with the\nrays of the Dispeller of darkness, those heroes, in expectation of the\narrival of that mighty charioteer firm in truth, became engaged in\nreciting the _Vedas_, practising the daily rituals, chiefly discharging\nthe religious duties, exercising sacred vows, and abiding by the truth.\nAnd saying, 'Let us even here experience delight by joining without\ndelay Arjuna accomplished in arms,' those highly blessed Parthas became\nengaged in the practice of _Yoga_. And beholding romantic woods on that\nmountain, as they always thought of _Kiriti_, every day and night\nappeared unto them even as a year. From that very moment joy had taken\nleave of them when, with Dhaumya's permission, the high-souled _Jishnu_,\nmatting his hair, departed (for the woods). So, how could they, absorbed\nin his contemplation, experience happiness there? They had become\noverwhelmed with grief ever since the moment when at the command of his\nbrother, Yudhishthira, _Jishnu_ of the tread of a mad elephant had\ndeparted from the _Kamyaka_ forest. O Bharata, in this way, on that\nmountain those descendants of Bharata passed a month with difficulty,\nthinking of him of the white steeds, who had gone to _Vasava's_ abode\nfor learning arms. And Arjuna, having dwelt for five years in the abode\nof him of a thousand eyes, and having from that lord of celestials\nobtained all the celestial weapons,--such as those of _Agni_, of\n_Varuna_, of _Soma_, of _Vayu_, of _Vishnu_, of _Indra_, of _Pasupati_,\nof _Brahma_, of _Parameshthi_, of _Prajapati_, of _Yama_, of _Dhata_, of\n_Savita_, of _Tvashta_, and of _Vaisravana_; and having bowed down to\nand gone round him of a hundred sacrifices, and taken his (Indra's)\npermission, cheerfully came to the Gandhamadana.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXIV\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"And it came to pass that one day as those\nmighty charioteers were thinking of Arjuna, seeing Mahendra's car, yoked\nwith horses of the effulgence of lightning, arrive all on a sudden, they\nwere delighted. And driven by Matali, that blazing car, suddenly\nilluminating the sky, looked like smokeless flaming tongues of fire, or\na mighty meteor embosomed in clouds. And seated in that car appeared\n_Kiriti_ wearing garlands and new-made ornaments. Then Dhananjaya\npossessing the prowess of the wielder of the thunder-bolt, alighted on\nthat mountain, blazing in beauty. And that intelligent one decked in a\ndiadem and garlands, having alighted on the mountain, first bowed down\nat the feet of _Dhaumya_, and then at those of _Ajatasatru_. And he also\npaid homage unto Vrikodara's feet; and the twins also bowed down unto\nhim. Then going to Krishna, and having cheered her, he stood before his\n(elder) brother in humble guise. And on meeting with that matchless one,\nthey were exceedingly delighted. And he also meeting with them rejoiced\nexceedingly, and began to eulogise the king. And seeing before them that\ncar driving in which the slayer of Namuchi had annihilated seven\nphalanxes of _Diti's_ offspring, the magnanimous Parthas went round it.\nAnd being highly pleased, they offered excellent worship unto Matali, as\nunto the lord of the celestials himself. And then the son of the Kuru\nking duly enquired of him after the health of all the gods. And Matali\nalso greeted them. And having instructed the Parthas even as a father\ndoth his sons, he ascended that incomparable car, and returned to the\nlord of the celestials.\n\n\"And when Matali had gone away, that foremost of the royal race, Sakra's\nson, the high-souled destroyer of all foes made over unto his love, the\nmother of _Sutasoma_, beautiful precious gems and ornaments having the\nsplendour of the sun, which had been presented to him by Sakra. Then,\nsitting in the midst of those foremost of the Kurus, and those best of\nthe _Brahmanas_, effulgent like unto fire or the sun, he began to relate\nall as it had happened, saying, 'In this way, I have learnt weapons from\n_Sakra_, _Vayu_, and the manifest _Siva_; and all the celestials with\nIndra also have been pleased with me, on account of my good behaviour,\nand concentration.'\n\n\"After having briefly narrated unto them his sojourn in heaven, _Kiriti_\nof spotless deeds agreeably slept that night with the two sons of\nMadri.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then when the night had been spent, Dhananjaya,\ntogether with his brothers, paid homage unto Yudhishthira the just. And,\nO Bharata, at this moment, proceeding from the celestials there arose\nmighty and tremendous sounds of a musical instrument, and the rattling\nof car-wheels, and the tolling of bells. And there at all the beasts and\nbeasts of prey and birds emitted separate cries. And from all sides in\ncars resplendent as the sun, hosts of _Gandharvas_ and _Apsaras_ began\nto follow that represser of foes, the lord of the celestials. And\nascending a car yoked with steeds, decorated with burnished gold, and\nroaring like clouds, that king of the celestials, _Purandara_ blazing in\nbeauty came unto the Parthas. And having arrived (at that place), he of\na thousand eyes descended from his car. And as soon as Yudhishthira the\njust saw that high-souled one, he together with his brothers, approached\nthat graceful king of the immortals. And in accordance with the\nordinance that generous one duly worshipped him of immeasurable soul, in\nconsequence with his dignity. And then Dhananjaya possessed of prowess,\nhaving bowed down unto _Purandara_, stood before the lord of the\ncelestials in humble guise, like unto a servant. And seeing the sinless\nDhananjaya having ascetic merit, bearing clotted hair, stand in humility\nbefore the lord of celestials, Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, of great\nenergy, smelt (the crown) of his head. And beholding _Phalguna_ (in that\nattitude), he was exceedingly glad; and by worshipping the king of the\ncelestials, he experienced the highest bliss. Then unto that\nstrongminded monarch, swimming in felicity, the intelligent lord of the\ncelestials, Purandara, spake, saying, 'Thou shalt rule the earth, O\nPandava. Blessed be thou! Do thou, O Kunti's son, again repair unto\nKamyaka.'\n\n\"That learned man who for a year leading the _Brahmacharya_ mode of\nlife, subduing his senses and observing vows, peruseth with rapt\nattention this meeting of _Sakra_ with the Pandavas, liveth a hundred\nyears free from disturbances, and enjoying happiness.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXVI\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"When _Sakra_ had gone to his proper place,\n_Vibhatsu_ together with his brothers and Krishna, paid homage unto the\nson of Dharma. Then smelling the crown of the head of that Pandava, who\nwas thus paying homage, (Yudhishthira) in accents faltering on account\nof joy, addressed Arjuna, saying, 'O Arjuna, how didst thou pass this\nperiod in heaven? And how has thou obtained the weapons, and how also\nhast thou gratified the lord of the celestials? And, O Pandava, has thou\nadequately secured the weapons? Have the lord of the celestials and\n_Rudra_ gladly granted thee the weapons? And how hast thou beheld the\ndivine _Sakra_, and the wielder of _Pinaka_? And how has thou obtained\nthe weapons? And in what manner didst thou worship (them)? And what\nservice hadst thou done unto that repressor of foes, the worshipful one\nof a hundred sacrifices, that he said unto thee, \"By thee have I been\ngratified?\" All this, O highly effulgent one, I wish to hear in detail.\nAnd, O sinless one, the manner in which thou didst please Mahadeva and\nthe king of the celestials and, O repressor of foes, the service thou\nhadst done to the wielder of the thunder-bolt,--do thou, O Dhananjaya,\nrelate all this in detail.'\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'O mighty monarch, listen how I duly beheld him of a\nhundred sacrifice and the divine _Sankara_ also. O grinder of foes, O\nking, having acquired that science which thou hadst directed me (to\nlearn), I at thy command went to the forest, for practising penances.\nFrom _Kamyaka_ repairing to the _Bhrigutunga_, I spent there one night,\nbeing engaged in austerities. And it came to pass that on the next I saw\na certain _Brahmana_. And he asked me, saying, \"O son of Kunti, whither\nwilt thou go?\" Thereupon, O descendant of the Kurus, I truly related\nunto him everything. And, O best of kings, having heard the true\naccount, the _Brahmana_ became well-pleased with me, and, O king,\npraised me. Then the _Brahmana_, pleased with me, said, \"O Bharata, be\nthou engaged in austerities. By performing penances, thou wilt in a\nshort time behold the lord of the celestials.\" And according to his\nadvice I ascended the _Himavan_, and, O mighty king, began to practise\npenances, (the first) month subsisting on fruit and roots. I spent the\nsecond month, subsisting on water. And, O Pandava, in the third month I\ntotally abstained from food. And in the fourth month I remained with\nupraised arms. And a wonder it is that I did not lose any strength. And\nit came to pass that when the first day of the fifth month had been\nspent, there appeared before me a being wearing the form of a boar,\nturning up the earth with his mouth, stamping the ground with his feet,\nrubbing the earth with his breast, and momentarily going about in a\nfrightful manner. And him followed a great being in the guise of a\nhunter furnished with the bow, arrows, and the sword, and surrounded by\nfemales. Thereupon, taking my bow and the two inexhaustible quivers, I\npierced with shafts that terrible and frightful creature. And\nsimultaneously (with me) that hunter also drawing a strong bow, more\nseverely struck at (the animal), as if shaking my mind. And, O king, he\nalso said unto me, \"Why hast thou, transgressing the rules of hunting,\nhit the animal first hit at by me? With these sharpened shafts will I\ndestroy thy pride. Stay!\" Then that mighty-bodied one holding the bow\nrushed at me. And with volleys of mighty shafts, he covered me entirely,\neven as a cloud covereth a mountain with showers. Then, on my part, I\ncovered him with a mighty discharge of arrows. Thereupon, with steady\narrows having their points aflame, and inspired with _mantras_, I\npierced him even as (Indra) riveth a mountain with a thunderbolt. Then\nhis person began to be multiplied a hundredfold and a thousandfold. At\nthis, I pierced all his bodies with shafts. Then again all those forms\nbecame one, O Bharata. Thereat I struck at it. Next, he now assumed a\nsmall body with a huge head, and now a huge body with a small head. And,\nO king, he then assumed his former person and approached me for fight.\nAnd, O foremost of the Bharata race, when in the encounter I failed to\noverwhelm him with arrows, I fixed the mighty weapon of the Wind-god.\nBut I failed to discharge it at him, and this was a wonder. And when\nthat weapon thus failed of effect, I was struck with amazement. However,\nO king, exerting myself more vigorously, I again covered that being with\na mighty multitude of shafts. Then taking _Sthuna-karna_, and _Varuna_\nand _Salava_, and _Asmavarsha_ weapons, I assailed him, profusely\nshowering shafts. But, O king, he instantly swallowed up even all these\nweapons of mine. And when all those (weapons) had been swallowed up, I\ndischarged the weapon presided over by Brahma. And when the blazing\narrows issuing from that weapon were heaped upon him all around, and\nbeing thus heaped over by that mighty weapon discharged by me, he\nincreased (in bulk). Then all the world became oppressed with the energy\nbegotten of the weapon hurled by me, and the firmament and all the\npoints of the sky became illumined. But that one of mighty energy\ninstantly baffled even that weapon. And, O monarch, when that weapon\npresided over by _Brahma_ had been baffled I was possessed with terrible\nfear. Thereupon immediately holding even my bow and the two\ninexhaustible quivers, I shot at that being, but he swallowed up all\nthose weapons. And when all the weapons had been baffled and swallowed\nup, there ensued a wrestling between him and myself. And we encountered\neach other first with blows and then with slaps. But incapable of\novercoming that being, I fell down stupefied on the ground. Thereupon, O\nmighty king, with a laugh, that wonderful being at my sight vanished at\nthat spot together with the women. Having accomplished this, O\nillustrious monarch, that divine one assumed another and unearthly form\n(clad in) wonderful raiment. And renouncing the form of a hunter, that\ndivine lord of the gods, resumed his own unearthly appearance and that\nmighty god stood (there). Then appeared before me with _Uma_ that\nmanifest divine one, having the bull for his mark, wielding the\n_Pinaka_, bearing serpents and capable of assuming many forms. And, O\nrepressor of foes, advancing towards me, standing even then in the field\nready for conflict, that wielder of the trident addressed me saying, \"I\nam well-pleased with thee.\" Then that divine one held up my bows and the\ncouple of quivers furnished with inexhaustible shafts and returned them\nunto me saying, \"Do thou ask some boon, O Kunti's son. I am well-pleased\nwith thee. Tell me, what I shall do for thee. And, O hero, express the\ndesire that dwelleth in thy heart. I will grant it. Except immortality\nalone, tell me as to the desire that is in thy heart.\" Thereat with my\nmind intent on the acquisition of arms, I only bowed down unto Siva and\nsaid, \"O divine one, if thou beest favourably disposed towards me, then\nI wish to have this boon,--I wish to learn all the weapons that are with\nthy god-head.\" Then the god _Tryamvaka_ said unto me, \"I will give. O\nPandava, my own weapon _Raudra_ shall attend upon thee.\" Thereupon\n_Mahadeva_, well-pleased, granted to me the mighty weapon, _Pasupata_.\nAnd, having granted that eternal weapon, he also said unto me, \"This\nmust never be hurled at mortals. If discharged at any person of small\nenergy, it would consume the universe. Shouldst thou (at any time) be\nhard pressed, thou mayst discharge it. And when all thy weapons have\nbeen completely baffled, thou mayst hurl it.\" Then when he having the\nbull for his mark, had been thus gratified, there stood manifest by my\nside that celestial weapon, of resistless force capable of baffling all\nweapons and destructive of foes and the hewer of hostile forces and\nunrivalled and difficult to be borne even by the celestials, the demons\nand the _Rakshasas_. Then at the command of that god, I sat me down\nthere. And in my very sight the god vanished from the spot.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXVII\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'O Bharata, by the grace of that god of gods the Supreme\nSoul, _Tryamvaka_, I passed the night at that place. And having passed\nthe night, when I had finished the morning rituals, I saw that foremost\nof the _Brahmanas_ whom I had seen before. And unto him I told all as it\nhad happened, O Bharata, namely, that I had met the divine _Mahadeva_.\nThereupon, O king of kings, well-pleased, he said unto me, \"Since thou\nhast beheld the great god, incapable of being beheld by any one else,\nsoon wilt thou mix with _Vaivaswata_ and the other _Lokapalas_ and the\nlord of the celestials; and Indra too will grant thee weapons.\" O king,\nhaving said this unto me and having embraced me again and again, that\n_Brahmana_ resembling the Sun, went away whither he listed. And, O\nslayer of foes, it came to pass that on the evening of that day\nrefreshing the whole world, there began to blow a pure breeze. And in my\nvicinity on the base of the _Himalaya_ mountain fresh, fragrant and fair\nflowers began to bloom. And on all sides there were heard charming\nsymphony and captivating hymns relating to Indra. And before the lord of\nthe celestial hosts of _Apsaras_ and _Gandharvas_ chanted various songs.\nAnd ascending celestial cars, there approached the _Marutas_ and the\nfollowers of _Mahendra_ and the dwellers of heaven. And afterwards,\nMarutvan together with _Sachi_ and all the celestials appeared on the\nscene in cars yoked with horses elegantly adorned. And at this very\nmoment, O king, he that goeth about on the shoulders of men manifested\nhimself unto me in excellent grace. And I saw _Yama_ seated on the south\nand _Varuna_ and the lord of the celestials at their respective regions.\nAnd, O foremost of men, O mighty monarch, they after having cheered me\nsaid, \"O Savyasachin, behold us--the Lokapalas--seated. For the\nperformance of the task of the gods thou hast obtained the sight of\n_Sankara_. Do thou now receive weapons from us seated around.\"\nThereupon, O lord, having bowed down unto those foremost of the\ncelestials with regard, I duly accepted those mighty weapons. And then\nthey recognised me as one of their own. Afterwards the gods repaired to\nthe quarter from whence they had come. And that lord of the celestials,\nthe divine Maghavan too having ascended his glorious chariot, said, \"O\n_Phalguna_, thou shalt have to repair unto the celestial region. O\nDhananjaya, even before this thy arrival I knew that thou wouldst come\nhither. Then I have, O best of the Bharatas, manifested myself unto\nthee. As formerly thou hadst performed thy ablution in the various\n_tirthas_ and now hast performed severe austerities, so thou wilt be\nable to repair unto the celestial regions, O Pandava. Thou wilt,\nhowever, again have to practise extreme penance, for thou shouldst at\nany rate journey to heaven. And at my command, Matali shall take thee to\nthe celestial regions. Thou hast already been recognised by the\ncelestials and the celestial sages of high soul.\" Thereupon I said unto\nSakra, \"O divine one, be thou favourable unto me. With the view of\nlearning arms do I beseech thee that thou mayst be my preceptor.\" At\nthis Indra said, \"O child, having learnt weapons thou wouldst perform\nterrible deeds and with this object thou desirest to obtain the weapons.\nHowever, obtain thou the arms, as thou desirest.\" Then I said, \"O slayer\nof foes, I never would discharge these celestial weapons at mortals\nexcept when all my other arms should have been baffled. Do thou, O lord\nof the celestials, grant me the celestial weapons (so that) I may\nhereafter obtain the regions attainable by warriors.\" Indra said, \"O\nDhananjaya it is to try thee that I have said such words unto thee.\nHaving been begotten of me this speech of thine well becometh thee. Do\nthou, O Bharata, repairing unto my abode learn all the weapons of\n_Vayu_, of _Agni_, of the _Vasus_, of _Varuna_, of the _Marutas_, of the\n_Siddhas_, of Brahma, of the Gandharvas, of the Uragas, of the\nRakshasas, of Vishnu and of the _Nairitas_; and also all the weapons\nthat are with me, O perpetuator of the Kuru race.\" Having said this unto\nme _Sakra_ vanished at the very spot. Then, O king, I saw the wonderful\nand sacred celestial car yoked with steeds arrive conducted by Matali.\nAnd when the Lokapalas went away Matali said unto me, \"O thou of mighty\nsplendour, the lord of the celestials is desirous of seeing thee. And O\nmighty-armed one, do thou acquire competence and then perform thy task.\nCome and behold the regions, attainable by merit and come unto heaven\neven in this frame. O Bharata, the thousand-eyed lord of the celestials\nwisheth to see thee.\" Thus addressed by Matali, I, taking leave of the\nmountain Himalaya and having gone round it ascended that excellent car.\nAnd then the exceedingly generous Matali, versed in equine lore, drove\nthe steeds, gifted with the speed of thought or the wind. And when the\nchariot began to move that charioteer looking at my face as I was seated\nsteadily, wondered and said these words, \"Today this appeareth unto me\nstrange and unprecedented that being seated in this celestial car, thou\nhast not been jerked ever so little. O foremost of Bharata race, I have\never remarked that at the first pull by the steeds even the lord of the\ncelestials himself getteth jerked. But all the while that the car had\nmoved, thou hast been sitting unshaken. This appeareth unto me as\ntranscending even the power of _Sakra_.\"\n\n\"'Having said this, O Bharata, Matali soared in the sky and showed me\nthe abodes of the celestials and their palaces. Then the chariot yoked\nwith steeds coursed upwards. And the celestials and the sages began to\nworship (that car), O prince of men. And I saw the regions, moving\nanywhere at will, and the splendour also of the highly energetic\n_Gandharvas, Apsaras_, and the celestial sages. And _Sakra's_\ncharioteer, Matali, at once showed me _Nandana_ and other gardens and\ngroves belonging to the celestials. Next I beheld Indra's abode,\n_Amaravati_, adorned with jewels and trees yielding any sort of fruit\nthat is desired. There the Sun doth not shed heat; nor doth heat or cold\nor fatigue there affect (one), O king. And, O great monarch, the\ncelestials feel neither sorrow nor poverty of spirit, nor weakness, nor\nlassitude, O grinder of foes. And, O ruler of men, the celestials and\nthe others have neither anger nor covetousness. And, O king, in the\nabodes of the celestials, the beings are ever contented. And there the\ntrees ever bear verdant foliage, and fruits, and flowers; and the\nvarious lakes are embalmed with the fragrance of lotuses. And there the\nbreeze is cool, and delicious, and fragrant, and pure, and inspiring.\nAnd the ground is variegated with all kinds of gems, and adorned with\nblossoms. And there were seen innumerable beautiful beasts and in the\nair innumerable rangers of the sky. Then I saw the _Vasus_, and the\n_Rudras_, and the _Sadhyas_ with the _Marutas_, and the _Adityas_, and\nthe two _Aswins_ and worshipped them. And they conferred their benison\non me, granting me strength and prowess, and energy, and celebrity, and\n(skill in) arms, and victory in battle. Then, entering that romantic\ncity adored by the _Gandharvas_ and the celestials, with joined hands, I\nstood before the thousand-eyed lord of the celestials. Thereupon, that\nbest of bestowers gladly offered unto me half of his seat; and _Vasava_\nalso with regard touched my person. And, O Bharata, with the view of\nacquiring arms and learning weapons, I began to dwell in heaven,\ntogether with the gods and the _Gandharvas_ of generous souls. And\n_Viswavana's_ son, _Chitrasena_ became my friend. And he, O king,\nimparted unto me the entire _Gandharva_ (science). And, O monarch, I\nhappily lived in _Sakra's_ abode, well cared for having all my desires\ngratified, learning weapons, listening to the notes of songs, and the\nclear sounds of musical instruments, and beholding the foremost of\n_Apsaras_ dance. And without neglecting to study the arts, which I\nlearnt properly, my attention was specially fixed on the acquisition of\narms. And that lord of a thousand eyes was pleased with that purpose of\nmine. Living thus in heaven, O king, I passed this period.\n\n\"'And when I had acquired proficiency in weapons, and gained his\nconfidence that one having for his vehicle the horse (_Uchchaisrava_),\n(Indra), patting me on the head with his hand, said these words, \"Now\neven the celestials themselves cannot conquer thee,--what shall I say of\nimperfect mortals residing on earth? Thou hast become invulnerable in\nstrength, irrepressible, and incomparable in fight.\" Then with the hair\nof his body standing on end, he again accosted me saying, \"O hero, in\nfighting with weapons none is equal unto thee. And, O perpetuator of the\nKuru race, thou art even watchful, and dexterous, and truthful, and of\nsubdued senses, and the protector of the _Brahmanas_ and adept in\nweapons, and warlike. And, O Partha, together with (a knowledge of) the\nfive modes, using (them), thou hast obtained five and ten weapons and,\ntherefore, there existeth none, who is thy peer. And thou hast perfectly\nlearnt the discharge (of those weapons) and (their) withdrawal, and\n(their) re-discharge and re-withdrawal, and the _Prayaschitta_ connected\n(with them), and also their revival, in case of their being baffled.\nNow, O represser of foes, the time hath arrived for thy paying the\npreceptor's fee. Do thou promise to pay the fee; then I shall unfold\nunto thee what thou wilt have to perform.\" Thereat, O king, I said unto\nthe ruler of the celestials, \"If it be in my power to do the work, do\nthou consider it as already accomplished by me.\" O king, when I had said\nthese words, Indra with a smile said unto me \"Nothing is there in the\nthree worlds that is not in thy power (to achieve). My enemies, those\n_Danavas_, named _Nivata-Kavachas_, dwell in the womb of the ocean. And\nthey number thirty million and are notorious, and all of equal forms and\nstrength and splendour. Do thou slay them there, O Kunti's son; and that\nwill be thy preceptor's fee.\"\n\n\"'Saying this he gave unto me the highly resplendent celestial car,\nconducted by Matali, furnished with hair resembling the down of\npeacocks. And on my head he set this excellent diadem. And he gave me\nornaments for my body, like unto his own. And he granted unto me the\nimpenetrable mail--the best of its kind, and easy to the touch; and\nfastened unto the _Gandiva_ this durable string. Then I set out,\nascending that splendid chariot riding on which in days of yore, the\nlord of the celestials and vanquished _Vali_--that son of _Virochana_.\nAnd, O ruler of men, startled by the rattling of the car, all the\ncelestials, approached (there), taking me to be the king of the\ncelestials. And seeing me, they asked, \"O Phalguna, what art thou going\nto do?\" And I told them as it had fallen out,--and said, \"I shall even\ndo this in battle. Ye that are highly fortunate, know that I have set\nout desirous of slaying the _Nivata-Kavachas_. O sinless ones, do ye\nbless me.\" Thereupon, they began to eulogise me even as they (eulogise)\nthe god, _Purandara_. And they said, \"Riding on this car, _Maghavan_\nconquered in battle _Samvara_, and _Namuchi_, and _Vala_, and _Vritra_,\nand _Prahrada_, and _Naraka_. And mounted on this car also Maghavan, had\nconquered in battle many thousands and millions and hundreds of millions\nof _Daityas_. And, O _Kaunteya_, thou also, riding on this car, by thy\nprowess shalt conquer the _Nivata-Kavachas_ in conflict, even as did the\nself-possessed Maghavan in days of yore. And here is the best of shells;\nby this also thou shalt defeat the _Danavas_. And by this it is that the\nhigh souled _Sakra_ conquered the words.\" Saying this, the gods offered\n(unto me) this shell, _Devadatta_, sprung in the deep; and I accepted it\nfor the sake of victory. And at this moment, the gods fell extolling me.\nAnd in order to be engaged in action, I proceeded to the dreadful abode\nof the _Danavas_, furnished with the shell, the mail, and arrows, and\ntaking my bow.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXVIII\n\n\"Arjuna continued, 'Then at places eulogised by the _Maharshis_, I\n(proceeded, and at length) beheld the ocean--that inexhaustible lord of\nwaters. And like unto flowing cliffs were seen on it heaving billows,\nnow meeting together and now rolling away. And there (were seen) all\naround barks by thousands filled with gems. And there were seen\n_timingilas_ and tortoises and _makaras_ like unto rock submerged in\nwater. And on all sides round thousands of shells sunk in water appeared\nlike stars in the night covered by light clouds. And thousands upon\nthousands of gems were floating in heaps and a violent wind was blowing\nabout in whirls--and this was wonderful to behold. And having beheld\nthat excellent lord of all waters with powerful tides, I saw at a short\ndistance the city of the demons filled with the _Danavas_. And even\nthere, entering underneath the earth, Matali skilled in guiding the car,\nsitting fast on the chariot drove it with force; and he dashed on,\nfrightening that city with the rattling of his chariot. And hearing that\nrattling of the chariot like unto the rumbling of the clouds in the sky,\nthe _Danavas_, thinking me to be the lord of the celestials, became\nagitated. And thereupon they all, frightened at heart, stood holding in\ntheir hands bows and arrows and swords and javelins and axes and maces\nand clubs. Then having made arrangements for the defence of the city,\nthe _Danavas_, with minds alarmed, shut the gates, so that nothing could\nbe discovered. Thereupon taking my shell, _Devadatta_, of tremendous\nroars, I again and again winded it with exceeding cheerfulness. And\nfilling all the firmament, those sounds produced echoes. Thereat mighty\nbeings were terrified and they hid (themselves). And then, O Bharata,\nall of them adorned with ornaments, those offsprings of _Diti_--the\n_Nivata-Kavachas_--made their appearance by thousands, donning diverse\nmail and taking in their hands various weapons and equipped with mighty\niron javelins and maces and clubs and hatchets and sabres and discs and\n_sataghnis_ and _bhusundis_ and variegated and ornamented swords. Then,\nafter deliberating much as to the course of the car, Matali began to\nguide the steeds on a (piece of) level ground, O foremost of the\nBharatas. And owing to the swiftness of those fleet coursers conducted\nby him, I could see nothing--and this was strange. Then the _Danavas_\nthere began to sound thousands of musical instruments, dissonant and of\nodd shapes. And at those sounds, fishes by hundreds and by thousands,\nlike unto hills, having their senses bewildered by that noise, fled\nsuddenly. And mighty force flew at me, the demons discharging sharpened\nshafts by hundreds and by thousands. And then, O Bharata, there ensued a\ndreadful conflict between me and the demons, calculated to extinguish\nthe _Nivata Kavachas_. And there came to the mighty battle the\n_Devarshis_ and the _Danavarshis_ and the _Brahmarshis_ and the\n_Siddhas_. And desirous of victory, the _Munis eulogised_ me with the\nsame sweet-speeches that (they had eulogised) Indra with, at the war,\n(which took place) for the sake of _Tara_.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXIX\n\n\"Arjuna continued, 'Then, O Bharata, vehemently rushed at me in battle\nin a body the _Nivata-Kavachas_, equipped with arms. And obstructing the\ncourse of the car, and shouting loudly, those mighty charioteers,\nhemming me in on all sides, covered me with showers of shafts. Then\nother demons of mighty prowess, with darts and hatchets in their hands,\nbegan to throw at me spears and axes. And that mighty discharge of\ndarts, with numerous maces and clubs incessantly hurled fell upon my\ncar. And other dreadful and grim-visaged smiters among the\n_Nivata-Kavachas_, furnished with bows and sharpened weapons, ran at me\nin fight. And in the conflict, shooting from the _Gandiva_ sundry swift\narrows coursing straight, I pierced each of them with ten. And they were\ndriven back by those stone-whetted shafts of mine. Then on my steeds\nbeing swiftly driven by Matali, they began to display various movements\nwith the speed of the wind. And being skilfully guided by Matali, they\nbegan to trample upon the sons of _Diti_. And although the steeds yoked\nunto that mighty chariot numbered hundreds upon hundreds, yet being\ndeftly conducted by Matali, they began to move, as if they were only a\nfew. And by their tread, and by the rattling of the chariot wheels and\nby the volleys of my shafts, the _Danavas_ began to fall by hundreds.\nAnd others accoutred in bows, being deprived of life, and having their\ncharioteers slain, were carried about by the horses. Then, covering all\nsides and directions, all (the _Danavas_) skilled in striking entered\ninto the contest with various weapons, and thereat my mind became\nafflicted. And I witnessed (this instance of) the marvellous prowess of\nMatali, viz., that he guided those fiery steeds with ease. Then, O king,\nin the conflict, with diverse fleet weapons I pierced by hundreds and by\nthousands (demons) bearing arms. And, O slayer of foes, seeing me thus\nrange the field putting forth every exertion, the heroic charioteer of\n_Sakra_ was well-pleased. And oppressed by those steeds and that car,\nsome (of them) met with annihilation; and others desisted from fight;\nwhile (other) _Nivata-Kavachas_, challenged by us in battle and being\nharassed with shafts offered opposition unto me, by (discharging) mighty\nshowers of arrows. Thereupon, with hundreds and thousands of sundry\nfleet weapons inspired with the _mantras_ relating to _Brahma's_\nweapons, I swiftly began to burn them. And being sore pressed by me,\nthose mighty _asuras_ waxing wroth afflicted me together, by pouring\ntorrents of clubs and darts and swords. Then, O Bharata, I took up that\nfavourite weapon of the lord of the celestials, Maghavan by name, prime\nand of fiery energy and by the energy of that weapon I cut into a\nthousand pieces the _Tomaras_, together with the swords and the tridents\nhurled by them. And having cut off their arms I in ire pierced them each\nwith ten shafts. And in the field arrows were shot from the _Gandiva_\nlike unto rows of black-bees; and this Matali admired. And their shafts\nalso showered upon me; but those powerful (arrows) I cut off with my\nshafts. Then on being struck the _Nivata-Kavachas_ again covered me on\nall sides with a mighty shower of arrows. And having neutralised the\nforce of the arrows by excellent swift and flaming weapons capable of\nbaffling arms, I pierced them by thousands. And blood began to flow from\ntheir torn frames, even as in the rainy season waters run down from the\nsummits of mountains. And on being wounded by my fleet and\nstraight-coursing shafts of the touch of Indra's thunder-bolt, they\nbecame greatly agitated. And their bodies were pierced at hundreds of\nplaces; and the force of their arms diminished. Then the\n_Nivata-Kavachas_ fought me by (the help of) illusion.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXX\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'Then with rocks of the proportions of trees, there\ncommenced a mighty shower of crags; and this exercised me exceedingly.\nAnd in that high encounter, I crushed (those crags) by swift-speeding\nshowers of arrows, issuing from Mahendra's weapon, like unto the\nthunder-bolt itself. And when the rocks had been reduced to powder,\nthere was generated fire; and the rocky dust fell like unto masses of\nflames. And when the showers of crags had been repelled, there happened\nnear me a mightier shower of water, having currents of the proportions\nof an axle. And falling from the welkin, those thousands of powerful\ntorrents covered the entire firmament and the directions and the\ncardinal points. And on account of the pouring of the shower, and of the\nblowing of the wind, and of roaring of the _Daityas_, nothing could be\nperceived. And touching heaven and the entire earth, and incessantly\nfalling on the ground, the showers bewildered me. Thereupon, I\ndischarged that celestial weapon which I had learnt from Indra--even the\ndreadful and flaming _Visoshana_: and by that the water was dried up.\nAnd, O Bharata, when the rocky shower had been destroyed, and the watery\nshower had been dried up, the _Danavas_ began to spread illusions of\nfire and wind. Then by aqueous appliances I extinguished the flames; and\nby a mighty rock-issuing arm, resisted the fury of the winds. And when\nthese had been repelled, the _Danavas_, irrepressible in battle, O\nBharata, simultaneously created various illusions. And there happened a\ntremendous horrifying shower of rocks and dreadful weapons of fire and\nwind. And that illusory downpour afflicted me in fight. And then on all\nsides there appeared a dense and thick darkness. And when the world had\nbeen enveloped in deep and dense darkness, the steeds turned away,\nMatali fell off, and from his hand the golden lash fell to the earth.\nAnd, O foremost of the Bharatas, being frightened, he again and again\ncried, \"Where art thou?\" And when he had been stupefied, a terrible fear\npossessed me. And then in a hurry, he spake unto me, saying, \"O Partha,\nfor the sake of nectar, there had taken place a mighty conflict between\nthe gods and the demons. I had seen that (encounter), O sinless one. And\non the occasion of the destruction of Samvara, there had occurred a\ndreadful and mighty contest. Nevertheless I had acted as charioteer to\nthe lord of the celestials. In the same way, on the occasion of the\nslaying of _Vritra_, the steeds had been conducted by me. And I had also\nbeheld the high and terrific encounter with _Virochana's_ son, and, O\nPandava, with _Vala_, and with _Prahrada_ and with others also. In these\nexceedingly dreadful battles, I was present; but, O Pandu's son, never\n(before) had I lost my senses. Surely the Greatfather hath ordained the\ndestruction of all creatures; for this battle cannot be for any other\npurpose than destruction of the universe.\" Having heard these words of\nhis, \"pacifying my perturbation by my own effort, I will destroy the\nmighty energy of the illusion spread by the _Danavas_\" quoth I unto the\nterrified Matali. \"Behold the might of my arms, and the power of my\nweapons and of the bow, _Gandiva_. To-day even by (the help of)\nillusion-creating arms, will I dispel this deep gloom and also this\nhorrible illusion of theirs. Do not fear, O charioteer. Pacify thyself.\"\nHaving said this, O lord of men, I created for the good of the\ncelestials, an illusion of arms capable of bewildering all beings. And\nwhen (their) illusion had been dispelled, some of the foremost amongst\nthe _Asuras_, of unrivalled prowess, again spread diverse kinds of\nillusion. Thereupon, now (the world) displayed itself, and now it was\ndevoured by darkness; and now the world disappeared from view and now it\nwas submerged under water. And when it had brightened up, Matali,\nsitting in front of the car, with the wellconducted steeds, began to\nrange that hair-erecting field. Then the fierce _Nivata-Kavachas_\nassailed me. And finding my opportunity, I began to send them to the\nmansion of Yama. Thereupon, in that conflict then raging, calculated to\nannihilate the _Nivata-Kavachas_ on a sudden, I could not see the\n_Danavas_ concealed by illusion.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXI\n\n\"Arjuna continued, 'Remaining invisible the _Daityas_ began to fight\nwith the help of illusion. And I too fought with them, resorting to the\nenergy of visible weapons. And the shafts duly discharged from the\n_Gandiva_, began to sever their heads at those different places where\nthey were respectively stationed. And thus assailed by me in the\nconflict, the _Nivata-Kavachas_, all on a sudden withdrawing the\nillusion, entered into their own city. And when the _Daityas_ had fled,\nand when all had become visible, I there discovered hundreds and\nthousands of the slain. And there I saw by hundreds their shivered\nweapons, ornaments, limbs, and mail. And the horses could not find room\nfor moving from one place to another; and on a sudden with a bound, they\nfell to coursing in the sky. Then remaining invisible, the\n_Nivata-Kavachas_ covered the entire welkin with masses of crags. And, O\nBharata, other dreadful _Danavas_, entering into the entrails of the\nearth, took up horses' legs and chariot-wheels. And as I was fighting,\nthey, hard besetting my horses with rocks, attacked me together with\n(my) car. And with the crags that had fallen and with others that were\nfalling, the place where I was, seemed to be a mountain cavern. And on\nmyself being covered with crags and on the horses being hard pressed, I\nbecame sore distressed and this was marked by Matali. And on seeing me\nafraid, he said unto me, \"O Arjuna, Arjuna! be thou not afraid; send\nthat weapon, the thunder-bolt, O lord of men.\" Hearing those words of\nhis, I then discharged the favourite weapon of the king of the\ncelestials--the dreadful thunderbolt. And inspiring the Gandiva with\n_mantras_, I, aiming at the locality of the crags, shot sharpened iron\nshafts of the touch of the thunder-bolt. And sent by the thunder, those\nadamantine arrows entered into all those illusions and into the midst of\nthose _Nivata-Kavachas_. And slaughtered by the vehemence of the\nthunder, those _Danavas_ resembling cliffs, fell to the earth together\nin masses. And entering amongst those _Danavas_ that had carried away\nthe steeds of the car into the interior of the earth, the shafts sent\nthem into the mansion of _Yama_. And that quarter was completely covered\nwith the _Nivata-Kavachas_ that had been killed or baffled, comparable\nunto cliffs and lying scattered like crags. And then no injury appeared\nto have been sustained either by the horses, or by the car, or by\nMatali, or by me, and this seemed strange. Then, O king, Matali\naddressed me smiling, \"Not in the celestials themselves, O Arjuna, is\nseen the prowess that is seen in thee.\" And when the _Danava_ hosts had\nbeen destroyed, all their females began to bewail in that city, like\nunto cranes in autumn. Then with Matali I entered that city, terrifying\nwith the rattling of my car the wives of the _Nivata-Kavachas_.\nThereupon, seeing those ten thousand horses like unto peacocks (in hue),\nand also that chariot resembling the sun, the women fled in swarms. And\nlike unto (the sounds of) rocks falling on a mountain, sounds arose of\nthe (falling) ornaments of the terrified dames. (At length), the\npanic-stricken wives of the _Daityas_ entered into their respective\ngolden places variegated with innumerable jewels. Beholding that\nexcellent city, superior to the city of the celestials themselves, I\nasked Matali, saying, \"Why do not the celestials reside in such (a\nplace)? Surely, this appeareth superior to the city of Purandara.\"\nThereat, Matali said, \"In days of yore, O Partha, even this was the city\nof our lord of the celestials. Afterwards the celestials were driven\nfrom hence by the _Nivata-Kavachas_. Having performed the most rigid\nausterities, they had gratified the Grand-father and had asked (and\nobtained) the boons--namely, that they might reside here, and that they\nmight be free from danger in wars with the gods.\" Then _Sakra_ addressed\nthe self-create lord saying, \"Do thou, O lord, desirous of our own\nwelfare do what is proper.\" Thereupon, O Bharata, in this matter the\nLord commanded (Indra), saying, \"O slayer of foes, in another body, even\nthou shalt be (the destroyer of the _Danavas_).\" Then, in order to\nslaughter them, _Sakra_ rendered unto thee those weapons. The gods had\nbeen unable to slay these, who have been slain by thee. O Bharata, in\nthe fullness of time, hadst thou come hither, in order to destroy them\nand thou hast done so. O foremost of men, with the object that the\ndemons might be killed, Mahendra had conferred on thee the excellent\nprime energy of these weapons.'\n\n\"Arjuna continued, 'After having destroyed the _Danavas_, and also\nsubdued that city, with Matali I again went to that abode of the\ncelestials.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXII\n\n\"Arjuna continued, 'Then while returning, I happened to descry a mighty\nunearthly city, moving at will, and having the effulgence of fire or the\nsun. And that city contained various trees composed of gems, and\nsweet-voiced feathered ones. And furnished with four gates, and\ngate-ways, and towers, that impregnable (city) was inhabited by the\n_Paulamas_ and _Kalakanjas_. And it was made of all sorts of jewels and\nwas unearthly, and of wonderful appearance. And it was covered with\ntrees of all kinds of gems, bearing fruits and flowers. And it contained\nexceedingly beautiful unearthly birds. And it always swarmed throughout\nwith cheerful _Asuras_, wearing garlands, and bearing in their hands\ndarts, two edged swords, maces, bows, and clubs. And, O king, on seeing\nthis wonderful city of the Daityas, I asked Matali saying, \"What is this\nthat looketh so wonderful?\" Thereat, Matali replied, \"Once on a time a\n_Daitya's_ daughter, named _Pulama_ and a mighty female of the _Asura_\norder, _Kalaka_ by name, practised severe austerities for a thousand\ncelestial years. And at the end of their austerities, the self-create\nconferred on them boons. And, O king of kings, they received these\nboons,--that their offspring might never suffer misfortune; that they\nmight be incapable of being destroyed even by the gods, the _Rakshasas_\nand the _Pannagas_; and that they might obtain a highly effulgent and\nsurpassingly fair aerial city, furnished with all manner of gems and\ninvincible even by the celestials, the _Maharshis_, the _Yakshas_, the\n_Gandharvas_, the _Pannagas_, the _Asuras_ and the _Rakshasas_. O best\nof the Bharatas, this is that unearthly aerial city devoid of the\ncelestials, which is moving about, having been created for the\n_Kalakeyas_, by _Brahma_ himself. And this city is furnished with all\ndesirable objects, and is unknown of grief or disease. And, O hero,\ncelebrated under the name of _Hiranyapura_, this mighty city is\ninhabited by the _Paulamas_ and the _Kalakanjas_; and it is also guarded\nby those mighty _Asuras_. And, O king, unslayed by any of the gods,\nthere they dwell cheerfully, free from anxiety and having all their\ndesires gratified, O foremost of kings. Formerly, _Brahma_ had destined\ndestruction at the hands of mortals. Do thou, O Partha, in fight,\ncompass with that weapon--the thunder-bolt--the destruction of the\nmighty and irrepressible _Kalakanjas_.\"'\n\n\"Arjuna continued, 'O lord of men, learning that they were incapable of\nbeing destroyed by the celestials and the _Asuras_, I cheerfully said\nunto Matali, \"Do thou speedily repair into yonder city. With weapons\nwill I compass the annihilation of the haters of the lord of the\ncelestials. Surely, there exist no wicked haters of the gods who ought\nnot to be slain by me.\" Thereupon Matali took me to the vicinity of\n_Hiranyapura_ on the celestial chariot yoked with steeds. And seeing me,\nthose sons of Diti, wearing various kinds of attire and ornament and\naccoutred in mail, flew at me with a mighty rush. And those foremost of\nthe _Danavas_, of exceeding prowess, in wrath attacked me with arrows\nand _bhallas_ and clubs and two-edged swords, and _tomaras_. Thereat, O\nking, resorting to my strength of lore, I resisted that great volley of\nweapons by a mighty shower of shafts; and also confounded them in\nconflict by ranging around in my car. And being bewildered, the\n_Danavas_ began to push each other down. And having been confounded,\nthey rushed at one another. And with flaming arrows, I severed their\nheads by hundreds. And hard pressed by me, the offspring of Diti, taking\nshelter within (their) city, soared with it to the firmament, resorting\nto the illusion proper to the _Danavas_. Thereupon, O son of the Kurus,\ncovering the way of the _Daityas_, with a mighty discharge of shafts I\nobstructed their course. Then by virtue of the bestowal of the boon, the\n_Daityas_ supported themselves easily on that sky-ranging unearthly\naerial city, going anywhere at will and like unto the sun. And now (the\ncity) entered unto the earth and now it rose upwards; and at one time it\nwent in a crooked way and at another time it submerged into water. At\nthis, O represser of foes, I assailed that mighty city, going anywhere\nat will, and resembling _Amaravati_. And, O best of the Bharatas, I\nattacked the city containing those sons of Diti, with multitudes of\nshafts, displaying celestial weapons. And battered and broken by the\nstraight-coursing iron shafts, shot by me, the city of the _Asuras_, O\nking, fell to the earth. And they also, wounded by my iron arrows having\nthe speed of the thunder, began, O monarch, to go about, being urged by\ndestiny. Then ascending to the sky, Matali, as if falling in front,\nswiftly descended to the earth, on that chariot of solar resplendence.\nThen, O Bharata, environed me sixty thousand cars belonging to those\nwrathful ones eager to battle with me. And with sharpened shafts graced\nwith feathers of the vulture, I destroyed those (cars). At this,\nthinking, \"These our hosts are incapable of being vanquished by\nmortals,\" they became engaged in the conflict, like unto the surges of\nthe sea. Thereupon I gradually began to fix (on the string) unearthly\nweapons. At this, thousands of weapons (shot) by those wonderfully\nwarring charioteers, by degrees opposed my unearthly arms and in the\nfield I saw hundreds and thousands of mighty (demons) ranging on their\ncars, in various manoeuvres. And being furnished with variegated mail\nand standards and diverse ornaments, they delighted my mind. And in the\nconflict I could not afflict them by showers of shafts, but they did not\nafflict me. And being afflicted by those innumerable ones, equipped in\nweapons and skilled in fight, I was pained in that mighty encounter and\na terrible fear seized me. Thereupon collecting (my energies) in fight,\nI (bowed down) unto that god of gods, _Raudra_, and saying, \"May welfare\nattend on all beings!\" I fixed that mighty weapon which, celebrated\nunder the name of _Raudra_, is the destroyer of all foes. Then I beheld\na male person having three heads, nine eyes, three faces, and six arms.\nAnd his hair was flaming like fire or the sun. And, O slayer of foes,\nfor his dress, he had mighty serpents, putting out their tongues. And\nsaying, O best of the Bharatas, the dreadful and eternal _Raudra_, I\nbeing free from fear, set it on the _Gandiva_; and, bowing unto the\nthree-eyed _Sarva_ of immeasurable energy, let go (the weapon), with the\nobject of vanquishing those foremost of the _Danavas_, O Bharata. And, O\nlord of men, as soon as it had been hurled, there appeared on the scene\nby thousands, forms of deer, and of lions, and of tigers, and of bears\nand of buffaloes, and of serpents, and of kine, and of sarabhas, and of\nelephants, and of apes in multitudes, and of bulls, and of boars, and of\ncats, and of dogs, and of spectres, and of all the _Bhurundas_, and of\nvultures, and of Garudas, of _chumaras_, and of all the leopards, and of\nmountains, and of seas, and of celestials, and of sages, and of all the\n_Gandharvas_, and of ghosts with the _Yakshas_, and of the haters of the\ngods, (_Asuras_), and of the _Guhyakas_ in the field, and of the\n_Nairitas_ and of elephant-mouthed sharks, and of owls, and of beings\nhaving the forms of fishes and horses, and of beings bearing swords and\nvarious other weapons, and of _Rakshasas_ wielding maces and clubs. And\non that weapon being hurled all the universe became filled with these as\nwell as many others wearing various shapes. And again and again wounded\nby beings of various sights with (pieces of) flesh, fat, bones, and\nmarrow on their persons,--some having three heads, and some four tusks,\nand some four mouths, and some four arms,--the _Danavas_ met with\ndestruction. And, then, O Bharata, in a moment I slew all those\n_Danavas_, with other swarms of arrows composed of the quintessence of\nstone, flaming like fire or the sun, and possessed of the force of the\nthunder-bolt. And, seeing them hewn by the _Gandiva_, and deprived of\nlife, and thrown from the sky, I again bowed unto that god--the\nDestroyer of _Tripura_. And, seeing those adorned with unearthly\nornaments, crushed by the weapon, the _Raudra_, the charioteer of the\ncelestials, experienced the greatest delight. And having witnessed the\naccomplishment of that unbearable feat incapable of being achieved even\nby the celestials themselves, Matali, the charioteer of Sakra, paid\nhomage unto me; and well-pleased, with joint hands said these words.\n\"The feat that hath been achieved by thee, is incapable of being borne\neven by the gods, nay,--in battle, the lord of the celestials himself\ncannot perform this deed. The sky-coursing mighty city incapable of\nbeing destroyed by the gods and the Asuras hast thou, O hero, crushed by\nthy own prowess and by the energy of asceticism.\" And when that aerial\ncity had been destroyed, and when the _Danavas_ also had been slain,\ntheir wives, uttering cries of distress, like unto Kurari birds, with\nhair dishevelled came out of the city. And bewailing for their sons and\nbrothers and fathers, they fell on the ground and cried with distressful\naccents. And on being deprived for their lords, they beat their breasts,\ntheir garlands and ornaments fallen off. And that city of _Danavas_, in\nappearance like unto the city of the _Gandharvas_ filled with\nlamentations and stricken with dole and distress, and bereft of grace\neven like unto a lake deprived of (its) elephants, or like unto a forest\ndeprived of trees and (deprived of its) masters, looked no longer\nbeautiful--but it vanished, like a cloud-constructed city. And when I\nhad accomplished the task, from the field Matali took me of delighted\nspirits, unto the abode of the lord of the celestials. And having slain\nthose mighty Asuras, and destroyed _Hiranyapura_, and having also killed\nthe _Nivata-Kavachas_, I came unto Indra. And, O exceedingly resplendent\none, as it had fallen out, Matali related in detail unto Devendra that\nentire achievement of mine. And with the Marutas, hearing of the\ndestruction of _Hiranyapura_, of the neutralisation of the illusion, and\nof the slaughter of the highly powerful Nivatakavachas in fight, the\nprosperous thousand-eyed divine _Purandara_ was well pleased, and\nexclaimed, \"Well done; Well done!\" And the king of the celestials\ntogether with the celestials, cheering me again and again, said these\nsweet words, \"By thee hath been achieved a feat incapable of being\nachieved by the gods and the Asuras. And, O Partha, by slaying my mighty\nenemies, thou hast paid the preceptor's fee. And, O Dhananjaya, thus in\nbattle shalt thou always remain calm, and discharge the weapons\nunerringly, and there shall not stand thee in fight celestials, and\n_Danavas_, and _Rakshasas_, and _Yakshas_, and _Asuras_, and\n_Gandharvas_ and birds and serpents. And, O Kaunteya, by conquering it\neven by the might of thy arms, Kunti's son Yudhishthira, will rule the\nearth.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXIII\n\n\"Arjuna continued, 'Then firmly confident, the sovereign of the\ncelestials considering as his own, pertinently said these words unto me\nwounded by cleaving shafts, \"All the celestial weapons, O Bharata, are\nwith thee, so no man on earth will by any means be able to over-power\nthee. And, O son, when thou art in the field, Bhishma and Drona and\nKripa and Karna and Sakuni together with other Kshatriyas shall not\namount unto one-sixteenth part of thee.\" And the lord Maghavan granted\nme this golden garland and this shell, Devadatta, of mighty roars, and\nalso his celestial mail impenetrable and capable of protecting the body.\nAnd Indra himself set on my (head) this diadem. And _Sakra_ presented me\nwith these unearthly apparels and unearthly ornaments, elegant and rare.\nIn this manner, O king, (duly) honoured, I delightfully dwelt in Indra's\nsacred abode with the children of the _Gandharvas_. Then, well-pleased,\n_Sakra_, together with the celestials, addressed me, saying, \"O Arjuna,\nthe time hath come for thy departure; thy brothers have thought of\nthee.\" Thus, O Bharata, remembering the dissensions arising from that\ngambling, did I, O king, pass those five years in the abode of Indra.\nThen have I come and seen thee surrounded by our brothers on the summit\nof this lower range of the _Gandhamadana_.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O Dhananjaya, by fortune it is that the weapons\nhave been obtained by thee; by fortune it is that the master of the\nimmortals hath been adored by thee. O repressor of foes, by fortune it\nis that the divine _Sthanu_ together with the goddess had become\nmanifest unto thee and been gratified by thee in battle, O sinless one;\nby fortune it is that thou hadst met with the Lokapalas, O best of the\nBharatas. O Partha, by fortune it is that we have prospered; and by\nfortune it is that thou hast come back. To-day I consider as if the\nentire earth engarlanded with cities hath already been conquered, and as\nif the sons of Dhritarashtra have already been subdued. Now, O Bharata,\nI am curious to behold those celestial weapons wherewith thou hadst\nslain the powerful _Nivata-Kavachas_.'\n\n\"Thereat Arjuna said, 'Tomorrow in the morning thou wilt see all the\ncelestial weapons with which I slew the fierce _Nivata-Kavachas_.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Thus having related (the facts touching) the\narrival, Dhananjaya passed that night there, together with all his\nbrothers.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXIV\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"And when the night had passed, Yudhishthira the\njust, arose and together with his brothers, performed the necessary\nduties. He then spake unto Arjuna, that delight of his mother, saying,\n'O Kaunteya, do thou show (me) those weapons with which thou vanquished\nthe _Danavas_.' Thereat, O king, the exceedingly powerful Dhananjaya,\nthe son of Pandu, duly practising extreme purity, showed those weapons,\nO Bharata, which had been given unto him by the celestials. Dhananjaya\nseated on the earth, as his chariot, which had the mountain for its\npole, the base of the axle and the cluster of beautiful-looking bamboo\ntrees for its socket-pole, looked resplendent with that celestial armour\nof great lustre, took his bow _Gandiva_ and the conch-shell given to him\nby the gods, commenced to exhibit those celestial weapons in order. And\nas those celestial weapons had been set, the Earth being oppressed with\nthe feet (of Arjuna), began to tremble with (its) trees; and the rivers\nand the mighty main became vexed; and the rocks were riven; and the air\nwas hushed. And the sun did not shine; and fire did not flame; and by no\nmeans did the Vedas of the twice-born once shine. And, O Janamejaya, the\ncreatures peopling the interior of the earth, on being afflicted, rose\nand surrounded the Pandava, trembling with joined hands and contorted\ncountenances. And being burnt by those weapons, they besought Dhananjaya\n(for their lives). Then the _Brahmarshis_, and the _Siddhas_, and the\n_Maharshis_ and the mobile beings--all these appeared (on the scene).\nAnd the foremost _Devarshis_, and the celestials and the _Yakshas_ and\nthe _Rakshasas_ and the _Gandharvas_ and the feathered tribes and the\n(other) sky-ranging beings--all these appeared (on the scene). And the\nGreat-sire and all the Lokapalas and the divine Mahadeva, came thither,\ntogether with their followers. Then, O great king, bearing unearthly\nvariegated blossoms _Vayu_ (the Wind-god) fell to strewing them around\nthe Pandava. And sent by the celestials, the _Gandharvas_ chanted\nvarious ballads; and, O monarch, hosts of the _Apsaras_ danced (there).\nAt such a moment, O king, sent by the celestials, Narada arrived (there)\nand addressed Partha in these sweet words, 'O Arjuna, Arjuna, do thou\nnot discharge the celestial weapons. These should never be discharged\nwhen there is no object (fit). And when there is an object (present),\nthey should also by no means be hurled, unless one is sore pressed; for,\nO son of the Kurus, to discharge the weapons (without occasion), is\nfraught with great evil. And, O Dhananjaya, being duly kept as thou hast\nbeen instructed to these powerful weapons will doubtless conduce to thy\nstrength and happiness. But if they are not properly kept, they, O\nPandava, will become the instrument for the destruction of the three\nworlds. So thou shouldst not act in this way again. O Ajatasatru, thou\ntoo wilt behold even these weapons, when Partha will use them for\ngrinding (thy) enemies in battle.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having prevented Partha the immortals with\nothers that had come there, went to each his place, O foremost of men.\nAnd, O Kaurava, after they had all gone, the Pandavas began to dwell\npleasantly in the same forest, together with Krishna.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXV\n\nJanamejaya said, \"When that prince among heroes, having been accomplished\nin arms, had returned from the abode of the slayer of Vritra, what did\nPritha's sons do in company with the warlike Dhananjaya?\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"In company with that hero equal unto Indra,\nArjuna--that foremost of men, sported in the pleasure-gardens of the\nlord of treasures (situated) in those woods on that romantic and\nexcellent mountain. And surveying those peerless and various\npleasure-grounds filled with diverse trees, that chief of men, _Kiriti_,\never intent upon arms, ranged at large, bow in hand. And having through\nthe grace of king Vaisravana obtained a residence, those sons of a\nsovereign cared not for the prosperity of men. And, O king, that period\nof their (lives) passed peacefully. And having Partha in their company,\nthey spent four years there even like a single night. And as the\nPandavas lived in the wood, (these four years) and the former six,\nnumbering ten, passed smoothly with them.\n\n\"Then having seated themselves before the king, the vehement son of the\nWind-god, with _Jishnu_ and the heroic twins, like unto the lord of the\ncelestials, earnestly addressed the king in these beneficial and\npleasant words. 'It is only to render thy promise effectual and to\nadvance thy interests, that, O king of the Kurus, forsaking the forest,\nwe do not go to slay Suyodhana together with all his followers. Although\ndeserving of happiness, yet have we been deprived of happiness. And this\nis the eleventh year that (in this state) we have been living (in the\nforest). And hereafter, deluding that one of evil mind and character,\nshall we easily live out the period of non-discovery. And at thy\nmandate, O monarch, free from apprehension, we have been ranging the\nwoods, having relinquished our honour. Having been tempted by our\nresidence in the vicinity, they (our enemies) will not believe that we\nhave removed to a distant realm. And after having lived there\nundiscovered for a year, and having wreaked our revenge on that wicked\nwight, Suyodhana, with his followers, we shall easily root out that\nmeanest of men, slaying him and regaining our kingdom. Therefore, O\nDharmaraja, do thou descend unto the earth. For, O king, if we dwell in\nthis region like unto heaven itself, we shall forget our sorrows. In\nthat case, O Bharata, thy fame like unto a fragrant flower shall vanish\nfrom the mobile and the immobile worlds. By gaining that kingdom of the\nKuru chiefs, thou wilt be able to attain (great glory), and to perform\nvarious sacrifices. This that thou art receiving from _Kuvera_, thou\nwilt, O foremost of men, be able to attain any time. Now, O Bharata,\nturn thy mind towards the punishment and destruction of foes that\ncommitted wrongs. O king, the wielder of the thunderbolt himself is\nincapable of standing thy prowess. And intent upon thy welfare, he,\nhaving _Suparna_ for his mark (Krishna), and also the grandson of Sini\n(Satyaki) never experience pain, even when engaged in encounter with the\ngods, O Dharmaraja. And Arjuna is peerless in strength, and so am I too,\nO best of kings. And as Krishna together with the Yadavas is intent upon\nthy welfare, so am I also, O foremost of monarchs, and the heroic twins\naccomplished in war. And encountering the enemy, we, having for our main\nobject the attainment by thee of wealth and prosperity, will destroy\nthem.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then having learnt that intention of theirs,\nthe magnanimous and excellent son of Dharma, versed in religion and\nprofit, and of immeasurable prowess, went round Vaisravana's abode. And\nYudhishthira the just, after bidding adieu unto the palaces, the rivers,\nthe lakes, and all the _Rakshasas_, looked towards the way by which (he)\nhad come (there). And then looking at the mountain also, the high-souled\nand pure-minded one besought that best of mountains, saying, 'O foremost\nof mountains, may I together with my friends, after having finished my\ntask, and slain my foes, and regained my kingdom, see thee again,\ncarrying on austerities with subdued soul.' And this also he determined\non. And in company with his younger brothers and the _Brahmanas_, the\nlord of the Kurus proceeded even along that very road. And Ghatotkacha\nwith his followers began to carry them over the mountain cascades. And\nas they started, the great sage _Lomasa_, advising them even as a father\ndoth his son, with a cheerful heart, went unto the sacred abode of the\ndwellers of heaven. Then advised also by Arshtishena, those first of\nmen, the Parthas, went alone beholding romantic _tirthas_ and\nhermitages, and other mighty lakes.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXVI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"When they had left their happy home in the beautiful\nmountain abounding in cascades, and having birds, and the elephants of\nthe eight quarters, and the supernatural attendants of _Kuvera_ (as\ndwellers thereof), all happiness forsook those foremost of men of\nBharata's race. But afterwards on beholding _Kuvera's_ favourite\nmountain, _Kailasa_, appearing like clouds, the delight of those\npre-eminent heroes of the race of Bharata, became very great. And those\nforemost of heroic men, equipped with scimitars and bows, proceeded\ncontentedly, beholding elevations and defiles, and dens of lions and\ncraggy causeways and innumerable water-falls and lowlands, in different\nplaces, as also other great forests inhabited by countless deer and\nbirds and elephants. And they came upon beautiful woodlands and rivers\nand lakes and caves and mountain caverns; and these frequently by day\nand night became the dwelling place of those great men. And having dwelt\nin all sorts of inaccessible places and crossing _Kailasa_ of\ninconceivable grandeur, they reached the excellent and surpassingly\nbeautiful hermitage of _Vrishaparba_. And meeting king Vrishaparba and\nreceived by him, they became free from depression and then they\naccurately narrated in detail to Vrishaparba the story of their sojourn\nin the mountains. And having pleasantly passed one night in his sacred\nabode frequented by gods and _Maharshis_, those great warriors proceeded\nsmoothly towards the jujube tree called Visala and took up their\nquarters there. Then all those magnanimous men having reached the place\nof Narayana, continued to live there, bereft of all sorrow, at beholding\n_Kuvera's_ favourite lake, frequented by gods and _Siddhas_. And viewing\nthat lake, those foremost of men, the sons of Pandu traversed that\nplace, renouncing all grief even as immaculate _Brahmana rishis_ (do) on\nattaining a habitation in the _Nandana_ gardens. Then all those warriors\nhaving in due course happily lived at Badari for one month, proceeded\ntowards the realm of Suvahu, king of the _Kiratas_, by following the\nsame track by which they had come. And crossing the difficult Himalayan\nregions, and the countries of China, Tukhara, Darada and all the climes\nof Kulinda, rich in heaps of jewels, those warlike men reached the\ncapital of Suvahu. And hearing that those sons and grandsons of kings\nhad all reached his kingdom, Suvahu, elated with joy, advanced (to meet\nthem). Then the best of the Kurus welcomed him also. And meeting king\nSuvahu, and being joined by all their charioteers with Visoka at their\nhead and by their attendants, Indrasena and others, and also by the\nsuperintendents and servants of the kitchen, they stayed there\ncomfortably for one night. Then taking all the chariots and chariot-men\nand dismissing Ghatotkacha together with his followers, they next\nrepaired to the monarch of mountains in the vicinity of the _Yamuna_. In\nthe midst of the mountain abounding in waterfalls and having grey and\norange-coloured slopes and summits covered with a sheet of snow, those\nwarlike men having then found the great forest of Visakhayupa like unto\nthe forest of Chitraratha and inhabited by wild boars and various kinds\nof deer and birds, made it their home. Addicted to hunting as their\nchief occupation, the sons of Pritha peacefully dwelt in that forest for\none year. There in a cavern of the mountain, Vrikodara, with a heart\nafflicted with distraction and grief, came across a snake of huge\nstrength distressed with hunger and looking fierce like death itself. At\nthis crisis Yudhishthira, the best of pious men, became the protector of\nVrikodara and he, of infinite puissance, extricated Bhima whose whole\nbody had been fast gripped by the snake with its folds. And the twelfth\nyear of their sojourn in forests having arrived, those scions of the\nrace of Kuru, blazing in effulgence, and engaged in asceticism, always\ndevoted principally to the practice of archery, repaired cheerfully from\nthat Chitraratha-like forest to the borders of the desert, and desirous\nof dwelling by the _Saraswati_ they went there, and from the banks of\nthat river they reached the lake of _Dwaitabana_. Then seeing them enter\n_Dwaitabana_, the dwellers of that place engaged in asceticism,\nreligious ordinances, and self-restraining exercises and in deep and\ndevout meditation and subsisting on things ground with stone (for want\nof teeth) having procured grass-mats and water-vessels, advanced to meet\nthem. The holy fig, the rudaraksha, the rohitaka, the cane and the\njujube, the catechu, the sirisha, the bel and the inguda and the karira\nand pilu and sami trees grew on the banks of the _Saraswati_. Wandering\nabout with contentment in (the vicinity of) the _Saraswati_ which was,\nas it were, the home of the celestials, and the favourite (resort) of\n_Yakshas_ and _Gandharvas_ and _Maharshis_, those sons of kings lived\nthere in happiness.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXVII\n\nJanamejaya said, \"How was it, O sage! that Bhima, of mighty prowess and\npossessing the strength of ten thousand elephants, was stricken with\npanic at (the sight of) that snake? Thou hast described him, that slayer\nof his enemies, as dismayed and appalled with fear, even him, who by\nfighting at the lotus lake (of Kuvera) became the destroyer of _Yakshas_\nand _Rakshasas_ and who, in proud defiance, invited to a single combat,\nPulastya's son, the dispenser of all riches. I desire to hear this (from\nyou); great indeed is my curiosity.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"O king, having reached king Vrishaparva's\nhermitage, while those fearful warriors were living in various wonderful\nwoods, Vrikodara roaming at pleasure, with bow in hand and armed with a\nscimitar, found that beautiful forest, frequented by gods and\n_Gandharvas_. And then he beheld (some) lovely spots in the Himalayan\nmountains, frequented by _Devarshis_ and _Siddhas_ and inhabited by\nhosts of _Apsaras_, resounded here and there with (the warbling of)\nbirds--the _chakora_, the _chakrabaka_, the _jibajibaka_ and the cuckoo\nand the _Bhringaraja_, and abounding with shady trees, soft with the\ntouch of snow and pleasing to the eye and mind, and bearing perennial\nfruits and flowers. And he beheld mountain streams with waters\nglistening like the _lapis lazuli_ and with ten thousand snow-white\nducks and swans and with forests of _deodar_ trees forming (as it were)\na trap for the clouds; and with _tugna_ and _kalikaya_ forests,\ninterspersed with yellow sandal trees. And he of mighty strength, in the\npursuit of the chase, roamed in the level and desert tracts of the\nmountain, piercing his game with unpoisoned arrows. In that forest the\nfamous and mighty Bhimasena, possessing the strength of a hundred\nelephants, killed (many) large wild boars, with the force (of his arms).\nAnd endowed with terrible prowess and mighty strength, and powerful as\nthe lion or the tiger, and capable of resisting a hundred men, and\nhaving long arms, and possessing the strength of a hundred elephants, he\nkilled many antelopes and wild boars and buffaloes. And here and there,\nin that forest he pulled out trees by the roots, with great violence and\nbroke them too, causing the earth and the woods and the (surrounding)\nplaces to resound. And then shouting and trampling on the tops of\nmountains, and causing the earth to resound with his roars, and striking\nhis arms, and uttering his war-cry, and slapping and clapping his hands,\nBhimasena, exempt from decay, and ever-proud and without fear, again and\nagain leaped about in those woods. And on hearing the shouts of\nBhimasena, powerful lions and elephants of huge strength, left their\nlairs in fright. And in that same forest, he fearlessly strolled about\nin search of game; and like the denizens of the woods, that most valiant\nof men, the mighty Bhimasena, wandered on foot in that forest. And he\npenetrated the vast forest, shouting strange whoops, and terrifying all\ncreatures, endowed with strength and prowess. And then being terrified,\nthe snakes hid (themselves) in caves, but he, overtaking them with\npromptitude, pursued them slowly. Then the mighty Bhimasena, like unto\nthe Lord of the Celestials, saw a serpent of colossal proportions,\nliving in one of the mountain fastnesses and covering the (entire) cave\nwith its body and causing one's hair to stand on end (from fright). It\nhad its huge body stretched like a hillock, and it possessed gigantic\nstrength, and its body was speckled with spots and it had a\nturmeric-like (yellow) colour and a deep copper-coloured mouth of the\nform of a cave supplied with four teeth; and with glaring eyes, it was\nconstantly licking the corners of its mouth. And it was the terror of\nall animated beings and it looked like the very image of the Destroyer\nYama; and with the hissing noise of its breath it lay as if rebuking (an\nin-comer). And seeing Bhima draw so near to him, the serpent, all on a\nsudden, became greatly enraged, and that goat-devouring snake violently\nseized Bhimasena in his grip. Then by virtue of the boon that had been\nreceived by the serpent, Bhimasena with his body in the serpent's grip,\ninstantly lost all consciousness. Unrivalled by that of others, the\nmight of Bhimasena's arms equaled the might of ten thousand elephants\ncombined. But Bhima, of great prowess, being thus vanquished by the\nsnake, trembled slowly, and was unable to exert himself. And that one of\nmighty arms and of leonine shoulders, though possessed of strength of ten\nthousand elephants, yet seized by the snake, and overpowered by virtue\nof the boon, lost all strength. He struggled furiously to extricate\nhimself, but did not succeed in any wise baffling this (snake).\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXVIII\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"And the powerful Bhimasena, having thus come\nunder the power of the snake, thought of its mighty and wonderful\nprowess; and said unto it, 'Be thou pleased to tell me, O snake, who\nthou art. And, O foremost of reptiles, what wilt thou do with me? I am\nBhimasena, the son of Pandu, and next by birth to Yudhishthira the just.\nAnd endued as I am with the strength of ten thousand elephants, how hast\nthou been able to overpower me? In fight have been encountered and slain\nby me innumerable lions, and tigers, and buffaloes, and elephants. And,\nO best of serpents, mighty _Rakshasas_ and _Pisachas_, and _Nagas_, are\nunable to stand the force of my arms. Art thou possessed of any magic,\nor hast thou received any boon, that although exerting myself, I have\nbeen overcome by thee? Now I have been convinced that the strength of\nmen is false, for, O serpent, by thee hath such mighty strength of men\nbeen baffled.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"When the heroic Bhima of noble deed had said\nthis, the snake caught him, and coiled him all round with his body,\nhaving thus subdued that mighty-armed one, and freed his plump arms\nalone, the serpent spake these words, 'By good fortune it is that,\nmyself being hungry, after long time the gods have to-day destined thee\nfor my food; for life is dear unto every embodied being, I should relate\nunto thee the way in which I have come by this snake form. Hear, O best\nof the pious, I have fallen into this plight on account of the wrath of\nthe _Maharshis_. Now desirous of getting rid of the curse, I will\nnarrate unto thee all about it. Thou hast, no doubt, heard of the royal\nsage, _Nahusha_. He was the son of Ayu, and the perpetuator of the line\nof thy ancestors. Even I am that one. For having affronted the\n_Brahmanas_ I, by (virtue of) Agastya's malediction, have come by this\ncondition. Thou art my agnate, and lovely to behold.--so thou shouldst\nnot be slain by me,--yet I shall to-day devour thee! Do thou behold the\ndispensation of Destiny! And be it a buffalo, or an elephant, none\ncoming within my reach at the sixth division of the day, can, O best of\nmen, escape. And, O best of the Kurus, thou hast not been taken by an\nanimal of the lower order, having strength alone,--but this (hath been\nso) by reason only of the boon I have received. As I was falling rapidly\nfrom Sakra's throne placed on the front of his palace, I spake unto that\nworshipful sage (Agastya), \"Do thou free me from this curse.\" Thereat\nfilled with compassion, that energetic one said unto me, \"O king, thou\nshall be freed after the lapse of some time.\" Then I fell to the earth\n(as a snake); but my recollection (of former life) did not renounce me.\nAnd although it be so ancient, I still recollect all that was said. And\nthe sage said unto me, \"That person who conversant with the relation\nsubsisting between the soul and the Supreme Being, shall be able to\nanswer the questions put by thee, shall deliver thee. And, O king, taken\nby thee, strong beings superior to thee, shall immediately lose their\nstrength.\" I heard these words of those compassionate ones, who felt\nattached unto me. And then the Brahmanas vanished. Thus, O highly\neffulgent one, having become a serpent, I, doing exceedingly sinful\nacts, live in unclean hell, in expectation of the (appointed) time.' The\nmighty-armed Bhimasena addressed the serpent, saying, 'I am not angry, O\nmighty snake,--nor do I blame myself. Since in regard to happiness and\nmisery, men sometimes possess the power of bringing and dismissing them,\nand sometimes do not. Therefore one should not fret one's mind. Who can\nbaffle destiny by self-exertion? I deem destiny to be supreme, and\nself-exertion to be of no avail. Smitten with the stroke of destiny, the\nprowess of my arms lost, behold me to-day fallen unto this condition\nwithout palpable cause. But to-day I do not so much grieve for my own\nself being slain, as I do for my brothers deprived of their kingdom, and\nexiled into the forest. This Himalaya is inaccessible, and abounds with\n_Yakshas_ and the _Rakshasas_. And searching about for me, they will be\ndistracted. And hearing that I have been killed, (my brothers) will\nforego all exertion, for, firm in promise, they have hitherto been\ncontrolled by my harsh speech, I being desirous of gaining the kingdom.\nOr the intelligent Arjuna (alone), being versed in every lore, and\nincapable of being overcome by gods and _Rakshasas_ and _Gandharvas_,\nwill not be afflicted with grief. That mighty-armed and exceedingly\npowerful one is able single-handed to speedily pull down from his place\neven the celestials. What shall I say of the deceitfully gambling son of\nDhritarashtra, detested of all men, and filled with haughtiness and\nignorance! And I also grieve for my poor mother, affectionate to her\nsons, who is ever solicitous for our greatness in a large measure than\nis attained by our enemies. O serpent, the desire that forlorn one had\nin me will all be fruitless in consequence of my destruction. And gifted\nwith manliness, the twins, Nakula and Sahadeva, following their elder\nbrother (me), and always protected by the strength of my arms, will,\nowing to my destruction, be depressed and deprived of their prowess, and\nstricken with grief. This is what I think.' In this way Vrikodara\nlamented profusely. And being bound by the body of the snake, he could\nnot exert himself.\n\n\"On the other hand, Kunti's son, Yudhishthira, (seeing) and reflecting\non dreadful ill omens, became alarmed. Terrified by the blaze of the\npoints of the horizon, jackals stationing themselves on the right of\nthat hermitage, set up frightful and inauspicious yells. And ugly\n_Vartikas_ as of dreadful sight, having one wing, one eye, and one leg,\nwere seen to vomit blood, facing the sun. And the wind began to blow\ndryly, and violently, attracting grits. And to the right all the beasts\nand birds began to cry. And in the rear the black crows cried, 'Go!'\n'Go!' And momentarily his (Yudhishthira's) right arm began to twitch,\nand his chest and left leg shook (of themselves). And indicating evil\nhis left eye contracted spasmodically. Thereupon, O Bharata, the\nintelligent Yudhishthira the just, inferring some great calamity (to be\nimminent), asked Draupadi, saying, 'Where is Bhima?' Thereat Panchali\nsaid that Vrikodara had long gone out. Hearing this, that mighty-armed\nking set out with Dhaumya, after having said unto Dhananjaya, 'Thou\nshouldst protect Draupadi.' And he also directed Nakula and Sahadeva to\nprotect the _Brahmanas_. And issuing from the hermitage that lord,\nKunti's son, following the footprints of Bhimasena, began to search for\nhim in that mighty forest. And on coming to the east, he found mighty\nleaders of elephant-herds (slain) and saw the earth marked with Bhima's\n(foot-prints). Then seeing thousands of deer and hundreds of lions lying\nin the forest, the king ascertained his course. And on the way were\nscattered trees pulled down by the wind caused by the thighs of that\nhero endued with the speed of the wind as he rushed after the deer. And\nproceeding, guided by those marks, to a spot filled with dry winds and\nabounding in leafless vegetables, brackish and devoid of water, covered\nwith thorny plants and scattered over with gravel, stumps and shrubs and\ndifficult of access and uneven and dangerous, he saw in a mountain\ncavern his younger brother motionless, caught in the folds of that\nforemost of snakes.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXIX\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Yudhishthira, finding his beloved brother\ncoiled by the body of the serpent, said these words: 'O son of Kunti,\nhow hast thou come by this misfortune! And who is this best of serpents\nhaving a body like unto a mountain mass?' Bhimasena said, 'O worshipful\none, this mighty being hath caught me for food. He is the royal sage\nNahusha living in the form of a serpent.' Yudhishthira said, 'O\nlonglived one, do thou free my brother of immeasurable prowess; we will\ngive thee some other food which will appease thy hunger.' The serpent\nsaid, 'I have got for diet even this son of a king, come to my mouth of\nhimself. Do thou go away. Thou shouldst not stay here. (If thou\nremainest here) thou too shall be my fare to-morrow. O mighty-armed one,\nthis is ordained in respect of me, that he that cometh unto my place,\nbecometh my food and thou too art in my quarter. After a long time have\nI got thy younger brother as my food; I will not let him off; neither do\nI like to have any other food.' Thereat Yudhishthira said, 'O serpent,\nwhether thou art a god, or a demon, or an _Uraga_, do thou tell me\ntruly, it is Yudhishthira that asketh thee, wherefore, O snake, hast\nthou taken Bhimasena? By obtaining which, or by knowing what wilt thou\nreceive satisfaction, O snake, and what food shall I give thee? And how\nmayst thou free him.' The serpent said, 'O sinless one, I was thy\nancestor, the son of Ayu and fifth in descent from the Moon. And I was a\nking celebrated under the name of Nahusha. And by sacrifices and\nasceticism and study of the Vedas and self-restraint and prowess I had\nacquired a permanent dominion over the three worlds. And when I had\nobtained such dominion, haughtiness possessed me. And thousands of\n_Brahmanas_ were engaged in carrying my chair. And intoxicated by\nsupremacy, I insulted those _Brahmanas_. And, O lord of the earth, by\nAgastya have I been reduced to this pass! Yet, O Pandava, to this day\nthe memory (of my former birth) hath not forsaken me! And, O king, even\nby the favour of that high-souled Agastya, during the sixth division of\nthe day have I got for meal thy younger brother. Neither will I set him\nfree, nor do I wish for any other food. But if to-day thou answerest the\nquestions put by me, then, I shall deliver Vrikodara!' At this\nYudhishthira said, 'O serpent, ask whatever thou listest! I shall, if I\ncan, answer thy questions with the view of gratifying thee, O snake!\nThou knowest fully what should be known by _Brahmanas_. Therefore, O\nking of snakes, hearing (thee) I shall answer thy queries!'\n\n\"The serpent said, 'O Yudhishthira, say--Who is a _Brahmana_ and what\nshould be known? By thy speech I infer thee to be highly intelligent.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O foremost of serpents, he, it is asserted by the\nwise, in whom are seen truth, charity, forgiveness, good conduct,\nbenevolence, observance of the rites of his order and mercy is a\n_Brahmana_. And, O serpent, that which should be known is even the\nsupreme _Brahma_, in which is neither happiness nor misery--and\nattaining which beings are not affected with misery; what is thy\nopinion?'\n\n\"The serpent said, 'O Yudhishthira, truth, charity, forgiveness,\nbenevolence, benignity, kindness and the _Veda_[2] which worketh the\nbenefit of the four orders, which is the authority in matters of\nreligion and which is true, are seen even in the _Sudra_. As regards the\nobject to be known and which thou allegest is without both happiness and\nmisery, I do not see any such that is devoid of these.'\n\n    [2] In as much as the rites performed by the Sudras have their\n    origin in the Vedas.\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'Those characteristics that are present in a\n_Sudra_, do not exist in a _Brahmana_; nor do those that are in a\n_Brahmana_ exist in a _Sudra_. And a _Sudra_ is not a _Sudra_ by birth\nalone--nor a _Brahmana_ is _Brahmana_ by birth alone. He, it is said by\nthe wise, in whom are seen those virtues is a _Brahmana_. And people\nterm him a Sudra in whom those qualities do not exist, even though he be\na _Brahmana_ by birth. And again, as for thy assertion that the object\nto be known (as asserted by me) doth not exist, because nothing exists\nthat is devoid of both (happiness and misery), such indeed is the\nopinion, O serpent, that nothing exists that is without (them) both. But\nas in cold, heat doth not exist, nor in heat, cold, so there cannot\nexist an object in which both (happiness and misery) cannot exist?'\n\n\"The serpent said, 'O king, if thou recognise him as a Brahmana by\ncharacteristics, then, O long-lived one, the distinction of caste\nbecometh futile as long as conduct doth not come into play.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'In human society, O mighty and highly intelligent\nserpent, it is difficult to ascertain one's caste, because of\npromiscuous intercourse among the four orders. This is my opinion. Men\nbelonging to all orders (promiscuously) beget offspring upon women of\nall the orders. And of men, speech, sexual intercourse, birth and death\nare common. And to this the Rishis have borne testimony by using as the\nbeginning of a sacrifice such expressions as--_of what caste so ever we\nmay be, we celebrate the sacrifice_. Therefore, those that are wise have\nasserted that character is the chief essential requisite. The natal\nceremony of a person is performed before division of the umbilical cord.\nHis mother then acts as its _Savitri_ and his father officiates as\npriest. He is considered as a _Sudra_ as long as he is not initiated in\nthe _Vedas_. Doubts having arisen on this point, O prince of serpents,\nSwayambhuba Manu has declared, that the mixed castes are to be regarded\nas better than the (other) classes, if having gone through the\nceremonies of purification, the latter do not conform to the rules of\ngood conduct, O excellent snake! Whosoever now conforms to the rules of\npure and virtuous conduct, him have I, ere now, designated as a\n_Brahmana_.' The serpent replied, 'O Yudhishthira, thou art acquainted\nwith all that is fit to be known and having listened to thy words, how\ncan I (now) eat up thy brother Vrikodara!'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXX\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'In this world, you are so learned in the _Vedas_\nand _Vedangas_; tell me (then), what one should do to attain salvation?'\n\n\"The serpent replied, 'O scion of the Bharata's race, my belief is that\nthe man who bestows alms on proper objects, speaks kind words and tells\nthe truth and abstains from doing injury to any creature goes to\nheaven.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira enquired, 'Which, O snake, is the higher of the two, truth\nor alms-giving? Tell me also the greater or less importance of kind\nbehaviour and of doing injury to no creature.'\n\n\"The snake replied, 'The relative merits of these virtues, truth and\nalms-giving, kind speech and abstention from injury to any creature, are\nknown (measured) by their objective gravity (utility). Truth is\n(sometimes) more praiseworthy than some acts of charity; some of the\nlatter again are more commendable than true speech. Similarly, O mighty\nking, and lord of the earth, abstention from doing injury to any\ncreature is seen to be important than good speech and vice-versa. Even\nso it is, O king, depending on effects. And now, if thou hast anything\nelse to ask, say it all, I shall enlighten thee!' Yudhishthira said,\n'Tell me, O snake, how the incorporal being's translation to heaven, its\nperception by the senses and its enjoyment of the immutable fruits of\nits actions (here below), can be comprehended.' The snake replied, 'By\nhis own acts, man is seen to attain to one of the three conditions of\nhuman existence, of heavenly life, or of birth in the lower animal\nkingdom. Among these, the man who is not slothful, who injures no one\nand who is endowed with charity and other virtues, goes to heaven, after\nleaving this world of men. By doing the very contrary, O king, people\nare again born as men or as lower animals. O my son, it is particularly\nsaid in this connection, that the man who is swayed by anger and lust\nand who is given to avarice and malice falls away from his human state\nand is born again as a lower animal, and the lower animals too are\nordained to be transformed into the human state; and the cow, the horse\nand other animals are observed to attain to even the divine state.[3] O\nmy son, the sentient being, reaping the fruits of his actions, thus\ntransmigrates through these conditions; but the regenerate and wise man\nreposes his soul in the everlasting Supreme Spirit. The embodied spirit,\nenchained by destiny and reaping the fruits of its own actions, thus\nundergoes birth after birth but he that has lost touch of his actions,\nis conscious of the immutable destiny of all born beings.[4]'\n\n    [3] More literally, the state of the gods. It may appropriately\n    be remarked here that the ordinary Hindu gods, of the post-Vedic\n    period, like the gods of Ancient Greece and Italy, were simply a\n    class of superhuman beings, distinctly contra-distinguished from\n    the Supreme Spirit, the _Paramatman_ or _Parabrahma_. After\n    death, a virtuous man was supposed to be transformed into one of\n    these so-called gods.\n\n    [4] This is the well-known and popular doctrine of\n    transmigration of souls.\n\n\"Yudhishthira asked, 'O snake, tell me truly and without confusion how\nthat dissociated spirit becomes cognisant of sound, touch, form,\nflavour, and taste. O great-minded one, dost thou not perceive them,\nsimultaneously by the senses? Do thou, O best of snakes, answer all\nthese queries!' The snake replied, 'O long-lived one, the thing called\n_Atman_ (spirit), betaking itself to corporeal tenement and manifesting\nitself through the organs of sense, becomes duly cognisant of\nperceptible objects. O prince of Bharata's race, know that the senses,\nthe mind, and the intellect, assisting the soul in its perception of\nobjects, are called _Karanas_. O my son, the eternal spirit, going out\nof its sphere, and aided by the mind, acting through the senses, the\nreceptacles of all perceptions, successively perceives these things\n(sound, form, flavour, &c). O most valiant of men, the mind of living\ncreatures is the cause of all perception, and, therefore, it cannot be\ncognisant of more than one thing at a time. That spirit, O foremost of\nmen, betaking itself to the space between the eyebrows, sends the high\nand low intellect to different objects. What the _Yogins_ perceive after\nthe action of the intelligent principle by that is manifested the action\nof the soul.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'Tell me the distinguishing characteristics of the\nmind and the intellect. The knowledge of it is ordained as the chief\nduty of persons meditating on the Supreme Spirit.'\n\n\"The snake replied, 'Through illusion, the soul becomes subservient to\nthe intellect. The intellect, though known to be subservient to the\nsoul, becomes (then) the director of the latter. The intellect is\nbrought into play by acts of perception; the mind is self-existent. The\nIntellect does not cause the sensation (as of pain, pleasure, &c), but\nthe mind does. This, my son, is the difference between the mind and the\nintellect. You too are learned in this matter, what is your opinion?'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O most intelligent one, you have fine intelligence\nand you know all that is fit to be known. Why do you ask me that\nquestion? You knew all and you performed such wonderful deeds and you\nlived in heaven. How could then illusion overpower you? Great is my\ndoubt on this point.' The snake replied, 'Prosperity intoxicates even\nthe wise and valiant men. Those who live in luxury, (soon) lose their\nreason. So, I too, O Yudhishthira, overpowered by the infatuation of\nprosperity, have fallen from my high state and having recovered my\nself-consciousness, am enlightening thee thus! O victorious king, thou\nhast done me a good turn. By conversing with thy pious self, my painful\ncurse has been expiated. In days of yore, while I used to sojourn in\nheaven in a celestial chariot, reveling in my pride, I did not think of\nanything else, I used to exact tribute from _Brahmarshis, Devas,\nYakshas, Gandharvas, Rakshasas, Pannagas_ and all other dwellers of the\nthree worlds. O lord of earth, such was the spell of my eyes, that on\nwhatever creature, I fixed them, I instantly destroyed his power.\nThousands of _Brahmarshis_ used to draw my chariot. The delinquency, O\nking, was the cause of my fall from my high prosperity. Among them,\nAgastya was one day drawing my conveyance, and my feet came in contact\nwith his body; Agastya then pronounced (this curse) on me, in anger,\n\"Ruin seize thee, do thou become a snake.\" So, losing my glory, I fell\ndown from that excellent car and while falling, I beheld myself turned\ninto a snake, with head downwards. I thus implored that Brahmana, \"May\nthis curse be extinguished, O adorable one! You ought to forgive one who\nhas been so foolish from infatuation.\" Then he kindly told me this, as I\nwas being hurled down (from heaven), \"The virtuous king Yudhishthira\nwill save thee from this curse, and when, O king, horrible sin of pride\nwill be extinguished in thee, thou shalt attain salvation.\" And I was\nstruck with wonder on seeing (this) power of his austere virtues; and\ntherefore, have I questioned thee about the attributes of the Supreme\nSpirit and of _Brahmanas_. Truth, charity, self-restraint, penance,\nabstention from doing injury to any creature, and constancy in virtue,\nthese, O king, and not his race or family connections, are the means, by\nwhich a man must always secure salvation. May this brother of thine, the\nmighty Bhimasena, meet with good luck and may happiness abide with thee!\nI must go to Heaven again.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"So saying, that king, Nahusha, quitted his\nserpentine form, and assuming his celestial shape he went back to\nHeaven. The glorious and pious Yudhishthira, too, returned to his\nhermitage with Dhaumya and his brother Bhima. Then the virtuous\nYudhishthira narrated all that, in detail, to the _Brahmanas_ who had\nassembled (there). On hearing that, his three brothers and all the\n_Brahmanas_ and the renowned Draupadi too were covered with shame. And\nall those excellent _Brahmanas_ desiring the welfare of the Pandavas,\nadmonished Bhima for his foolhardiness, telling him not to attempt such\nthings again, and the Pandavas too were greatly pleased at seeing the\nmighty Bhima out of danger, and continued to live there pleasantly.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXI\n\n(_Markandeya-Samasya Parva_)\n\nVaisampayana said, \"While they were dwelling at that place, there set in\nthe season of the rains, the season that puts an end to the hot weather\nand is delightful to all animated beings. Then the black clouds,\nrumbling loudly, and covering the heavens and the cardinal points,\nceaselessly rained during day and night. These clouds, counted by\nhundreds and by thousands, looked like domes in the rainy season. From\nthe earth disappeared the effulgence of the sun; its place was taken by\nthe stainless lustre of the lightning; the earth became delightful to\nall, being overgrown with grass, with gnats and reptiles in their joy;\nit was bathed with rain and possessed with calm. When the waters had\ncovered all, it could not be known whether the ground was at all even or\nuneven;--whether there were rivers or trees or hills. At the end of the\nhot season, the rivers added beauty to the woods being themselves full\nof agitated waters, flowing with great force and resembling serpents in\nthe hissing sound they made. The boars, the stags and the birds, while\nthe rain was falling upon them began to utter sounds of various kinds\nwhich could be heard within the forest tracts. The _chatakas_, the\npeacocks and the host of male _Kohilas_ and the excited frogs, all ran\nabout in joy. Thus while the Pandavas were roaming about in the deserts\nand sandy tracts, the happy season of rain, so various in aspect and\nresounding with clouds passed away. Then set in the season of autumn,\nthronged with ganders and cranes and full of joy; then the forest tracts\nwere overrun with grass; the river turned limpid; the firmament and\nstars shone brightly., And the autumn, thronged with beasts and birds,\nwas joyous and pleasant for the magnanimous sons of Pandu. Then were\nseen nights, that were free from dust and cool with clouds and\nbeautified by myriads of planets and stars and the moon. And they beheld\nrivers and ponds, adorned with lilies and white lotuses, full of cool\nand pleasant water. And while roving by the river _Saraswati_ whose\nbanks resembled the firmament itself and were overgrown with canes, and\nas such abounded in sacred baths, their joy was great. And those heroes\nwho wielded powerful bows, were specially glad to see the pleasant river\n_Saraswati_, with its limpid waters full to the brim. And, O Janamejaya,\nthe holiest night, that of the full moon in the month of _Kartika_ in\nthe season of autumn, was spent by them while dwelling there! And the\nsons of Pandu, the best of the descendants of Bharata, spent that\nauspicious juncture with righteous and magnanimous saints devoted to\npenance. And as soon as the dark fortnight set in immediately after, the\nsons of Pandu entered the forest named the Kamyaka, accompanied by\nDhananjaya and their charioteers and cooks.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"O son of Kuru, they, Yudhishthira and others, having\nreached the forest of _Kamyaka_, were hospitably received by hosts of\nsaints and they lived together with Krishna. And while the sons of Pandu\nwere dwelling in security in that place, many _Brahmanas_ came to wait\nupon them. And a certain _Brahmana_ said, 'He the beloved friend of\nArjuna, of powerful arms and possessed of self control, descendant of\n_Sura_, of a lofty intellect, will come, for, O ye foremost of the\ndescendants of Kuru, Hari knows that ye have arrived here. For, Hari has\nalways a longing for your sight and always seeks your welfare. And\nMarkandeya, who lived very many years devoted to great austerities,\ngiven to study and penance, will erelong come and meet you.' And the\nvery moment that he was uttering these words, there was beheld Krishna,\ncoming thitherward upon a car unto which were yoked the horses Saivya\nand Sugriva,--he the best of those that ride on cars, accompanied by\nSatyabhama, is like Indra by Sachi, the daughter of Pulaman. And the son\nof Devaki came, desirous to see those most righteous of the descendants\nof Kuru. And the sagacious Krishna, having alighted from the car,\nprostrated himself, with pleasure in his heart, before the virtuous\nking, in the prescribed way, and also before Bhima, that foremost of\npowerful men. And he paid his respects to Dhaumya, while the twin\nbrothers prostrated themselves to him. And he embraced Arjuna of the\ncurly hair; and spoke words of solace to the daughter of Drupada. And\nthe descendant of the chief of the Dasaraha tribe, that chastiser of\nfoes, when he saw the beloved Arjuna come near him, having seen him\nafter a length of time, clasped him again and again. And so too\nSatyabhama also, the beloved consort of Krishna, embraced the daughter\nof Drupada, the beloved wife of the sons of Pandu. Then these sons of\nPandu, accompanied by their wife and priests, paid their respects to\nKrishna, whose eyes resembled the white lotus and surrounded him on all\nsides. And Krishna, when united with Arjuna, the son of Pritha, the\nwinner of riches and the terror of the demons assumed a beauty\ncomparable to that of _Siva_, the magnanimous lord of all created\nbeings, when he, the mighty lord, is united with Kartikeya (his son).\nAnd Arjuna, who bore a circlet of crowns on his head, gave an account of\nwhat had happened to him in the forest to Krishna, the elder brother of\nGada. And Arjuna asked, saying, 'How is Subhadra, and her son\nAbhimanyu?' And Krishna, the slayer of Madhu, having paid his respects\nin the prescribed form to the son of Pritha, and to the priest, and\nseating himself with them there, spoke to king Yudhishthira, in words of\npraise. And he said, 'O king, Virtue is preferable to the winning of\nkingdoms; it is, in fact, practice of austerities! By you who have\nobeyed with truth and candour what your duty prescribed, have been won\nboth this world and that to come! First you have studied, while\nperforming religious duties; having acquired in a suitable way the whole\nscience of arms, having won wealth by pursuing the methods prescribed\nfor the military caste, you have celebrated all the time-honoured\nsacrificial rites. You take no delight in sensual pleasures; you do not\nact, O lord of men, from motives of enjoyment, nor do you swerve from\nvirtue from greed of riches; it is for this, you have been named the\nVirtuous King, O son of Pritha! Having won kingdoms and riches and means\nof enjoyment, your best delight has been charity and truth and practice\nof austerities, O King, and faith and meditation and forbearance and\npatience! When the population of Kuru-jangala beheld Krishna outraged in\nthe assembly hall, who but yourself could brook that conduct, O Pandu's\nson, which was so repugnant both to virtue and usage? No doubt, you\nwill, before long, rule over men in a praiseworthy way, all your desires\nbeing fulfilled. Here are we prepared to chastise the Kurus, as soon as\nthe stipulation made by you is fully performed!' And Krishna, the\nforemost of the _Dasarha_ tribe, then said to Dhaumya and Bhima and\nYudhishthira, and the twins and Krishna, 'How fortunate that by your\nblessing Arjuna the bearer of the coronet, has arrived after having\nacquired the science of arms!' And Krishna, the leader of the _Dasarha_\ntribe, accompanied by friends, likewise spoke to Krishna, the daughter\nof Yajnasena, saying, 'How fortunate that you are united, safe and\nsecure, with Arjuna, the winner of riches!' And Krishna also said, 'O\nKrishna, O daughter of Yajnasena, those sons of yours, are devoted to\nthe study of the science of arms, are well-behaved and conduct\nthemselves on the pattern, O Krishna, of their righteous friends. Your\nfather and your uterine brothers proffer them a kingdom and territories;\nbut the boys find no joy in the house of Drupada, or in that of their\nmaternal uncles. Safely proceeding to the land of the Anartas, they take\nthe greatest delight in the study of the science of arms. Your sons\nenter the town of the _Vrishnis_ and take an immediate liking to the\npeople there. And as you would direct them to conduct themselves, or as\nthe respected Kunti would do, so does Subhadra direct them in a watchful\nway. Perhaps, she is still more careful of them. And, O Krishna, as\nRukmini's son is the preceptor of Aniruddha, of Abhimanyu, of Sunitha,\nand of Bhanu; so he is the preceptor and the refuge of your sons also!\nAnd a good preceptor, would unceasingly give them lessons in the\nwielding of maces and swords and bucklers, in missiles and in the arts\nof driving cars and of riding horses, being valiant. And he, the son of\nRukmini, having bestowed a very good training upon them, and having\ntaught them the art of using various weapons in a proper way, takes\nsatisfaction at the valorous deeds of your sons, and of Abhimanyu, O\ndaughter of Drupada! And when your son goes out, in pursuit of\n(out-door) sports, each one of them is followed thither by cars and\nhorses and vehicles and elephants.' And Krishna said to the virtuous\nking, Yudhishthira, 'The fighting men of the _Dasarha_ tribe, and the\n_Kukuras_, and the _Andhakas_--let these, O king, place themselves at\nthy command--let them perform what thou desirest them. O lord of men,\nlet the army of the tribe of Madhus, (resistless) like the wind, with\ntheir bows and led by Balarama whose weapon is the plough--let that\narmy, equipped (for war), consisting of horsemen and foot soldiers and\nhorses and cars and elephants, prepare to do your bidding. O son of\nPandu! Drive Duryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra, the vilest of sinful\nmen, together with his followers and his hosts of friends to the path\nbetaken by the lord of Saubha, the son of the Earth! You, O ruler of\nmen, are welcome to stick to that stipulation which was made in the\nassembly-hall--but let the city of Hastina be made ready for you, when\nthe hostile force has been slain by the soldiers of the _Dasarha_ tribe!\nHaving roamed at your pleasure in all those places where you may desire\nto go, having got rid of your grief and freed from all your sins--you\nwill reach the city of Hastina--the well-known city situated in the\nmidst of a fine territory!'--Then the magnanimous king having been\nacquainted with the view, thus clearly set forth by Krishna that best of\nmen, and, having applauded the same, and having deliberated, thus spoke\nwith joined palms unto Kesava, 'O Kesava, no doubt, thou art the refuge\nof the sons of Pandu; for the sons of Pandu have their protector in\nthee! When the time will come, there is no doubt that thou wilt do all\nthe work just mentioned by thee; and even more than the same! As\npromised by us, we have spent all the twelve years in lonely forests. O\nKesava, having in the prescribed way completed the period for living\nunrecognised, the sons of Pandu will take refuge in thee. This should be\nthe intention of those that associate with thee, O Krishna! The sons of\nPandu swerve not from the path of truth, for the sons of Pritha with\ntheir charity and their piety with their people and their wives and with\ntheir relations have their protector in thee!'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"O descendant of Bharata, while Krishna, the\ndescendant of the _Vrishnis_ and the virtuous king, were thus talking,\nthere appeared then the saint Markandeya, grown grey in the practise of\npenances. And he had seen many thousand years of life, was of a pious\nsoul, and devoted to great austerities. Signs of old age he had none;\nand deathless he was, and endued with beauty and generous and many good\nqualities. And he looked like one only twenty-five years old. And when\nthe aged saint, who had seen many thousand years of life, came, all the\n_Brahmanas_ paid their respects to him and so did Krishna together with\nPandu's son. And when that wisest saint, thus honoured, took his seat in\na friendly way, Krishna addressed him, in accordance with the views of\nthe _Brahmanas_ and of Pandu's sons, thus,--\n\n\"'The sons of Pandu, and the _Brahmanas_ assembled here, and the\ndaughter of Drupada, and Satyabhama, likewise myself, are all anxious to\nhear your most excellent words, O Markandeya! Propound to us the holy\nstories of events of bygone times, and the eternal rules of righteous\nconduct by which are guided kings and women and saints!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"When they had all taken their seats, Narada\nalso, the divine saint, of purified soul, came on a visit to Pandu's\nsons. Him also, then, of great soul, all those foremost men of superior\nintellect, honoured in the prescribed form, by offering water to wash\nhis feet, and the well-known oblation called the _Arghya_. Then the\ngodlike saint, Narada, learning that they were about to hear the speech\nof Markandeya, expressed his assent to the arrangement. And he, the\ndeathless, knowing what would be opportune, said smilingly, 'O saint of\nthe _Brahmana_ caste, speak what you were about to say unto the sons of\nPandu!' Thus addressed, Markandeya, devoted to great austerities,\nreplied, 'Wait a moment. A great deal will be narrated.' Thus addressed,\nthe sons of Pandu, together with those twice-born ones, waited a moment,\nlooking at that great saint, (bright) as the mid-day sun.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Pandu's son, the king of the Kuru tribe, having\nobserved that the great saint was willing to speak, questioned him with a\nview to suggesting topics to speak upon, saying, 'You who are ancient\n(in years), know the deeds of gods and demons, and illustrious saints,\nand of all the royal ones. We consider you as worthy of being worshipped\nand honoured; and we have long yearned after your company. And here is\nthis son of Devaki, Krishna, who has come to us on a visit. Verily, when\nI look at myself, fallen away from happiness, and when I contemplate the\nsons of Dhritarashtra, of evil life, flourishing in every way, the idea\narises in me that it is _man_ who does all acts, good or bad, and that\nit is _he_ that enjoys the fruit the acts bring forth. How then is god\nthe agent? And, O best of those that are proficient in the knowledge of\nGod, how is it that men's actions follow them? Is it in this world? Or\nis it in some subsequent existence? And, O best of righteous men among\nthe twice-born, in what way is an embodied animated being joined by his\ngood and evil deeds that seek him out? Is it after death? Or is it in\nthis world? And, O descendant of Bhrigu, is what we experience in this\nworld the result of the acts of this very life? Or will the acts of this\nlife bear fruit in the world to come? And where do the actions of an\nanimated being who is dead find their resting place?'\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'O best of those that can speak, this question befits\nthee, and is just what it should be. Thou knowest all that there is to\nknow. But thou art asking this question, simply for the sake of form.\nHere I shall answer thee: listen to me with an attentive mind, as to how\nin this world and in that to come, a man experienceth happiness and\nmisery. The lord of born beings, himself sprung first of all, created,\nfor all embodied beings, bodies which were stainless, pure, and obedient\nto virtuous impulses, O wisest of the descendants of Kuru! The ancient\nmen had all their desires fulfilled, were given to praiseworthy courses\nof life, were speakers of truth, godly and pure. All were equal to the\ngods, could ascend to the sky at their pleasure, and could come back\nagain; and all went about at their pleasure. And they had their death\nand their life also under their own control; and they had few\nsufferings; had no fear; and had their wishes fulfilled; and they were\nfree from trouble; could visit the gods and the magnanimous saints; knew\nby heart all righteous rules; were self-controlled and free from envy.\nAnd they lived many thousand years; and had many thousand sons. Then in\ncourse of time they came to be restricted to walking solely on the\nsurface of the earth, overpowered by lust and wrath, dependent for\nsubsistence upon falsehood and trick, overwhelmed by greed and\nsenselessness. Then those wicked men, when disembodied, on account of\ntheir unrighteous and unblessed deeds, went to hell in a crooked way.\nAgain and again, they were grilled, and, again and again they began to\ndrag their miserable existence in this wonderful world. And their\ndesires were unfulfilled, the objects unaccomplished, and their\nknowledge became unavailing. And their senses were paralysed and they\nbecame apprehensive of everything and the cause of other people's\nsufferings. And they were generally marked by wicked deeds, and born in\nlow families; they became wicked and afflicted with diseases, and the\nterror of others. And they became short-lived and sinful and they reaped\nthe fruit of their terrible deeds. And coveting everything, they became\ngodless and indifferent in mind, O son of Kunti! The destiny of every\ncreature after death is determined by his acts in this world. Thou hast\nasked me where this treasure of acts of the sage and the ignorant\nremain, and where they enjoy the fruit of their good and evil deeds! Do\nthou listen to the regulations on this subject! Man with his subtle\noriginal body created by God lays up a great store of virtue and vice.\nAfter death he quits his frail (outer) body and is immediately born\nagain in another order of beings. He never remains non-existent for a\nsingle moment. In his new life his actions follow him invariably as\nshadow and, fructifying, makes his destiny happy or miserable. The wise\nman, by his spiritual insight, knows all creatures to be bound to an\nimmutable destiny by the destroyer and incapable of resisting the\nfruition of his actions in good or evil fortune. This, O Yudhishthira,\nis the doom of all creatures steeped in spiritual ignorance. Do thou now\nhear of the perfect way attained by men of high spiritual perception!\nSuch men are of high ascetic virtue and are versed in all profane and\nholy writ, diligent in performing their religious obligations and\ndevoted to truth. And they pay due homage to their preceptors and\nsuperiors and practise Yoga, are forgiving, continent and energetic and\npious and are generally endowed with every virtue. By the conquest of\nthe passions, they are subdued in mind; by practising _yoga_ they become\nfree from disease, fear and sorrow; they are not troubled (in mind). In\ncourse of birth, mature or immature, or while ensconced in the womb, in\nevery condition, they with spiritual eyes recognize the relation of\ntheir soul to the supreme Spirit. Those great-minded _Rishis_ of\npositive and intuitive knowledge passing through this arena of actions,\nreturn again to the abode of the celestials. Men, O king, attain what\nthey have in consequence of the grace of the gods of Destiny or of their\nown actions. Do thou not think otherwise. O Yudhishthira, I regard that\nas the highest good which is regarded so in this world. Some attain\nhappiness in this world, but not in the next; others do so in the next,\nbut not in this. Some, again, attain happiness in this as well as in the\nnext world; and others neither here nor in the next world. Those that\nhave immense wealth, shine every day with well-decorated persons. O\nslayer of mighty foes, being addicted to carnal pleasures, they enjoy\nhappiness only in this world, but not in the next. But those who are\nengaged in spiritual meditations and the study of the Vedas, who are\ndiligent in asceticism, and who impair the vigour of their bodies by\nperforming their duties, who have subdued their passions, and who\nrefrain from killing any animated being, those men, O slayer of thy\nenemies, attain happiness in the next world, but not in this! Those who\nfirst live a pious life, and virtuously acquire wealth in due time and\nthen marry and perform sacrifices, attain bliss both in this and the\nnext world. Those foolish men again who do not acquire knowledge, nor\nare engaged in asceticism or charity or increasing their species, or in\nencompassing the pleasures and enjoyments of this world, attain bliss\nneither in this nor in the next world. But all of you are proficient in\nknowledge and possessed of great power and strength and celestial\nvigour. For the extermination (of the wicked) and for serving the\npurposes of the gods, ye have come from the other world and have taken\nyour birth in this! Ye, who are so valiant, and engaged in asceticism,\nself-restraining exercises, and religious ordinances, and fond of\nexertion, after having performed great deeds and gratified the gods and\n_Rishis_ and the _Pitris_, ye will at last in due course attain by your\nown acts the supreme region--the abode of all virtuous men! O ornament\nof Kuru's race, may no doubts cross thy mind on account of these thy\nsufferings, for this affliction is for thy good!'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXIII\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"The sons of Pandu said to the high-souled\nMarkandeya, 'We long to hear of the greatness of the _Brahmanas_. Do\nthou tell us of it!' Thus asked, the revered Markandeya, of austere\nvirtue and high spiritual energy, and proficient in all departments of\nknowledge, replied, 'A strong-limbed, handsome young prince of the race\nof the Haihayas, a conqueror of hostile cities, (once) went out hunting.\nAnd (while) roaming in the wilderness of big trees and thickets of\ngrass, he saw, at no great distance from him, a _Muni_ with the skin of\na black antelope for his upper garment, and killed him for a deer.\nPained at what he had done, and his senses paralysed with grief, he\nrepaired to the presence of the more distinguished of the _Haihaya_\nchiefs. The lotus-eyed prince related to them the particulars. On\nhearing the account, O my son, and beholding the body of the _Muni_ who\nhad subsisted on fruits and roots, they were sorely afflicted in mind.\nAnd they all set out enquiring here and there as they proceeded, as to\nwhose son the _Muni_ might be. And they soon after reached the hermitage\nof Arishtanemi, son of Kasyapa. And saluting that great _Muni_, so\nconstant in austerity, they all remained standing, while the _Muni_, on\nhis part, busied himself about their reception. And they said unto the\nillustrious _Muni_, \"By a freak of destiny, we have ceased to merit thy\nwelcome: indeed, we have killed a Brahmana!\" And the regenerate _Rishi_\nsaid to them, \"How hath a Brahmana come to be killed by you, and say\nwhere may be he? Do ye all witness the power of my ascetic practices!\"\nAnd they, having related everything to him as it had happened went back,\nbut found not the body of the dead _Rishi_ on the spot (where they had\nleft it). And having searched for him, they returned, ashamed and bereft\nof all perception, as in a dream. And then, O thou conqueror of hostile\ncities, the _Muni_ Tarkshya, addressed them, saying, \"Ye princes, can\nthis be the Brahmana of your killing? This Brahmana, endowed with occult\ngifts from spiritual exercises, is, indeed, my son!\" Seeing that\n_Rishi_, O lord of the earth, they were struck with bewilderment. And\nthey said, \"What a marvel! How hath the dead come to life again? Is it\nthe power of his austere virtue by which he hath revived again? We long\nto hear this, O Brahmana, if, indeed, it can be divulged?\" To them, he\nreplied, \"Death, O lords of men, hath no power over us! I shall tell ye\nthe reason briefly and intelligibly. We perform our own sacred duties;\ntherefore, have we no fear of death; we speak well of _Brahmanas_ but\nnever think any ill of them; therefore hath death no terror for us.\nEntertaining our guests with food and drink, and our dependants with\nplenty of food, we ourselves (then) partake of what is left; therefore\nwe are not afraid of death. We are peaceful and austere and charitable\nand forbearing and fond of visiting sacred shrines, and we live in\nsacred places; therefore we have no fear of death. And we live in places\ninhabited by men who have great spiritual power; therefore hath death no\nterror for us. I have briefly told ye all! Return ye now all together,\ncured of all worldly vanity. Ye have no fear of sin!\" Saying _amen_, O\nforemost scion of Bharata's race, and saluting the great _Muni_, all\nthose princes joyously returned to their country.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXIV\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Do ye again hear from me the glory of the\n_Brahmanas_! It is said that a royal sage of the name of _Vainya_ was\nonce engaged in performing the horse-sacrifice and that Atri desired to\ngo to him for alms. But Atri subsequently gave up his desire of wealth,\nfrom religious scruples. After much thought he, of great power, became\ndesirous of living in the woods, and, calling his wife and sons\ntogether, addressed them thus, \"Let us attain the highly tranquil and\ncomplete fruition of our desires. May it, therefore, be agreeable to you\nto repair quickly to the forest for a life of great merit.\" His wife,\narguing from motives of virtue also then said to him, \"Hie thee to the\nillustrious prince Vainya, and beg of him vast riches! Asked by thee,\nthat royal sage, engaged in sacrifice will give thee wealth. Having gone\nthere, O regenerate _Rishi_, and received from him vast wealth, thou\ncanst distribute it among thy sons and servants and then thou canst go\nwhithersoever thou pleasest. This, indeed, is the higher virtue as\ninstanced by men conversant with religion.\" Atri replied, \"I am\ninformed, O virtuous one, by the high-souled Gautama, that Vainya is a\npious prince, devoted to the cause of truth; but there are _Brahmanas_\n(about his persons) who are jealous of me; and as Gautama hath told me\nthis, I do not venture to go there, for (while) there, if I were to\nadvise what is good and calculated to secure piety and the fulfilment of\none's desires, they would contradict me with words unproductive of any\ngood. But I approve of any counsel and will go there; Vainya will give\nme kine and hoards of riches.\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'So saying, he, of great ascetic merit, hastened\nto Vainya's sacrifice and reaching the sacrificial altar and making his\nobeisance to the king and praising him with well-meaning speeches, he\nspoke these words, \"Blessed art thou, O king! Ruling over the earth,\nthou art the foremost of sovereigns! The _Munis_ praise thee, and\nbesides thee there is none so versed in religious lore!\" To him the\n_Rishi_ Gautama, of great ascetic merit, then indignantly replied\nsaying, \"Atri, do not repeat this nonsense. (It seems) thou art not in\nthy proper senses. In this world of ours, Mahendra the lord of all\ncreated beings (alone) is the foremost of all sovereigns!\" Then, O,\ngreat prince, Atri said to Gautama, \"As Indra, the lord of all\ncreatures, ruleth over our destinies, so doth this king! Thou art\nmistaken. It is thou who hast lost thine senses from want of spiritual\nperception!\" Gautama replied, \"I know I am not mistaken; it is thou who\nart labouring under a misconception in this matter. To secure the king's\ncountenance, thou art flattering him in (this) assembly of the people.\nThou dost not know what the highest virtue, nor dost thou feel the need\nfor it. Thou art like a child steeped in ignorance, for what then hast\nthou become (so) old in years?\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'While those two men were thus disputing in the\npresence of the _Munis_, who were engaged in Vainya's sacrifice the\nlatter enquired, \"What is the matter with them, that maketh them talk so\nvociferously?\" Then the very pious Kasyapa learned in all religious\nlore, approaching the disputants asked them what was the matter. And\nthen Gautama, addressing that assembly of great _Munis_ said, \"Listen, O\ngreat _Brahmanas_, to the point in dispute between us. Atri hath said\nthat Vainya is the ruler of our destinies; great is our doubt on this\npoint.\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'On hearing this, the great-mind _Munis_ went\ninstantly to Sanatkumara who was well versed in religion to clear their\ndoubt. And then he of great ascetic merit, having heard the particulars\nfrom them addressed them these words full of religious meaning. And\nSanatkumara said, \"As fire assisted by the wind burneth down forests, so\na Brahmana's energy in union with a Kshatriya's or a Kshatriya's joined\nwith a Brahmana's destroyeth all enemies. The sovereign is the\ndistinguished giver of laws and the protector of his subjects. He is (a\nprotector of created beings) like Indra, (a propounder of morals) like\nSukra, (a counsellor) like Vrihaspati and (hence he is also called) the\nruler of men's destinies. Who does not think it proper to worship the\nindividual of whom such terms as 'preserver of created beings,' 'royal,'\n'emperor,' 'Kshatriya' (or saviour of the earth), 'lord of earth,'\n'ruler of men,' are applied in praise? The king is (also) styled the\nprime cause (of social order, as being the promulgator of laws), 'the\nvirtuous in wars,' (and therefore, preserver after peace), 'the\nwatchman,' 'the contented,' 'the lord,' 'the guide to salvation,' 'the\neasily victorious,' 'the Vishnu like,' 'of effective wrath,' 'the winner\nof battles' and 'the cherisher of the true religion.' The _Rishis_,\nfearful of sin, entrusted (the temporal) power to the Kshatriyas. As\namong the gods in heaven the Sun dispelleth darkness by his effulgence,\nso doth the king completely root out sin from this earth. Therefore is\nthe king's greatness deduced from the evidences of the sacred books, and\nwe are bound to pronounce for that side which hath spoken in favour of\nthe king.\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Then that illustrious prince, highly pleased\nwith the victorious party, joyfully said to Atri, who had praised him\nerewhile, \"O regenerate _Rishi_, thou hast made and styled me the\ngreatest and most excellent of men here, and compared me to the gods;\ntherefore, shall I give thee vast and various sorts of wealth. My\nimpression is that thou art omniscient. I give thee, O well-dressed and\nwell-adorned one, a hundred millions of gold coins and also ten _bharas_\nof gold.\" Then Atri, of high austere virtues and great spiritual powers,\nthus welcomed (by the king), accepted all the gifts without any breach\nof propriety, and returned home. And then giving his wealth to his sons\nand subduing his self, he cheerfully repaired to the forest with the\nobject of performing penances.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXV\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'O thou conqueror of hostile cities, in this\nconnection Saraswati too, when interrogated by that intelligent _Muni_\nTarkshya, had said (this). Do thou listen to her words! Tarkshya had\nasked, saying, \"Excellent lady, what is the best thing for a man to do\nhere below, and how must he act so that he may not deviate from (the\npath of) virtue. Tell me all this, O beautiful lady, so that instructed\nby thee, I may not fall away from the path of virtue! When and how must\none offer oblations to the (sacred) fire and when must he worship so\nthat virtue may not be compromised? Tell me all this, O excellent lady,\nso that I may live without any passions, craving, or desire, in this\nworld.\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Thus questioned by that cheerful _Muni_ and\nseeing him eager to learn and endued with high intelligence, Saraswati\naddressed these pious and beneficial words to the Brahmana, Tarkshya.'\n\n\"'Saraswati said, \"He who is engaged in the study of the _Vedas_, and\nwith sanctity and equanimity perceives the supreme Godhead in his proper\nsphere, ascends the celestial regions and attains supreme beatitude with\nthe Immortals. Many large, beautiful, pellucid and sacred lakes are\nthere, abounding with fish, flowers, and golden lilies. They are like\nshrines and their very sight is calculated to assuage grief. Pious men,\ndistinctively worshipped by virtuous well-adorned golden-complexioned\n_Apsaras_, dwell in contentment on the shores of those lakes. He who\ngiveth cows (to Brahmanas) attaineth the highest regions; by giving\nbullocks he reacheth the solar regions, by giving clothes he getteth to\nthe lunar world, and by giving gold he attaineth to the state of the\nImmortals. He who giveth a beautiful cow with a fine calf, and which is\neasily milked and which doth not run away, is (destined) to live for as\nmany years in the celestial regions as there are hairs on the body of\nthat animal. He who giveth a fine, strong, powerful, young bullock,\ncapable of drawing the plough and bearing burdens, reacheth the regions\nattained by men who give ten cows. When a man bestoweth a\nwell-caparisoned _kapila_ cow with a brazen milk-pail and with money\ngiven afterwards, that cow becoming, by its own distinguished qualities,\na giver of everything reacheth the side of the man who gave her away. He\nwho giveth away cows, reapeth innumerable fruits of his action, measured\nby the hairs on the body of that animal. He also saveth (from perdition)\nin the next world his sons and grandsons and ancestors to the seventh\ngeneration. He who presenteth to a Brahmana, sesamum made up in the form\nof a cow, having horns made of gold, with money besides, and a brazen\nmilk-pail, subsequently attaineth easily to the regions of the _Vasus_.\nBy his own acts man descends into the darksome lower regions, infested\nby evil spirits (of his own passions) like a ship tossed by the storm in\nthe high seas; but the gift of kine to Brahmanas saves him in the next\nworld. He who giveth his daughter in marriage, in the _Brahma_ form, who\nbestoweth gifts of land on Brahmanas and who duly maketh other presents,\nattaineth to the regions of Purandara. O Tarkshya, the virtuous man who\nis constant in presenting oblations to the sacred fire for seven years,\nsanctifieth by his own action seven generations up and down.\"\n\n\"'Tarkshya said, \"O beautiful lady, explain to me who ask thee, the\nrules for the maintenance of the sacred fire as inculcated in the\n_Vedas_. I shall now learn from thee the time-honoured rules for\nperpetually keeping up the sacred fire.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXVI\n\n\"Then Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu, said to the Brahmana, Markandeya,\n'Do thou now narrate the history of Vaivaswata Manu.'\n\n\"Markandeya replied, 'O king, O foremost of men, there was a powerful\nand great _Rishi_ of the name of Manu. He was the son of Vivaswan and\nwas equal unto _Brahma_ in glory. And he far excelled his father and\ngrandfather in strength, in power, in fortune, as also in religious\nausterities. And standing on one leg and with uplifted hand, that lord\nof men did severe penance in the jujube forest called Visala. And there\nwith head downwards and with steadfast eyes he practised the rigid and\nsevere penance for ten thousand years. And one day, whilst he was\npractising austerities there with wet clothes on and matted hair on\nhead, a fish approaching the banks of the Chirini, addressed him thus,\n\"Worshipful sir, I am a helpless little fish, I am afraid of the large\nones; therefore, do thou, O great devotee, think it worth thy while to\nprotect me from them; especially as this fixed custom is well\nestablished amongst us that the strong fish always preys upon the weak\nones. Therefore do thou think it fit to save me from being drowned in\nthis sea of terrors! I shall requite thee for thy good offices.\" On\nhearing these words from the fish, Vaivaswata Manu was overpowered with\npity and he took out the fish from the water with his own hands. And the\nfish which had a body glistening like the rays of the moon when taken\nout of the water was put back in an earthen water-vessel. And thus\nreared that fish O king, grew up in size and Manu tended it carefully\nlike a child. And after a long while, it became so large in size, that\nthere was no room for it in that vessel. And then seeing Manu (one day),\nit again addressed these words to him, \"Worshipful sir, do thou appoint\nsome better habitation for me.\" And then the adorable Manu, the\nconqueror of hostile cities, took it out of that vessel and carried it\nto a large tank and placed it there. And there again the fish grew for\nmany a long year. And although the tank was two _yojanas_ in length and\none _yojana_ in width, even there, O lotus-eyed son of Kunti and ruler\nof men, was no room for the fish to play about! And beholding Manu it\nsaid again, \"O pious and adorable father, take me to the Ganga, the\nfavourite spouse of the Ocean so that I may live there; or do as thou\nlistest. O sinless one, as I have grown to this great bulk by thy favour\nI shall do thy bidding cheerfully.\" Thus asked the upright and continent\nand worshipful Manu took the fish to the river Ganga and he put it into\nthe river with his own hands. And there, O conqueror of thy enemies, the\nfish again grew for some little time and then beholding Manu, it said\nagain, \"O lord, I am unable to move about in the Ganga on account of my\ngreat body; therefore, worshipful sir, do thou please take me quickly to\nthe sea!\" O son of Pritha, Manu then taking it out of the Ganga, carried\nit to the sea and consigned it there. And despite its great bulk, Manu\ntransported it easily and its touch and smell were also pleasant to him.\nAnd when it was thrown into the sea by Manu, it said these words to him\nwith a smile, \"O adorable being, thou hast protected me with special\ncare; do thou now listen to me as to what thou shouldst do in the\nfulness of time! O fortunate and worshipful sir, the dissolution of all\nthis mobile and immobile world is nigh at hand. The time for the purging\nof this world is now ripe. Therefore do I now explain what is good for\nthee! The mobile and immobile divisions of the creation, those that have\nthe power of locomotion, and those that have it not, of all these the\nterrible doom hath now approached. Thou shall build a strong massive ark\nand have it furnished with a long rope. On that must thou ascend, O\ngreat _Muni_, with the seven _Rishis_ and take with thee all the\ndifferent seeds which were enumerated by regenerate Brahmanas in days of\nyore, and separately and carefully must thou preserve them therein. And\nwhilst there, O beloved of the _Munis_, thou shall wait for me, and I\nshall appear to thee like a horned animal, and thus, O ascetic, shall\nthou recognise me! And I shall now depart, and thou shall act according\nto my instructions, for, without my assistance, thou canst not save\nthyself from that fearful flood.\" Then Manu said unto the fish, \"I do\nnot doubt all that thou hast said, O great one! Even so shall I act!\"\nAnd giving instructions to each other, they both went away. And Manu\nthen, O great and powerful king and conqueror of thy enemies, procured\nall the different seeds as directed by the fish, and set sail in an\nexcellent vessel on the surging sea. And then, O lord of the earth, he\nbethought himself of that fish. And the fish too, O conqueror of thy\nenemies and foremost scion of Bharata's race, knowing his mind, appeared\nthere with horns on his head. And then, O tiger among men, beholding in\nthe ocean that horned fish emerging like a rock in the form of which he\nhad been before appraised, he lowered the ropy noose on its head. And\nfastened by the noose, the fish, O king and conqueror of hostile cities,\ntowed the ark with great force through the salt waters. And it conveyed\nthem in that vessel on the roaring and billow beaten sea. And, O\nconqueror of thy enemies and hostile cities, tossed by the tempest on\nthe great ocean, the vessel reeled about like a drunken harlot. And\nneither land nor the four cardinal points of the compass, could be\ndistinguished. And there was water every where and the waters covered\nthe heaven and the firmament also. And, O bull of Bharata's race, when\nthe world was thus flooded, none but Manu, the seven _Rishis_ and the\nfish could be seen. And, O king, the fish diligently dragged the boat\nthrough the flood for many a long year and then, O descendant of Kuru\nand ornament of Bharata's race, it towed the vessel towards the highest\npeak of the Himavat. And, O Bharata, the fish then told those on the\nvessel to tie it to the peak of the Himavat. And hearing the words of\nthe fish they immediately tied the boat on that peak of the mountain\nand, O son of Kunti and ornament of Bharata's race, know that that high\npeak of the Himavat is still called by the name of _Naubandhana_ (the\nharbour). Then the fish addressing the associated _Rishis_ told them\nthese words, \"I am Brahma, the Lord of all creatures; there is none\ngreater than myself. Assuming the shape of a fish, I have saved you from\nthis cataclysm. Manu will create (again) all beings--gods, _Asuras_ and\nmen, all those divisions of creation which have the power of locomotion\nand which have it not. By practicing severe austerities he will acquire\nthis power, and with my blessing, illusion will have no power over him.\"\n\n\"'So saying the fish vanished instantly. And Vaivaswata Manu himself\nbecame desirous of creating the world. In this work of creation illusion\novertook him and he, therefore, practised great asceticism. And endowed\nwith ascetic merit, Manu, O ornament of Bharata's race, again set about\nhis work of creating all beings in proper and exact order. This story\nwhich I have narrated to thee and the hearing of which destroyeth all\nsin, is celebrated as the Legend of the Fish. And the man who listeneth\nevery day to this primeval history of Manu, attaineth happiness and all\nother objects of desire and goeth to heaven.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXVII\n\n\"Then the virtuous king Yudhishthira in all humility again enquired of\nthe illustrious Markandeya, saying, 'O great _Muni_, thou hast seen many\nthousands of ages pass away. In this world there is none so longlived as\nthou! O best of those that have attained the knowledge of Supreme\nSpirit, there is none equal to thee in years except the great-minded\n_Brahma_ living in the most exalted place. Thou, O Brahmana, worshippest\n_Brahma_ at the time of the great dissolution of the universe, when this\nworld is without sky and without the gods and _Danavas_. And when that\ncataclysm ceaseth and the Grandsire awaketh, thou alone, O regenerate\n_Rishi_, beholdest _Brahma_ duly re-create the four orders of beings\nafter having filled the cardinal points with air and consigned the\nwaters to their proper place. Thou, O great Brahmana, hast worshipped in\nhis presence the great Lord and Grandsire of all creatures with soul\nrapt in meditation and entirely swallowed up in Him! And, O Brahmana,\nthou hast many a time witnessed with thy eyes, the primeval acts of\ncreation, and, plunged in severe ascetic austerities, thou hast also\nsurpassed the _Prajapatis_ themselves! Thou art esteemed as one who is\nnearest to Narayana, in the next world. Many a time in days of yore hast\nthou beheld the Supreme Creator of the universe with eyes of spiritual\nabstraction and renunciation, having first opened thy pure and\nlotus-like heart--the only place where the multiform Vishnu of universal\nknowledge may be seen! It is for this, O learned _Rishi_, by the grace\nof God neither all-destroying Death, nor dotage that causeth the decay\nof the body, hath any power over thee! When neither the sun, nor the\nmoon, nor fire, nor earth, nor air, nor sky remains, when all the world\nbeing destroyed looketh like one vast ocean, when the _Gods_ and\n_Asuras_ and the great _Uragas_ are annihilated, and when the\ngreat-minded _Brahma_, the Lord of all creatures, taking his seat on a\nlotus flower, sleepeth there, then thou alone remainest to worship him!\nAnd, O best of Brahman as thou hast seen all this that occurred before,\nwith thy own eyes. And thou alone hast witnessed many things by the\nsenses, and never in all the worlds hath there been any thing unknown to\nthee! Therefore do I long to hear any discourse explaining the causes of\nthings!'\n\n\"Markandeya replied, 'Indeed, I shall explain all, after having bowed\ndown to that Self-existent, Primordial Being, who is eternal and\nundeteriorating and inconceivable, and who is at once vested with and\ndivested of attributes. O tiger among men, this Janardana attired in\nyellow robes is the grand Mover and Creator of all, the Soul and Framer\nof all things, and the lord of all! He is also called the Great, the\nIncomprehensible, the Wonderful and the Immaculate. He is without\nbeginning and without end, pervades all the world, is Unchangeable and\nUndeteriorating. He is the Creator of all, but is himself uncreate and\nis the Cause of all power. His knowledge is greater than that of all the\ngods together. O best of kings and pre-eminent of men, after the\ndissolution of the universe, all this wonderful creation again comes\ninto life. Four thousand years have been said to constitute the _Krita\nYuga_. Its dawn also, as well as its eve, hath been said to comprise\nfour hundred years. The _Treta-Yuga_ is said to comprise three thousand\nyears, and its dawn, as well as its eve, is said to comprise three\nhundred years. The _Yuga_ that comes next is called _Dwapara_, and it\nhath been computed to consist of two thousand years. Its dawn, as well\nas its eve, is said to comprise two hundred years. The next _Yuga_,\ncalled _Kali_, is said to comprise one thousand years and its dawn, as\nwell as eve, is said to comprise one hundred years. Know, O king, that\nthe duration of the dawn is the same as that of the eve of a _Yuga_. And\nafter the _Kali Yuga_ is over, the _Krita Yuga_ comes again. A cycle of\nthe _Yugas_ thus comprised a period of twelve thousand years. A full\nthousand of such cycles would constitute a _day of Brahma_. O tiger\namong men, when all this universe is withdrawn and ensconced within its\nhome--the Creator himself--that disappearance of all things is called by\nthe learned to be Universal Destruction. O bull of the Bharata race,\ntowards the end of the last mentioned period of one thousand years,\ni.e., when the period wanted to complete a cycle is short, men generally\nbecome addicted to falsehood in speech. O son of Pritha, then sacrifices\nand gifts and vows, instead of being performed by principals are\nsuffered to be performed by representatives! Brahmanas then perform acts\nthat are reserved for the _Sudras_, and the _Sudras_ betake themselves\nto the acquisition of wealth. Then Kshatriyas also betake themselves to\nthe practice of religious acts. In the _Kali_ age, the Brahmanas also\nabstain from sacrifices and the study of the Vedas, are divested of\ntheir staff and deer-skin, and in respect of food become omnivorous.\nAnd, O son, the Brahmanas in that age also abstain from prayers and\nmeditation while the Sudras betake themselves to these! The course of\nthe world looketh contrary, and indeed, these are the signs that\nforeshadow the Universal Destruction. And, O lord of men, numerous\n_Mleccha_ kings then rule over the earth! And those sinful monarchs,\naddicted to false speech, govern their subjects on principles that are\nfalse. The _Andhhas_, the _Sakas_, the _Pulindas_, the _Yavanas_, the\n_Kamvojas_, the _Valhikas_ and the _Abhiras_, then become, O best of\nmen, possessed of bravery and the sovereignty of the earth. This, O\ntiger among men, becometh the state of the world during the eve, O\nBharata, of the _Kali_ age! Not a single Brahmana then adhereth to the\nduties of his order. And the Kshatriyas and the Vaisyas also, O monarch,\nfollow practices contrary to those that are proper for their own orders.\nAnd men become short-lived, weak in strength, energy, and prowess; and\nendued with small might and diminutive bodies, they become scarcely\ntruthful in speech. And the human population dwindles away over large\ntracts of country, and the regions of the earth, North and South, and\nEast and West, become crowded with animals and beasts of prey. And\nduring this period, they also that utter _Brahma_, do so in vain. The\n_Sudras_ address _Brahmanas_, saying, _Bho_, while the Brahmanas address\nSudras, saying _Respected Sir_. And, O tiger among men, at the end of\nthe _Yuga_, animals increase enormously. And, O king, odours and\nperfumes do not then become so agreeable to our sense of scent, and, O\ntiger among men, the very tastes of things do not then so well accord\nwith our organs of taste as at other periods! And, O king, women then\nbecome mothers of numerous progeny, endued with low statures, and\ndestitute of good behaviour and good manners. And they also make their\nvery mouths serve the purposes of the organ of procreation. And famine\nravages the habitations of men, and the highways are infested by women\nof ill fame, while females in general, O king, become at such periods\nhostile to their lords and destitute of modesty! And, O king, the very\nkine at such periods yield little milk, while the trees, sat over with\nswarms of crows, do not produce many flowers and fruits. And, O lord of\nthe earth, regenerate classes, tainted with the sin of slaying\nBrahmanas, accept gifts from monarchs that are addicted to falsehood in\nspeech. And filled with covetousness and ignorance, and bearing on their\npersons the outward symbols of religion, they set out on eleemosynary\nrounds, afflicting the people of the Earth. And people leading domestic\nlives, afraid of the burden of taxes, become deceivers, while Brahmanas,\nfalsely assuming the garb of ascetics, earn wealth by trade, with nails\nand hair unpared and uncut. And, O tiger among men, many of the\ntwice-born classes become, from avarice of wealth, religious mendicants\nof the _Brahmacharin_ order. And, O monarch, men at such periods behave\ncontrary to the _modes_ of life to which they betake themselves, and\naddicted to intoxicating drinks and capable of violating the beds of\ntheir preceptors, their desires are all of this world, pursuing matters\nministering to the flesh and the blood. And O tiger among men, at such\nperiod the asylums of ascetics become full of sinful and audacious\nwretches ever applauding lives of dependence. And the illustrious\nchastiser of Paka never showers rain according to the seasons and the\nseeds also that are scattered on earth, do not, O Bharata, all sprout\nforth. And men, unholy in deed and thought, take pleasure in envy and\nmalice. And, O sinless one, the earth then becometh full of sin and\nimmorality. And, O lord of the earth, he that becometh virtuous at such\nperiods doth not live long. Indeed, the earth becometh reft of virtue in\nevery shape. And, O tiger among men, the merchants and traders then full\nof guile, sell large quantities of articles with false weights and\nmeasures. And they that are virtuous do not prosper; while they that are\nsinful proper exceedingly. And virtue loseth her strength while sin\nbecometh all powerful. And men that are devoted to virtue become poor\nand short-lived; while they that are sinful become long-lived and win\nprosperity. And in such times, people behave sinfully even in places of\npublic amusements in cities and towns. And men always seek the\naccomplishment of their ends by means that are sinful. And having earned\nfortunes that are really small they become intoxicated with the pride of\nwealth. And O monarch, many men at such periods strive to rob the wealth\nthat hath from trust been deposited with them in secrecy. And wedded to\nsinful practices, they shamelessly declare--_there is nothing in\ndeposit_. And beasts of prey and other animals and fowl may be seen to\nlie down in places of public amusement in cities and towns, as well as\nin sacred edifices. And, O king girls of seven or eight years of age do\nthen conceive, while boys of ten or twelve years beget offspring. And in\ntheir sixteenth year, men are overtaken with decrepitude and decay and\nthe period of life itself is soon outrun. And O king, when men become so\nshort-lived, more youths act like the aged; while all that is observable\nin youth may be noticed in the old. And women given to impropriety of\nconduct and marked by evil manners, deceive even the best of husbands\nand forget themselves with menials and slaves and even with animals. And\nO king, even women that are wives of heroes seek the companionship of\nother men and forget themselves with these during the life-time of their\nhusbands.\n\n\"'O king, towards the end of those thousands of years constituting the\nfour _Yugas_ and when the lives of men become so short, a drought occurs\nextending for many years. And then, O lord of the earth, men and\ncreatures endued with small strength and vitality, becoming hungry die\nby thousands. And then, O lord of men, seven blazing Suns, appearing in\nthe firmament, drink up all the waters of the Earth that are in rivers\nor seas. And, O bull of the Bharata race, then also everything of the\nnature of wood and grass that is wet to dry, is consumed and reduced to\nashes. And then, O Bharata, the fire called _Samvartaka_ impelled by the\nwinds appeareth on the earth that hath already been dried to cinders by\nthe seven Suns. And then that fire, penetrating through the Earth and\nmaking its appearance, in the nether regions also, begetteth great\nterror in the hearts of the _gods_, the _Danavas_ and the _Yakshas_.\nAnd, O lord of the earth, consuming the nether regions as also\neverything upon this Earth that fire destroyeth all things in a moment.\nAnd that fire called _Samvartaka_ aided by that inauspicious wind,\nconsumeth this world extending for hundreds and thousands of _yojanas_.\nAnd that lord of all things, that fire, blazing forth in effulgence\nconsumeth this universe with gods and _Asuras_ and _Gandharvas_ and\n_Yakshas_ and _Snakes_ and _Rakshasas_. And there rise in the sky deep\nmasses of clouds, looking like herds of elephants and decked with\nwreaths of lightning that are wonderful to behold. And some of those\nclouds are of the hue of the blue lotus; and some are of the hue of the\nwater-lily; and some resemble in tint the filaments of the lotus and\nsome are purple and some are yellow as turmeric and some of the hue of\nthe crows' egg. And some are bright as the petals of the lotus and some\nred as vermillion. And some resemble palatial cities in shape and some\nherds of elephants. And some are of the form of lizards and some of\ncrocodiles and sharks. And, O king, the clouds that gather in the sky on\nthe occasion are terrible to behold and wreathed with lightnings, roar\nfrightfully. And those vapoury masses, charged with rain, soon cover the\nentire welkin. And, O king, those masses of vapour then flood with water\nthe whole earth with her mountains and forests and mines. And, O bull\namong men, urged by the Supreme Lord those clouds roaring frightfully,\nsoon flood over the entire surface of the earth. And pouring in a great\nquantity of water and filling the whole earth, they quench that terrible\ninauspicious fire (of which I have already spoken to thee). And urged by\nthe illustrious Lord those clouds filling the earth with their downpour\nshower incessantly for twelve years. And then, O Bharata, the Ocean\noversteps his continents, the mountains sunder in fragments, and the\nEarth sinks under the increasing flood. And then moved on a sudden by\nthe impetus of the wind, those clouds wander along the entire expanse of\nthe firmament and disappear from the view. And then, O ruler of men, the\nSelf-create Lord--the first Cause of everything--having his abode in the\nlotus, drinketh those terrible winds and goeth to sleep, O Bharata!\n\n\"'And then when the universe become one dead expanse of water, when all\nmobile and immobile creatures have been destroyed, when the _gods_ and\nthe _Asuras_ cease to be, when the _Yakshas_ and the _Rakshasas_ are no\nmore, when man is not, when trees and beasts of prey have disappeared,\nwhen the firmament itself has ceased to exist, I alone, O lord of the\nearth, wander in affliction. And, O best of kings, wandering over that\ndreadful expanse of water, my heart becometh afflicted in consequence of\nmy not beholding any creature! And, O king, wandering without cessation,\nthrough that flood, I become fatigued, but I obtain no resting place!\nAnd some time after I behold in that expanse of accumulated waters a\nvast and wide-extending banian tree, O lord of earth! And I then behold,\nO Bharata, seated on a conch, O king, overlaid with a celestial bed and\nattached to a far-extended bough of that banian, a boy, O great king, of\nface fair as the lotus or the moon, and of eyes, O ruler of men, large\nas petals of a full blown lotus! And at this sight, O lord of earth,\nwonder filled my heart. And I asked myself, \"How doth this boy alone sit\nhere when the world itself hath been destroyed?\" And, O king, although I\nhave full knowledge of the Past, the Present, and the Future, still I\nfailed to learn anything of this by means of even ascetic meditation.\nEndued with the lustre of the _Atasi_ flower, and decked with the mark\nof _Sreevatsa_, he seemed to me to be like the abode of _Lakshmi_,\nherself. And that boy, of eyes like the petals of the lotus, having the\nmark of _Sreevatsa_, and possessed of blazing effulgence, then addressed\nme in words highly pleasant to the ear, saying, \"O sire, I know thee to\nbe fatigued and desirous of rest. O Markandeya of Bhrigu's race, rest\nthou here as long as thou wishest. O best of _Munis_, entering within my\nbody, rest thou there. That hath been the abode assigned to thee by me.\nI have been pleased with thee.\" Thus addressed by that boy, a sense of\ntotal disregard possessed me in respect both of my long life and state\nof manhood. Then that boy suddenly opened his mouth, and as fate would\nhave it, I entered his mouth deprived of the power of motion. But O\nking, having suddenly entered into the stomach of that boy, I behold\nthere the whole earth teeming with cities and kingdoms. And, O best of\nmen, while wandering through the stomach of that illustrious one, I\nbehold the Ganga, the Satudru, the Sita, the Yamuna, and the Kausiki;\nthe Charmanwati, the Vetravati; the Chandrabhaga, the Saraswati, the\nSindhu, the Vipasa, and the Godavari; the Vaswokasara, the Nalini and\nthe Narmada; the Tamra, and the Venna also of delightful current and\nsacred waters; the Suvenna, the Krishna-venna, the Irama, and the\nMahanadi; the Vitasti, O great king, and that large river, the Cavery;\nthe one also, O tiger among men, the Visalya, and the Kimpuna also. I\nbeheld all these and many other rivers that are on the earth! And, O\nslayer of foes, I also beheld there the ocean inhabited by alligators\nand sharks, that mine of gems, that excellent abode of waters. And I\nbeheld there the firmament also, decked with the Sun and the Moon,\nblazing with effulgence, and possessed of lustre of fire of the Sun. And\nI beheld there, O king, the earth also, graced with woods and forests.\nAnd, O monarch, I beheld there many Brahmanas also, engaged in various\nsacrifices; and the Kshatriyas engaged in doing good to all the orders;\nand the Vaisyas employed in pursuits in agriculture; and the Sudras\ndevoted to the service of the regenerate classes. And, O king, while\nwandering through the stomach of that high-souled one, I also beheld the\nHimavat and the mountains of Hemakuta. And I also saw Nishada, and the\nmountains of Sweta abounding in silver. And, O king, I saw there the\nmountain Gandhamadana, and, O tiger among men, also Mandara and the huge\nmountains of Nila. And, O great king, I saw there the golden mountains\nof Meru and also Mahendra and those excellent mountains called the\nVindhyas. And I beheld there the mountains of Malaya and of Paripatra\nalso. These and many other mountains that are on earth were all seen by\nme in his stomach. And all these were decked with jewels and gems. And,\nO monarch, while wandering through his stomach, I also beheld lions and\ntigers and boars and, indeed, all other animals that are on earth, O\ngreat king! O tiger among men, having entered his stomach, as I wandered\naround, I also beheld the whole tribe of the _gods_ with their chief\nSakra, the _Sadhyas_, the _Rudras_, the _Adityas_, the _Guhyakas_, the\n_Pitris_, the _Snakes_ and the _Nagas_, the feathery tribes, the\n_Vasus_, the _Aswins_, the _Gandharvas_, the _Apsaras_, the _Yakshas_,\nthe _Rishis_, the hordes of the _Daityas_ and the _Danavas_, and the\n_Nagas_ also, O king, and the sons of _Singhika_ and all the other\nenemies of the gods; indeed what else of mobile and immobile creatures\nmay be seen on earth, were all seen by me, O monarch, within the stomach\nof that high-souled one. And, O lord, living upon fruits I dwelt within\nhis body for many centuries wandering over the entire universe that is\nthere. Never did I yet, O king, behold the limits of his body. And when,\nO lord of earth, I failed to measure the limits of that high-souled\none's body, even though I wandered within him continuously in great\nanxiety of mind, I then, in thought and deed sought the protection of\nthat boon-giving and pre-eminent Deity, duly acknowledging his\nsuperiority. And when I had done this, O king, I was suddenly projected\n(from within his body) through that high-souled one's open mouth by\nmeans, O chief of men, of a gust of wind. And, O king, I then beheld\nseated on the branch of that very banian that same Being of immeasurable\nenergy, in the form of a boy with the mark of _Sreevatsa_ (on his\nbreast) having, O tiger among men, swallowed up the whole universe. And\nthat boy of blazing effulgence and bearing the mark of _Sreevatsa_ and\nattired in yellow robes, gratified with me, smilingly addressed me,\nsaying, \"O Markandeya, O best of _Munis_, having dwelt for some time\nwithin my body, thou hast been fatigued! I shall however speak unto\nthee.\" And as he said this to me, at that very moment I acquired a new\nsight, so to speak, in consequence of which I beheld myself to be\npossessed of true knowledge and emancipated from the illusions of the\nworld. And, O child, having witnessed the inexhaustible power of that\nBeing of immeasurable energy, I then worshipped his revered and\nwell-shaped feet with soles bright as burnished copper and well-decked\nwith toes of mild red hue, having placed them carefully on my head and\njoining my palms in humility and approaching him with reverence. I\nbeheld that Divine Being who is the soul of all things and whose eyes\nare like the petals of the lotus. And having bowed unto him with joined\nhands I addressed him saying, \"I wish to know thee, O Divine Being, as\nalso this high and wonderful illusion of thine! O illustrious one,\nhaving entered into thy body through thy mouth, I have beheld the entire\nuniverse in thy stomach! O Divine Being, the gods, the _Danavas_ and the\n_Rakshasas_, the _Yakshas_, the _Gandharvas_, and the _Nagas_, indeed,\nthe whole universe mobile and immobile, are all within thy body! And\nthough I have ceaselessly wandered through thy body at a quick pace,\nthrough thy grace, O God, my memory faileth me not. And, O great lord, I\nhave come out of thy body at thy desire but not of mine! O thou of eyes\nlike lotus leaves, I desire to know thee who art free from all faults!\nWhy dost thou stay here in the form of a boy having swallowed up the\nentire universe? It behoveth thee to explain all this to me. Why, O\nsinless one, is the entire universe within thy body? How long also, O\nchastiser of foes, wilt thou stay here? Urged by a curiosity that is not\nimproper for Brahmanas, I desire, O Lord of all the gods, to hear all\nthis from thee, O thou of eyes like lotus leaves, with every detail and\nexactly as it all happens, for all I have seen, O Lord, is wonderful and\ninconceivable!\" And thus addressed by me, that deity of deities, of\nblazing effulgence and great beauty, that foremost of all speakers\nconsoling me properly, spoke unto me these words.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXVIII\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'The Deity then said, \"O Brahmana, the gods even\ndo not know me truly! As however, I have been gratified with thee, I\nwill tell thee how I created the universe! O regenerate _Rishi_, thou\nart devoted to thy ancestors and hast also sought my protection! Thou\nhast also beheld me with thy eyes, and thy ascetic merit also is great!\nIn ancient times I called the waters by the name of _Nara_; and because\nthe waters have ever been my _ayana_ or home, therefore have I been\ncalled _Narayana_ (the _water-homed_). O best of regenerate ones, I am\n_Narayana_, the Source of all things, the Eternal, the Unchangeable. I\nam the Creator of all things, and the Destroyer also of all. I am\nVishnu, I am Brahma and I am Sakra, the chief of the gods. I am king\nVaisravana, and I am Yama, the lord of the deceased spirits. I am Siva,\nI am Soma, and I am Kasyapa the lord of the created things. And, O best\nof regenerate ones, I am he called _Dhatri_, and he also that is called\n_Vidhatri_, and I am Sacrifice embodied. Fire is my mouth, the earth my\nfeet, and the Sun and the Moon are my eyes; the Heaven is the crown of\nmy head, the firmament and the cardinal points are my ears; the waters\nare born of my sweat. Space with the cardinal points are my body, and\nthe Air is my mind. I have performed many hundreds of sacrifices with\ngifts in profusion. I am always present in the sacrifices of the gods;\nand they that are cognisant of the _Vedas_ and officiate therein, make\ntheir offerings to me. On earth the Kshatriya chiefs that rule over men,\nin performing their sacrifices from desire of obtaining heaven, and the\nVaisyas also in performing theirs from desire of winning those happy\nregions, all worship me at such times and by those ceremonials. It is I\nwho, assuming the form of Sesha support (on my head) this earth bounded\nby the four seas and decked by Meru and Mandara. And O regenerate one,\nit is I who, assuming the form of a boar, had raised in days of yore\nthis earth sunk in water. And, O best of Brahmanas, it is I who,\nbecoming the fire that issues out of the _Equine mouth_, drink up the\nwaters (of the ocean) and create them again. In consequence of my energy\nfrom my mouth, my arms, my thighs, and my feet gradually sprang\nBrahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras. It is from me that the\n_Rik_, the _Sama_, the _Yajus_, and the _Atharvan_ Vedas spring, and it\nis in me that they all enter when the time cometh. Brahmanas devoted to\nasceticism, they that value Peace as the highest attribute, they that\nhave their souls under complete control, they that are desirous of\nknowledge, they that are freed from lust and wrath and envy, they that\nare unwedded to things of the earth, they that have their sins\ncompletely washed away, they that are possessed of gentleness and\nvirtue, and are divested of pride, they that have a full knowledge of\nthe Soul, all worship me with profound meditation. I am the flame known\nas _Samvartaka_, I am the Wind called by that name, I am the Sun wearing\nthat appellation, and I am the fire that hath that designation. And, O\nbest of Brahmanas, those things that are seen in the firmament as stars,\nknow them to be the pores of my skin. The ocean--those mines of gems and\nthe four cardinal points, know, O Brahmana, are my robes, my bed, and my\nhome. By me have they been distributed for serving the purposes of the\ngods. And, O best of men, know also that lust, wrath, joy, fear, and the\nover-clouding of the intellect, are all different forms of myself. And,\nO Brahmana, whatever is obtained by men by the practice of truth,\ncharity, ascetic austerities, and peace and harmlessness towards all\ncreatures, and such other handsome deeds, is obtained because of my\narrangements. Governed by my ordinance, men wander within my body, their\nsenses overwhelmed by me. They move not according to their will but as\nthey are moved by me. Regenerate Brahmanas that have thoroughly studied\nthe _Vedas_, that have tranquillity in their souls, they that have\nsubdued their wrath, obtain a high reward by means of their numerous\nsacrifices. That reward, however, is unattainable by men that are wicked\nin their deeds, overwhelmed by covetousness, mean and disreputable with\nsouls unblessed and impure. Therefore, must thou know, O Brahmana that\nthis reward which is obtained by persons having their souls under\ncontrol and which is unobtainable by the ignorant and the foolish,--this\nwhich is attainable by asceticism alone,--is productive of high merit.\nAnd, O best of men, at those times when virtue and morality decrease and\nsin and immorality increase, I create myself in new forms. And, O\n_Muni_, when fierce and malicious _Daityas_ and _Rakshasas_ that are\nincapable of being slain by even the foremost of the gods, are born on\nearth, I then take my birth in the families of virtuous men, and\nassuming human body restore tranquillity by exterminating all evils.\nMoved by my own _maya_, I create gods and men, and _Gandharvas_ and\n_Rakshasas_, and all immobile things and then destroy them all myself\n(when the time cometh). For the preservation of rectitude and morality I\nassume a human form, and when the season for action cometh, I again\nassume forms that are inconceivable. In the _Krita_ age I become white,\nin the _Treta_ age I become yellow, in the _Dwapara_ I have become red\nand in the _Kali_ age I become dark in hue. In the _Kali_ age, the\nproportion of immorality becometh three-fourths, (a fourth only being\nthat of morality). And when the end of the _Yuga_ cometh, assuming the\nfierce form of Death, alone I destroy all the three worlds with their\nmobile and immobile existences. With three steps, I cover the whole\nUniverse; I am the Soul of the universe; I am the source of all\nhappiness; I am the humbler of all pride; I am omnipresent; I am\ninfinite; I am the Lord of the senses; and my prowess is great. O\nBrahmana, alone do I set a-going the wheel of Time; I am formless; I am\nthe Destroyer of all creatures; and I am the cause of all efforts of all\nmy creatures. O best of _Munis_, my soul completely pervadeth all my\ncreatures, but, O foremost of all regenerate ones, no one knoweth me. It\nis me that the pious and the devoted worship in all the worlds. O\nregenerate one, whatever of pain thou hast felt within my stomach, know,\nO sinless one, that all that is for thy happiness and good fortune. And\nwhatever of mobile and immobile objects thou hast seen in the world,\neverything hath been ordained by my Soul which is the Spring of all\nexistence. The grandsire of all creatures is half my body; I am called\nNarayana, and I am bearer of the conch-shell, the discus and the mace. O\nregenerate _Rishi_, for a period measured by a thousand times the length\nof the _Yugas_, I who am the Universal Soul sleep overwhelming all\ncreatures in insensibility. And, O best of regenerate _Rishis_, I stay\nhere thus for all time, in the form of a boy though I am old, until\nBrahma waketh up. O foremost of Brahmanas, gratified with thee, I who am\n_Brahma_ have repeatedly granted thee boons, O thou who art worshipped\nby regenerate _Rishis_! Beholding one vast expanse of water and seeing\nthat all mobile and immobile creatures have been destroyed, thou wert\nafflicted with melancholy. I know this, and it is for this that I showed\nthee the universe (within my stomach). And while thou wert within my\nbody, beholding the entire universe, thou wert filled with wonder and\ndeprived of thy senses. O regenerate _Rishi_, it is for this that thou\nwert speedily brought out by me through my mouth. I have (now) told thee\nof that Soul which is incapable of being comprehended by the gods and\nthe _Asuras_. And as long as that great ascetic, the holy Brahma, doth\nnot awake, thou, O regenerate _Rishi_, canst happily and trustfully\ndwell here. And when that Grandsire of all creatures awaketh up, I will\nthen, O best of Brahmanas, alone create all creatures endued with\nbodies, the firmament, the earth, light, the atmosphere, water, and\nindeed all else of mobile and immobile creatures (that thou mayst have\nseen) on the earth!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Having said so unto me that wonderful Deity\nvanished, O son, from my sight! I then beheld this varied and wondrous\ncreation start into life. O king, O thou foremost of the Bharata race, I\nwitnessed all this, so wonderful, O thou foremost of all virtuous men,\nat the end of the _Yuga_! And the Deity, of eyes large as lotus leaves,\nseen by me, in days of yore is this tiger among men, this Janardana who\nhath become thy relative! It is in consequence of the boon granted to me\nby this one that memory doth not fail me, that the period of my life, O\nson of Kunti, is so long and death itself is under my control. This is\nthat ancient and supreme Lord Hari of inconceivable soul who hath taken\nhis birth as Krishna of the Vrishni race, and who endued with mighty\narms, seemeth to sport in this world! This one is _Dhatri_ and\n_Vidhatri_, the Destroyer of all the Eternal, the bearer of the\n_Sreevatsa_ mark on his breast, the Lord of the lord of all creatures,\nthe highest of the high, called also Govinda! Beholding this foremost of\nall gods, this ever-victorious Being, attired in yellow robes, this\nchief of the Vrishni race, my recollection cometh back to me! This\nMadhava is the father and mother of all creatures! Ye bulls of the Kuru\nrace, seek ye the refuge of this Protector!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed, the sons of Pritha and those\nbulls among men--the twins, along with Draupadi, all bowed down unto\nJanardana. And that tiger among men deserving of every respect thus\nrevered by the sons of Pandu, then consoled them all with words of great\nsweetness.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXIX\n\nVaisampayana said \"Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, once more asked the\ngreat _Muni_ Markandeya about the future course of the government of the\nEarth.\n\n\"And Yudhishthira said, 'O thou foremost of all speakers, O _Muni_ of\nBhrigu's race, that which we have heard from thee about the destruction\nand re-birth of all things at the end of the _Yuga_, is, indeed, full of\nwonder! I am filled with curiosity, however, in respect of what may\nhappen in the _Kali_ age. When morality and virtue will be at an end,\nwhat will remain there! What will be the prowess of men in that age,\nwhat their food, and what their amusements? What will be the period of\nlife at the end of the _Yuga_? What also is the limit, having attained\nwhich the _Krita_ age will begin anew? Tell me all in detail, O _Muni_,\nfor all that thou narratest is varied and delightful.'\n\n\"Thus addressed, that foremost of _Munis_ began his discourse again,\ndelighting that tiger of the Vrishni race and the sons of Pandu as well.\nAnd Markandeya said, 'Listen, O monarch, to all that hath been seen and\nheard by me, and to all, O king of kings, that hath been known to me by\nintuition from the grace of the God of gods! O bull of the Bharata race,\nlisten to me as I narrate the future history of the world during the\nsinful age. O bull of the Bharata race, in the _Krita_ age, everything\nwas free from deceit and guile and avarice and covetousness; and\nmorality like a bull was among men, with all the four legs complete. In\nthe _Treta_ age sin took away one of these legs and morality had three\nlegs. In the _Dwapara_, sin and morality are mixed half and half; and\naccordingly morality is said to have two legs only. In the dark age (_of\nKali_), O thou best of the Bharata race, morality mixed with three parts\nof sin liveth by the side of men. Accordingly morality then is said to\nwait on men, with only a fourth part of itself remaining. Know, O\nYudhishthira, that the period of life, the energy, intellect and the\nphysical strength of men decrease in every _Yuga_! O Pandava, the\nBrahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras, (in the _Kali_ age)\nwill practise morality and virtue deceitfully and men in general will\ndeceive their fellows by spreading the net of virtue. And men with false\nreputation of learning will, by their acts, cause Truth to be contracted\nand concealed. And in consequence of the shortness of their lives they\nwill not be able to acquire much knowledge. And in consequence of the\nlittleness of their knowledge, they will have no wisdom. And for this,\ncovetousness and avarice will overwhelm them all. And wedded to avarice\nand wrath and ignorance and lust men will entertain animosities towards\none another, desiring to take one another's lives. And Brahmanas and\nKshatriyas and Vaisyas with their virtue contracted and divested of\nasceticism and truth will all be reduced to an equality with the Sudras.\nAnd the lowest orders of men will rise to the position of the\nintermediate ones, and those in intermediate stations will, without\ndoubt, descend to the level of the lowest ones. Even such, O\nYudhishthira, will become the state of the world at the end of the\n_Yuga_. Of robes those will be regarded the best that are made of flax,\nand of grain the _Paspalum frumentacea_[5] will be regarded the best.\nTowards this period men will regard their wives as their (only) friends.\nAnd men will live on fish and milk, goats and sheep, for cows will be\nextinct. And towards that period, even they that are always observant of\nvows, will become covetous. And opposed to one another, men will, at\nsuch a time, seek one another's lives; and divested of _Yuga_, people\nwill become atheists and thieves. And they will even dig the banks of\nstreams with their spades and sow grains thereon. And even those places\nwill prove barren for them at such a time. And those men who are devoted\nto ceremonial rites in honour of the deceased and of the gods, will be\navaricious and will also appropriate and enjoy what belongs to others.\nThe father will enjoy what belongs to the son; and the son, what belongs\nto the father. And those things will also be enjoyed by men in such\ntimes, the enjoyment of which hath been forbidden in the scriptures. And\nthe Brahmanas, speaking disrespectfully of the Vedas, will not practise\nvows, and their understanding clouded by the science of disputation,\nthey will no longer perform sacrifices and the _Homa_. And deceived by\nthe false science of reasons, they will direct their hearts towards\neverything mean and low. And men will till low lands for cultivation and\nemploy cows and calves that are one year old, in drawing the plough and\ncarrying burthens. And sons having slain their sires, and sires having\nslain their sons will incur no opprobrium. And they will frequently save\nthemselves from anxiety by such deeds, and even glory in them. And the\nwhole world will be filled with _mleccha_ behaviour and notions and\nceremonies, and sacrifices will cease and joy will be nowhere and\ngeneral rejoicing will disappear. And men will rob the possession of\nhelpless persons, of those that are friendless and of wisdoms also. And,\npossessed of small energy and strength, without knowledge and given to\navarice and folly and sinful practices men will accept with joy the\ngifts made by wicked people with words of contempt. And, O son of Kunti,\nthe kings of the earth, with hearts wedded to sin without knowledge and\nalways boastful of their wisdom, will challenge one another from desire\nof taking one another's life. And the Kshatriyas also towards the end of\nsuch a period will become the thorns of the earth. And filled with\navarice and swelling with pride and vanity and, unable and unwilling to\nprotect (their subjects), they will take pleasure in inflicting\npunishments only. And attacking and repeating their attacks upon the\ngood and the honest, and feeling no pity for the latter, even when they\nwill cry in grief, the Kshatriyas will, O Bharata, rob these of their\nwives and wealth. And no one will ask for a girl (for purposes of\nmarriage) and no one will give away a girl (for such purposes), but the\ngirls will themselves choose their lords, when the end of the _Yuga_\ncomes. And the kings of the earth with souls steeped in ignorance, and\ndiscontented with what they have, will at such a time, rob their\nsubjects by every means in their power. And without doubt the whole\nworld will be _mlecchified_.[6] And when the end of the _Yuga_ comes,\nthe right hand will deceive the left; and the left, the right. And men\nwith false reputation of learning will contract Truth and the old will\nbetray the senselessness of the young, and the young will betray the\ndotage of the old. And cowards will have the reputation of bravery and\nthe brave will be cheerless like cowards. And towards the end of the\n_Yuga_ men will cease to trust one another. And full of avarice and\nfolly the whole world will have but one kind of food. And sin will\nincrease and prosper, while virtue will fade and cease to flourish. And\nBrahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaisyas will disappear, leaving, O king, no\nremnants of their orders. And all men towards the end of the Yuga will\nbecome members of one common order, without distinction of any kind. And\nsires will not forgive sons, and sons will not forgive sires. And when\nthe end approaches, wives will not wait upon and serve their husbands.\nAnd at such a time men will seek those countries where wheat and barley\nform the staple food. And, O monarch, both men and women will become\nperfectly free in their behaviour and will not tolerate one another's\nacts. And, O Yudhishthira, the whole world will be _mlecchified_. And\nmen will cease to gratify the gods by offerings of _Sraddhas_. And no\none will listen to the words of others and no one will be regarded as a\npreceptor by another. And, O ruler of men, intellectual darkness will\nenvelop the whole earth, and the life of man will then be measured by\nsixteen years, on attaining to which age death will ensue. And girls of\nfive or six years of age will bring forth children and boys of seven or\neight years of age will become fathers. And, O tiger among kings, when\nthe end of the _Yuga_ will come, the wife will never be content with her\nhusband, nor the husband with his wife. And the possessions of men will\nnever be much, and people will falsely bear the marks of religion, and\njealousy and malice will fill the world. And no one will, at that time,\nbe a giver (of wealth or anything else) in respect to any one else. And\nthe inhabited regions of the earth will be afflicted with dearth and\nfamine, and the highways will be filled with lustful men and women of\nevil repute. And, at such a time, the women will also entertain an\naversion towards their husbands. And without doubt all men will adopt\nthe behaviour of the _mlecchas_, become omnivorous without distinction,\nand cruel in all their acts, when the end of the _Yuga_ will come. And,\nO thou foremost of the Bharatas, urged by avarice, men will, at that\ntime, deceive one another when they sell and purchase. And without a\nknowledge of the ordinance, men will perform ceremonies and rites, and,\nindeed, behave as listeth them, when the end of the _Yuga_ comes. And\nwhen the end of the _Yuga_ comes, urged by their very dispositions, men\nwill act cruelly, and speak ill of one another. And people will, without\ncompunction, destroy trees and gardens. And men will be filled with\nanxiety as regards the means of living. And, O king, overwhelmed with\ncovetousness, men will kill Brahmanas and appropriate and enjoy the\npossessions of their victims. And the regenerate ones, oppressed by\nSudras, and afflicted with fear, and crying _Oh_ and _Alas_, will wander\nover the earth without anybody to protect them. And when men will begin\nto slay one another, and become wicked and fierce and without any\nrespect for animal life, then will the _Yuga_ come to an end. And, O\nking, even the foremost of the regenerate ones, afflicted by robbers,\nwill, like crows, fly in terror and with speed, and seek refuge, O\nperpetuator of the Kuru race, in rivers and mountains and inaccessible\nregions. And always oppressed by bad rulers with burthens of taxes, the\nforemost of the regenerate classes, O lord of the earth, will, in those\nterrible times, take leave of all patience and do improper acts by\nbecoming even the servants of the Sudras. And Sudras will expound the\nscriptures, and Brahmanas will wait upon and listen to them, and settle\ntheir course of duty accepting such interpretations as their guides. And\nthe low will become the high, and the course of things will look\ncontrary. And renouncing the gods, men will worship bones and other\nrelics deposited within walls. And, at the end of the _Yuga_, the Sudras\nwill cease to wait upon and serve the Brahmanas. And in the asylums of\ngreat _Rishis_, and the teaching institutions of Brahmanas, and in\nplaces sacred to the gods and sacrificial compounds, and in sacred\ntanks, the earth will be disfigured with tombs and pillars containing\nbony relics and not graced with temples dedicated to the gods. All this\nwill take place at the end of the _Yuga_, and know that these are the\nsigns of the end of the _Yuga_. And when men become fierce and destitute\nof virtue and carnivorous and addicted to intoxicating drinks, then doth\nthe _Yuga_ come to an end. And, O monarch, when flowers will be begot\nwithin flowers, and fruits within fruits, then will the _Yuga_ come to\nan end. And the clouds will pour rain unseasonably when the end of the\n_Yuga_ approaches. And, at that time, ceremonial rites of men will not\nfollow one another in due order, and the Sudras will quarrel with the\nBrahmanas. And the earth will soon be full of _mlecchas_, and the\nBrahmanas will fly in all directions for fear of the burthen of taxes.\nAnd all distinctions between men will cease as regards conduct and\nbehaviour, and afflicted with honorary tasks and offices, people will\nfly to woody retreats, subsisting on fruits and roots. And the world\nwill be so afflicted, that rectitude of conduct will cease to be\nexhibited anywhere. And disciples will set at naught the instructions of\npreceptors, and seek even to injure them. And preceptors impoverished\nwill be disregarded by men. And friends and relatives and kinsmen will\nperform friendly offices for the sake of the wealth only that is\npossessed by a person. And when the end of the _Yuga_ comes, everybody\nwill be in want. And all the points of the horizon will be ablaze, and\nthe stars and stellar groups will be destitute of brilliancy, and the\nplanets and planetary conjunctions will be inauspicious. And the course\nof the winds will be confused and agitated, and innumerable meteors will\nflash through the sky, foreboding evil. And the Sun will appear with six\nothers of the same kind. And all around there will be din and uproar,\nand everywhere there will be conflagrations. And the Sun, from the hour\nof his rising to that of setting, will be enveloped by Rahu. And the\ndeity of a thousand eyes will shower rain unseasonably. And when the end\nof the _Yuga_ comes, crops will not grow in abundance. And the women\nwill always be sharp in speech and pitiless and fond of weeping. And\nthey will never abide by the commands of their husbands. And when the\nend of the _Yuga_ comes, sons will slay fathers and mothers. And women,\nliving uncontrolled, will slay their husbands and sons. And, O king,\nwhen the end of the _Yuga_ comes, _Rahu_ will swallow the Sun\nunseasonably. And fires will blaze up on all sides. And travellers\nunable to obtain food and drink and shelter even when they ask for\nthese, will lie down on the wayside refraining from urging their\nsolicitations. And when the end of the _Yuga_ comes, crows and snakes\nand vultures and kites and other animals and birds will utter frightful\nand dissonant cries. And when the end of the _Yuga_ comes, men will cast\naway and neglect their friends and relatives and attendants. And, O\nmonarch, when the end of the _Yuga_ comes, men abandoning the countries\nand directions and towns and cities of their occupation, will seek for\nnew ones, one after another. And people will wander over the earth,\nuttering, \"_O father, O son_\", and such other frightful and rending\ncries.\n\n    [5] The word in the text is _Kora-dushakas_, supposed by Wilson\n    to be the _Paspalum frumentacea_ (_vide_ Dict.).\n\n    [6] The word in the text is _mlecchibhutam_. The Sanskrit\n    grammar affords a great facility for the formation of verbs from\n    substantives. _Mlecchify_ may be hybrid, but it correctly and\n    shortly signifies the Sanskrit word.\n\n\"'And when those terrible times will be over, the creation will begin\nanew. And men will again be created and distributed into the four orders\nbeginning with Brahmanas. And about that time, in order that men may\nincrease, Providence, according to its pleasure, will once more become\npropitious. And then when the Sun, the Moon, and Vrihaspati will, with\nthe constellation _Pushya_[7], enter the same sign, the _Krita_ age will\nbegin again. And the clouds will commence to shower seasonably, and the\nstars and stellar conjunctions will become auspicious. And the planets,\nduly revolving in their orbits, will become exceedingly propitious. And\nall around, there will be prosperity and abundance and health and peace.\nAnd commissioned by Time, a Brahmana of the name of _Kalki_ will take\nhis birth. And he will glorify Vishnu and possess great energy, great\nintelligence, and great prowess. And he will take his birth in a town of\nthe name of _Sambhala_ in an auspicious Brahmana family. And vehicles\nand weapons, and warriors and arms, and coats of mail will be at his\ndisposal as soon as he will think of them. And he will be the king of\nkings, and ever victorious with the strength of virtue. And he will\nrestore order and peace in this world crowded with creatures and\ncontradictory in its course. And that blazing Brahmana of mighty\nintellect, having appeared, will destroy all things. And he will be the\nDestroyer of all, and will inaugurate a new _Yuga_. And surrounded by\nthe Brahmanas, that Brahmana will exterminate all the _mlecchas_\nwherever those low and despicable persons may take refuge.'\"\n\n    [7] _Pushya_ is the eighth lunar asterism consisting of three\n    stars, of which one is, the Cancer. (Vide Wilson's Diet.).\n\n\nSECTION CLXL\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Having exterminated the thieves and robbers,\n_Kalki_ will, at a great Horse-sacrifice, duly give away this earth to\nthe Brahmanas, and having established anew the blessed rectitude\nordained by the Self-create, _Kalki_, of sacred deeds and illustrious\nreputation, will enter a delightful forest, and the people of this earth\nwill imitate his conduct, and when the Brahmanas will have exterminated\nthe thieves and robbers, there will be prosperity everywhere (on earth).\nAnd as the countries of the earth will one after another be subjugated,\nthat tiger among Brahmanas, _Kalki_, having placed deer skins and lances\nand tridents there, will roam over the earth, adored by foremost\nBrahmanas and showing his regard for them and engaged all the while in\nslaughtering thieves and robbers. And he will exterminate the thieves\nand robbers amid heart-rending cries of \"_Oh, father--Oh, mother!--O\nson!_\" and the like, and O Bharata, when sin will thus have been rooted\nout and virtue will flourish on arrival of the _Krita_ age, men will\nonce more betake themselves to the practice of religious rites. And in\nthe age that will set in, viz., the _Krita_, well-planted gardens and\nsacrificial compounds and large tanks and educational centres for the\ncultivation of Brahmanic lore and ponds and temples will re-appear\neverywhere. And the ceremonies and rites of sacrifices will also begin\nto be performed. And the Brahmanas will become good and honest, and the\nregenerate ones, devoted to ascetic austerities, will become _Munis_ and\nthe asylums of ascetics, which had before been filled with wretches will\nonce more be homes of men devoted to truth, and men in general will\nbegin to honour and practise truth. And all seeds, sown on earth, will\ngrow, and, O monarch, every kind of crop will grow in every season. And\nmen will devotedly practise charity and vows and observances, and the\nBrahmanas devoted to meditation and sacrifices will be of virtuous soul\nand always cheerful, and the rulers of the earth will govern their\nkingdoms virtuously, and in the _Krita_ age, the Vaisyas will be devoted\nto the practices of their order. And the Brahmanas will be devoted to\ntheir six-fold duties (of study, teaching, performance of sacrifices on\ntheir own account, officiating at sacrifices performed by others,\ncharity and acceptance of gifts), and the Kshatriyas will be devoted to\nfeats of prowess. And Sudras will be devoted to service of the three\n(high) orders.\n\n\"'These, O Yudhishthira, are the courses of the _Krita_, the _Treta_,\nthe _Dwapara_ and the succeeding age. I have now narrated to thee\neverything. I have also told thee, O son of Pandu, the periods embraced\nby the several _Yugas_ as generally known. I have now told thee\neverything appertaining to both the past and the future as narrated by\n_Vayu_ in the _Parana_ (which goes by his name and) which is adored by\nthe _Rishis_. Being immortal I have many a time beheld and otherwise\nascertained the courses of the world. Indeed, all I have seen and felt I\nhave now told thee. And, O thou of unfading glory, listen now with thy\nbrothers to something else I will presently tell thee for clearing thy\ndoubts about religion! O thou foremost of virtuous men, thou shouldst\nalways fix thy soul on virtue, for, O monarch, a person of virtuous soul\nobtaineth bliss both here and hereafter. And, O sinless one, listen to\nthe auspicious words that I will now speak to thee. _Never do thou\nhumiliate a Brahmana, for a Brahmana, if angry, may by his vow destroy\nthe three worlds._'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing these words of Markandeya, the royal\nhead of the Kurus, endued with intelligence and possessed of great\nlustre, spoke these words of great wisdom, 'O _muni_, if I am to protect\nmy subjects, to what course of conduct should I adhere? And how should I\nbehave so that I may not fall away from the duties of my order?'\n\n\"Markandeya, hearing this, answered, 'Be merciful to all creatures, and\ndevoted to their good. Love all creatures, scorning none. Be truthful in\nspeech, humble, with passions under complete control, and always devoted\nto the protection of thy people. Practise virtue and renounce sin, and\nworship thou the manes and the god and whatever thou mayst have done\nfrom ignorance or carelessness, wash them off and expiate them by\ncharity. Renouncing pride and vanity, be thou possessed to humility and\ngood behaviour. And subjugating the whole earth, rejoice thou and let\nhappiness be thine. This is the course of conduct that accords with\nvirtue. I have recited to thee all that was and all that will be\nregarded as virtuous. There is nothing appertaining to the past or the\nfuture that is unknown to thee. Therefore, O son, take not to heart this\npresent calamity of thine. They that are wise are never overwhelmed when\nthey are persecuted by _Time_. O thou of mighty arms, the very dwellers\nof heaven cannot rise superior to Time. Time afflicts all creatures. O\nsinless one, let not doubt cross thy mind regarding the truth of what I\nhave told thee, for, if thou sufferest doubt to enter thy heart, thy\nvirtue will suffer diminution! O bull of the Bharata race, thou art born\nin the celebrated family of the Kurus. Thou shouldst practise that which\nI have told thee, in thought, word and deed.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira answered, 'O thou foremost of the regenerate ones, at thy\ncommand I will certainly act according to all the instructions thou hast\ngiven me, and which, O lord, are all so sweet to the ear. O foremost of\nBrahmanas, avarice and lust I have none, and neither fear nor pride nor\nvanity. I shall, therefore, O lord, follow all that thou hast told me.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having listened to the words of the intelligent\nMarkandeya, the sons of Pandu, O king, along with the wielder of the bow\ncalled _Saranga_, and all those bulls among Brahmanas, and all others\nthat were there, became filled with joy. And having heard those blessed\nwords appertaining to olden time, from Markandeya gifted with wisdom,\ntheir hearts were filled with wonder.\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXLI\n\nJanamejaya said, \"It behoveth thee to narrate to me in full the\ngreatness of the Brahmanas even as the mighty ascetic Markandeya had\nexpounded it to the sons of Pandu.\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"The eldest son of Pandu had asked Markandeya saying,\n'It behoveth thee to expound to me the greatness of Brahmanas.'\nMarkandeya answered him saying, 'Hear, O king, about the behaviour of\nBrahmanas in days of old.'\n\n\"And Markandeya continued, 'There was a king, by name Parikshit in\nAyodhya and belonging to the race of Ikshvaku. And once upon a time\nParikshit went a-hunting. And as he was riding alone on a horse chasing\ndeer, the animal led him to a great distance (from the habitations of\nmen). And fatigued by the distance he had ridden and afflicted with\nhunger and thirst he beheld in that part of the country whither he had\nbeen led, a dark and dense forest, and the king, beholding that forest,\nentered it and seeing a delightful tank within the forest, both the\nrider and the horse bathed in it, and refreshed by the bath and placing\nbefore his horse some stalks and fibres of the lotus, the king sat by\nthe side of the tank. And while he was lying by the side of the tank, he\nheard certain sweet strains of music, and hearing those strains, he\nreflected, \"I do not see here the foot-prints of men. Whose and whence\nthen these strains?\" And the king soon beheld a maiden of great beauty\ngathering flowers singing all the while, and the maiden soon came before\nthe king, and the king thereupon asked her, \"Blessed one, who art thou\nand whose?\" And she replied, \"I am a maiden.\" And the king said, \"I ask\nthee to be mine.\" And the maiden answered, \"Give me a pledge, for then\nonly I can be thine, else not.\" And the king then asked about the pledge\nand the girl answered, \"Thou wilt never make me cast my eyes on water\",\nand the king saying, \"So be it,\" married her, and king Parikshit having\nmarried her sported (with her) in great joy, and sat with her in\nsilence, and while the king was staying there, his troops reached the\nspot, and those troops beholding the monarch stood surrounding him, and\ncheered by the presence of troops, the king entered a handsome vehicle\naccompanied by his (newly) wedded wife. And having arrived at his\ncapital he began to live with her in privacy. And persons that were even\nnear enough to the king could not obtain any interview with him and the\nminister-in-chief enquired of those females that waited upon the king,\nasking, \"What do ye do here?\" And those women replied, \"We behold here a\nfemale of unrivalled beauty. And the king sporteth with her, having\nmarried her with a pledge that he would never show her water.\" And\nhearing those words, the minister-in-chief caused an artificial forest\nto be created, consisting of many trees with abundant flowers and\nfruits, and he caused to be excavated within that forest and towards one\nof its sides a large tank, placed in a secluded spot and full of water\nthat was sweet as _Amrita_. The tank was well covered with a net of\npearls. Approaching the king one day in private, he addressed the king\nsaying, \"This is a fine forest without water. Sport thou here joyfully!\"\nAnd the king at those words of his minister entered that forest with\nthat adorable wife of his, and the king sported with her in that\ndelightful forest, and afflicted with hunger and thirst and fatigued and\nspent, the king beheld a bower of Madhavi creepers[8] and entering that\nbower with his dear one, the king beheld a tank full of water that was\ntransparent and bright as nectar, and beholding that tank, the king sat\non its bank with her and the king told his adorable wife, \"Cheerfully do\nthou plunge into this water!\" And she, hearing those words plunged into\nthe tank. But having plunged into the water she appeared not above the\nsurface, and as the king searched, he failed to discover any trace of\nher. And the king ordered the waters of the tank to be baled out, and\nthereupon he beheld a frog sitting at the mouth of a hole, and the king\nwas enraged at this and promulgated an order saying, \"Let frogs be\nslaughtered everywhere in my dominions! Whoever wishes to have an\ninterview with me must come before me with a tribute of dead frogs.\" And\naccordingly when frogs began to be terribly slaughtered, the affrighted\nfrogs represented all that had happened unto their king, and the king of\nthe frogs assuming the garb of an ascetic came before the king\nParikshit, and having approached the monarch, he said, \"O king, give not\nthyself up to wrath! Be inclined to grace. It behoveth thee not to slay\nthe innocent frogs.\" Here occurs a couple of _Slokas_. (They are\nthese):--\"O thou of unfading glory, slay not the frogs! Pacify thy\nwrath! The prosperity and ascetic merits of those that have their souls\nsteeped in ignorance suffer diminution! Pledge thyself not to be angry\nwith the frogs! What need hast thou to commit such sin! What purpose\nwill be served by slaying the frogs!\" Then king Parikshit whose soul was\nfilled with woe on account of the death of her that was dear to him,\nanswered the chief of the frogs who had spoken to him thus, \"I will not\nforgive the frogs. On the other hand, I will slay them. By these wicked\nwretches hath my dear one been swallowed up. The frogs, therefore,\nalways deserve to be killed by me. It behoveth thee not, O learned one,\nto intercede on their behalf.\" And hearing these words of Parikshit, the\nking of the frogs with his senses and mind much pained said, \"Be\ninclined to grace, O king! I am the king of the frogs by name Ayu. She\nwho was thy wife is my daughter of the name of Susobhana. This, indeed,\nis an instance of her bad conduct. Before this, many kings were deceived\nby her.\" The king thereupon said to him, \"I desire to have her. Let her\nbe granted to me by thee!\" The king of the frogs thereupon bestowed his\ndaughter upon Parikshit, and addressing her said, \"Wait upon and serve\nthe king.\" And having spoken these words to his daughter, he also\naddressed her in wrath saying, \"Since thou hast deceived many Kings for\nthis untruthful behaviour of thine, thy offspring will prove\ndisrespectful to Brahmanas!\" But having obtained her, the king became\ndeeply enamoured of her in consequence of her companionable virtues, and\nfeeling that he had, as it were, obtained the sovereignty of the three\nworlds, he bowed down to the king of the frogs and reverenced him in due\nform and then with utterance choked in joy and tears said, \"I have been\nfavoured indeed!\" And the king of the frogs obtaining the leave of his\ndaughter, returned to the place from which he had come and some time\nafter the king begot three sons upon her and those sons were named Sala\nand Dala and Vala, and some time after, their father, installing the\neldest of them of all on the throne and setting his heart on asceticism,\nretired into the forest. One day Sala while out a-hunting, beheld a deer\nand pursued it, on his car, and the prince said to his charioteer,\n\"Drive thou fast.\" And the charioteer, thus addressed, replied unto the\nking, saying, \"Do not entertain such a purpose. This deer is incapable\nof being caught by thee. If indeed _Vami_ horses had been yoked to thy\ncar, then couldst thou have taken it.\" Thereupon the king addressed his\ncharioteer, saying, \"Tell me all about _Vami_ horses, otherwise I will\nslay thee.\" Thus addressed the charioteer became dreadfully alarmed and\nhe was afraid of the king and also of Vamadeva's curse and told not the\nking anything and the king then lifting up his scimitar said to him,\n\"Tell me soon, else I will slay thee.\" At last afraid of the king, the\ncharioteer said, \"The _Vami_ horses are those belonging to Vamadeva;\nthey are fleet as the mind.\" And unto his charioteer who had said so,\nthe king said, \"Repair thou to the asylum of Vamadeva.\" And reaching the\nasylum of Vamadeva the king said unto that _Rishi_, \"O holy one, a deer\nstruck by me is flying away. It behoveth thee to make it capable of\nbeing seized by me by granting me thy pair of _Vami_ horses.\" The\n_Rishi_ then answered him saying, \"I give thee my pair of _Vami_ horses.\nBut after accomplishing thy object, my _Vami_ pair you should soon\nreturn.\" The king then taking those steeds and obtaining the leave of\nthe _Rishi_ pursued the deer, having yoked the _Vami_ pair unto his car,\nand after he had left the asylum he spoke unto his charioteer saying,\n\"These jewels of steeds the Brahmanas do not deserve to possess. These\nshould not be returned to Vamadeva.\" Having said this and seized the\ndeer he returned to his capital and placed those steeds within the inner\napartments of the palace.\n\n    [8] An Indian creeper of the order of _Goertnera racemosa_. It\n    bears large white flowers of much fragrance.\n\n\"'Meanwhile the _Rishi_ reflected, \"The prince is young. Having obtained\nan excellent pair of animals, he is sporting with it in joy without\nreturning it to me. Alas, what a pity it is!\" And reflecting in this\nstrain, the _Rishi_ said unto a disciple of his, after the expiration of\na month, \"Go, O Atreya, and say to the king that if he has done with the\n_Vami_ steeds, he should return them unto thy preceptor.\" And the\ndisciple Atreya, thereupon, repairing to the king, spoke unto him as\ninstructed, and the king replied saying, \"This pair of steeds deserves\nto be owned by kings. The Brahmanas do not deserve to possess jewels of\nsuch value. What business have Brahmanas with horses? Return thou\ncontentedly!\" And Atreya, thus addressed by the king, returned and told\nhis preceptor all that had happened, and hearing this sad intelligence,\nVamadeva's heart was filled with wrath, and repairing in person to the\nking he asked him for his steeds, and the king refused to give the\n_Rishi_ what the latter asked, and Vamadeva said, \"O lord of earth, give\nme thou my _Vami_ horses. By them hast thou accomplished a task which\nwas almost incapable of being accomplished by thee. By transgressing the\npractices of Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, subject not thyself, O king, to\ndeath by means of the terrible noose of Varuna.\" And hearing this, the\nking answered, \"O Vamadeva, this couple of excellent well-trained, and\ndocile bulls are fit animals for Brahmanas. O great _Rishi_, (take them\nand) go with them wherever thou likest. Indeed, the very _Vedas_ carry\npersons like thee.\" Then Vamadeva said, \"O king, the _Vedas_ do, indeed,\ncarry persons like us. But that is in the world hereafter. In this\nworld, however, O king, animals like these carry me and persons like me\nas also all others.\" At this the king answered, \"Let four asses carry\nthee, or four mules of the best kind, or even four steeds endued with\nthe speed of the wind. Go thou with these. This pair of _Vami_ horses,\nhowever, deserves to be owned by Kshatriyas. Know thou, therefore, that\nthese are not thine.\" At this, Vamadeva said, \"O king, terrible vows\nhave been ordained for the Brahmanas. If I have lived in their\nobservance, let four fierce and mighty Rakshasas of terrible mien and\niron bodies, commanded by me, pursue thee with desire of slaying, and\ncarry thee on their sharp lances, having cut up thy body into four\nparts.\" Hearing this, the king said, \"Let those, O Vamadeva, that know\nthee as a Brahmana that in thought, word, and deed, is desirous of\ntaking life, at my command, armed with bright lances and swords\nprostrate thee with thy disciples before me.\" Then Vamadeva answered, \"O\nking, having obtained these my _Vami_ steeds, thou hadst said, '_I will\nreturn them_.' Therefore, give me back my _Vami_ steeds, so thou mayst\nbe able to protect thy life.\" Hearing this, the king said, \"Pursuit of\ndeer hath not been ordained for the Brahmanas. I do punish thee,\nhowever, for thy untruthfulness. From this day, too, obeying all thy\ncommands I will, O Brahmana, attain to regions of bliss.\" Vamadeva then\nsaid, \"A Brahmana cannot be punished in thought, word or deed. That\nlearned person who by ascetic austerities succeedeth in knowing a\nBrahmana to be so, faileth not to attain to prominence in this world.\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'After Vamadeva had said this, there arose, O\nking, (four) _Rakshasas_ of terrible mien, and as they, with lances in\ntheir hands, approached the king for slaying him, the latter cried\naloud, saying, \"If, O Brahmana, all the descendants of Ikshvaku's race,\nif (my brother) Dala, if all these Vaisyas acknowledge my sway, then I\nwill not yield up the _Vami_ steeds to Vamadeva, for these men can never\nbe virtuous.\" And while he was uttering those words, those _Rakshasas_\nslew him, and the lord of earth was soon prostrated on the ground. And\nthe Ikshvakus, learning that their king had been slain, installed Dala\non the throne, and the Brahmana Vamadeva thereupon going to the kingdom\n(of the Ikshvakus), addressed the new monarch, saying, \"O king, it hath\nbeen declared in all the sacred books that persons should give away unto\nBrahmanas. If thou fearest sin, O king, give me now the _Vami_ steeds\nwithout delay.\" And hearing these words of Vamadeva, the king in anger\nspoke unto his charioteer, saying, \"Bring me an arrow from those I have\nkept, which is handsome to behold and tempered with poison, so that\npierced by it Vamadeva may lie prostrate in pain, torn by the dogs.\"\nHearing this, Vamadeva answered, \"I know, O king, that thou hast a son\nof ten years of age, called Senajita, begotten upon thy queen. Urged by\nmy word, slay thou that dear boy of thine without delay by means of thy\nfrightful arrows!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'At these words of Vamadeva, O king, that arrow\nof fierce energy, shot by the monarch, slew the prince in the inner\napartments, and hearing this, Dala said there and then, \"Ye people of\nIkshvaku's race, I will do ye good. I shall slay this Brahmana today,\ngrinding him with force. Bring me another arrow of fierce energy. Ye\nlords of earth, behold my prowess now.\" And at these words of Dala,\nVamadeva said, \"This arrow of terrible mien and tempered with poison,\nthat thou aimest at me, thou shall not, O ruler of men, be able to aim\nnor even to shoot.\" And thereupon the king said, \"Ye men of Ikshvaku's\nrace, behold me incapable of shooting the arrow that hath been taken up\nby me. I fail to compass the death of this Brahmana. Let Vamadeva who is\nblessed with a long life live.\" Then Vamadeva said, \"Touching thy queen\nwith this arrow, thou mayst purge thyself of the sin (of attempting to\ntake the life of a Brahmana).\" And king Dala did as he was directed and\nthe queen then addressed the _Muni_, and said, \"O Vamadeva, let me be\nable to duly instruct this wretched husband of mine from day to day,\nimparting unto him words of happy import; and let me always wait upon\nand serve the Brahmanas, and by this acquire, O Brahmana, the sacred\nregions hereafter.\" And hearing these words of the queen, Vamadeva said,\n\"O thou of beautiful eyes, thou hast saved this royal race. Beg thou an\nincomparable boon. I will grant thee whatever thou mayst ask. And, O\nthou faultless one, rule thou, O princess, these thy kinsmen and this\ngreat kingdom of the Ikshvakus!\" And hearing these words of Vamadeva the\nprincess said, \"This, O holy one, is the boon I seek, viz., that my\nhusband may now be freed from his sin, and that thou mayst be employed\nin thinking of the weal of his son and kinsmen. This is the boon that I\nask, O thou foremost of Brahmanas!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Hearing these words of the queen, that _Muni_, O\nthou foremost of the Kuru race, said, \"So be it.\" And thereupon king\nDala became highly glad and gave unto the _Muni_ his _Vami_ steeds,\nhaving bowed down unto him with reverence!'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXLII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"The _Rishis_, the Brahmanas, and Yudhishthira then\nasked Markandeya, saying, 'How did the _Rishi_ Vaka become so long\nlived?'\n\n\"Thus asked by them, Markandeya answered, 'The royal sage Vaka is a\ngreat ascetic and endowed with long life. Ye need not enquire into the\nreason of this.'\n\n\"Hearing this, O Bharata, the son of Kunti, king Yudhishthira the just,\nalong with his brothers, then asked Markandeya saying, 'It hath been\nheard by us that both Vaka and Daivya are of great souls and endowed\nwith immortality and that those _Rishis_, held in universal reverence,\nare the friends of the chief of the gods. O Holy One, I desire to listen\nto the (history of the) meeting of Vaka and Indra that is full of both\njoy and woe. Narrate thou that history unto us succinctly.'\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'When that horrible conflict between the gods and the\n_Asuras_ was over, Indra became the ruler of the three worlds. The\nclouds showered rain copiously. And the dwellers of the world had\nabundance of harvests, and were excellent in disposition. And devoted to\nvirtue, they always practised morality and enjoyed peace. And all\npersons, devoted to the duties of their respective orders, were\nperfectly happy and cheerful, and the slayer of Vala, beholding all the\ncreatures of the world happy and cheerful, became himself filled with\njoy. And he of a hundred sacrifices, the chief of the _gods_ seated on\nthe back of his elephant Airavata, surveyed his happy subjects, and he\ncast his eyes on delightful asylums of _Rishis_, on various auspicious\nrivers, towns full of prosperity, and villages and rural regions in the\nenjoyment of plenty. And he also cast his eyes upon kings devoted to the\npractice of virtue and well-skilled in ruling their subjects. And he\nalso looked upon tanks and reservoirs and wells and lakes and smaller\nlakes all full of water and adored by best of Brahmanas in the\nobservance, besides, of various excellent vows, and then descending on\nthe delightful earth, O king, the god of a hundred sacrifices, proceeded\ntowards a blessed asylum teeming with animals and birds, situated by the\nside of the sea, in the delightful and auspicious regions of the East on\na spot overgrown with abundance of vegetation. And the chief of the gods\nbeheld Vaka in that asylum, and Vaka also, beholding the ruler of the\nImmortals, became highly glad, and he worshipped Indra by presenting him\nwith water to wash his feet, a carpet to sit upon, the usual offering of\nthe _Arghya_, and fruit and roots. And the boon-giving slayer of Vala,\nthe divine ruler of those that know not old age, being seated at his\nease, asked Vaka the following question, \"O sinless _Muni_, thou hast\nlived for a hundred years! Tell me, O Brahmana, what the sorrows are of\nthose that are immortal!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Hearing this, Vaka answered, saying, \"Life with\npersons that are disagreeable, separation from those that are agreeable\nand beloved, companionship with the wicked, these are the evils which\nthey that are immortal have to bear. The death of sons and wives, of\nkinsmen and friends, and the pain of dependence on others, are some of\nthe greatest of evils. (These may all be noticed in a deathless life).\nThere is no more pitiable sight in the world, as I conceive, than that\nof men destitute of wealth being insulted by others. The acquisition of\nfamily dignity by those that have it not, the loss of family dignity by\nthose that have it, unions and disunions,--these all are noticeable by\nthose that lead deathless lives. How they that have no family dignity\nbut have prosperity, win what they have not--all this, O god of a\nhundred sacrifices, is before thy very eyes! What can be more pitiable\nthan the calamities and reverses sustained by the gods, the _Asuras_,\nthe _Gandharvas_, men, the snakes, and the _Rakshasas_! They that have\nbeen of good families suffer afflictions in consequence of their\nsubjection to persons that are ill-born and the poor are insulted by the\nrich. What can be more pitiable than these? Innumerable examples of such\ncontradictory dispensations are seen in the world. The foolish and the\nignorant are cheerful and happy while the learned and the wise suffer\nmisery! Plentiful instances of misery and woe are seen among men in this\nworld! (They that lead deathless lives are destined to behold all these\nand suffer on that account.)\"\n\n\"'Indra then said, \"O thou of great good fortune, tell me again, what\nthe joys are of those persons that lead deathless lives,--joys that are\nadored by gods and _Rishis_!\"\n\n\"'Vaka answered, \"If without having to associate with a wicked friend, a\nman cooks scanty vegetables in his own house at the eight or the twelfth\npart of the day, there can be nothing happier than that.[9] He in whose\ncase the day is not counted is not called voracious. And, O Maghavan,\nhappiness is even his own whose scanty vegetables are cooked. Earned by\nhis own efforts, without having to depend upon any one, he that eateth\neven fruits and vegetables in his own house is entitled to respect. He\nthat eateth in another's house the food given to him in contempt, even\nif that food be rich and sweet, doth what is despicable. This,\ntherefore, is the opinion of the wise that fie on the food of that mean\nwretch who like a dog or a _Rakshasa_ eateth at another's house. If\nafter treating guests and servants and offering food to the manes a good\nBrahmana eateth what remains, there can be nothing happier than that.\nThere is nothing sweeter or more sacred, O thou of a hundred sacrifices,\nthan that food which such a person takes after serving the guest with\nthe first portion thereof. Each mouthful (of rice) that the Brahmana\neats after having served the guest, produces merit equal to what\nattaches to the gift of a thousand kine. And whatever sins such a one\nmay have committed in his youth are all washed away of a certainty. The\nwater in the hands of the Brahmana that hath been fed and honoured with\na pecuniary gift (after the feeding is over) when touched with water\n(sprinkled by him that feeds), instantly purges off all the sins of the\nlatter!\"\n\n    [9] They, therefore, that lead deathless lives can enjoy this\n    bliss from day to day for ever.\n\n\"'Speaking of these and various other things with Vaka, the chief of the\ngods went away to heaven.'\"[10]\n\n    [10] It is difficult to understand how all that Vaka says can be\n    an answer to Indra's question. The chief of the gods enquires:\n    What are the joys of those that lead deathless lives? Vaka\n    breaks away unto a confused rigmarole about the merits of\n    independence and the religious merit of entertaining guests and\n    servants. All the printed editions have the passage as rendered\n    here.\n\n\nSECTION CLXLIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then the sons of Pandu again addressed Markandeya\nsaying, 'Thou hast told us of greatness of Brahmanas. We desire now to\nhear of the greatness of the royal Kshatriyas!\" Thus addressed by them,\nthe great _Rishi_ Markandeya spoke, 'Listen now to the greatness of the\nroyal Kshatriyas. A certain king of the name of Suhotra belonging to the\nKuru race went on a visit to the great _Rishis_. And as he was returning\nfrom that visit, he beheld king Sivi the son of Usinara, seated on his\ncar, and as each came before the other, each saluted the other as best\nbefitted his age and each regarding himself as the equal of the other in\nrespect of qualities, refused to give the way to the other. And at this\njuncture Narada appeared there, and beholding what had happened, the\ncelestial _Rishi_ asked, \"Why is it that ye both stand here blocking\neach other's way?\" And thus questioned both of them spoke to Narada\nsaying, \"O holy one, do not speak so. The sages of old have declared\nthat the way should be given to one who is superior or to him that is\nabler. We, however, that stand blocking each other's way are equal to\neach other in every respect. Judged properly there is no superiority\namongst us.\" Thus addressed by them, Narada recited three _slokas_.\n(They are these), \"O thou of the Kuru race, he that is wicked behaveth\nwickedly even unto him that is humble; he also that is humble behaveth\nwith humility and honestly unto him that is wicked! He that is honest\nbehaveth honestly even towards the dishonest. Why should he not behave\nhonestly towards him that is honest? He that is honest regardeth the\nservice that is done to him, as if it were a hundred times greater than\nit is. Is this not current amongst the gods themselves? Certainly it is\nthe royal son of Usinara who is possessed of goodness that is greater\nthan thine. One should conquer the mean by charity; the untruthful by\ntruth, the man of wicked deeds by forgiveness; and the dishonest by\nhonesty. Both of you are large-hearted. Let one amongst you stand aside,\naccording to the indication of the above _slokas_.\" And having said so\nNarada became silent, and hearing what Narada had said the king of the\nKuru race walking round _Sivi_, and praising his numerous achievements,\ngave him the way and went on in his course. It was even thus that Narada\nhad described the high blessedness of the royal Kshatriyas.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXLIV\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Listen now to another story. One day as king\nYayati, the son of Nahusha, was sitting on his throne, surrounded by the\ncitizens, there came unto him a Brahmana desirous of soliciting wealth\nfor his preceptor, and approaching the king, the Brahmana said, \"O king,\nI beg of thee wealth for my preceptor according to my covenant.\" And the\nking said, \"O Holy One, tell me what thy covenant is.\" And thereupon the\nBrahmana said, \"O king, in this world when men are asked for alms, they\nentertain contempt for him that asketh it. I therefore, ask thee, O\nking, with what feelings thou wilt give me what I ask and upon which I\nhave set my heart.\" And the king replied saying, \"Having given away a\nthing, I never boast of it. I never also listen to solicitations for\nthings that cannot be given. I listen, however, to prayers for things\nthat can be given and giving them away I always become happy. I will\ngive thee a thousand kine. The Brahmana that asks me for a gift is\nalways dear to me. I am never angry with the person that begs of me and\nI am never sorry for having given away a thing!\" And the Brahmana then\nobtained from the king a thousand kine and went away.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXLV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"The son of Pandu again addressed the _Rishi_ and\nsaid, 'Speak thou unto us of the high fortune of royal Kshatriyas!' And\nMarkandeya said, 'There were two kings of the name of Vrishadarbha and\nSeduka and both of them were conversant with morals and with weapons of\nattack and defence. And Seduka knew that Vrishadarbha had from his\nboyhood an unuttered vow that he would give no other metal unto\nBrahmanas save gold and silver. And once on a time a Brahmana having\ncompleted his study of the _Vedas_ came unto Seduka and uttering a\nbenediction upon him begged of him wealth for his preceptor, saying,\n\"Give me a thousand steeds.\" And thus addressed, Seduka said unto him,\n\"It is not possible for me to give thee this for thy preceptor.\nTherefore, go thou unto king Vrishadarbha, for, O Brahmana, he is a\nhighly virtuous king. Go and beg of him. He will grant thy request. Even\nthis is his unuttered vow.\" Hearing these words that Brahmana went to\nVrishadarbha and begged of him a thousand steeds, and the king thus\nsolicited, struck the Brahmana with a whip and thereupon the Brahmana\nsaid, \"Innocent as I am, why dost thou attack me thus?\" And the Brahmana\nwas on the point of cursing the king, when the latter said, \"O Brahmana,\ndost thou curse him that doth not give thee what thou askest? Or, is\nthis behaviour proper for a Brahmana?\" And the Brahmana said, \"O king of\nkings, sent unto thee by Seduka, I come before thee for this.\" The king\nsaid, \"I will give thee now whatever tribute may come to me before the\nmorning expire. How indeed, can I send away the man empty-handed who\nhath been whipped by me.\" And having said this the king gave unto that\nBrahmana the entire proceeds of that day and that was more than the\nvalue of a thousand horses.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXLVI\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'One day it was resolved by the gods that they should\ndescend on the earth and try the goodness and virtue of king Sivi, the\nson of Usinara. And addressing each other,--\"_Well_\"--Agni and Indra\ncame to the earth. And Agni took the form of a pigeon flying away from\nIndra who pursued him in the form of a hawk, and that pigeon fell upon\nthe lap of king Sivi who was seated on an excellent seat. And the priest\nthereupon addressing the king said, \"Afraid of the hawk and desirous of\nsaving its life, this pigeon hath come to thee for safety. The learned\nhave said that the falling of a pigeon upon one's body forebodeth a\ngreat danger. Let the king that understands omens give away wealth for\nsaving himself from the danger indicated.\" And the pigeon also addressed\nthe king and said, \"Afraid of the hawk and desirous of saving my life I\nhave come to thee for protection. I am a _Muni_. Having assumed the form\nof a pigeon, I come to thee as a seeker of thy protection. Indeed, I\nseek thee as my life. Know me as one possessed of Vedic lore, as one\nleading the _Brahmacharya_ mode of life, as one possessed also of\nself-control and ascetic virtues. And know me further as one that has\nnever spoken disagreeably unto his preceptor, as one possessed of every\nvirtue indeed, as one that is sinless. I repeat the Vedas, I know their\nprosody; indeed, I have studied all the Vedas letter by letter. I am not\na pigeon. Oh, do not yield me up to the hawk. The giving up of a learned\nand pure Brahmana can never be a good gift.\" And after the pigeon said\nso, the hawk addressed the king, and said, \"Creatures do not come into\nthe world in the same particular order. In the order of creation, thou\nmayst, in a former birth, have been begotten by this pigeon. It is not\nproper for thee, O king, to interfere with my food by protecting this\npigeon (even though he might have been thy father).\" And thus addressed,\nthe king said, \"Hath any one, before this, seen birds thus speak the\npure speech of man? Knowing what this pigeon sayeth, and this hawk also,\nhow can we act to-day according to virtue? He that giveth up an\naffrighted creature seeking protection, unto its foe, doth not obtain\nprotection when he is in need of it himself. Indeed, the very clouds do\nnot shower rain seasonably for him, and the seeds though scattered do\nnot grow for him. He that giveth up an afflicted creature seeking\nprotection unto its foe, hath to see his offspring die in childhood. The\nancestor of such a person can never dwell in heaven; indeed, the very\ngods decline to accept the libations of clarified butter poured by him\ninto the fire. He that giveth up an affrighted creature seeking\nprotection, unto its foe, is struck with the thunder-bolt by the gods\nwith Indra at their head. The food that he eateth is unsanctified, and\nhe, of a narrow soul, falleth from heaven very soon. O hawk, let the\npeople of the Sivi tribe place before thee a bull cooked with rice\ninstead of this pigeon. And let them also carry to the place where thou\nlivest in joy, meat in abundance.\" And hearing this, the hawk said, \"O\nking, I do not ask for a bull, nor, indeed, any other meat, nor meat\nmore in quantity than that of this pigeon. It hath been given to me by\nthe gods. The creature, therefore, is my food today in consequence of\nits death that hath been ordained. Therefore, O monarch, give it up to\nme.\" Thus addressed by the hawk, the king said, \"Let my men see and\ncarefully carry the bull to thee with every limb entire. Let that bull\nbe the ransom of this creature afflicted with fright and let it be\ncarried to thee before my eyes. Oh, slay not this pigeon! I will yield\nup my very life, yet I would not give up this pigeon. Dost thou not\nknow, O hawk, that this creature looketh like a sacrifice with the\n_Soma_ juice? O blessed one, cease to take so much trouble for it. I\ncannot, by any means, yield up the pigeon to thee. Or, O hawk, if it\npleases thee, command me to do some such thing which I may do for thee,\nwhich may be agreeable to thee, and upon doing which the men of the Sivi\ntribe may yet in joy bless me in terms of applause. I promise thee that\nI will do what thou mayst did me do.\" And at this appeal of the king,\nthe hawk said, \"O king, if thou givest me as much flesh as would be\nequal to the weight of the pigeon, cutting it off thy right thigh; then\ncan the pigeon be properly saved by thee; then wouldst thou do what\nwould be agreeable to me and what the men of the Sivi tribe would speak\nof in terms of praise.\" And the king agreed to this and he cut off a\npiece of flesh from his right thigh and weighed it against the pigeon.\nBut the pigeon weighed heavier. And thereupon the king cut off another\npiece of his flesh, but the pigeon still weighed heavier, and then the\nking cut off pieces of flesh from all parts of his body and placed them\non the scale. But the pigeon still weighed heavier, and then the king\nhimself ascended the scale and he felt no grief at this and beholding\nthis, the hawk disappeared there saying--(The pigeon hath been)\n_Saved_,--And the king asked the pigeon saying, \"O pigeon, let the Sivis\nknow who the hawk is. None but the lord of the universe could do as he\ndid. O Holy One, answer thou this question of mine!\" And the pigeon then\nsaid, \"I am the smoke-bannered Agni called also Vaiswanara. The hawk is\nnone other than Sachi's lord armed with the thunder-bolt. O son of\nSuratha, thou art a bull among men. We came to try thee. These pieces of\nflesh, O king, that thou hast cut off with thy sword from thy body for\nsaving me have caused gashes in thy body. I will make these marks\nauspicious and handsome and they will be of the colour of gold and emit\na sweet perfume, and earning great fame and respected by the gods and\nthe _Rishis_ thou shall long rule these subjects of thine, and a son\nwill spring from thy flank who shall be called _Kapataroman_. O king,\nthou shalt obtain this son of the name of _Kapataroman_ from out of thy\nown body and thou wilt behold him become the foremost of the\n_Saurathas_, blazing with renown, possessed of bravery and great\npersonal beauty!\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXLVII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"And the son of Pandu once more addressed Markandeya,\nsaying, 'Tell us again of the great good fortune of kings.' And\nMarkandeya said, 'There came unto the horse-sacrifice of king Ashtaka of\nViswamitra's race, many kings. And there came unto that sacrifice the\nthree brothers also of that king, viz., Pratardana, Vasumanas, and Sivi,\nthe son of Usinara. And after the sacrifice was completed, Ashtaka was\nproceeding on his car along with his brothers when they all beheld\nNarada coming that way and they saluted the celestial _Rishi_ and said\nunto him, \"Ride thou on this car with us.\" And Narada, saying, _So be\nit_, mounted on the car, and one among those kings having gratified the\nholy and celestial _Rishi_ Narada, said, \"O Holy One, I desire, to ask\nthee something.\" And the _Rishi_ said, \"Ask.\" And the person, thus\npermitted, said, \"All four of us are blessed with long lives and have\nindeed every virtue. We shall, therefore, be permitted to go to a\ncertain heaven and dwell there for a long period. Who amongst us,\nhowever, O king, shall fall down first?\" Thus questioned the _Rishi_\nsaid, \"This Ashtaka shall first come down.\" And thereupon the enquirer\nasked, \"For what cause?\" And the _Rishi_ answered, \"I lived for a few\ndays in the abode of Ashtaka. He carried me (one day) on his car out of\nthe town and there I beheld thousands of kine distinguished from one\nanother by difference of hue. And beholding those kine I asked Ashtaka\nwhose they were and Ashtaka answered me, saying, '_I have given away\nthese kine.' By this answer_ he gave expression to his own praise. It is\nfor this answer of his that Ashtaka shall have to come down.\" And after\nNarada had said so, one of them again enquired, saying, \"Three of us\nthen will stay in heaven. Amongst us three, who shall fall down first?\"\nAnd the _Rishi_ answered, \"Pratardana.\" And the enquirer asked, \"For\nwhat cause?\" And the _Rishi_ answered, \"I lived for some days in the\nabode of Pratardana also. And he carried me on his car one day. And\nwhile doing so, a Brahmana asked him saying, '_Give me a horse_!' And\nPratardana replied, '_After returning, I will give thee one_!' And\nthereupon the Brahmana said, '_Let it be given to me soon_.' And as the\nBrahmana spoke those words, the king gave unto him the steed that had\nbeen yoked on the right-hand wheel of the car. And there came unto him\nanother Brahmana desirous of obtaining a steed. And the king having\nspoken to him in the same way, gave him the steed that had been yoked on\nthe left wheel of his car. And having given away the horse unto him, the\nking proceeded on his journey. And then there came unto the king another\nBrahmana desirous of obtaining a horse. And the king soon gave him the\nhorse on the left front of his car, unyoking the animal. And having done\nso, the king proceeded on his journey. And then there came unto the king\nanother Brahmana desirous of obtaining a horse. And the king said unto\nhim, '_Returning, I will give thee a horse_.' But the Brahmana said,\n'_Let the steed be given to me soon_.' And the king gave him the only\nhorse he had. And seizing the yoke of the car himself, the king began to\ndraw it. And as he did so, he said, '_There is now nothing for the\nBrahmanas_.' The king had given away, it is true, but he had done so\nwith detraction. And for that speech of his, he shall have to fall down\nfrom heaven.\" And after the _Rishi_ had said so, of the two that\nremained, one asked, \"Who amongst us two shall fall down?\" And the\n_Rishi_ answered, \"Vasumanas.\" And the enquirer asked, \"For what\nreason?\" And Narada said, \"In course of my wanderings I arrived at the\nabode of Vasumanas. And at that time the Brahmanas were performing the\nceremony of _Swastivachana_ for the sake of a flowery car.[11] And I\napproached the king's presence. And after the Brahmanas had completed\nthe ceremony, the flowery car became visible to them. And I praised that\ncar, and thereupon the king told me, '_Holy one, by thee hath this car\nbeen praised. Let this car, therefore, be thine_.' And after this I went\nto Vasumanas another time when I was in need of a (flowery) car. And I\nadmired the car, and the king said, '_It is thine_.' And I went to the\nking a third time and admired the car again. And even then the king\nexhibiting the flowery car to the Brahmanas, cast his eyes on me, and\nsaid, '_O holy one, thou hast praised the flowery car sufficiently_.\"\nAnd the king only said these words, without making me a gift of that\ncar. And for this he will fall down from heaven.\"\n\n    [11] The ceremony of _Swastivachana_ is described to be \"a\n    religious rite, preparatory to any important observance, in\n    which the Brahmanas strew boiled rice on the ground, and invoke\n    the blessings of the gods on the ceremony about to commence\"\n    (_Vide_ Wilson's Diet).\n\n    A flowery car was, probably, one of celestial make that the\n    kings procured from heaven by performing costly rites and\n    ceremonies. These were sometimes exhibited to the people, and\n    prior to these exhibitions, the ceremony of _Swastivachana_ was\n    performed.\n\n\"'And one among them said, \"Of the one who is to go with thee, who will\ngo and who will fall down?\" And Narada answered, saying, \"Sivi will go,\nbut I will fall down.\" \"For what reason?\" asked the enquirer. And Narada\nsaid, \"I am not the equal of Sivi. For one day a Brahmana came unto Sivi\nand addressing him, said, 'O Sivi, I came to thee for food.' And Sivi\nreplied unto him, saying. 'What shall I do? Let me have thy orders.' And\nthe Brahmana answered, 'This thy son known by the name of Vrihadgarbha\nshould be killed. And, O king, cook him for my food.' And hearing this,\nI waited to see what would follow. And Sivi then killed his son and\ncooking him duly and placing that food in a vessel and taking it upon\nhis head, he went out in search of the Brahmana and while Sivi was thus\nseeking, for the Brahmana, some one told him, 'The Brahmana thou\nseekest, having entered thy city, is setting fire to thy abode and he is\nalso setting fire, in wrath, to thy treasury, thy arsenal, the\napartments of the females and thy stables for horses and elephants.' And\nSivi heard all this, without change of colour, and entering his city\nspoke unto the Brahmana, 'O holy one, the food has been cooked.' And the\nBrahmana hearing this spoke not a word and from surprise he stood with\ndowncast looks. And Sivi with a view to gratifying the Brahmana said, 'O\nholy one, eat thou this.' And the Brahmana looking at Sivi for a moment\nsaid, 'Eat it thyself.' And thereupon Sivi said, 'Let it be so.' And\nSivi cheerfully taking the vessel from his head desired to eat it and\nthereupon the Brahmana caught hold of Sivi's hand and addressing him\nsaid, 'Thou hast conquered wrath. There is nothing that thou canst not\ngive unto the Brahmanas.' And saying this, that Brahmana adored Sivi,\nand then as Sivi cast his eyes before him, he beheld his son standing\nlike a child of the _gods_, decked in ornaments and yielding a fragrance\nfrom his body and the Brahmana, having accomplished all this, made\nhimself visible and it was _Vidhatri_ himself who had thus come in that\nguise to try that royal sage, and after _Vidhatri_ had disappeared, the\ncounsellors addressed the king, saying, 'Thou knowest everything. For\nwhat didst thou do all this?' And Sivi answered, 'It was not for fame,\nnor for wealth, nor from desire of acquiring objects of enjoyment that I\ndid all this. This course is not sinful. It is for this that I do all\nthis. The path which is trodden by the virtuous is laudable. My heart\nalways inclineth towards such a course. This high instance of Sivi's\nblessedness I know, and I have, therefore, narrated it duly!'\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXLVIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"The sons of Pandu and those _Rishis_ then asked\nMarkandeya, 'Is there anybody that is blessed with longer life than\nthou?' And Markandeya answered them, saying, 'There is without doubt, a\nroyal sage of the name of Indradyumna and his virtue having diminished,\nhe fell from heaven, crying, \"My achievements are lost!\" And he came\nunto me and asked, \"Dost thou know me?\" And I answered him, saying,\n\"From our anxiety to acquire religious merit we do not confine ourselves\nto any home. We live but for a night in the same village or town. A\nperson like us, therefore, cannot possibly know thy pursuits. The fasts\nand vows we observe render us weak in body and unable to follow any\nworldly pursuits on our own behalf. Hence, one like us cannot possibly\nknow thee.\" He then asked me, \"Is there any one who is longer lived than\nthou?\" I answered him, saying, \"There liveth on the Himavat an owl of\nthe name of Pravarakarna. He is older than I. He may know thee. The part\nof the Himavat where he dwelleth is far off from here.\" And at this\nIndradyumna became a horse and carried me to where that owl lived and\nthe king asked the owl, saying, \"Dost thou know me?\" And the owl seemed\nto reflect for a moment and then said unto the king, \"I do not know\nthee.\" And the royal sage Indradyumna thereupon asked the owl, \"Is there\nany one who is older than thou?\" And thus asked the owl answered,\nsaying, \"There is a lake of the name of Indradyumna. In that lake\ndwelleth a crane of the name of Nadijangha. He is older than we. Ask\nthou him.\" And at this king Indradyumna taking both myself and the owl\nwent to that lake where the crane Nadijangha dwelt. And that crane was\nasked by us, \"Dost thou know the king Indradyumna?\" And the crane\nthereupon seemed to reflect a little and then said, \"I do not know king\nIndradyumna.\" And the crane was asked by us, \"Is there any one who is\nolder than thou?\" And he answered us, saying, \"There dwelleth in this\nvery lake a tortoise of the name of Akupara. He is older than I. He may\nknow something of this king. Therefore, enquire ye of Akupara.\" And then\nthat crane gave information to the tortoise, saying, \"It is intended by\nus to ask thee something. Please come to us.\" And hearing this the\ntortoise came out of the lake to that part of the bank where we all were\nand as he came there we asked him, saying, \"Dost thou know this king\nIndradyumna?\" And the tortoise reflected for a moment. And his eyes were\nfilled with tears and his heart was much moved and he trembled all over\nand was nearly deprived of his senses. And he said with joined hands,\n\"Alas, do I not know this one? He had planted the sacrificial stake a\nthousand times at the time of kindling the sacrificial fire. This lake\nwas excavated by the feet of the cows given away by this king unto the\nBrahmanas on the completion of the sacrifice. I have lived here ever\nsince.\" And after the tortoise had said all this, there came from the\ncelestial regions a car. And an aerial voice was heard which said,\naddressing Indradyumna, \"Come thou and obtain the place thou deservest\nin heaven! Thy achievements are great! Come thou cheerfully to thy\nplace! Here also are certain _slokas_: The report of virtuous deeds\nspreadeth over the earth and ascendeth to heaven. As long as that report\nlasts, so long is the doer said to be in heaven. The man whose evil\ndeeds are bruited about, is said to fall down and live, as long as that\nevil report lasts in the lower regions. Therefore should man be virtuous\nin his acts if he is to gain Heaven. And he should seek refuge in\nvirtue, abandoning a sinful heart.\"\n\n\"'And hearing these words, the king said, \"Let the car stay here as\nlong as I do not take these old persons to the places whence I brought\nthem.' And having brought me and the owl Pravarakarna to our respective\nplaces, he went away, riding on that car, to the place that was fit for\nhim. Being longlived, I witness all this.\"'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"It was thus that Markandeya narrated all this\nunto the son of Pandu. And after Markandeya finished, the sons of Pandu\nsaid, 'Blessed be thou! Thou hadst acted properly in causing king\nIndradyumna who had fallen from Heaven to regain his sphere!' And\nMarkandeya answered them, saying, 'Devaki's son, Krishna, also had thus\nraised the royal sage Nriga who had sunk in hell and caused him to\nregain Heaven!'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXLIX\n\nVaisampayana said, \"King Yudhishthira, hearing from the illustrious\nMarkandeya the story of the royal sage Indradyumna's regaining of\nHeaven, again asked the _Muni_, saying, 'O great _Muni_, tell me in what\ncondition should a man practise charity in order to gain admission into\nthe regions of Indra? Is it by practising charity while leading a\ndomestic mode of life, or in boyhood, or in youth, or in old age? O,\ntell me about the respective merits reaped from the practice of charity\nin these different stages of life.'\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Life that is futile is of four kinds. Charity also\nthat is futile is of sixteen kinds. His life is vain who hath no son;\nand his also who is out of pale of virtue: and his too who liveth on the\nfood of other; and, lastly, his who cooketh for himself without giving\ntherefrom unto the _Pitris_, the gods, and the guests, and who eateth of\nit before these all. The gift to one that has fallen away from the\npractice of virtuous vows, as also the gift of wealth that has been\nearned wrongly, are both in vain. The gift to a fallen Brahmana, that to\na thief, that also to a preceptor that is false, is in vain. The gift to\nan untruthful man, to a person that is sinful, to one that is\nungrateful, to one that officiates at sacrifices performed by all\nclasses of people residing in a village, to one that sells the\n_Vedas_,[12] to a Brahmana that cooks for Sudra, to one that too by\nbirth is a Brahmana but who is destitute of the occupations of his\norder, is in vain. The gift to one that has married a girl after the\naccession of puberty, to females, to one that sports with snakes, and to\none that is employed in menial offices, is also in vain. These sixteen\nkinds of gifts are productive of no merits. That man who with mind\nclouded with darkness giveth away from fear or anger, enjoyeth the merit\nof such gift while he is in the womb of his mother. The man who (under\nother circumstances) maketh gifts unto the Brahmanas, enjoyeth the fruit\nthereof while he is in old age. Therefore, O king, the man who wishes to\nwin the way of heaven, should under all conditions, make gifts unto\nBrahmanas of everything that he wishes to give away.'\n\n    [12] A man is said to sell the Vedas who lectures on the Vedas\n    taking fees from the hearers.\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'By what means do Brahmanas, who accept gifts from\nall the four orders, save others as well as themselves?\"\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'By _Japa_,[13] and _Mantras_,[14] and _Homa_[15] and\nthe study of the _Vedas_, the Brahmanas construct a _Vedic_ boat[16]\nwherewith they save both others and themselves. The gods themselves are\npleased with that man who gratifieth the Brahmanas. Indeed, a man may\nattain heaven at the command of a Brahmana. Thou wilt, O king, without\ndoubt ascend to regions of everlasting bliss, in consequence of thy\nworship of the _Pitris_ and the gods, and thy reverence for the\nBrahmanas, even though thy body is filled with phlegmatic humours and\nwithal so dull and inert! He that desires virtue and heaven should adore\nthe Brahmanas. One should feed Brahmanas with care on occasions of\n_Sraddhas_, although those among them that are cursed or fallen should\nbe excluded. They also should be carefully excluded that are either\nexcessively fair or excessively black, that have diseased nails, that\nare lepers, that are deceitful, that are born in bastardy of widows or\nof women having husbands alive; and they also that support themselves by\nthe profession of arms. That _Sraddha_ which is censurable, consumeth\nthe performer thereof like fire consuming fuel. If they that are to be\nemployed in _Sraddhas_ happen to be dumb, blind, or deaf, care should be\ntaken to employ them along with Brahmanas conversant with the Vedas. O\nYudhishthira, listen now unto whom thou shouldst give. He that knoweth\nall the _Vedas_ should give only to that able Brahmana who is competent\nto rescue both the giver and himself, for he, indeed, is to be regarded\nas able who can rescue both the giver and himself. O son of Pritha, the\nsacred fires do not receive such gratification from libations of\nclarified butter, from offerings of flowers and sandal and other\nperfumed pastes as from the entertainment of guests. Therefore, do thou\nstrive to entertain guests, O son of Pandu! O king, they that give unto\nguests water to wash their feet, butter to rub over their (tired) legs,\nlight during the hours of darkness, food, and shelter, have not to go\nbefore Yama. The removal (after worship) of the flowery offerings unto\nthe gods, the removal of the remnants of a Brahmana's feast, waiting\n(upon a Brahmana) with perfumed pastes, and the massaging of a\nBrahmana's limbs, are, each of them, O foremost of kings, productive of\ngreater merit than the gift of kine. A person, without doubt, rescueth\nhimself by the gift of a _Kapila_ cow. Therefore, should one give away a\n_Kapila_ cow decked with ornaments unto Brahmanas. O thou of the Bharata\nrace, one should give unto a person of good lineage and conversant with\nthe Vedas; unto a person that is poor; unto one leading a domestic mode\nof life but burdened with wife and children; unto one that daily adoreth\nthe sacred fire; and unto one that hath done thee no service. Thou\nshouldst always give unto such persons but not to them that are in\naffluence. What merit is there, O thou foremost of the Bharata race, by\ngiving unto one that is affluent? One cow must be given unto one\nBrahmana. A single cow must not be given unto many. For if the cow so\ngiven away (unto many) be sold, the giver's family is lost for three\ngenerations. Such a gift would not assuredly rescue the giver nor the\nBrahmana that takes it. He who giveth eighty _Ratis_ of pure gold,\nearneth the merit of giving away a hundred pieces of gold for ever. He\nthat giveth away a strong bull capable also of drawing the plough, is\ncertainly rescued from all difficulties and finally goeth to heaven. He\nthat giveth away land unto a learned Brahmana, hath all his desires\nfulfilled. The tired traveller, with weakened limbs and feet besmeared\nwith dust, asks for the name of him that may give him food. There are\nmen who answer him by telling him the name. That wise man who informs\nthese toil-worn ones of the name of the person who may give them food,\nis, without doubt, regarded as equal in merit unto the giver himself of\nfood. Therefore, abstaining from other kinds of gift, give thou food.\nThere is no merit (arising out of gifts) that is so great as that of\ngiving food. The man that according to the measure of his might gives\nwell-cooked and pure food unto the Brahmanas, acquires, by that act of\nhis, the companionship of Prajapati (_Brahma_). There is nothing\nsuperior to food. Therefore, food is regarded as the first and foremost\nof all things (to be given away). It hath been said that food itself is\n_Prajapati_. And _Prajapati_ is regarded as the Year. And the Year is\nsacrifice. And everything is established in sacrifice, for it is from\nsacrifice that all creatures, mobile and immobile, take their origin.\nFor this reason, it hath been heard by us, food is the foremost of all\nthings. They that give away lakes and large pieces of water, and tanks\nand wells, and shelter and food and they that have sweet words for all,\nhave not to hear the admonitions of Yama. With him who gives rice, and\nwealth earned by his labour, unto Brahmana of good behaviour, the earth\nis satisfied. And she poureth upon him showers of wealth. The giver of\nfood walketh first, after him the speaker of truth and he that giveth\nunto persons that do not solicit. But the three go to the same place.'\"\n\n    [13] _Japa_ is the silent recitation of particular _Mantras_.\n\n    [14] _Mantras_ are particular formulae of worship. They are for\n    the most part rhythmic compositions, believed to be of great\n    efficacy.\n\n    [15] The _Homa_ is that sacrificial rite which consists of\n    pouring libations of clarified butter into fire.\n\n    [16] _Vedamayi nou_. Lit, a boat made of the Vedas.\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing all this, Yudhishthira, along with his\nyounger brothers, impelled by curiosity, again addressed the high-souled\nMarkandeya, saying, 'O great _Muni_, what is the distance of Yama's\nregion from that of men? What is its measurement? How also do men pass\nit over? And by what means? O, tell me all this!'\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'O king, O them foremost of virtuous men, this\nquestion of thine appertains to a great mystery. It is sacred and much\napplauded by the _Rishis_. Appertaining as it also does to virtue, I\nwill speak of it to thee. The distance of Yama's region from the abode\nof men is, O king, eighty-six thousand _Yojanas_! The way is over space,\nwithout water, and very terrible to behold. Nowhere on that road is the\nshade of a tree, nowhere any water, and nowhere any resting place in\nwhich the traveller, when fatigued, may rest for some moments. And men\nand women and all on earth that have life, are forcibly led along this\nway by the messengers of Yama. Those creatures that obey the mandates of\nthe grim king, and they, O king, that have given horses and other good\nconveyances unto Brahmanas, proceed along this way on those animals and\nvehicles. And they that have given umbrellas proceed along this way with\numbrellas warding off the sun's rays. And they that have given food,\nproceed without hunger, while they that have not given food proceed\nafflicted with hunger. And they that have given robes, proceed along\nthis way attired in robes while they that have given none, proceed\nnaked. And they that have given gold, proceed in happiness, themselves\ndecked in ornaments. And they that have given land, proceed with every\ndesire completely gratified. And they that have given grain, proceed\nwithout being afflicted with any want. And they that have given houses,\nproceed happily on cars. And those men that have given something to\ndrink, proceed with cheerful hearts unafflicted with thirst. And they\nthat have given lights, proceed happily lighting the way before them.\nAnd they that have given kine, proceed along the way happily, freed from\nall their sins. And they that have fasted for a month, proceed on cars\ndrawn by swans. And they who have fasted for six nights, proceed on cars\ndrawn by peacocks. And, O son of Pandu, he that fasteth three nights\nupon only one meal without a second during this period goeth into a\nregion free from disease and anxiety. And water hath this excellent\nproperty that it produceth happiness in the region of Yama. And they\nthat give water find for themselves a river there of the name of\nPushpodaka. And the givers of water on the earth drink cool and\nambrosial draughts from that stream. And they that are of evil deeds\nhave pus ordained for them. Thus, O great king, that river serveth all\npurposes. Therefore, O king, adore thou duly these Brahmanas (that are\nwith thee). Weak in limbs owing to the way he has walked, and besmeared\nwith the dust of the high-road, the traveller enquireth for the name of\nhim who giveth food, and cometh in hope to his house. Adore thou him\nwith reverent attention, for he indeed is a guest, and he is a Brahmana.\nThe gods with Indra at their head follow him as he proceedeth. And if he\nis adored, the gods with Indra become gratified, and if he is not\nadored, the celestials with their chief become cheerless. Therefore, O\nthou foremost of kings, worship thou these Brahmanas duly. I have thus\nspoken to thee upon a hundred subjects. What dost thou desire to hear\nfrom me again?'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O master, conversant thou art with virtue and\nmorality, and so I desire to repeatedly listen to thee as thou speakest\non sacred subjects appertaining to virtue and morals.'\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'O king, I will now speak on another sacred subject\nappertaining to eternal interests and capable of washing off all sins.\nListen thou with rapt attention. O thou foremost of the Bharatas, the\nmerit equal to that of giving away a _Kapila_ cow in (the _tirtha_\ncalled) _Jyeshtha-Pushkara_ arises from washing the feet of Brahmanas.\nAs long as the earth remains wet with water which a Brahmana hath\ntouched with his feet, so long do _Pitris_ drink water of cups made of\nlotus-leaves. If the guest is welcomed (with enquiries about his\nwelfare), the deities of fire become glad; and if he is offered a seat,\nit is the god of a hundred sacrifices, who is gratified. If his feet are\nwashed, it is the _Pitris_ who are delighted; and if he is fed it is\n_Prajapati_ that is pleased. One should with collected soul, give a cow\nwhen (during her throes) the feet and head of her calf are visible,\nbefore her delivery is complete. A cow with her calf in the air in\ncourse of falling from the uterus to the earth, is to be regarded as\nequal to the earth herself. He, therefore, that giveth away such a cow,\nreapeth the merit of giving away the earth. And he that giveth away such\na cow, is adored in heaven for as many thousands of _Yugas_ as there are\nbristles on the bodies of the animal and her young one together. And, O\nBharata, he that having accepted a thing in gift giveth it away\nimmediately unto a person that is virtuous and honest, reapeth very\ngreat merit. Without doubt, he reapeth the fruit of giving away the\nwhole earth to her utmost limits and with her oceans and seas and caves,\nher mountains and forests and woods. That Brahmana who eateth in silence\nfrom a plate, keeping his hands between his knees, succeedeth in\nrescuing others. And those Brahmanas that abstain from drink and who are\nnever spoken of by others as having any faults and who daily read the\n_Samhitas_, are capable of rescuing others. Libations of butter and\nedible offerings should all be presented to a Brahmana who is learned in\nthe _Vedas_. And as libations of clarified butter poured into fire never\ngo in vain, so gift to virtuous Brahmanas learned in the _Vedas_ can\nnever go in vain. The Brahmanas have anger for their weapon; they never\nfight with arms of iron and steel. Indeed the Brahmanas slay with anger\nlike Indra slaying the Asuras with his thunder-bolt. Thus prelection\nappertaining to virtue and morality is now over. Hearing this, the\n_Munis_ of the forest of _Naimisha_ were filled with delight. And those\nascetics were also freed from grief and anger by listening to it. And\nthey were also purged of all their sins in consequence of this. And, O\nking, those human beings that listen to it become freed from the\nobligation of rebirth.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O thou of great wisdom, what purification is there\nby which a Brahmana may always keep himself pure? I desire to hear of it\nfrom thee, O thou foremost of all virtuous men!'\n\n\"Markandeya answered, 'There are three kinds of purity, viz., purity in\nspeech, purity in deed, and purity achieved by use of water. He that has\nrecourse to these three different kinds of purity, attains, without\ndoubt, to heaven. That Brahmana who adoreth the goddess _Sandhya_ in the\nmorning and the evening, and who recites meditatively the sacred goddess\n_Gayairi_ who is the mother of the _Vedas_, sanctified by the latter, is\nfreed from all his sins. Even if he accepts in gift the entire earth\nwith her oceans, he doth not, on that account, suffer the least\nunhappiness. And those heavenly bodies in the sky including the sun that\nmay be inauspicious and hostile towards him soon become auspicious and\nfavourable towards him in consequence of these acts of his, while those\nstars that are auspicious and favourable become more auspicious and more\nfavourable in consequence of such conduct of his. And terrible Rakshasas\nsubsisting on animal food, of gigantic and fierce mien, all become\nunable to prevail over a Brahmana who practiseth these purifications.\nThe Brahmanas are even like blazing fires. They incur no fault in\nconsequence of teaching, of officiating at sacrifices, and of accepting\ngifts from others. Whether the Brahmana be cognisant of the _Vedas_ or\nignorant of them, whether they be pure or impure, they should never be\ninsulted, for Brahmanas are like fires. As the fire that blazeth up in\nthe place set apart for the cremation of the dead is never regarded\nimpure on that account, so the Brahmana, be he learned or ignorant, is\nalways pure. He is great and a very god! Cities that are adorned with\nwalls and gates and palaces one after another, lose their beauty if they\nare bereft of Brahmanas. That, indeed, O king, is a city where Brahmanas\naccomplished in the _Vedas_, duly observing the duties of their order\nand possessed of learning and ascetic merit, reside. O son of Pritha,\nthat spot, be it a wood or pasture land, where learned Brahmanas reside,\nhath been called a city. And that place, O king, becometh a _tirtha_\nalso. By approaching a king that offereth protection, as also a Brahmana\npossessed of ascetic merit, and by offering worship unto both, a man may\npurge off his sins immediately. The learned have said that ablutions in\nthe sacred _tirthas_, recitation of the names of holy ones, and converse\nwith the good and virtuous, are all acts worthy of applause. They that\nare virtuous and honest always regard themselves as sanctified by the\nholy companionship of persons like themselves and by the water of pure\nand sacred converse. The carrying of three staffs, the vow of silence,\nmatted hair on head, the shaving of the crown, covering one's person\nwith barks and deerskins, the practice of vows, ablutions, the worship\nof fire, abode in the woods, emaciating the body, all these are useless\nif the heart be not pure. The indulgence of the six senses is easy, if\npurity be not sought in the object of enjoyment. Abstinence, however,\nwhich of itself is difficult, is scarcely easy without purity of the\nobjects of enjoyment. O king of kings, among the six senses, the mind\nalone that is easily moved is the most dangerous! Those high-souled\npersons that do not commit sins in word, deed, heart and soul, are said\nto undergo ascetic austerities, and not they that suffer their bodies to\nbe wasted by fasts and penances. He that hath no feeling of kindness for\nrelatives cannot be free from sin even if his body be pure. That\nhard-heartedness of his is the enemy of his asceticism. Asceticism,\nagain, is not mere abstinence from the pleasures of the world. He that\nis always pure and decked with virtue, he that practises kindness all\nhis life, is a _Muni_ even though he may lead a domestic life. Such a\nman is purged of all his sins. Fasts and other penances cannot destroy\nsins, however much they may weaken and dry up the body that is made of\nflesh and blood. The man whose heart is without holiness, suffers\ntorture only by undergoing penances in ignorance of their meaning. He is\nnever freed from sins of such acts. The fire he worshippeth doth not\nconsume his sins. It is in consequence of holiness and virtue alone that\nmen attain to regions of blessedness, and fasts and vows become\nefficacious. Subsistence on fruits and roots, the vow of silence, living\nupon air, the shaving of the crown, abandonment of a fixed home, the\nwearing of matted locks on the head, lying under the canopy of heaven,\ndaily fasts, the worship of fire, immersion in water, and lying on the\nbare ground,--these alone cannot produce such a result. They only that\nare possessed of holiness succeed, by knowledge and deeds, to conquer\ndisease, decrepitude and death, and acquire a high status. As seeds that\nhave been scorched by fire do not sprout forth, so the pains that have\nbeen burnt by knowledge cannot effect the soul. This inert body that is\nonly like a block of wood when destitute of souls, is, without doubt,\nshort lived like froth in the ocean. He that obtaineth a view of his\nsoul, the soul that resideth in every body, by help of one or half of a\nrhythmic line (of the _Vedas_), hath no more need for anything. Some\nobtaining a knowledge of identity with the Supreme Soul from but two\nletters (of the _Vedas_) and some from hundreds and thousands of\nrhythmic lines, acquire salvation, for the knowledge of one's identity\nwith the Supreme Soul is the sure indication of salvation. The men of\nold, distinguished for their knowledge, have said, neither this world\nnor that hereafter nor bliss can be his who is disturbed by doubts. And\nbelief of one's identity with the Supreme Soul is the indication of\nsalvation. He that knoweth the true meaning of the Vedas, understandeth\ntheir true use. Such a man is affrighted at the Vedic ritual like a man\nat sight of a forest conflagration. Giving up dry disputation, have\nrecourse to _Sruti_ and _Smriti_, and seek thou, with the aid of thy\nreason, the knowledge of the Undecaying One that is without a second.\nOne's search (after this knowledge) becometh futile from defect of\nmeans. Therefore, should one carefully strive to obtain that knowledge\nby aid of the _Vedas_. The _Vedas_ are the Supreme Soul; they are His\nbody; they are the Truth. The soul that is bounded by the animal\norganism is incompetent to know Him in whom all the _Vedas_ merge. That\nSupreme Soul, however, is capable of being known by the pure intellect.\nThe existence of the _gods_ as stated in the _Vedas_, the efficacy of\nacts, and the capacity for action of being furnished with bodies, are\nnoticeable in every _Yuga_. Independence of these and annihilation are\nto be sought from purity of the senses. Therefore, the suspension of the\nfunction of the senses is the true fasting. One may attain to heaven by\nasceticism, one may obtain objects of enjoyment by the practice of\ncharity and may have his sins purged off by ablutions in _tirthas_. But\ncomplete emancipation cannot be had except by knowledge.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed, O great king, by the _Rishi_,\nYudhishthira of great fame then said, 'O holy one, I desire to listen to\nthe rules about that charity which is meritorious.'\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'O great king, O Yudhishthira, the rules about charity\nwhich thou wishest to hear from me are always highly regarded by me.\nListen now to the mysteries of charity as expounded in the _sruti_ and\nthe _smritis_! A man that performs a _sraddha_ in the conjunction called\n_Gajacchaya_ at a place that is fanned by the leaves of the _Aswattha_\ntree enjoys the fruits thereof, O Yudhishthira, for a hundred thousand\n_kalpas_. O king, he that foundeth a _dharmasala_ and established there\na person to look after all comers, is crowned with the merits of all the\nsacrifices. He that giveth away a horse at a _tirtha_ where the current\nof the river runneth in a direction opposite to its general course,\nreapeth merit that is inexhaustible. The guest that comes to one's house\nfor food is none other than Indra himself. If he is entertained with\nfood, Indra himself conferreth on the best merit that is inexhaustible.\nAs men cross seas by vessels, so are the givers mentioned above are\nsaved from all their sins. So what is given unto Brahmanas produceth,\nlike gift of curds, inexhaustible merits. A gift on particular lunations\nproduceth merit that is twice as much as a gift on other days. That in a\nparticular season produceth merit ten times greater that in other\nseasons. That in a particular year produceth merit a hundred times\ngreater than in other years. And lastly, a gift on the last day of the\nlast month of the year produceth merit that is inexhaustible. A gift\nalso that is made while the Sun is on the solstitial points, one again\nthat is made on the last day of the Sun's path through Libra, Aries,\nGemini, Virgo, and Pisces, a gift again during eclipses of the Moon and\nthe Sun, produce merit that is inexhaustible. The learned have also said\nthat gifts made during the seasons produce merit that is ten times,\nthose made during the change of seasons, a hundred times--and those made\nduring the days when _Rahu_ is visible, a thousand times--greater than\nwhat is produced by gifts at other time; while a gift made on the last\nday of the Sun's course through Libra and Aries produces merit that\nknows no diminution. O king, no one can enjoy landed possessions unless\nhe giveth away land, and no one can go on cars and vehicles unless he\ngiveth away these. Indeed a person on rebirth obtaineth the fruition of\nwhatever objects he hath in view at the time of making a gift to a\nBrahmana. Gold hath sprung from Fire; the Earth from Vishnu; and the\ncows from the Sun. He, therefore, that giveth away gold, land, and kine\nattaineth all the regions of Agni, Vishnu, and the Sun. There is nothing\nso eternal as a gift. Where, therefore, in the three worlds is anything\nthat is more auspicious? It is for this, O king, that they who have\ngreat intelligence say that there is nothing higher and greater in the\nthree worlds than gift!'\"\n\n\nSECTION CC\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having, O great king, heard from the illustrious\nMarkandeya the history of the attainment of heaven by the royal sage\nIndradyumna, Yudhishthira, that bull of the Bharata race, once more\nasked that sinless _Muni_ endued with great ascetic merit and long life,\nsaying, 'Thou knowest, O virtuous one, the entire host of the gods, the\n_Danavas_, and the _Rakshasas_. Thou art acquainted also with various\nroyal genealogies and many eternal lines of _Rishis_! O best of\nBrahmanas, there is nothing in this world that thou dost not know! Thou\nknowest also, O _Muni_, many delightful stories about _men, Snakes_ and\n_Rakshasas_; about gods, _Gandharvas_, and _Yakshas_, and about\n_Kinnaras_ and _Apsaras_! I desire now to hear from thee, O best of\nBrahmanas, as to why Kuvalaswa--that unvanquished king of Ikshavaku's\nrace changed his name, assuming another, viz., _Dhundhumara_. O thou\nbest of Bhrigu's line, I desire to know in detail why the name of\nKuvalaswa of great intelligence underwent such a change!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed by Yudhishthira, the great\n_Muni_ Markandeya, O Bharata, then began the history of Dhundhumara!\"\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'O royal Yudhishthira, listen to me, I will tell thee\nall! The story of Dhundhumara is a moral one. Listen to it then! Listen\nnow, O king, to the story of how the royal Kuvalaswa of Ikshvaku's race\ncame to be known as Dhundhumara. O son, O Bharata, there was a\ncelebrated _Rishi_ of the name of Utanka and, O thou of the Kuru race,\nUtanka had his hermitage in a delightful wilderness. And, O great king,\nthe _Rishi_ Utanka underwent ascetic austerities of the severest kind\nand the lord Utanka underwent those penances for numberless years with\nthe object of obtaining the favours of Vishnu, and gratified with his\npenances that illustrious Lord presented himself before Utanka. And\nbeholding the Deity, the _Rishi_ in all humility began to gratify him\nwith many hymns, and Utanka said, \"O thou of great effulgence all\ncreatures with the gods, _Asuras_ and human beings, all things that are\nmobile or immobile, even _Brahma_ himself, the Vedas, and all things\nthat are capable of being known, have, O lord, been created by thee! The\nfirmament is thy head, O god, and the sun and the moon are thy eyes!\nAnd, O Unfading One, the winds are thy breath and fire thy energy! The\ndirections of the horizon constitute thy arms and the great ocean thy\nstomach! And, O god, the hills and mountains constitute thy thigh and\nthe sky thy hips, O slayer of Madhu! The earth constitutes thy feet, and\nthe plants the bristles on thy body. And, O lord, Indra and Soma and\nAgni and Varuna, indeed all the gods, the _Asuras_ and the great Snakes\nall wait upon thee with humility, adoring thee with various hymns! O\nLord of the Universe, created things are pervaded by thee. The great\n_Rishis_ of high energy and ever plunged in ascetic meditation, always\nadore thee. When thou art gratified, the universe is in peace. And when\nthou art angry, terror pervadeth every soul. Thou art, O Lord, the great\ndispeller of all terrors and thou art the One Supreme Male Being! Thou\nart the cause of happiness of both gods and human beings! And, O Lord,\nby three steps of thine thou didst cover the three worlds! And it was by\nthee that the _Asuras_ in the height of their power were destroyed! It\nis owing to thy prowess, O God, that the celestials obtained peace and\nhappiness and, O thou of great effulgence, it was thy anger that\ndestroyed hundred great _Daitya_ chiefs. Thou art the Creator and\ndestroyer of all creatures in the world. It is by adoring thee that the\ngods have obtained happiness.\" It was thus, O Yudhishthira, that the\nhigh-souled Utanka praised the Lord of the senses. And Vishnu,\ntherefore, said unto Utanka, \"I am gratified with thee. Ask thou the\nboon that thou desirest.\" And Utanka said, \"This indeed hath been a\ngreat boon to me, in that I have been able to behold Hari, that eternal\nBeing, that divine Creator, that Lord of the universe!\" Thus addressed\nVishnu said, \"I am gratified with this absence of all desires on thy\npart and with thy devotion, O thou best of men! But, O Brahmanas, O\nregenerate one, thou shouldst of a certainty accept some boon from me!\"\nThus requested by Hari to accept a boon Utanka then, O thou best of\nBharatas, with joined hands begged a boon saying, \"O illustrious one, O\nthou of eyes like lotus leaves, if thou hast been gratified with me,\nthen let my heart always rest on virtue, truth, and self-content. And, O\nLord, let my heart always turn to thee in devotion.\" And hearing these\nwords of Utanka, the holy one said, \"O regenerate one, all this shall\nhappen to thee through my grace. And there will also appear in thee a\n_yoga_ power endued with which thou shalt achieve a great thing for the\ndwellers of Heaven, as also for the triple world. Even now a great\n_Asura_ of the name of Dhundhu is undergoing ascetic penances of fierce\nausterity with the object of destroying the triple world. Hear now as to\nwho will slay that _Asura_. O son, there will appear a king of\ninvincible energy and great prowess and he will be born in the race of\nIkshvaku and will be known by the name of Vrihadaswa who will have a son\nof the name of Kuvalaswa endued with great holiness and self-control and\ncelebrity. And that best of kings will be furnished with _yoga_ power\nspringing from me and urged and commended by thee, O regenerate _Rishi_,\nthat king will be the slayer of the Asura Dhundhu.\" And having said\nthese words unto that Brahmana, Vishnu disappeared there and then.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCI\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'O king, after the death of Ikshvaku, a highly\nvirtuous king of the name of _Sasada_, ascending the throne of Ayodhya\nruled this earth. And from _Sasada_ was descended Kakutstha of great\nenergy. And Kakutstha had a son of name Anenas. And Anenas had a son\nnamed Prithu and Prithu had a son named Viswagaswa and from Viswagaswa\nsprang Adri and from Adri sprang Yuvanaswa and from Yuvanaswa sprang\nSravastha and it was by this Sravastha that the city called _Sravasthi_\nwas built and from Sravastha was descended Vrihadaswa and from\nVrihadaswa sprang Kuvalaswa and Kuvalaswa had twentyone thousand sons\nand all these sons were fierce and powerful and skilled in learning. And\nKuvalaswa excelled his father in every quality. And when the time came,\nhis father Vrihadaswa installed him--the brave and highly virtuous\nKuvalaswa--on the throne. And having thus made over the royal dignity to\nhis son, that slayer of foes--king Vrihadaswa of great intelligence--\nretired into the woods for asceticism.'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'O king, when the royal sage Vrihadaswa was about\nto retire into the woods, that best of Brahmanas, Utanka heard of it.\nAnd Utanka who was possessed of great energy and immeasurable soul,\napproached that foremost of all wielders of weapons and best of men. And\napproaching him, the _Rishis_ began to persuade him to give up\nasceticism. And Utanka said, \"O king, to protect (the people) is thy\nduty. It behoveth thee to do that duty of thine. Let us be free from all\nanxiety through thy grace. Possessed as thou art of a great soul,\nprotected by thee, the earth will be freed from all dangers. Therefore,\nit behoveth thee, not to retire into the woods. Great merit attaches to\nthe act of protecting people in this world. Such merit can never be\nacquired in the woods. Let not thy heart, therefore, turn to this\ncourse. The merit, great king, that was acquired in days of old by great\nroyal sages by protecting their subjects was so great that nothing equal\nto it could be seen. The king should always protect his subjects. It\nbehoveth thee, therefore, to protect thy people. O lord of the earth, I\ncannot (at present) perform my ascetic devotions peacefully. Close to my\nasylum there is a sea of sands known by the name of _Ujjalaka._ And it\noccupies a level country and is without any water. And it extends many\n_yojanas_ in length and breadth and in that desert dwells a chief of the\n_Danavas_ called Dhundhu by name. And Dhundhu is the son of Madhu and\nKaitabha, and is fierce and terrible and possessed of great prowess. And\nendued with immeasurable energy, that _Danava_, O king, dwelleth under\nthe ground, and, O king, it behoveth thee to retire into the woods,\nhaving first slain that _Asura_. That _Asura_ is now lying still in the\nobservance of an ascetic penance of great austerity and, O king, the\nobject he hath in view is sovereignty over the celestials as also of the\nthree worlds. And, O king, having obtained a boon from the Grandsire of\nall creatures, that _Asura_ hath become incapable of being slain by the\ngods and _Daityas_ and _Rakshasas_ and _Gandharvas_. Slay though him, O\nking, and blessed be thou and let not thy heart turn to any other\ncourse. By slaying him thou wilt without doubt, achieve a great thing\nand thou wilt also obtain eternal and undying fame. And O king, when at\nthe end of every year that wicked _Asura_ lying covered with sands,\nwakes up and begins to breathe, then the whole earth with her mountains,\nforests and woods begins to tremble. And his breath raiseth up clouds of\nsands, and shroudeth the very sun, and for seven days continually the\nearth tremble all over, and sparks and flames of fire mixed with smoke\nspread far around and for all this, O king, I cannot rest in peace in my\nasylum. Slay thou him, O king, for the good of the world. Indeed, when\nthat _Asura_ is slain the triple world will be in peace and happiness.\nThat thou art competent, O king, to slay that _Asura_, I fully believe.\nThy energy will be enhanced by Vishnu with the addition of his own. In\ndays of old, O king, Vishnu gave this boon that the king who should slay\nthis fierce and great _Asura_ would be pervaded by the invincible energy\nof Vishnu himself. Bearing that invincible _Vaishnava_ energy in\nthyself, slay thou, O great king, that _Daitya_ of fierce prowess.\nPossessed as Dhundhu is of mighty energy, no one, O king, that is endued\nwith small energy himself will be capable of consuming him, even if he\nwere to strive for a hundred years.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCII\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Thus addressed by Utanka, that unvanquished royal\nsage, with joined hands, O thou foremost of the Kuru race, replied unto\nUtanka, saying, \"This visit of thine, O Brahmana, will not be in vain.\nThis my son, O holy one, known by the name of Kuvalaswa is endued with\nsteadiness and activity. In prowess also he is unequaled on earth.\nWithout doubt he will accomplish all this that is agreeable to thee,\naided by all his brave sons endued with arms like unto iron maces. Give\nme leave to retire, O Brahmana, for I have now given up my weapons.\"\nThus addressed by the king, that _Muni_ of immeasurable energy replied\nunto him, saying, \"So be it.\" And the royal sage Vrihadaswa then, having\ncommended his son to obey the behest of the high-souled Utanka saying,\n\"Let it be done by thee,\" himself retired into an excellent forest.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O holy one, O thou possessed of the wealth of\nasceticism, who was this _Daitya_ of great energy? Whose son and whose\ngrandson was he? I desire to know all this; O thou possessed of the\nwealth of asceticism I never heard of this mighty _Daitya_ before. I\ndesire to know all this truly, O holy one, and with all particulars in\ndetail, O thou of great wisdom and ascetic wealth!'\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'O monarch, know everything as it happened, O ruler of\nmen, as I narrate the particulars truly, O thou of great wisdom! When\nthe world became one broad expanse of water and creatures mobile and\nimmobile were destroyed, when, O bull of the Bharata race, the entire\ncreation came to its end, He who is the Source and Creator of the\nUniverse, viz., the Eternal and unfading Vishnu, He who is called by\n_Munis_ crowned with ascetic success as the Supreme Lord of the\nUniverse, that Being of great holiness, then lay in _Yoga_ sleep on the\nwide hood of the Snake Sesha of immeasurable energy, and the Creator of\nthe Universe, that highly-blessed and holy Hari, knowing no\ndeterioration, lay on the hood of that Snake encircling the whole Earth\nand as the Deity lay asleep on that bed, a lotus, endued with great\nbeauty and effulgence equal unto that of the Sun, sprang from his navel.\nAnd from that lotus possessed of effulgence like unto the Sun's, sprang\nthe Grandsire _Brahma_, that lord of the worlds who is the four _Vedas_,\nwho hath four forms and four faces, who is invincible in consequence of\nhis own energy and who is endued with mighty strength and great prowess\nand as the Lord Hari of wondrous frame, possessed of great lustre and\ndecked with a crown and the _Kaustubha_ gem and attired in purple silk,\nlay stretched for many a _yojana_ on that excellent bed furnished by the\nhood of the snake itself extending far and wide, blazing, O king, in his\nbeauty and the lustre of his own body like a thousand Suns concentrated\nin one mass. He was beheld some time after by two _Danavas_ of great\nprowess named Madhu and Kaitabha and beholding Hari (in that posture)\nand the Grandsire with eyes like lotus-leaves seated on that lotus, both\nMadhu and Kaitabha wandered much and they began to terrify and alarm\nBrahma of immeasurable prowess, and the illustrious Brahma alarmed by\ntheir continued exertions trembled on his seat, and at his trembling the\nstalk of the lotus on which he was seated began to tremble and when the\nlotus-stalk trembled, Kesava awoke. And awakened from his slumber,\nGovinda beheld those _Danavas_ of mighty energy, and beholding them the\nDeity said unto them, \"Welcome, ye mighty ones! I am gratified with you!\nTherefore, I will grant you excellent boons!\" And thereupon both those\nproud and mighty _Danavas_, O king, laughingly replied unto Hrishikesa,\nsaying, \"Ask boons of us, O Divine one! O thou that art the Supreme\nDeity, we are disposed to grant thee a boon. Indeed, we will grant thee\na boon! Therefore, ask thou of us anything that cometh to thy mind.\"\nThus addressed by them the holy one spoke, \"Ye brave ones, I will accept\na boon from you. There is a boon that I desire. Both of you are\npossessed of mighty energy. There is no male person like unto any of\nyou. O ye of unbaffled prowess, submit ye to be slain by me. Even that\nis what I desire to accomplish for the good of the world.\" Hearing these\nwords of the Deity, both Madhu and Kaitabha said, \"We have never before\nspoken an untruth; no, not even in jest; what shall we say of other\noccasions! O thou foremost of male Beings, know that we have ever been\nfirm in truth and morality. In strength, in forms, in beauty, in virtue,\nin asceticism, in charity, in behaviour, in goodness, in self control,\nthere is no one equal unto either of us. A great danger, O Kesava, hath\napproached us. Accomplish thou, therefore, what thou hast said. No one\ncan prevail over Time. But, O Lord, there is one thing that we desire to\nbe done by thee. O thou best and foremost of all Deities, thou must slay\nus at a spot that is absolutely uncovered. And, O thou of excellent\neyes, we also desire to become thy sons. This is the boon that we\ndesire, know then, O chief of the gods! Let not that, O Deity, be false\nwhich thou hadst at first promised to us.\" The Holy One then replied\nunto them saying, \"Yes, I will do as ye desire. Everything will be as ye\nwish!\"\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Then Govinda began to reflect but uncovered\nspace found he none and when he could not discover any spot that was\nuncovered on earth or in the sky, that foremost Deity then beheld his\nthighs to be absolutely uncovered. And there, O king, the illustrious\nDeity cut off the heads of Madhu and Kaitabha with his keenedged\ndiscus!'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCIII\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'The illustrious Dhundhu, O king, was the son of Madhu\nand Kaitabha, and possessed of great energy and prowess, he underwent\nascetic penances of great austerity and he stood erect on one leg and\nreduced his body to a mass of only veins and arteries, and Brahma,\ngratified with him, gave him a boon. And the boon he had asked of the\nlord Prajapati was in these words, \"Let no one among the gods, the\n_Danavas_, the _Rakshas_, the Snakes, the _Gandharvas_ and the\n_Rakshasas_ be capable of slaying me. Even this is the boon that I ask\nof thee.\" And the Grandsire replied unto him saying, \"Let it be as thou\nwishest. Go thy way.\" And thus addressed by the Grandsire, the _Danava_\nplaced the feet of the Deity on his head and having thus touched with\nreverence the Deity's feet he went away and possessed of mighty energy\nand prowess. Dhundhu, having obtained the boon hastily approached Vishnu\nremembering the death of his father at the hands of that Deity, and the\nwrathful Dhundhu having vanquished the gods with the _Gandharvas_ began\nto distress all the celestials with Vishnu at their head. And at last O\nbull of the Bharata race, that wicked souled _Asura_ arriving at a sea\nof sands known by the name of Ujjalaka, began to distress to the utmost\nof his might the asylum of Utanka. And endued with fierce energy,\nDhundhu, the son of Madhu and Kaitabha, lay in his subterranean cave\nunderneath the sands in the observance of fierce ascetic and severe\nausterities with the object of destroying the triple world, and while\nthe _Asura_ lay breathing near the asylum of Utanka that _Rishi_\npossessed of the splendour of fire, king Kualaswa with his troops,\naccompanied by the Brahmana Utanka, as also by all his sons set out for\nthat region, O bull of the Bharata race! And after that grinder of foes,\nthe royal Kuvalaswa, had set out, accompanied by his twenty-one thousand\nsons all of whom were exceedingly powerful, the illustrious Lord Vishnu\nfilled him with his own energy at the command of Utanka and impelled by\nthe desire of benefiting the triple world and while that invincible hero\nwas proceeding on his way a loud voice was heard in the sky repeating\nthe words, \"This fortunate and unslayable one will become the destroyer\nof Dhundhu to-day.\" And the gods began to shower upon him celestial\nflowers. And the celestial kettle drums began to sound their music\nalthough none played upon them. And during the march of that wise one,\ncool breezes began to blow and the chief of the celestials poured gentle\nshowers wetting the dust on the roads and, O Yudhishthira, the cars of\nthe celestials could be seen high over the spot where the mighty _Asura_\nDhundhu was. The gods and _Gandharvas_ and great _Rishis_ urged by\ncuriosity, came there to behold the encounter between Dhundhu and\nKuvalaswa and, O thou of the Kuru race, filled by Narayana with his own\nenergy, king Kuvalaswa, aided by his sons, soon surrounded that sea of\nsands and the king ordered that wilderness to be excavated and after the\nking's sons had excavated that sea of sands for seven days, they could\nsee the mighty _Asura_ Dhundhu. And, O bull of the Bharata race, the\nhuge body of that _Asura_ lay within those sands, effulgent in its own\nenergy like the Sun himself. And Dhundhu, O king, was lying covering the\nwestern region of the desert and surrounded on all sides by the sons of\nKuvalaswa, the _Danava_ was assaulted with sharp-pointed shafts and\nmaces and heavy and short clubs and axes and clubs, with iron spikes and\ndarts and bright and keen-edged swords, and thus assaulted, the mighty\n_Danava_ rose from his recumbent posture in wrath. And enraged, the\n_Asura_ began to swallow those various weapons that were hurled at him\nand he vomited from his mouth fiery flames like unto those of the fire\ncalled _Samvarta_ that appeareth at the end of the _Yuga_ and by those\nflames of his, the _Asura_ consumed all the sons of the king and, O\ntiger among men, like the Lord Kapila of old consuming the sons of king\nSagara, the infuriated _Asura_ overwhelming the triple world with the\nflames vomited from his mouth, achieved that wonderful feat in a moment.\nAnd, O thou best of the Bharatas, when all those sons of king Kuvalaswa\nwere consumed by the fire emitted by the _Asura_ in wrath, the monarch,\npossessed as he was of mighty energy, then approached the _Danava_ who,\nlike unto a second Kumbhakarna of mighty energy, had come to the\nencounter after waking from his slumbers. From the body of the king, O\nmonarch, then began to flow a mighty and copious stream of water and\nthat stream soon extinguished, O king, the fiery flames emitted by the\n_Asura_. And, O great king, the royal Kuvalaswa, filled with _Yoga_\nforce, having extinguished those flames by the water that issued from\nhis body, consumed that _Daitya_ of wicked prowess with the celebrated\nweapon called _Brahma_ for relieving the triple world of its fears, and\nthe royal sage Kuvalaswa, having consumed that great _Asura_, that foe\nof the celestials and slayer of all enemies, by means of that weapon\nbecame like unto a second chief of the triple world and the high-souled\nking Kuvalaswa having slain the _Asura_ Dhundhu, became from that\ntime known by the name of _Dhundhumara_ and from that time he came to be\nregarded as invincible in battle, and the gods and the great _Rishis_\nwho had come to witness that encounter were so far gratified with him\nthat they addressed him saying, \"Ask thou a boon of us!\" And thus\nsolicited by the gods, the king bowed to them and filled with joy, the\nking said unto them, with joined hands these words, \"Let me be always\nable to give wealth unto superior Brahmanas! Let me be invincible as\nregards all foes! Let there be friendship between myself and Vishnu! Let\nme have no ill-feeling towards any creature! Let my heart always turn to\nvirtue! And let me (finally) dwell in heaven for ever!\" And the gods and\nthe _Rishis_ and Utanka, hearing this were exceedingly gratified and all\nof them said, \"Let it be as thou wishest!\" And, O king, having also\nblessed him with many other speeches, the gods and the great _Rishis_\nthen went away to their respective abodes. And, O Yudhishthira, after\nthe slaughter of all his sons, king Kuvalaswa had still three sons left,\nand, O thou of the Bharata race, they were called _Dridaswa_ and\n_Kapilaswa_ and _Chandraswa_. It is from them, O king, that the\nillustrious line of kings belonging to Ikshvaku's race, all possessed of\nimmeasurable prowess, hath sprung.\n\n\"'It was thus, O best of king, that that great _Daitya_ of the name\nDhundhu, the son of Madhu and Kaitabha was slain by Kuvalaswa and it was\nfor this also that king came to be called by the name of _Dhundhumara_.\nAnd indeed, the name he assumed was no empty one but was literally true.\n\n\"'I have now told thee all that thou hadst asked me, viz., all about\nthat person in consequence of whose act the story of Dhundhu's death\nhath become famous. He that listeneth to this holy history connected\nwith the glory of Vishnu, becometh virtuous and obtaineth children. By\nlistening to this story on particular lunations, one becometh blessed\nwith long life and great good fortune. And freed from every anxiety one\nceaseth to have any fear of diseases.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCIV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"O thou foremost of the Bharata race, king\nYudhishthira then asked the illustrious Markandeya a difficult question\nabout morality, saying, 'I desire to hear, O holy one, about the high\nand excellent virtue of women. I desire to hear from thee, O Brahmana,\ndiscourse about the subtle truths of morality. O regenerate _Rishi_, O\nbest of men, the Sun, the Moon, the Wind, the Earth, the Fire, the\nfather, the mother, the preceptor--these and other objects ordained by\nthe gods, appear to us as Deities embodied! All these that are reverend\nones are worthy of our best regard. So also is the woman who adoreth one\nlord. The worship that chaste wives offer unto their husbands appeareth\nto me to be fraught with great difficulty. O adorable one, it behoveth\nthee to discourse to us of the high and excellent virtue of chaste\nwives--of wives who restraining all their senses and keeping their\nhearts under complete control regard their husbands as veritable gods. O\nholy and adorable one, all this appears to me to be exceedingly\ndifficult of accomplishment. O regenerate one, the worship that sons\noffer to their mothers and fathers and that wives offer to their\nhusbands, both seem to me to be highly difficult. I do not behold\nanything that is more difficult than the severe virtue of chaste women.\nO Brahmana, the duties that women of good behaviour discharge with care\nand the conduct that is pursued by good sons towards their fathers and\nmothers appear to me to be most difficult of performance. Those women\nthat are each devoted to but one lord, they that always speak the truth,\nthey that undergo a period of gestation for full ten months--there is\nnothing, O Brahmana, that is more difficult than that is done by these.\nO worshipful one, women bring forth their offspring with great hazard to\nthemselves and great pain and rear their children, O bull among\nBrahmanas, with great affection! Those persons also who being always\nengaged in acts of cruelty and thereby incurring general hatred, succeed\nyet in doing their duties accomplish what, in my opinion, is exceedingly\ndifficult. O regenerate one, tell me the truths of the duties of the\nKshatriya order. It is difficult, O twice-born one, for those\nhigh-souled ones to acquire virtue who by the duties of their order are\nobliged to do what is cruel. O holy one, thou art capable of answering\nall questions; I desire to hear thee discourse on all this. O thou\nforemost of Bhrigu's race, I desire to listen to all this, waiting\nrespectfully on thee, O thou of excellent vows!'\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'O thou foremost of the Bharata race, I will discourse\nto thee on all this truly, however difficult of answer thy question may\nbe. Listen to me, therefore, as I speak unto thee. Some regard the\nmother as superior and some the father. The mother, however, that\nbringeth forth and reareth up offspring what is more difficult. Fathers\nalso, by ascetic penances, by worship of the gods, by adorations addressed\nto them, by bearing cold and heat, by incantations and other means desire\nto have children. And having by these painful expedients obtained\nchildren that are so difficult of acquisition, they then, O hero, are\nalways anxious about the future of their sons and, O Bharata, both the\nfather and the mother desire to see in their sons fame and achievements\nand prosperity and offspring and virtue. That son is virtuous who\nrealises these hopes of his parents. And, O great king, that son with\nwhom the father and the mother are gratified, achieveth eternal fame and\neternal virtue both here and thereafter. As regards women again, neither\nsacrifice nor _sraddhas_, nor fasts are of any efficacy. By serving\ntheir husbands only they can win heaven. O king, O Yudhishthira,\nremembering this alone, listen thou with attention to the duties of\nchaste women.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCV\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'There was, O Bharata, a virtuous ascetic of the name\nof Kausika and endued with wealth of asceticism and devoted to the study\nof the _Vedas_, he was a very superior Brahmana and that best of\nBrahmanas studied all the _Vedas_ with the _Angas_ and the _Upanishadas_\nand one day he was reciting the _Vedas_ at the foot of a tree and at\nthat time there sat on the top of that tree a female crane and that\nshe-crane happened at that time to befoul the Brahmana's body and\nbeholding that crane the Brahmana became very angry and thought of doing\nher an injury and as the Brahmana cast his angry glances upon the crane\nand thought also of doing her an injury, she fell down on the ground and\nbeholding the crane thus fallen from the tree and insensible in death,\nthe Brahmana was much moved by pity and the regenerate one began to\nlament for the dead crane saying, \"Alas, I have done a bad deed, urged\nby anger and malice!\"\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Having repeated these words many times, that\nlearned Brahmana entered a village for procuring alms. And, O bull of\nthe Bharata race, in course of his eleemosynary round among the houses\nof persons of good lineage, the Brahmana entered one such house that he\nknew from before. And as he entered the house, he said, \"_Give_.\" And he\nwas answered by a female with the word, \"_Stay_.\" And while the\nhousewife was engaged, O king, in cleaning the vessel from which alms\nare given, her husband, O thou best of the Bharatas, suddenly entered\nthe house, very much afflicted with hunger. The chaste housewife beheld\nher husband and disregarding the Brahmana, gave her lord water to wash\nhis feet and face and also a seat and after that the black-eyed lady,\nplacing before her lord savoury food and drink, humbly stood beside him\ndesirous of attending to all his wants. And, O Yudhishthira, that\nobedient wife used every day to eat the orts of her husband's plate and,\nalways conducting herself in obedience to the wishes of the lord, that\nlady ever regarded her husband, and all her heart's affections inclined\ntowards her lord. Of various and holy behaviour and skilful in all\ndomestic duties and attentive to all her relatives, she always did what\nwas agreeable and beneficial to her husband and she also, with rapt\nsenses attended to the worship of the gods and the wants of guests and\nservants and her mother-in-law and father-in-law.\n\n\"'And while the lady of handsome eyes was still engaged in waiting upon\nher lord, she beheld that Brahmana waiting for alms and beholding him,\nshe remembered that she had asked him to wait. And remembering all this,\nshe felt abashed. And then that chaste woman possessed of great fame,\ntook something for alms and went out, O thou foremost of the Bharatas,\nfor giving it unto that Brahmana. And when she came before him, the\nBrahmana said, \"O best of women, O blessed one, I am surprised at thy\nconduct! Having requested me to wait saying, '_Stay_' thou didst not\ndismiss me!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'O lord of men, beholding that Brahmana filled\nwith wrath and blazing with his energy, that chaste woman began to\nconciliate him and said, \"O learned one, it behoveth thee to forgive me.\nMy husband is my supreme god. He came hungry and tired and was being\nserved and waited upon by me.\" Hearing this, the Brahmana said, \"With\nthee Brahmanas are not worthy of superior regard. Exaltest thou thy\nhusband above them? Leading a domestic life, dost thou disregard\nBrahmanas? Indra himself boweth down unto them, what shall I say of men\non earth. Proud woman, dost thou not know it, hast thou never heard it,\nthat the Brahmanas are like fire and may consume the entire earth?\" At\nthese words of that Brahmana the woman answered, \"I am no she-crane, O\nregenerate _Rishi_! O thou that art endued with the wealth of\nasceticism, cast off this anger of thine. Engaged as thou are, what\ncanst thou do to me with these angry glances of thine? I do not\ndisregard Brahmanas. Endued with great energy of soul, they are like\nunto the gods themselves. But, O sinless one, this fault of mine it\nbehoveth thee to forgive. I know the energy and high dignity of\nBrahmanas that are possessed of wisdom. The waters of the ocean have\nbeen made brackish and undrinkable by the wrath of the Brahmanas. I know\nalso the energy of _Munis_ of souls under complete control and endued\nwith blazing ascetic merit. The fire of their wrath to this day hath not\nbeen extinguished in the forest of Dandaka. It was for his having\ndisregarded the Brahmanas that the great _Asura_--the wicked and\nevil-minded Vatapi was digested when he came in contact with Agastya. It\nhath been heard by us that the powers and merits of high-souled\nBrahmanas are great. But, O Brahmana, as regenerate ones of high souls\nare great in wrath, so are they equally great in forgiveness. Therefore,\nO sinless one, it behoveth thee to forgive me in the matter of this my\noffence. O Brahmana, my heart inclineth to that merit which springeth\nfrom the service of my husband, for I regard my husband as the highest\namong all the gods. O best of Brahmanas, I practise that virtue which\nconsists in serving my husband whom I regard as the highest Deity.\nBehold, O regenerate one, the merit that attaches to the service of\none's husband! I know that thou hast burnt a she-crane with thy wrath!\nBut, O best of regenerate ones, the anger that a person cherishes is the\ngreatest of foes which that person hath. The gods know him for a\nBrahmana who hath cast off anger and passion. The gods know him for a\nBrahmana who always speaketh the truth here, who always gratifieth his\npreceptor, and who, though injured himself, never returneth the injury.\nThe gods know him for a Brahmana who hath his senses under control, who\nis virtuous and pure and devoted to the study of the Vedas, and who hath\nmastery over anger and lust. The gods know him for a Brahmana who,\ncognisant of morals and endued with mental energy, is catholic in\nreligion and looketh upon all equal unto himself. The gods know him for\na Brahmana who studieth himself and teacheth others, who performeth\nsacrifices himself and officiateth at the sacrifices of others, and who\ngiveth away to the best of his means. The gods know that bull among the\nregenerate ones for a Brahmana who, endued with liberality of soul,\npractiseth the _Brahmacharya_ vow and is devoted to study,--in fact who\nis vigilantly devoted to the study of the _Vedas_. Whatever conduceth to\nthe happiness of the Brahmanas is always recited before these. Ever\ntaking pleasure in truth, the hearts of such men never find joy in\nuntruth. O thou best of regenerate ones, it hath been said that the\nstudy of the Vedas, tranquillity of soul, simplicity of behaviour, and\nrepression of the senses, constitute the eternal duties of the Brahmana.\nThose cognisant with virtue and morals have said that truth and honesty\nare the highest virtue. Virtue that is eternal is difficult of being\nunderstood. But whatever it is, it is based on _truth_. The ancients\nhave declared that virtue dependeth on _sruti_. But, O foremost of\nregenerate ones, virtue as exposed in _sruti_ appears to be of various\nkinds. It is, therefore, too subtle of comprehension. Thou, O holy one,\nart cognisant of virtue, pure, and devoted to the study of the _Vedas_.\nI think, however, O holy one, that thou dost not know what virtue in\nreality is. Repairing to the city of Mithila, enquire thou of a virtuous\nfowler there, if indeed, O regenerate one, thou art not really\nacquainted with what constitutes the highest virtue. There liveth in\nMithila a fowler who is truthful and devoted to the service of his\nparents and who hath senses under complete control. Even he will\ndiscourse to thee on virtue. Blessed be thou, O best of regenerate ones,\nif thou likest, repair thither. O faultless one, it behoveth thee to\nforgive me, if what I have said be unpalatable, for they that are\ndesirous of acquiring virtue are incapable of injuring women!\"\n\n\"'At these words of the chaste woman, the Brahmana replied, saying, \"I\nam gratified with thee. Blessed be thou; my anger hath subsided, O\nbeautiful one! The reproofs uttered by thee will be of the highest\nadvantage to me. Blessed be thou, I shall now go and accomplish what is\nso conducive, O handsome one, to my benefit!\"\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Dismissed by her, Kausika, that best of\nregenerate ones, left her house, and, reproaching himself, returned to\nhis own abode.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCVI\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Continually reflecting upon that wonderful discourse\nof the woman, Kausika began to reproach himself and looked very much\nlike a guilty person and meditating on the subtle ways of morality and\nvirtue, he said to himself, \"I should accept with reverence what the\nlady hath said and should, therefore, repair to Mithila. Without doubt\nthere dwelleth in that city a fowler of soul under complete control and\nfully acquainted with the mysteries of virtue and morality. This very\nday will I repair unto that one endued with wealth of asceticism for\nenquiring of him about virtue.\" His faith in her was assured by her\nknowledge of the death of the she-crane and the excellent words of\nvirtuous import she had uttered. Kausika thus reflecting with reverence\nupon all she had said, set out for Mithila, filled with curiosity. And\nhe traversed many forests and villages and towns and at last reached\nMithila that was ruled over by Janaka and he beheld the city to be\nadorned with the flags of various creeds. And he beheld that beautiful\ntown to be resounding with the noise of sacrifices and festivities and\nfurnished with splendid gateways. It abounded with palatial residences\nand protected by walls on all sides; it had many splendid buildings to\nboast of. And that delightful town was also filled with innumerable\ncars. And its streets and roads were many and well-laid and many of them\nwere lined with shops. And it was full of horses and cars and elephants\nand warriors. And the citizens were all in health and joy and they were\nalways engaged in festivities. And having entered that city, that\nBrahmana beheld there many other things. And there the Brahmana enquired\nabout the virtuous fowler and was answered by some twice-born persons.\nAnd repairing to the place indicated by those regenerate ones, the\nBrahmana beheld the fowler seated in a butcher's yard and the ascetic\nfowler was then selling venison and buffalo meat and in consequence of\nthe large concourse of buyers gathered round that fowler, Kausika stood\nat a distance. But the fowler, apprehending that the Brahmana had come\nto him, suddenly rose from his seat and went to that secluded spot where\nthe Brahmana was staying and having approached him there, the fowler\nsaid, \"I salute thee, O holy one! Welcome art thou, O thou best of\nBrahmanas! I am the fowler. Blessed be thou! Command me as to what I may\ndo for thee. The word that the chaste woman said unto thee, viz.,\n_Repair thou to Mithila_, are known to me. I also know for what purpose\nthou hast come hither.\" Hearing these words of the fowler that Brahmana\nwas filled with surprise. And he began to reflect inwardly, saying,\n\"This indeed, is the second marvel that I see!\" The fowler then said\nunto the Brahmana, saying, \"Thou art now standing in place that is\nscarcely proper for thee, O sinless one. If it pleasest thee, let us go\nto my abode, O holy one!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, '\"_So be it_,\" said the Brahmana unto him,\ngladly. And thereupon, the fowler proceeded towards his home with the\nBrahmana walking before him. And entering his abode that looked\ndelightful, the fowler reverenced his guest by offering him a seat. And\nhe also gave him water to wash his feet and face. And accepting these,\nthat best of Brahmanas sat at his ease. And he then addressed the\nfowler, saying, \"It seems to me that this profession doth not befit\nthee. O fowler, I deeply regret that thou shouldst follow such a cruel\ntrade.\" At these words of the Brahmana the fowler said, \"This profession\nis that of my family, myself having inherited it from my sires and\ngrandsires. O regenerate one, grieve not for me owing to my adhering to\nthe duties that belong to me by birth. Discharging the duties ordained\nfor me beforehand by the Creator, I carefully serve my superiors and the\nold. O thou best of Brahmanas! I always speak the truth, never envy\nothers; and give to the best of my power. I live upon what remaineth\nafter serving the gods, guests, and those that depend on me. I never\nspeak ill of anything, small or great. O thou best of Brahmanas, the\nactions of a former life always follow the doer. In this world there are\nthree principal professions, viz., agriculture, rearing of cattle, and\ntrade. As regards the other world, the three _Vedas_, knowledge, and the\nscience of morals are efficacious. Service (of the other three orders)\nhath been ordained to be the duty of the Sudra. Agriculture hath been\nordained for the Vaisyas, and fighting for the Kshatriyas, while the\npractice of the _Brahmacharya_ vow, asceticism, recitation of _mantras_,\nand truthfulness have been ordained for the Brahmanas. Over subjects\nadhering to their proper duties, the king should rule virtuously; while\nhe should set those thereto that have fallen away from the duties of\ntheir order. Kings should ever be feared, because they are the lords of\ntheir subjects. They restrain those subjects of theirs that fall away\nfrom their duties as they restrain the motions of the deer by means of\ntheir shafts. O regenerate _Rishi_, there existeth not in the kingdom of\nJanaka a single subject that followeth not the duties of his birth. O\nthou best of the Brahmanas, all the four orders here rigidly adhere to\ntheir respective duties. King Janaka punisheth him that is wicked, even\nif he be his own son; but never doth he inflict pain on him that is\nvirtuous. With good and able spies employed under him, he looketh upon\nall with impartial eyes. Prosperity, and kingdom, and capacity to\npunish, belong, O thou best of Brahmanas, to the Kshatriyas. Kings\ndesire high prosperity through practice of the duties that belong to\nthem. The king is the protector of all the four orders. As regards\nmyself, O Brahmana, I always sell pork and buffalo meat without slaying\nthose animals myself. I sell meat of animals, O regenerate _Rishi_, that\nhave been slain by others. I never eat meat myself; never go to my wife\nexcept in her season; I always fast during the day, and eat, O\nregenerate one, in the night. Even though the behaviour of his order is\nbad, a person may yet be himself of good behaviour. So also a person may\nbecome virtuous, although he may be slayer of animals by profession. It\nis in consequence of the sinful acts of kings that virtue decreaseth\ngreatly, and sin beginneth to prosper. And when all this taketh place\nthe subjects of the kingdom begin to decay. And it is then, O Brahmana,\nthat ill-looking monsters, and dwarfs, and hunch-backed and large-headed\nwights, and men that are blind or deaf or those that have paralysed eyes\nor are destitute of the power of procreation, begin to take their birth.\nIt is from the sinfulness of kings that their subjects suffer numerous\nmischiefs. But this our king Janaka casteth his eyes upon all his\nsubjects virtuously, and he is always kind unto them who, on their part,\never adhere to their respective duties. Regarding myself, I always with\ngood deeds please those that speak well, as also those that speak ill of\nme. Those kings that live in the observance of their own proper duties,\nwho are always engaged in the practice of acts that are good and honest,\nwho are of souls under complete control and who are endued with\nreadiness and alacrity, may not depend upon anything else for supporting\ntheir power. Gift of food to the best of one's power, endurance of heat\nand cold, firmness in virtue, and a regard and tenderness for all\ncreatures,--these attributes can never find place in a person, without\nan innate desire being present in him of separating himself from the\nworld. One should avoid falsehood in speech, and should do good without\nsolicitation. One should never cast off virtue from lust, from wrath, or\nfrom malice. One should never joy immoderately at a good turn or grieve\nimmoderately at a bad one. One should never feel depressed when\novertaken by poverty, nor when so overtaken abandon the path of virtue.\nIf at any time one doth what is wrong, he should never do its like\nagain. One should always urge his soul to the doing of that which he\nregardeth as beneficial. One should never return wrong for wrong, but\nshould act honestly by those that have wronged him. That wretched man\nwho desireth to do what is sinful, slayeth himself. By doing what is\nsinful, one only imitates them that are wicked and sinful. Disbelieving\nin virtue they that mock the good and the pure saying, '_There is no\nvirtue_' undoubtedly meet with destruction. A sinful man swelleth up\nlike a leather bag puffed up with wind. The thoughts of these wretches\nfilled with pride and folly are feeble and unprofitable. It is the\nheart, the inner soul, that discovereth the fool like the sun that\ndiscovereth forms during the day. The food cannot always shine in the\nworld by means of self-praise. The learned man, however, even if he be\ndestitute of beauty, displayeth his lustre by refraining from speaking\nill of others and well of himself. No example, however, can be met with,\nin this world, of a person shining brilliantly on account of attributes\nto be found in him in their reputed measure. If one repenteth of a wrong\ndone by him, that repentance washeth off his sin. The resolution of\nnever doing it again saveth him from future sin, even as, O thou best of\nBrahmanas, he may save himself from sin by any of those expiations\nobtained in the scriptures. Even this, O regenerate one, is the _sruti_\nthat may be seen in respect of virtue. He that having before been\nvirtuous, committeth a sin, or committeth it unknowingly may destroy\nthat sin. For virtue, O Brahmana, driveth off the sin that men commit\nfrom ignorance. A man, after having committed a sin, should cease to\nregard himself any longer as a man. No man can conceal his sins. The\ngods behold what one does, also the Being that is within every one. He\nthat with piety and without detraction hideth the faults of the honest\nand the wise like holes in his own attire, surely seeketh his salvation.\nIf a man seeketh redemption after having committed a sin, without doubt\nhe is purged of all his sins and looketh pure and resplendent like the\nmoon emerged from the clouds. A man that seeketh redemption is washed of\nall his sins, even as the sun, upon rising, dispelleth all darkness. O\nbest of Brahmanas, it is temptation that constitutes the basis of sin.\nMen that are ignorant commit sin, yielding to temptation alone. Sinful\nmen generally cover themselves with a virtuous exterior, like wells\nwhose mouths are covered by long grass. Outwardly they seem to possess\nself-control and holiness and indulge in preaching virtuous texts which,\nin their mouth are of little meaning. Indeed, everything may be noticed\nin them except conduct that is truly virtuous!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'At these words, O best of men, of the fowler,\nthat Brahmana endued with great wisdom, then asked the fowler, saying,\n\"How shall I know what is virtuous conduct? Blessed be thou, I desire to\nhear this, O thou foremost of virtuous men, from thee. Therefore, O thou\nof exalted soul, tell me all about it truly.\" Hearing these words, the\nfowler replied, saying, \"O best of Brahmanas, Sacrifices, Gift,\nAsceticism, the Vedas, and Truth--these five holy things are ever\npresent in conduct that is called virtuous. Having subjugated lust and\nwrath, pride, avarice, and crookedness, they that take pleasure in\nvirtue because it is virtue, are regarded as really virtuous and worthy\nof the approbation of persons that are virtuous. These persons who are\ndevoted to sacrifices, and study of the Vedas have no independent\nbehaviour. They follow only the practices of the honest and the good.\nThis indeed, is the second attribute of the virtuous. Waiting upon\nsuperiors, Truth, Freedom from anger, and Gift, these four, O Brahmana,\nare inseparably connected with behaviour that is virtuous. For the\nreputation that a person acquires by setting his heart on virtuous\nbehaviour and adhering to it rigidly is incapable of acquisition except\nby practising the four virtues named above. The essence of the _Vedas_\nis Truth: the essence of Truth is self-control, and the essence of\nself-control is abstention from the pleasures of the world. These all\nare to be noticed in behaviour that is virtuous. They that follow those\ndeluded fools that mock the forms of faith prevailing among men, are\ndragged into destruction for walking in such a sinful path. They,\nhowever, that are virtuous and engaged in the observance of vows, who\nare devoted to the _srutis_ and the virtue of abstention from the\npleasure of the world, they in fact who tread in virtue's path and\nfollow the true religion, they that are obedient to the mandates of\ntheir preceptors, and who reflect upon the sense of the scriptures with\npatience and carefulness,--it is these that are said to be possessed of\nbehaviour that is virtuous; it is these, O Brahmana, that are said to\nproperly guide their higher intelligence. Forsaking those that are\natheists, those that transgress virtue's limits, those that are of\nwicked souls, those that live in sinfulness, betake thyself to knowledge\nreverencing those that are virtuous. Lust and temptation are even like\nsharks in the river of life; the waters are the five senses. Do thou\ncross over to the other side of this river in the boat of patience and\nresignation, avoiding the shoals of corporeal existence (repeated births\nin this world). The supreme virtue consisting in the exercise of the\nintelligent principle and abstraction, when gradually super-added to\nvirtuous conduct, becomes beautiful like dye on white fabrics.\nTruthfulness and abstention from doing injury to any one, are virtues\nhighly beneficial to all creatures. Of these, that latter is a cardinal\nvirtue, and is based on truth. Our mental faculties have their proper\nplay when their foundation is laid in truth, and in the exercise of\nvirtue truth is of the highest value. Purity of conduct is the\ncharacteristic of all good men. Those that are distinguished for holy\nliving are good and virtuous. All creatures follow the principles of\nconduct which are innate in their nature. The sinful being who has no\ncontrol over self acquires lust, anger and other vices. It is the\nimmemorial rule that virtuous actions are those that are founded on\njustice, and it is also ordained by holy men that all iniquitous conduct\nis sin. Those who are not swayed by anger, pride, haughtiness and envy,\nand those who are quiet and straight-forward, are men of virtuous\nconduct. Those who are diligent in performing the rites enjoined in the\nthree _Vedas_, who are wise, and of pure and virtuous conduct, who\nexercise self-restraint and are full of attention to their superior, are\nmen of virtuous conduct. The actions and conduct of such men of great\npower, are very difficult of attainment. They are sanctified by the\npurification of their own actions, and consequently sin in them dies out\nof itself. This virtue of good conduct is wonderful, ancient, immutable\nand eternal; and wise men observing this virtue with holiness, attain to\nheaven. These men who believe in the existence of the Deity, who are\nfree from false pride, and versed in holy writ, and who respect\nregenerate (twice-born) men, go to heaven. Among holy men, virtue is\ndifferentiated in three ways--that great virtue which is inculcated in\nthe _Vedas_, the other which is inculcated in the _dharmashastras_ (the\nminor scriptures), and virtuous conduct. And virtuous conduct is\nindicated by acquisition of knowledge, pilgrimage to sacred places,\ntruthfulness, forbearance, purity and straight-forwardness. Virtuous men\nare always kind to all creatures, and well-disposed towards regenerate\nmen. They abstain from doing injury to any creature, and are never rude\nin speech. Those good men who know well the consequences of the fruition\nof their good and evil deeds, are commended by virtuous men. Those who\nare just and good-natured, and endowed with virtue, who wish well of all\ncreatures, who are steadfast in the path of virtue, and have conquered\nheaven, who are charitable, unselfish and of unblemished character, who\nsuccour the afflicted, and are learned and respected by all, who\npractise austerities, and are kind to all creatures, are commended as\nsuch by the virtuous. Those who are charitably disposed attain\nprosperity in this world, as also the regions of bliss (hereafter). The\nvirtuous man when solicited for assistance by good men bestow alms on\nthem by straining to the utmost, even to the deprivation of the comforts\nof his wife and servants. Good men having an eye to their own welfare,\nas also virtue and the ways of the world, act in this way and thereby\ngrow in virtue through endless ages. Good persons possessing the virtues\nof truthfulness, abstention from doing injury to any one, rectitude,\nabstention from evil towards any one, want of haughtiness, modesty,\nresignation, self-restraint, absence of passion, wisdom, patience, and\nkindness towards all creatures, and freedom from malice and lust, are\nthe witnesses of the world. These three are said to constitute the\nperfect way of the virtuous, viz., a man must not do wrong to any body,\nhe must bestow alms, and must always be truthful. Those high-souled good\nmen of virtuous conduct, and settled convictions, who are kind to all\nand are full of compassion, depart with contentment from this world to\nthe perfect way of virtue. Freedom from malice, forbearance, peace of\nmind, contentment, pleasant speech, renunciation of desire and anger,\nvirtuous conduct and actions regulated according to the ordinances of\nholy writ, constitute the perfect way of the virtuous. And those who are\nconstant in virtue follow these rules of virtuous conduct, and having\nreached the pinnacle of knowledge, and discriminating between the\nvarious phases of human conduct, which are either very virtuous or the\nreverse, they escape from the great danger. Thus, O great Brahmana,\nhaving introduced the subject of virtuous conduct, have I described to\nthee all this, according to my own knowledge and to what I have heard on\nthe subject.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCVII\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'The pious fowler, O Yudhishthira, then said to\nthat Brahmana, \"Undoubtedly my deeds are very cruel, but, O Brahmana,\nDestiny is all-powerful and it is difficult to evade the consequence of\nour past actions. And this is the _karmic evil_ arising out of sin\ncommitted in a former life. But, O Brahmana, I am always assiduous in\neradicating the evil. The Deity takes away life, the executioner acts\nonly as a secondary agent. And we, O good Brahmana, are only such agents\nin regard to our _karma_. Those animals that are slain by me and whose\nmeat I sell, also acquire _karma_, because (with their meat), gods and\nguests and servants are regaled with dainty food and the _manes_ are\npropitiated. It is said authoritatively that herbs and vegetables, deer,\nbirds and wild animals constitute the food of all creatures. And, O\nBrahmana, king Sivi, the son of Usinara, of great forbearance attained\nto heaven, which is hard to reach, giving away his own flesh. And in\ndays of yore, O Brahmana, two thousand animals used to be killed every\nday in the kitchen of king Rantideva; and in the same manner two\nthousand cows were killed every day; and, O best of regenerate beings,\nking Rantideva acquired unrivalled reputation by distributing food with\nmeat every day. For the performance of the fourmonthly rites animals\nought to be sacrificed daily. 'The sacred fire is fond of animal food,'\nthis saying has come down to us. And at sacrifices animals are\ninvariably killed by regenerate Brahmanas, and these animals being\npurged of sin, by incantation of hymns, go to heaven. If, O Brahmana,\nthe sacred fire had not been so fond of animal food in ancient times, it\ncould never have become the food of any one. And in this matter of\nanimal food, this rule has been laid down by _Munis_:--Whoever partakes\nof animal food after having first offered it duly and respectfully to\nthe gods and the _manes_, is not polluted by the act. And such a man is\nnot at all considered to have partaken of animal food, even, as a\nBrahmacharin having intercoursed with his wife during the menstrual\nperiod, is nevertheless considered to be a good Brahmana. After\nconsideration of the propriety and impropriety of the matter, this rule\nhas been laid down. King Saudasa, O Brahmana, when under a curse, often\nused to prey upon men; what is thy opinion of this matter? And, O good\nBrahmana, knowing this to be the consequence of my own actions, I obtain\nmy livelihood from this profession. The forsaking of one's own\noccupation is considered, O Brahmana, to be a sin, and the act of\nsticking to one's own profession is without doubt a meritorious act. The\n_Karma_ of a former existence never forsakes any creature. And in\ndetermining the various consequences of one's _Karma_, this rule was not\nlost sight of by the Creator. A person having his being under the\ninfluence of evil _Karma_, must always consider how he can atone for his\n_Karma_, and extricate himself from an evil doom, and the evil _Karma_\nmay be expiated in various ways. Accordingly, O good Brahmana, I am\ncharitable, truthful, assiduous in attending on my superior, full of\nrespect towards regenerate Brahmanas, devoted to and free from pride and\n(idle) excessive talk. Agriculture is considered to be a praiseworthy\noccupation, but it is well-known that even there, great harm is done to\nanimal life; and in the operation of digging the earth with the plough,\nnumberless creatures lurking in the ground as also various other forms\nof animal life are destroyed. Dost thou not think so? O good Brahmana,\n_Vrihi_ and other seeds of rice are all living organisms. What is thy\nopinion on this matter? Men, O Brahmana, hunt wild animals and kill them\nand partake of their meat; they also cut up trees and herbs; but, O\nBrahmana, there are numberless living organisms in trees, in fruits, as\nalso in water; dost thou not think so? This whole creation, O Brahmana,\nis full of animal life, sustaining itself with food derived from living\norganisms. Dost thou not mark that fish preys upon fish, and that\nvarious species of animals prey upon other species, and there are\nspecies the members of which prey upon each other? Men, O Brahmana,\nwhile walking about hither and thither, kill numberless creatures\nlurking in the ground by trampling on them, and even men of wisdom and\nenlightenment destroy animal life in various ways, even while sleeping\nor reposing themselves. What hast thou to say to this?--The earth and\nthe air all swarm with living organisms, which are unconsciously\ndestroyed by men from mere ignorance. Is not this so? The commandment\nthat people should not do harm to any creature, was ordained of old by\nmen, who were ignorant of the true facts of the case. For, O Brahmana,\nthere is not a man on the face of this earth, who is free from the sin\nof doing injury to creatures. After full consideration, the conclusion\nis irresistible that there is not a single man who is free from the sin\nof doing injury to animal life. Even the sage, O good Brahmana, whose\nvow is to do harm to no creature, doth inflict injury to animal life.\nOnly, on account of greater needfulness, the harm is less. Men of noble\nbirth and great qualities perpetrate wicked acts in defiance of all, of\nwhich they are not at all ashamed. Good men acting in an exemplary way\nare not commended by other good men; nor are bad men acting in a\ncontrary way praised by their wicked compeers; and friends are not\nagreeable to friends, albeit endowed with high qualities; and foolish\npedantic men cry down the virtues of their preceptors. This reversal of\nthe natural order of things, O good Brahmana, is seen everywhere in this\nworld. What is thy opinion as to the virtuousness or otherwise of this\nstate of things? There is much that can be said of the goodness or\nbadness of our actions. But whoever is addicted to his own proper\noccupation surely acquires great reputation.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCVIII\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'O Yudhishthira, the virtuous fowler, eminent in\npity, then skilfully addressed himself again to that foremost of\nBrahmanas, saying, \"It is the dictum of the aged that the ways of\nrighteousness are subtle, diverse and infinite. When life is at stake\nand in the matter of marriage, it is proper to tell an untruth. Untruth\nsometimes leads to the triumph of truth, and the latter dwindles into\nuntruth. Whichever conduces most to the good of all creatures is\nconsidered to be truth. Virtue is thus perverted; mark thou its subtle\nways. O best of virtuous men, man's actions are either good or bad, and\nhe undoubtedly reaps their fruits. The ignorant man having attained to\nan abject state, grossly abuses the gods, not knowing that it is the\nconsequence of his own evil _karma_. The foolish, the designing and the\nfickle, O good Brahmana, always attain the very reverse of happiness or\nmisery. Neither learning nor good morals, nor personal exertion can save\nthem. And if the fruits of our exertion were not dependent on anything\nelse, people would attain the object of their desire, by simply striving\nto attain it. It is seen that able, intelligent and diligent persons are\nbaffled in their efforts, and do not attain the fruits of their actions.\nOn the other hand, persons who are always active in injuring others and\nin practising deception on the world, lead a happy life. There are some\nwho attain prosperity without any exertion. And there are others, who\nwith the utmost exertion, are unable to achieve their dues. Miserly\npersons with the object of having sons born to them worship the gods,\nand practise severe austerities, and those sons having remained in the\nwomb for ten months at length turn out to be very infamous issue of\ntheir race; and others begotten under the same auspices, decently pass\ntheir lives in luxury with heaps of riches and grain accumulated by\ntheir ancestors. The diseases from which men suffer, are undoubtedly the\nresult of their own _karma_. They then behave like small deer at the\nhands of hunters, and they are racked with mental troubles. And, O\nBrahmana, as hunters intercept the flight of their game, the progress of\nthose diseases is checked by able and skilful physicians with their\ncollections of drugs. And, thou best of the cherishers of religion, thou\nhast observed that those who have it in their power to enjoy (the good\nthings of this earth), are prevented from doing so from the fact of\ntheir suffering from chronic bowel-complaints, and that many others that\nare strong and powerful, suffer from misery, and are enabled with great\ndifficulty to obtain a livelihood; and that every man is thus helpless,\novercome by misery and illusion, and again and again tossed and\noverpowered by the powerful current of his own actions (_karma_). If\nthere were absolute freedom of action, no creature would die, none would\nbe subject to decay, or await his evil doom, and everybody would attain\nthe object of his desire. All persons desire to out distance their\nneighbours (in the race of life), and they strive to do so to the utmost\nof their power; but the result turns out otherwise. Many are the persons\nborn under the influence of the same star and the same auspices of good\nluck; but a great diversity is observable in the maturity of their\nactions. No person, O good Brahmana, can be the dispenser of his own\nlot. The actions done in a previous existence are seen to fructify in\nour present life. It is the immemorial tradition that the soul is\neternal and everlasting, but the corporeal frame of all creatures is\nsubject to destruction here (below). When therefore life is\nextinguished, the body only is destroyed, but the spirit, wedded to its\nactions, travels elsewhere.\"\n\n\"'The Brahmana replied, \"O best of those versed in the doctrine of\n_karma_, and in the delivery of discourses, I long to know accurately\nhow the soul becomes eternal.\" The fowler replied, \"The spirit dies not,\nthere being simply a change of tenement. They are mistaken, who\nfoolishly say that all creatures die. The soul betakes itself to another\nframe, and its change of habitation is called its death. In the world of\nmen, no man reaps the consequences of another man's _karma_. Whatever\none does, he is sure to reap the consequences thereof; for the\nconsequences of the _karma_ that is once done, can never be obviated.\nThe virtuous become endowed with great virtues, and sinful men become\nthe perpetrators of wicked deeds. Men's actions follow them; and\ninfluenced by these, they are born again.\" The Brahmana enquired, \"Why\ndoes the spirit take its birth, and why does its nativity become sinful\nor virtuous, and how, O good man, does it come to belong to a sinful or\nvirtuous race?\" The fowler replied, \"This mystery seems to belong to the\nsubject of procreation, but I shall briefly describe to you, O good\nBrahmana, how the spirit is born again with its accumulated load of\n_karma_, the righteous in a virtuous, and the wicked in a sinful\nnativity. By the performance of virtuous actions it attains to the state\nof the gods, and by a combination of good and evil, it acquires the\nhuman state; by indulgence in sensuality and similar demoralising\npractices it is born in the lower species of animals, and by sinful\nacts, it goes to the infernal regions. Afflicted with the miseries of\nbirth and dotage, man is fated to rot here below from the evil\nconsequences of his own actions. Passing through thousands of births as\nalso the infernal regions, our spirits wander about, secured by the\nfetters of their own _karma_. Animate beings become miserable in the\nnext world on account of these actions done by themselves and from the\nreaction of those miseries, they assume lower births and then they\naccumulate a new series of actions, and they consequently suffer misery\nover again, like sickly men partaking of unwholesome food; and although\nthey are thus afflicted, they consider themselves to be happy and at\nease and consequently their fetters are not loosened and new _karma_\narises; and suffering from diverse miseries they turn about in this\nworld like a wheel. If casting off their fetters they purify themselves\nby their actions and practise austerities and religious meditations,\nthen, O best of Brahmanas, they attain the Elysian regions by these\nnumerous acts and by casting off their fetters and by the purification\nof _karma_, men attain those blissful regions where misery is unknown to\nthose who go there. The sinful man who is addicted to vices, never comes\nto the end of his course of iniquities. Therefore must we strive to do\nwhat is virtuous and forbear from doing what is unrighteous. Whoever\nwith a heart full of gratefulness and free from malice strives to do\nwhat is good, attains wealth, virtue, happiness and heaven (hereafter).\nThose who are purified of sins, wise, forbearing, constant in\nrighteousness, and self-restrained enjoy continuous felicity in this as\nwell as in the next world. Man must follow the standard of virtue of the\ngood and in his acts imitate the example of the righteous. There are\nvirtuous men, versed in holy writ and learned in all departments of\nknowledge. Man's proper duty consists in following his own proper\navocation, and this being the case these latter do not become confused\nand mixed up. The wise man delights in virtue and lives by\nrighteousness. And, O good Brahmana, such a man with the wealth of\nrighteousness which he hereby acquires, waters the root of the plant in\nwhich he finds most virtue. The virtuous man acts thus and his mind is\ncalmed. He is pleased with his friends in this world and he also attains\nhappiness hereafter. Virtuous people, O good man, acquire dominion over\nall and the pleasure of beauty, flavour, sound and touch according to\ntheir desire. These are known to be the rewards of virtue. But the man\nof enlightened vision, O great Brahmana, is not satisfied with reaping\nthe fruits of righteousness. Not content with that, he with the light of\nspiritual wisdom that is in him, becomes indifferent to pain and\npleasure and the vice of the world influenceth him not. Of his own free\nwill he becometh indifferent to worldly pursuits but he forsaketh not\nvirtue. Observing that everything worldly is evanescent, he trieth to\nrenounce everything and counting on more chance he deviseth means for\nthe attainment of salvation. Thus doth he renounce the pursuits of the\nworld, shunneth the ways of sin, becometh virtuous and at last attaineth\nsalvation. Spiritual wisdom is the prime requisite of men for salvation,\nresignation and forbearance are its roots. By this means he attaineth\nall the objects of this desire. But subduing the senses and by means of\ntruthfulness and forbearance, he attaineth, O good Brahmana, the supreme\nasylum of _Brahma_.\" The Brahmana again enquired, \"O thou most eminent\nin virtue and constant in the performance of the religious obligations,\nyou talk of senses; what are they; how may they be subdued; and what is\nthe good of subduing them; and how doth a creature reap the fruits\nthereof? O pious man, I beg to acquaint myself with the truth of this\nmatter.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCIX\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Hear, O king Yudhishthira what the virtuous\nfowler, thus interrogated by that Brahmana, said to him in reply. The\nfowler said, \"Men's minds are at first bent on the acquisition of\nknowledge. That acquired, O good Brahmana, they indulge in their\npassions and desires, and for that end, they labour and set about tasks\nof great magnitude and indulge in much-desired pleasures of beauty,\nflavour, &c. Then follows fondness, then envy, then avarice and then\nextinction of all spiritual light. And when men are thus influenced by\navarice, and overcome by envy and fondness, their intellect ceases to be\nguided by righteousness and they practise the very mockery of virtue.\nPractising virtue with hypocrisy, they are content to acquire wealth by\ndishonourable means with the wealth thus acquired the intelligent\nprinciple in them becomes enamoured of those evil ways, and they are\nfilled with a desire to commit sins. And when, O good Brahmana, their\nfriends and men of wisdom remonstrate with them, they are ready with\nspecious answers, which are neither sound nor convincing. From their\nbeing addicted to evil ways, they are guilty of a threefold sin. They\ncommit sin in thought, in word, as also in action. They being addicted\nto wicked ways, all their good qualities die out, and these men of\nwicked deeds cultivate the friendship of men of similar character, and\nconsequently they suffer misery in this world as well as in the next.\nThe sinful man is of this nature, and now hear of the man of virtue. He\ndiscerns these evils by means of his spiritual insight, and is able to\ndiscriminate between happiness and misery, and is full of respectful\nattention to men of virtue, and from practising virtues, his mind\nbecomes inclined to righteousness.\" The Brahmana replied, \"Thou hast\ngiven a true exposition of religion which none else is able to expound.\nThy spiritual power is great, and thou dost appear to me to be like a\ngreat _Rishi_.\" The fowler replied, \"The great Brahmanas are worshipped\nwith the same honours as our ancestors and they are always propitiated\nwith offerings of food before others. Wise men in this world do what is\npleasing to them, with all their heart. And I shall, O good Brahmana,\ndescribe to thee what is pleasing to them, after having bowed down to\nBrahmanas as a class. Do thou learn from me the Brahmanic philosophy.\nThis whole universe unconquerable everywhere and abounding in great\nelements, is Brahma, and there is nothing higher than this. The earth,\nair, water, fire and sky are the great elements. And form, odour, sound,\ntouch and taste are their characteristic properties. These latter too\nhave their properties which are also correlated to each other. And of\nthe three qualities, which are gradually characterised by each, in order\nof priority is consciousness which is called the mind. The seventh is\nintelligence and after that comes egoism; and then the five senses, then\nthe soul, then the moral qualities called _sattwa, rajas_ and _tamas_.\nThese seventeen are said to be the unknown or incomprehensible\nqualities. I have described all this to thee, what else dost thou wish\nto know?\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCX\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'O Bharata, the Brahmana, thus interrogated by\nthe virtuous fowler, resumed again this discourse so pleasing to the\nmind. The Brahmana said, \"O best of the cherishers of religion, it is\nsaid that there are five great elements; do thou describe to me in full\nthe properties of any one of the five.\" The fowler replied, \"The earth,\nwater, fire, air and sky all have properties interlapping each other. I\nshall describe them to thee. The earth, O Brahmana, has five qualities,\nwater four, fire three and the air and sky together three also. Sound,\ntouch, form, odour and taste--these five qualities belong to earth, and\nsound, touch, form and taste, O austere Brahmana, have been described to\nthee as the properties of water, and sound, touch and form are the three\nproperties of fire and air has two properties sound and touch, and sound\nis the property of sky. And, O Brahmana, these fifteen properties\ninherent in five elements, exist in all substances of which this\nuniverse is composed. And they are not opposed to one another; they\nexist, O Brahmana, in proper combination. When this whole universe is\nthrown into a state of confusion, then every corporeal being in the\nfulness of time, assumes another _corpus_. It arises and perishes in due\norder. And there are present the five elementary substances of which all\nthe mobile and immobile world is composed. Whatever is perceptible by\nthe senses, is called _vyakta_ (knowable or comprehensible) and whatever\nis beyond the reach of the senses and can only be perceived by guesses,\nis known to be _avyakta_ (not _vyakta_). When a person engages in the\ndiscipline of self-examination, after having subdued the senses which\nhave of their own proper objective play in the external conditions of\nsound, form, &c, then he beholds his own spirit pervading the universe,\nand the universe reflected in itself. He who is wedded to his previous\n_karma_, although skilled in the highest spiritual wisdom, is cognisant\nonly of his soul's objective existence, but the person whose soul is\nnever affected by the objective conditions around, is never subject to\nills, owing to its absorption in the elementary spirit of Brahma. When a\nperson has overcome the domination of illusion, his manly virtues\nconsisting of the essence of spiritual wisdom, turn to the spiritual\nenlightenment which illumines the intelligence of sentient beings. Such\na person is styled by the omnipotent, intelligent Spirit as one who is\nwithout beginning and without end, self-existent, immutable, incorporeal\nand incomparable. This, O Brahmana, that thou hast enquired of me is\nonly the result of self discipline. And this self-discipline can only be\nacquired by subduing the senses. It cannot be otherwise, heaven and hell\nare both dependent on our senses. When subdued, they lead to heaven;\nwhen indulged in, they lead to perdition. This subjugation of the senses\nis the highest means of attaining spiritual light. Our senses are at the\n(cause) root of our spiritual advancement as also at the root of our\nspiritual degradation. By indulging in them, a person undoubtedly\ncontracts vices, and by subduing these, he attains salvation. The\nself-restrained person who acquires mastery over the six senses inherent\nin our nature, is never tainted with sin, and consequently evil has no\npower over him. Man's corporeal self has been compared to a chariot, his\nsoul to a charioteer and his senses to horses. A dexterous man drives\nabout without confusion, like a quiet charioteer with well-broken\nhorses. That man is an excellent driver who knows how to patiently wield\nthe reins of those wild horses,--the six senses inherent in our nature.\nWhen our senses become ungovernable like horses on the high road, we\nmust patiently rein them in; for with patience, we are sure to get the\nbetter of them. When a man's mind is overpowered by any one of these\nsenses running wild, he loses his reason, and becomes like a ship tossed\nby storms upon the high ocean. Men are deceived by illusion in hoping to\nreap the fruits of those six things, whose effects are studied by\npersons of spiritual insight, who thereby reap the fruits of their clear\nperception.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXI\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'O Bharata, the fowler having expounded these\nabstruse points, the Brahmana with great attention again enquired of him\nabout these subtle topics. The Brahmana said, \"Do thou truly describe to\nme, who now duly ask thee, the respective virtues of the qualities of\n_sattwa, rajas_, and _tamas_.\" The fowler replied, \"Very well, I shall\ntell thee what thou hast asked. I shall describe separately their\nrespective virtues, do thou listen. Of them _tamas_ is characterised by\nillusion (spiritual), _rajas_ incites (men to action), _sattwa_ is of\ngreat grandeur, and on that account, it is said to be the greatest of\nthem. He who is greatly under the influence of spiritual ignorance, who\nis foolish, senseless and given to dreaming, who is idle, unenergetic\nand swayed by anger and haughtiness, is said to be under the influence\nof _tamas_. And, O Brahmana _rishi_, that excellent man who is agreeable\nin speech, thoughtful, free from envy, industrious in action from an\neager desire to reap its fruits, and of warm temperament, is said to be\nunder the influence of _rajas_. And he who is resolute, patient, not\nsubject to anger, free from malice, and is not skilful in action from\nwant of a selfish desire to reap its fruits, wise and forbearing, is\nsaid to be under the influence of _sattwa_. When a man endowed with the\n_sattwa_ quality, is influenced by worldliness, he suffers misery; but\nhe hates worldliness, when he realises its full significance. And then a\nfeeling of indifference to worldly affairs begins to influence him. And\nthen his pride decreases, and uprightness becomes more prominent, and\nhis conflicting moral sentiments are reconciled. And then self-restraint\nin any matter becomes unnecessary. A man, O Brahmana, may be born in the\nSudra caste, but if he is possessed of good qualities, he may attain the\nstate of _Vaisya_ and similarly that of a _Kshatriya_, and if he is\nsteadfast in rectitude, he may even become a Brahmana. I have described\nto thee these virtues, what else dost thou wish to learn?\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXII\n\n\"'The Brahmana enquired, \"How is it that fire (vital force) in\ncombination with the earthly element (matter), becomes the corporeal\ntenement (of living creatures), and how doth the vital air (the breath\nof life) according to the nature of its seat (the muscles and nerves)\nexcite to action (the corporeal frame)?\"' Markandeya said, 'This\nquestion, O Yudhishthira, having been put to the Brahmana by the fowler,\nthe latter, in reply, said to that high-minded Brahmana. (The fowler\nsaid):--\"The vital spirit manifesting itself in the seat of\nconsciousness, causes the action of the corporeal frame. And the soul\nbeing present in both of them acts (through them). The past, the present\nand the future are inseparably associated with the soul. And it is the\nhighest of a creature's possessions; it is of the essence of the Supreme\nSpirit and we adore it. It is the animating principle of all creatures,\nand it is the eternal _pumsha_ (spirit). It is great and it is the\nintelligence and the _ego_, and it is the subjective seat of the various\nproperties of elements. Thus while seated here (in a corporeal frame) it\nis sustained in all its relations external or internal (to matter or\nmind) by the subtle ethereal air called _prana_, and thereafter, each\ncreature goes its own way by the action of another subtle air called\n_Samana_. And this latter transforming itself into _Apana_ air, and\nsupported by the head of the stomach carries the refuse matter of the\nbody, urine &c, to the kidneys and intestines. That same air is present\nin the three elements of effort, exertion and power, and in that\ncondition it is called _Udana_ air by persons learned in physical\nscience, and when manifesting itself by its presence at all the\njunctional points of the human system, it is known by the name _Vyana_.\nAnd the internal heat is diffused over all the tissues of our system,\nand supported by these kinds of air, it transforms our food and the\ntissues and the humours of our system. And by the coalition of _Prana_\nand other airs, a reaction (combination) ensues, and the heat generated\nthereby is known as the internal heat of the human system which causes\nthe digestion of our food. The _Prana_ and the _Apana_ air are\ninterposed within the _Samana_ and the _Udana_ air. And the heat\ngenerated by their coalition causes the growth of the body (consisting\nof the seven substances, bones, muscles, &c). And that portion of its\nseat extending to as far as the rectum is called _Apana_; and from that\narteries arise in the five airs _Prana_, &c. The _Prana_ air, acted on\nby the heat strikes against the extremity of the _Apana_ region and then\nrecoiling, it reacts on the heat. Above the navel is the region of\nundigested food and below it the region of digestion. And the _Prana_\nand all other airs of the system are seated in the navel. The arteries\nissuing from the heart run upwards and downwards, as also in oblique\ndirections; they carry the best essence of our food, and are acted upon\nby the ten _Prana_ airs. This is the way by which patient _Yogins_ who\nhave overcome all difficulties, and who view things with an impartial\nand equal eye, with their souls seated in the brain, find the Supreme\nSpirit, the _Prana_ and the _Apana_ airs are thus present in the body of\nall creatures. Know that the spirit is embodied in corporeal disguise,\nin the eleven allotropous conditions (of the animal system), and that\nthough eternal, its normal state is apparently modified by its\naccompaniments,--even like the fire purified in its pan,--eternal, yet\nwith its course altered by its surroundings; and that the divine thing\nwhich is kindred with the body is related to the latter in the same way\nas a drop of water to the sleek surface of a lotus-leaf on which it\nrolls. Know that _sattwa, rajas_ and _tamas_, are the attributes of all\nlife and that life is the attribute of spirit, and that the latter again\nis an attribute of the Supreme Spirit. Inert, insensible matter is the\nseat of the living principle, which is active in itself and induces\nactivity in others. That thing by which the seven worlds are incited to\naction is called the most high by men of high spiritual insight. Thus in\nall these elements, the eternal spirit does not show itself, but is\nperceived by the learned in spiritual science by reason of their high\nand keen perception. A pure-minded person, by purification of his heart,\nis able to destroy the good and evil effect of his actions and attains\neternal beatitude by the enlightenment of his inward spirit. That state\nof peace and purification of heart is likened to the state of a person\nwho in a cheerful state of mind sleeps soundly, or the brilliance of a\nlamp trimmed by a skillful hand. Such a pure-minded person living on\nspare diet perceives the Supreme Spirit reflected in his own, and by\npractising concentration of mind in the evening and small hours of the\nnight, he beholds the Supreme Spirit which has no attributes, in the\nlight of his heart, shining like a dazzling lamp, and thus he attains\nsalvation. Avarice and anger must be subdued by all means, for this act\nconstitutes the most sacred virtue that people can practise and is\nconsidered to be the means by which men can cross over to the other side\nof this sea of affliction and trouble. A man must preserve his\nrighteousness from being overcome by the evil consequences of anger, his\nvirtues from the effects of pride, his learning from the effects of\nvanity, and his own spirit from illusion. Leniency is the best of\nvirtues, and forbearance is the best of powers, the knowledge of our\nspiritual nature is the best of all knowledge, and truthfulness is the\nbest of all religious obligations. The telling of truth is good, and the\nknowledge of truth may also be good, but what conduces to the greatest\ngood of all creatures, is known as the highest truth. He whose actions\nare performed not with the object of securing any reward or blessing,\nwho has sacrificed all to the requirements of his renunciation, is a\nreal _Sannyasin_ and is really wise. And as communion with Brahma cannot\nbe taught to us, even by our spiritual preceptor,--he only giving us a\nclue to the mystery--renunciation of the material world is called\n_Yoga_. We must not do harm to any creature and must live in terms of\namity with all, and in this our present existence, we must not avenge\nourselves on any creature. Self-abnegation, peace of mind, renunciation\nof hope, and equanimity,--these are the ways by which spiritual\nenlightenment can always be secured; and the knowledge of self (one's\nown spiritual nature) is the best of all knowledge. In this world as\nwell as hereafter, renouncing all worldly desires and assuming a stoic\nindifference, wherein all suffering is at rest, people should fulfil\ntheir religious duties with the aid of their intelligence. The _muni_\nwho desires to obtain _moksha_ (salvation), which is very difficult to\nattain, must be constant in austerities, forbearing, self-restrained,\nand must give up that longing fondness which binds him to the things of\nthis earth. They call these the attributes of the Supreme Spirit. The\n_gunas_ (qualities or attributes) that we are conscious of, reduce\nthemselves to _agunas_ (non-gunas) in Him; He is not bound by anything,\nand is perceptible only by the expansion and development of our\nspiritual vision; as soon as the illusion of ignorance is dispelled,\nthis supreme unalloyed beatitude is attained. By foregoing the objects\nof both pleasure and pain and by renouncing the feelings which bind him\nto the things of this earth, a man may attain Brahma (Supreme Spirit or\nsalvation). O good Brahmana, I have now briefly explained to thee all\nthis, as I have heard. What else dost thou wish to know?\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXIII\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'When, O Yudhishthira, all this mystery of salvation\nwas explained to that Brahmana, he was highly pleased and he said\naddressing the fowler, \"All this that thou hast explained, is rational,\nand it seems to me that there is nothing in connection with the\nmysteries of religion which thou dost not know.\" The fowler replied, \"O\ngood and great Brahmana, thou shalt perceive with thine own eyes, all\nthe virtue that I lay claim to, and by reason of which I have attained\nthis blissful state. Rise, worshipful sir, and quickly enter this inner\napartment. O virtuous man, it is proper that thou shouldst see my father\nand my mother.\"' Markandeya continued, 'Thus addressed the Brahmana went\nin, and beheld a fine beautiful mansion. It was a magnificent house\ndivided in four suites of rooms, admired by gods and looking like one of\ntheir palaces; it was also furnished with seats and beds, and redolent\nof excellent perfumes. His revered parents clad in white robes, having\nfinished their meals, were seated at ease. The fowler, beholding them,\nprostrated himself before them with his head at their feet. His aged\nparents then addressed him thus, \"Rise, O man of piety, rise, may\nrighteousness shield thee; we are much pleased with thee for thy piety;\nmayst thou be blessed with a long life, and with knowledge, high\nintelligence, and fulfilment of thy desires. Thou art a good and dutiful\nson, for, we are constantly and reasonably looked after by thee, and\neven amongst the celestials thou hast not another divinity to worship.\nBy constantly subduing thyself, thou hast become endowed with the\nself-restraining power of Brahmanas and all thy grandsires and ancestors\nare constantly pleased with thee for thy self-restraining virtues and\nfor thy piety towards us. In thought, word or deed thy attention to us\nnever flags, and it seems that at present thou hast no other thought in\nthy mind (save as to how to please us). As Rama, the son of Jamadagni,\nlaboured to please his aged parents, so hast thou, O Son, done to please\nus, and even more.\" Then the fowler introduced the Brahmana to his\nparents and they received him with the usual salutation of welcome, and\nthe Brahmana accepting their welcome, enquired if they, with their\nchildren and servants, were all right at home, and if they were always\nenjoying good health at that time (of life). The aged couple replied,\n\"At home, O Brahmana, we are all right, with all our servants. Hast\nthou, adorable sir, reached this place without any difficulty?\"'\nMarkandeya continued, 'The Brahmana replied, \"Yes, I have.\" Then the\nfowler addressing himself to the Brahmana said to him, \"These my\nparents, worshipful sir, are the idols that I worship; whatever is due\nto the gods, I do unto them. As the thirty-three gods with Indra at\ntheir head are worshipped by men, so are these aged parents of mine\nworshipped by me. As Brahmanas exert themselves for the purpose of\nprocuring offering for their gods, so do I act with diligence for these\ntwo (idols of mine). These my father and mother, O Brahmana, are my\nsupreme gods, and I seek to please them always with offering of flowers,\nfruits and gems. To me they are like the three sacred fires mentioned by\nthe learned; and, O Brahmana, they seem to me to be as good as\nsacrifices or the four _Vedas_. My five life-giving airs, my wife and\nchildren and friends are all for them (dedicated to their service). And\nwith my wife and children I always attend on them. O good Brahmana, with\nmy own hands I assist them in bathing and also wash their feet and give\nthem food and I say to them only what is agreeable, leaving out what is\nunpleasant. I consider it to be my highest duty to do what is agreeable\nto them even though it be not strictly justifiable. And, O Brahmana, I\nam always diligent in attending on them. The two parents, the sacred\nfire, the soul and the spiritual preceptor, these five, O good Brahmana,\nare worthy of the highest reverence from a person who seeks prosperity.\nBy serving them properly, one acquires the merit of perpetually keeping\nup the sacred fire. And it is the eternal and invariable duty of all\nhouseholders.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXIV\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'The virtuous fowler, having introduced his\n(both) parents to that Brahmana as his highest _gurus_, again spoke to\nhim as follows, \"Mark thou the power of this virtue of mine, by which my\ninner spiritual vision is extended. For this, thou wast told by that\nself-restrained, truthful lady, devoted to her husband, 'Hie thee to\nMithila; for there lives a fowler who will explain to thee, the\nmysteries of religion.'\" The Brahmana said, \"O pious man, so constant in\nfulfilling thy religious obligations, bethinking myself of what that\ntruthful good-natured lady so true to her husband, hath said, I am\nconvinced that thou art really endowed with every high quality.\" The\nfowler replied, \"I have no doubt, my lord, that what that lady, so\nfaithful to her husband, said to thee about me, was said with full\nknowledge of the facts. I have, O Brahmana, explained to thee all this\nas a matter of favour. And now, good sir, listen to me. I shall explain\nwhat is good for thee. O good Brahmana, of irreproachable character,\nthou hast wronged thy father and thy mother, for thou hast left home\nwithout their permission, for the purpose of learning the _Vedas_. Thou\nhast not acted properly in this matter, for thy ascetic and aged parents\nhave become entirely blind from grief at thy loss. Do thou return home\nto console them. May this virtue never forsake thee. Thou art\nhigh-minded, of ascetic merit, and always devoted to thy religion but\nall these have become useless to thee. Do thou without delay return to\nconsole thy parents. Do have some regard for my words and not act\notherwise; I tell thee what is good for thee, O Brahmana _Rishi_. Do\nthou return home this very day.\" The Brahmana replied, \"This that thou\nhast said, is undoubtedly true; mayst thou, O pious man, attain\nprosperity; I am much pleased with thee.\" The fowler said, \"O Brahmana,\nas thou practisest with assiduousness those divine, ancient, and eternal\nvirtues which are so difficult of attainment even by pure-minded\npersons, thou appearest (to me) like a divine being. Return to the side\nof thy father and mother and be quick and diligent in honouring thy\nparents; for, I do not know if there is any virtue higher than this.\"\nThe Brahmana replied, \"By a piece of singular good luck have I arrived\nhere, and by a piece of similar good luck have I thus been associated\nwith thee. It is very difficult to find out, in our midst, a person who\ncan so well expound the mysteries of religion; there is scarcely one man\namong thousands, who is well versed in the science of religion. I am\nvery glad, O great man, to have secured thy friendship; mayst thou be\nprosperous. I was on the point of falling into hell, but was extricated\nby thee. It was destined to be so, for thou didst (unexpectedly) come in\nmy way. And, O great man, as the fallen King Yayati was saved by his\nvirtuous grandsons (daughter's sons), so have I know been saved by thee.\nAccording to thy advice, I shall honour my father and my mother; for a\nman with an impure heart can never expound the mysteries of sin and\nrighteousness. As it is very difficult for a person born in the Sudra\nclass to learn the mysteries of the eternal religion, I do not consider\nthee to be a Sudra. There must surely be some mystery in connection with\nthis matter. Thou must have attained the Sudra's estate by reason of the\nfruition of thine own past _karma_. O magnanimous man, I long to know\nthe truth about this matter. Do thou tell it to me with attention and\naccording to thy own inclination.\"\n\n\"'The fowler replied, \"O good Brahmana, Brahmanas are worthy of all\nrespect from me. Listen, O sinless one, to this story of a previous\nexistence of mine. O son of an excellent Brahmana, I was formerly a\nBrahmana, well-read in the _Vedas_, and an accomplished student of the\n_Vedangas_. Through my own fault I have been degraded to my present\nstate. A certain king, accomplished in the science of _dhanurveda_\n(science of archery), was my friend; and from his companionship, O\nBrahmana, I, too became skilled in archery; and one day the king, in\ncompany with his ministers and followed by his best warriors, went out\non a hunting expedition. He killed a large number of deer near a\nhermitage. I, too, O good Brahmana, discharged a terrible arrow. And a\n_rishi_ was wounded by that arrow with its head bent out. He fell down\nupon the ground, and screaming loudly said, 'I have harmed no one, what\nsinful man has done this?' And, my lord, taking him for a deer, I went\nup to him and found that he was pierced through the body by my arrow. On\naccount of my wicked deed I was sorely grieved (in mind). And then I\nsaid to that _rishi_ of severe ascetic merit, who was loudly crying,\nlying upon the ground, 'I have done this unwittingly, O _rishi_.' And\nalso this I said to the _muni_: 'Do thou think it proper to pardon all\nthis transgression.' But, O Brahmana, the _rishi_, lashing himself into\na fury, said to me, 'Thou shalt be born as a cruel fowler in the Sudra\nclass.'\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXV\n\n\"'The fowler continued, \"Thus cursed by that _rishi_, I sought to\npropitiate him with these words: 'Pardon me, O _muni_, I have done this\nwicked deed unwittingly. It behooves thee to pardon all that. Do thou,\nworshipful sir, soothe yourself.' The _rishi_ replied, 'The curse that I\nhave pronounced can never be falsified, this is certain. But from\nkindness towards thee, I shall do thee a favour. Though born in the\nSudra class thou shalt remain a pious man and thou shalt undoubtedly\nhonour thy parents; and by honouring them thou shalt attain great\nspiritual perfection; thou shalt also remember the events of thy past\nlife and shalt go to heaven; and on the expiation of this curse, thou\nshalt again become a Brahmana.' O best of men, thus, of old was I cursed\nby that _rishi_ of severe power, and thus was he propitiated by me.\nThen, O good Brahmana, I extricated the arrow from his body, and took\nhim into the hermitage, but he was not deprived of his life (recovered).\nO good Brahmana, I have thus described to thee what happened to me of\nold, and also how I can go to heaven hereafter.\" The Brahmana said, \"O\nthou of great intelligence, all men are thus subject to happiness or\nmisery, thou shouldst not therefore grieve for that. In obedience to the\ncustoms of thy (present) race, thou hast pursued these wicked ways, but\nthou art always devoted to virtue and versed in the ways and mysteries\nof the world. And, O learned man, these being the duties of thy\nprofession, the stain of evil _karma_ will not attach to thee. And after\ndwelling here for some little time, thou shalt again become a Brahmana;\nand even now, I consider thee to be a Brahmana, there is no doubt about\nthis. For the Brahmana who is vain and haughty, who is addicted to vices\nand wedded to evil and degrading practices, is like a Sudra. On the\nother hand, I consider a Sudra who is always adorned with these\nvirtues,--righteousness, self-restraint, and truthfulness,--as a\nBrahmana. A man becomes a Brahmana by his character; by his own evil\n_karma_ a man attains an evil and terrible doom. O good man, I believe\nthat sin in thee has now died out. Thou must not grieve for this, for\nmen, like thee who art so virtuous and learned in the ways and mysteries\nof the world, can have no cause for grief.\"\n\n\"'The fowler replied, \"The bodily afflictions should be cured with\nmedicines, and the mental ones with spiritual wisdom. This is the power\nof knowledge. Knowing this, the wise should not behave like boys. Men of\nlow intelligence are overpowered with grief at the occurrence of\nsomething which is not agreeable to them, or non-occurrence of something\nwhich is good or much desired. Indeed, all creatures are subject to this\ncharacteristic (of grief or happiness). It is not merely a single\ncreature or class that is subject to misery. Cognisant of this evil,\npeople quickly mend their ways, and if they perceive it at the very\noutset they succeed in curing it altogether. Whoever grieves for it,\nonly makes himself uneasy. Those wise men whose knowledge has made them\nhappy and contented, and who are indifferent to happiness and misery\nalike, are really happy. The wise are always contented and the foolish\nalways discontented. There is no end to discontentment, and contentment\nis the highest happiness. People who have reached the perfect way, do\nnot grieve, they are always conscious of the final destiny of all\ncreatures. One must not give way to discontent[17] for it is like a\nvirulent poison. It kills persons of undeveloped intelligence, just as a\nchild is killed by an enraged snake. That man has no manliness whose\nenergies have left him and who is overpowered with perplexity when an\noccasion for the exercise of vigour presents itself. Our actions are\nsurely followed by their consequences. Whoever merely gives himself up\nto passive indifference (to worldly affairs) accomplishes no good.\nInstead of murmuring one must try to find out the way by which he can\nsecure exemption from (spiritual) misery; and the means of salvation\nfound, he must then free himself from sensuality. The man who has\nattained a high state of spiritual knowledge is always conscious of the\ngreat deficiency (instability) of all matter. Such a person keeping in\nview the final doom (of all), never grieves. I too, O learned man, do\nnot grieve; I stay here (in this life) biding my time. For this reason,\nO best of men, I am not perplexed (with doubts)\". The Brahmana said,\n\"Thou art wise and high in spiritual knowledge and vast is thy\nintelligence. Thou who art versed in holy writ, art content with thy\nspiritual wisdom. I have no cause to find fault with thee. Adieu, O best\nof pious men, mayst thou be prosperous, and may righteousness shield\nthee, and mayst thou be assiduous in the practice of virtue.\"'\n\n    [17] _Vishada_ is the original. It means discontent, but here it\n    means more a mixture of discontent, perplexity and confusion\n    than mere discontent.\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'The fowler said to him, \"Be it so.\" And the good\nBrahmana walked round him[18] and then departed. And the Brahmana\nreturning home was duly assiduous in his attention to his old parents. I\nhave thus, O pious Yudhishthira, narrated in detail to thee this history\nfull of moral instruction, which thou, my good son, didst ask me to\nrecite,--the virtue of women's devotion to their husbands and that of\nfilial piety.' Yudhishthira replied, 'O most pious Brahmana and best of\n_munis_, thou hast related to me this good and wonderful moral story;\nand listening to thee, O learned man, my time has glided away like a\nmoment; but, O adorable sir, I am not as yet satiated with hearing this\nmoral[19] discourse.'\"\n\n    [18] A form of Hindu etiquette at parting.\n\n    [19] It is so very difficult to translate the word\n    _Karma_,--religion and morals were invariably associated with\n    each other in ancient Hindu mind.\n\n\nSECTION CCXVI\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"The virtuous king Yudhishthira, having listened\nto this excellent religious discourse, again addressed himself to the\n_rishi_ Markandeya saying, 'Why did the fire-god hide himself in water\nin olden times, and why is it that Angiras of great splendour\nofficiating as fire-god, used to convey[20] oblations during his\ndissolution. There is but one fire, but according to the nature of its\naction, it is seen to divide itself into many. O worshipful sir, I long\nto be enlightened on all these points,--How the Kumara[21] was born, how\nhe came to be known as the son of Agni (the fire-god) and how he was\nbegotten by Rudra or Ganga and Krittika. O noble scion of Bhrigu's race,\nI desire to learn all this accurately as it happened. O great _muni_, I\nam thrilled with great curiosity.' Markandeya replied, 'In this\nconnection this old story is cited by the learned, as to how the carrier\nof oblations (the fire-god) in a fit of rage, sought the waters of the\nsea in order to perform a penance, and how the adorable Angiras\ntransforming himself into the fire-god,[22] destroyed darkness and\ndistressed the world with his scorching rays. In olden times, O\nlong-armed hero, the great Angiras performed a wonderful penance in his\nhermitage; he even excelled the fire-god, the carrier of oblations, in\nsplendour and in that state he illumined the whole universe. At that\ntime the fire-god was also performing a penance and was greatly\ndistressed by his (Angirasa's) effulgence. He was greatly depressed, but\ndid not know what to do. Then that adorable god thought within himself,\n\"Brahma has created another fire-god for this universe. As I have been\npractising austerities, my services as the presiding deity of fire have\nbeen dispensed with;\" and then he considered how he could re-establish\nhimself as the _god_ of fire. He beheld the great _muni_ giving heat to\nthe whole universe like fire, and approached him slowly with fear. But\nAngiras said to him, \"Do thou quickly re-establish yourself as the fire\nanimating the universe, thou art well-known in the three stable worlds\nand thou wast first created by Brahma to dispel darkness. Do thou, O\ndestroyer of darkness, quickly occupy thine own proper place.\" Agni\nreplied, \"My reputation has been injured now in this world. And thou art\nbecome the fire-god, and people will know thee, and not me, as fire. I\nhave relinquished my god-hood of fire, do thou become the primeval fire\nand I shall officiate as the second or Prajapatyaka fire.\" Angiras\nreplied, \"Do thou become the fire-god and the destroyer of darkness and\ndo thou attend to thy sacred duty of clearing people's way to heaven,\nand do thou, O lord, make me speedily thy first child.\"' Markandeya\ncontinued, 'Hearing these words of Angiras, the fire-god did as desired,\nand, O king, Angiras had a son named Vrihaspati. Knowing him to be the\nfirst son of Angiras by Agni, the gods, O Bharata, came and enquired\nabout the mystery. And thus asked by the gods he then enlightened them,\nand the gods then accepted the explanation of Angiras. In this\nconnection, I shall describe to thee religious sorts of fire of great\neffulgence which are here variously known in the Brahmanas[23] by their\nrespective uses.'\"\n\n    [20] Agni or fire was supposed to convey the oblations offered\n    by men to the gods.\n\n    [21] _Kumara_ means a boy, hence a prince. Here Kartika the\n    war-god is meant.\n\n    [22] By carrying their oblations to the gods.\n\n    [23] Portions of the Vedas.\n\n\nSECTION CCXVII\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'O ornament of Kuru's race, he (Angiras) who was\nthe third son of Brahma had a wife of the name of Subha. Do thou hear of\nthe children he had by her. His son Vrihaspati, O king, was very famous,\nlarge-hearted and of great bodily vigour. His genius and learning were\nprofound, and he had a great reputation as a counsellor. Bhanumati was\nhis first-born daughter. She was the most beautiful of all his children.\nAngiras's second daughter was called Raga.[24] She was so named because\nshe was the object of all creature's love. Siniwali was the third\ndaughter of Angiras. Her body was of such slender make that she was\nvisible at one time and invisible at another; and for this reason she\nwas likened to _Rudra's_ daughter. Archismati was his fourth daughter,\nshe was so named from her great refulgence. And his fifth daughter was\ncalled _Havishmati_, so named from her accepting _havis_ or oblations.\nThe sixth daughter of Angiras was called Mahismati the pious. O\nkeen-witted being, the seventh daughter of Angiras is known by the name\nof Mahamati, who is always present at sacrifices of great splendour, and\nthat worshipful daughter of Angiras, whom they call unrivalled and\nwithout portion, and about whom people utter the words _kuhu kuhu_\n(wonder), is known by the name of Kuhu.'\"\n\n    [24] _Raga_ means love.\n\n\nSECTION CCXVIII\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Vrihaspati had a wife (called Tara) belonging to\nthe lunar world. By her, he had six sons partaking of the energy of\nfire, and one daughter. The fire in whose honour oblations of clarified\nbutter are offered at the Paurnamasya and other sacrifices, was a son of\nVrihaspati called Sanju; he was of great ascetic merit. At the\n_Chaturmasya_ (four-monthly) and _Aswamedha_ (horse) sacrifices, animals\nare offered first in his honour, and this powerful fire is indicated by\nnumerous flames. Sanju's wife was called Satya, she was of matchless\nbeauty and she sprang from Dharma (righteousness) for the sake of truth.\nThe blazing fire was his son, and he had three daughters of great\nreligious merit. The fire which is honoured with the first oblations at\nsacrifices is his first son called Bharadwaja. The second son of Sanju\nis called Bharata in whose honour oblations of clarified butter are\noffered with the sacrificial ladle (called Sruk) at all the full moon\n(_Paurnamasaya_) sacrifices. Beside these three sons of whom Bharata is\nthe senior, he had a son named Bharata and a daughter called Bharati.\nThe Bharata fire is the son of _Prajapati_ Bharata _Agni_ (fire). And, O\nornament of Bharata's race, because he is greatly honoured, he is also\ncalled the great. Vira is Bharadwaja's wife; she gave birth to Vira. It\nis said by the Brahmanas that he is worshipped like _Soma_ (with the\nsame hymns) with offerings of clarified butter. He is joined with Soma\nin the secondary oblation of clarified butter and is also called\nRathaprabhu, Rathadhwana and Kumbhareta. He begot a son named Siddhi by\nhis wife Sarayu, and enveloped the sun with his splendour and from being\nthe presiding genius of the fire sacrifice he is ever mentioned in the\nhymns in praise of fire. And the fire _Nischyavana_ praises the earth\nonly; he never suffers in reputation, splendour and prosperity. The\nsinless fire Satya blazing with pure flame is his son. He is free from\nall taint and is not defiled by sin, and is the regulator of time. That\nfire has another name Nishkriti, because he accomplished the _Nishkriti_\n(relief) of all blatant creatures here. When properly worshipped he\nvouchsafes good fortune. His son is called Swana, who is the generator\nof all diseases; he inflicts severe sufferings on people for which they\ncry aloud, and moves in the intelligence of the whole universe. And the\nother fire (Vrihaspati's third son) is called Viswajit by men of\nspiritual wisdom. The fire, which is known as the internal heat by which\nthe food of all creatures is digested, is the fourth son of Vrihaspati\nknown through all the worlds, O Bharata, by the name of Viswabhuk. He is\nself-restrained, of great religious merit, and is a _Brahmacharin_ and\nhe is worshipped by Brahmanas at the Paka-sacrifices. The sacred river\nGomati was his wife and by her all religious-minded men perform their\nrites. And that terrible water-drinking sea fire called Vadava is the\nfifth son of Vrihaspati. This Brahmic fire has a tendency to move\nupwards and hence it is called _Urdhvabhag_, and is seated in the vital\nair called _Prana_. The sixth son is called the great Swishtakrit; for\nby him oblations became _swishta_ (_su_, excellently, and _ishta_,\noffered) and the _udagdhara_ oblation is always made in his honour. And\nwhen all creatures are claimed, the fire called Manyauti becomes filled\nwith fury. This inexorably terrible and highly irascible fire is the\ndaughter of Vrihaspati, and is known as _Swaha_ and is present in all\nmatter. (By the respective influence of the three qualities of _sattwa,\nrajas_ and _tamas_, Swaha had three sons). By reason of the first she\nhad a son who was equaled by none in heaven in personal beauty, and\nfrom this fact he was surnamed by the gods as the _Kama_-fire.[25] (By\nreason of the second) she had a son called the _Amogha_ or invincible\nfire, the destroyer of his enemies in battle. Assured of success he\ncurbs his anger and is armed with a bow and seated on a chariot and\nadorned with wreaths of flowers. (From the action of the third quality)\nshe had a son, the great _Uktha_ (the means of salvation) praised by\n(akin to) three Ukthas.[26] He is the originator of the great word[27]\nand is therefore known as the Samaswasa or the means of rest\n(salvation).'\"\n\n    [25] Kama is the name of the god of love, Indian Cupid.\n\n    [26] The body, the exciting Cause of our actions is an _uktha_,\n    the soul of the vivifier of the body is the second _uktha_, and\n    the Supreme Spirit, the inciter of the soul is the third.\n\n    [27] The word of God.\n\n\nSECTION CCXIX\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'He (_Uktha_) performed a severe penance lasting\nfor many years, with the view of having a pious son equal unto _Brahma_\nin reputation. And when the invocation was made with the _vyahriti_\nhymns and with the aid of the five sacred fires, _Kasyapa, Vasistha,\nPrana_, the son of _Prana, Chyavana_, the son of _Angiras_, and\n_Suvarchaka_--there arose a very bright energy (force) full of the\nanimating (creative) principle, and of five different colours. Its head\nwas of the colour of the blazing fire, its arms were bright like the sun\nand its skin and eyes were golden-coloured and its feet, O Bharata, were\nblack. Its five colours were given to it by those five men by reason of\ntheir great penance. This celestial being is therefore described as\nappertaining to five men, and he is the progenitor of five tribes. After\nhaving performed a penance for ten thousand years, that being of great\nascetic merit produced the terrible fire appertaining to the _Pitris_\n(manes) in order to begin the work of creation, and from his head and\nmouth respectively he created Vrihat and Rathantara (day and night) who\nquickly steal away (life, &c.). He also created Siva from his navel,\nIndra from his might and wind and fire from his soul, and from his two\narms sprang the hymns _Udatta_ and _Anudatta_. He also produced the\nmind, and the five senses, and other creatures. Having created these, he\nproduced the five sons of the _Pitris_. Of these _Pranidhi_ was the son\nof _Vrihadratha_. Vrihadratha was the son of Kasyapa. Bhanu was the\ngodson of Chyavana, Saurabha, the son of Suvarchaka, and Anudatta, the\nson of Prana. These twenty-five beings are reputed (to have been created\nby him). Tapa also created fifteen other gods who obstruct\nsacrifices[28]. They are Subhima, Bhima, Atibhima, Bhimavala, Avala,\nSumitra, Mitravana, Mitasina, Mitravardhana and Mitradharaman,[29] and\nSurapravira, Vira, Suveka, Suravarchas and Surahantri. These gods are\ndivided into three classes of five each. Located here in this world,\nthey destroy the sacrifices of the gods in heaven; they frustrate their\nobjects and spoil their oblations of clarified butter. They do this only\nto spite the sacred fires carrying oblations to the gods. If the\nofficiating priests are careful, they place the oblations in their\nhonour outside of the sacrificial altar. To that particular place where\nthe sacred fire may be placed, they cannot go. They carry the oblation\nof their votaries by means of wings. When appeased by hymns, they do not\nfrustrate the sacrificial rites. Vrihaduktha, another son of Tapa,\nbelongs to the Earth. He is worshipped here in this world by pious men\nperforming _Agnihotra_ sacrifices. Of the son of Tapa who is known as\nRathantara, it is said by officiating priests that the sacrificial\noblation offered in his honour is offered to Mitravinda. The celebrated\nTapa was thus very happy with his sons.'\"\n\n    [28] In Hindu Mythology there are no gods who destroy\n    sacrifices. It is only the Asuras who do so. The Burdwan\n    translator renders this passage,--\"fifteen other gods belonging\n    to western nations or _Asuras_.\" It is noticeable that the\n    beings that were denounced as _Asuras_ by the Hindus were\n    worshipped as Gods (_Asuras_) by the followers of Zarathustra.\n\n    [29] In connection with the names of these Mitra-gods, it is to\n    be remembered that Mitra was the name of the principal god of\n    the ancient Persians.\n\n\nSECTION CCXX\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'The fire called Bharata was bound by severe\nrules of asceticism. Pushtimati is another name of his fire; for when he\nis satisfied he vouchsafes _pushti_ (development) to all creatures, and\nfor this reason he is called _Bharata_ (or the Cherisher). And that\nother fire, by name Siva, is devoted to the worship of Sakti (the forces\nof the presiding deity of the forces of Nature), and because he always\nrelieves the sufferings of all creatures afflicted with misery, he is\ncalled Siva (the giver of good). And on the acquisition of great ascetic\nwealth by _Tapa_, an intelligent son named Puranda was born to inherit\nthe same. Another son named Ushma was also born. This fire is observed\nin the vapour of all matter. A third son Manu was born. He officiated as\nPrajapati. The Brahmanas who are learned in the Vedas, then speak of the\nexploits of the fire Sambhu. And after that the bright Avasathya fire of\ngreat refulgence is spoken of by the Brahmanas. Tapa thus created the\nfive Urjaskara fires, all bright as gold. These all share the _Soma_\ndrink in sacrifices. The great sun-god when fatigued (after his day's\nlabours) is known as the Prasanta fire. He created the terrible _Asuras_\nand various other creatures of the earth. Angiras, too created the\n_Prajapati_ Bhanu, the son of Tapa. He is also called Vrihadbhanu (the\ngreat Bhanu) by Brahmanas learned in the _Vedas_. Bhanu married Supraja,\nand Brihadbhanu the daughter of Surya (the sun-god). They gave birth to\nsix sons; do thou hear of their progeny. The fire who gives strength to\nthe weak is called Valada (or the giver of strength). He is the first\nson of Bhanu, and that other fire who looks terrible when all the\nelements are in a tranquil state is called the Manjuman fire; he is the\nsecond son of Bhanu. And the fire in whose honour oblations of clarified\nbutter are enjoined to be made here at the _Darsa_ and _Paurnamasya_\nsacrifices and who is known as Vishnu in this world, is (the third son\nof Bhanu) called Angiras, or Dhritiman. And the fire to whom with Indra,\nthe _Agrayana_ oblation is enjoined to be made is called the Agrayana\nfire. He is the (fourth) son of Bhanu. The fifth son of Bhanu is Agraha\nwho is the source of the oblations which are daily made for the\nperformance of the _Chaturmasya_ (four-monthly) rites. And Stuva is the\nsixth son of Bhanu. Nisa was the name of another wife of that Manu who\nis known by the name of Bhanu. She gave birth to one daughter, the two\nAgnishtomas, and also five other fire-gods. The resplendent fire-god who\nis honoured with the first oblations in company with the presiding deity\nof the clouds is called Vaiswanara. And that other fire who is called\nthe lord of all the worlds is Viswapati, the second son of Manu. And the\ndaughter of Manu is called Swistakrit, because by oblations unto her one\nacquires great merit. Though she was the daughter of Hiranyakasipu, she\nyet became his wife for her evil deeds. She is, however, one of the\nPrajapatis. And that other fire which has its seats in the vital airs of\nall creatures and animates their bodies, is called Sannihita. It is the\ncause of our perceptions of sound and form. That divine spirit whose\ncourse is marked with black and white stains, who is the supporter of\nfire, and who, though free from sin, is the accomplisher of desired\n_karma_, whom the wise regard as a great _Rishi_, is the fire Kapila,\nthe propounder of the _Yoga_ system called Sankhya. The fire through\nwhom the elementary spirits always receive the offerings called _Agra_\nmade by other creatures at the performance of all the peculiar rites in\nthis world is called Agrani. And these other bright fires famous in the\nworld, were created for the rectification of the _Agnihotra_ rites when\nmarred by any defects. If the fires interlap each other by the action of\nthe wind, then the rectification must be made with the _Ashtakapala_\nrites in honour of the fire Suchi. And if the southern fire comes in\ncontact with the two other fires, then rectification must be made by the\nperformance of the _Ashtakapala_ rites in honour of the fire Viti. If\nthe fires in their place called Nivesa come in contact with the fire\ncalled Devagni, then the _Ashtakapala_ rites must be performed in honour\nof the fire Suchi for rectification. And if the perpetual fire is\ntouched by a woman in her monthly course, then for rectification the\n_Ashtakapala_ rites must be performed in honour of the fire called\nDasyuman. If at the time of the performance of this _Agnihotra_ rites\nthe death of any creature is spoken of, or if animals die, then\nrectification must be made with the performance of the _Ashtakapala_\nrites in honour of the Suraman fire. The Brahmana, who while suffering\nfrom a disease is unable to offer oblations to the sacred fire for three\nnights, must make amends for the same by performing the _Ashtakapala_\nrites in honour of the northern fire. He who has performed the _Darsa_\nand the _Paurnamasya_ rites must make the rectification with the\nperformance of the _Ashtakapala_ rites in honour of the Patikrit fire.\nIf the fire of a lying-in room comes in contact with the perpetual\nsacred fire, then rectification must be made with the performance of\n_Ashtakapala_ rites in honour of the Agniman fire.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXXI\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Mudita, the favourite wife of the fire Swaha,\nused to live in water. And Swaha who was the regent of the earth and sky\nbegot in that wife of his a highly sacred fire called Advanta. There is\na tradition amongst learned Brahmanas that this fire is the ruler and\ninner soul of all creatures. He is worshipful, resplendent and the lord\nof all the great _Bhutas_ here. And that fire, under the name of\nGrihapati, is ever worshipped at all sacrifices and conveys all the\noblations that are made in this world. That great son of Swaha--the\ngreat Adbhuta fire is the soul of the waters and the prince and regent\nof the sky and the lord of everything great. His (son), the Bharata\nfire, consumes the dead bodies of all creatures. His first Kratu is\nknown as Niyata at the performance of the _Agnishtoma_ sacrifice. That\npowerful prime fire (_Swaha_) is always missed by the gods, because when\nhe sees Niyata approaching him he hides himself in the sea from fear of\ncontamination. Searching for him in every direction, the gods could not\n(once) find him out and on beholding Atharvan the fire said to him, \"O\nvaliant being, do thou carry the oblations for the gods! I am disabled\nfrom want of strength. Attaining the state of the red-eyed fire, do thou\ncondescend to do me this favour!\" Having thus advised Atharvan, the fire\nwent away to some other place. But his place of concealment was divulged\nby the finny tribe. Upon them the fire pronounced this curse in anger,\n\"You shall be the food of all creatures in various ways.\" And then that\ncarrier of oblations spoke unto _Atharvan_ (as before). Though entreated\nby the gods, he did not agree to continue carrying their oblations. He\nthen became insensible and instantly gave up the ghost. And leaving his\nmaterial body, he entered into the bowels of the earth. Coming into\ncontact with the earth, he created the different metals. Force and scent\narose from his pus; the _Deodar_ pine from his bones; glass from his\nphlegm; the _Marakata_ jewel from his bile; and the black iron from his\nliver. And all the world has been embellished with these three\nsubstances (wood, stone and iron). The clouds were made from his nails,\nand corals from his veins. And, O king, various other metals were\nproduced from his body. Thus leaving his material body, he remained\nabsorbed in (spiritual) meditation. He was roused by the penance of\nBhrigu and Angiras. The powerful fire thus gratified with penance,\nblazed forth intensely. But on beholding the _Rishi_ (Atharvan), he\nagain sought his watery refuge. At this extinction of the fire, the\nwhole world was frightened, and sought the protection of Atharvan, and\nthe gods and others began to worship him. Atharvan rummaged the whole\nsea in the presence of all those beings eager with expectation, and\nfinding out the fire, himself began the work of creation. Thus in olden\ntimes the fire was destroyed and called back to life by the adorable\nAtharvan. But now he invariably carries the oblations of all creatures.\nLiving in the sea and travelling about various countries, he produced\nthe various fires mentioned in the _Vedas_.\n\n\"'The river Indus, the five rivers (of the Punjab), the Sone, the\nDevika, the Saraswati, the Ganga, the Satakumbha, the Sarayu, the\nGandaki, the Charmanwati, the Mahi, the Medha, the Medhatithi, the three\nrivers Tamravati, the Vetravati, and the Kausiki; the Tamasa, the\nNarmada, the Godavari, the Vena, the Upavena, the Bhima, the Vadawa, the\nBharati, the Suprayoga, the Kaveri, the Murmura, the Tungavenna, the\nKrishnavenna and the Kapila, these rivers, O Bharata, are said to be the\nmothers of the fires! The fire called Adbhuta had a wife of the name\nof Priya, and Vibhu was the eldest of his sons by her. There are as many\ndifferent kinds of _Soma sacrifices_ as the number of fires mentioned\nbefore. All this race of fires, first-born of the spirit of Brahma,\nsprang also from the race of Atri. Atri in his own mind conceived these\nsons, desirous of extending the creation. By this act, the fires came\nout of his own Brahmic frame. I have thus narrated to thee the history\nof the origin of these fires. They are great, resplendent, and\nunrivalled in power, and they are the destroyers of darkness. Know that\nthe powers of those fires are the same as those of the Adbhuta fire as\nrelated in the Vedas. For all these fires are one and same. This\nadorable being, the first born fire, must be considered as one. For like\nthe _Jyotishtoma_ sacrifice he came out of Angiras body in various\nforms. I have thus described to thee the history of the great race of\nAgni (fires) who when duly worshipped with the various hymns, carry the\noblations of all creatures to the gods.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXXII\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'O sinless scion of Kuru's race, I have described\nto thee the various branches of the race of Agni. Listen now to the\nstory of the birth of the intelligent Kartikeya. I shall tell thee of\nthat wonderful and famous and highly energetic son of the Adbhuta fire\nbegotten of the wives of the _Brahmarshis_. In ancient times the _gods_\nand _Asuras_ were very active in destroying one another. And the\nterrible _Asuras_ always succeeded in defeating the gods. And Purandara\n(Indra) beholding the great slaughter of his armies by them and anxious\nto find out a leader for the celestial host, thought within himself, \"I\nmust find out a mighty person who observing the ranks of the celestial\narmy shattered by the _Danavas_ will be able to reorganize it with\nvigour.\" He then repaired to the Manasa mountains and was there deeply\nabsorbed in thought of nature, when he heard the heart-rending cries of\na woman to the effect, \"May some one come quick and rescue me, and\neither indicate a husband for me, or be my husband himself.\" Purandara\nsaid to her, \"Do not be afraid, lady!\" And having said these words, he\nsaw Kesin (an _Asura_) adorned with a crown and mace in hand standing\neven like a hill of metals at a distance and holding that lady by the\nhand. Vasava addressed then that _Asura_ saying, \"Why art thou bent on\nbehaving insolently to this lady? Know that I am the god who wields the\nthunderbolt. Refrain thou from doing any violence to this lady.\" To him\nKesin replied, \"Do thou, O Sakra, leave her alone. I desire to possess\nher. Thinkest thou, O slayer of Paka, that thou shalt be able to return\nhome with thy life?\" With these words Kesin hurled his mace for slaying\nIndra. Vasava cut it up in its course with his thunderbolt. Then Kesin,\nfurious with rage, hurled a huge mass of rock at him. Beholding that, he\nof a hundred sacrifices rent it asunder with his thunderbolt, and it\nfell down upon the ground. And Kesin himself was wounded by that falling\nmass of rock. Thus sorely afflicted, he fled leaving the lady behind.\nAnd when the _Asura_ was gone, Indra said to that lady, \"Who and whose\nwife art thou, O lady with a beautiful face, and what has brought thee\nhere?\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXXIII\n\n\"'The lady replied, \"I am a daughter of Prajapati (the lord of all\ncreatures, Brahma) and my name is Devasena. My sister Daityasena has ere\nthis been ravished by Kesin. We two sisters with our maids habitually\nused to come to these Manasa mountains for pleasures with the permission\nof Prajapati. And the great _Asura_ Kesin used daily to pay his court to\nus. Daityasena, O conqueror of Paka, listened to him, but I did not.\nDaityasena was, therefore, taken away by him, but, O illustrious one,\nthou hast rescued me with thy might. And now, O lord of the celestials,\nI desire that thou shouldst select an invincible husband for me.\" To\nthis Indra replied, \"Thou art a cousin of mine, thy mother being a\nsister of my mother Dakshayani, and now I desire to hear thee relate\nthine own prowess.\" The lady replied, \"O hero with long arms, I am\n_Avala_[30] (weak) but my husband must be powerful. And by the potency\nof my father's boon, he will be respected by _gods_ and _Asuras_ alike.\"\nIndra said, \"O blameless creature, I wish to hear from thee, what sort\nof power thou wishest thy husband to possess.\" The lady replied, \"That\nmanly and famous and powerful being devoted to Brahma, who is able to\nconquer all the celestials, _Asuras, Yakshas, Kinnaras, Uragas,\nRakshasas_, and the evil-minded _Daityas_ and to subdue all the worlds\nwith thee, shall be my husband.\"'\n\n    [30] _Avala_ is a common name of women. It means one who has no\n    vala or strength or power. The word is also used as an\n    adjective.\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'On hearing her speech, Indra was grieved and\ndeeply thought within himself, \"There is no husband for this lady,\nanswering to her own description.\" And that god adorned with sun-like\neffulgence, then perceived the Sun rising on the Udaya hill,[31] and the\ngreat Soma (Moon) gliding into the Sun. It being the time of the new\nMoon, he of a hundred sacrifices, at the _Raudra_[32] moment, observed\nthe gods and _Asuras_ fighting on the Sunrise hill. And he saw that the\nmorning twilight was tinged with red clouds. And he also saw that the\nabode of Varuna had become blood-red. And he also observed Agni\nconveying oblations offered with various hymns by Bhrigu, Angiras, and\nothers and entering the disc of the Sun. And he further saw the twenty\nfour _Parvas_ adorning the Sun, and the terrible Soma also present in\nthe Sun under such surroundings. And observing this union of the Sun and\nthe Moon and that fearful conjunction of theirs, Sakra thought within\nhimself, \"This terrific conjunction of the Sun and the Moon forebodeth a\nfearful battle on the morrow. And the river Sindhu (Indus) too is\nflowing with a current of fresh blood and the jackals with fiery laces\nare crying to the Sun. This great conjunction is fearful and full of\nenergy. This union of the Moon (Soma) with the Sun and Agni is very\nwonderful. And if Soma giveth birth to a son now, that son may become\nthe husband of this lady. And Agni also hath similar surroundings now,\nand he too is a god. If the two begetteth a son, that son may become the\nhusband of this lady.\" With these thoughts that illustrious celestial\nrepaired to the regions of Brahma, taking Devasena[33] with him. And\nsaluting the Grandsire he said unto him, \"Do thou fix a renowned warrior\nas husband of this lady.\" Brahma replied, \"O slayer of _Asuras_, it\nshall be as thou hast intended. The issue of that union will be mighty\nand powerful accordingly. That powerful being will be the husband of\nthis lady and the joint leader of thy forces with thee.\" Thus addressed,\nthe lord of the celestials and the lady bowed unto him and then repaired\nto the place where those great Brahmanas, the powerful celestial\n_Rishis_, Vasistha and others, lived. And with Indra at their head, the\nother gods also, desirous of drinking the Soma beverage, repaired to the\nsacrifices of those _Rishis_ to receive their respective shares of the\nofferings. Having duly performed the ceremonies with the bright blazing\nfire, those great-minded persons offered oblations to the celestials.\nAnd the _Adbhuta_ fire, that carrier of oblations, was invited with\n_mantras_. And coming out of the solar disc, that lordly fire duly\nrepaired thither, restraining speech. And, O chief of Bharata's race,\nthat fire entering the sacrificial fire that had been ignited and into\nwhich various offerings were made by the _Rishis_ with recitations of\nhymns, took them with him and made them over to the dwellers of heaven.\nAnd while returning from that place, he observed the wives of those\nhigh-souled _Rishis_ sleeping at their ease on their beds. And those\nladies had a complexion beautiful like that of an altar of gold,\nspotless like moon-beams, resembling fiery flames and looking like\nblazing stars. And seeing those wives of the illustrious Brahmanas with\neager eyes, his mind became agitated and he was smitten with their\ncharms. Restraining his heart he considered it improper for him to be\nthus agitated. And he said unto himself, \"The wives of these great\nBrahmanas are chaste and faithful and beyond the reach of other people's\ndesires. I am filled with desire to possess them. I cannot lawfully cast\nmy eyes upon them, nor ever touch them when they are not filled with\ndesire. I shall, therefore, gratify myself daily with only looking at\nthem by becoming their _Garhapatya_ (house-hold) fire.\"'\n\n    [31] According to the Hindus, the sun rises from and sets behind\n    two hills respectively. He rises from the _Udaya_ or Sun-rise\n    hill and sets behind the _Asta_ or sun-set hill.\n\n    [32] _Raudra_--belonging to Rudra, the god of fury, violence,\n    war, &c.\n\n    [33] _Devasena_ literally means the celestial army. This fable\n    seems to be an allegorical representation of the attempts made\n    by Indra to procure a leader for the celestial host.\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'The _Adbhuta_ fire, thus transforming himself\ninto a house-hold one, was highly gratified with seeing those\ngold-complexioned ladies and touching them with his flames. And\ninfluenced by their charms he dwelt there for a long time, giving them\nhis heart and filled with an intense love for them. And baffled in all\nhis efforts to win the hearts of those Brahmana ladies, and his own\nheart tortured by love, he repaired to a forest with the certain object\nof destroying himself. A little while before, Swaha, the daughter of\nDaksha, had bestowed her love on him. The excellent lady had been\nendeavouring for a long time to detect his weak moments; but that\nblameless lady did not succeed in finding out any weakness in the calm\nand collected fire-god. But now that the god had betaken himself to a\nforest, actually tortured by the pangs of love, she thought, \"As I too\nam distressed with love, I shall assume the guise of the wives of the\nseven _Rishis_, and in that disguise I shall seek the fire-god so\nsmitten with their charms. This done, he will be gratified and my desire\ntoo will be satisfied.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXXIV\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'O lord of men, the beautiful Siva endowed with\ngreat virtues and an unspotted character was the wife of Angiras (one of\nthe seven _Rishis_). That excellent lady (Swaha) at first assuming the\ndisguise of Siva, sought the presence of Agni unto whom she said, \"O\nAgni, I am tortured with love for thee. Do thou think it fit to woo me.\nAnd if thou dost not accede to my request, know that I shall commit\nself-destruction. I am Siva the wife of Angiras. I have come here\naccording to the advice of the wives of the other _Rishis_, who have\nsent me here after due deliberation.\"\n\n\"'Agni replied, \"How didst thou know that I was tortured with love and\nhow could the others, the beloved wives of the seven _Rishis_, of whom\nthou hast spoken, know this?\"\n\n\"'Swaha replied, \"Thou art always a favourite with us, but we are afraid\nof thee. Now having read thy mind by well-known signs, they have sent to\nthy presence. I have come here to gratify my desire. Be thou quick, O\nAgni, to encompass the object of thy desire, my sisters-in-law are\nawaiting me. I must return soon.\"\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Then Agni, filled with great joy and delight,\nmarried Swaha in the guise of Siva, and that lady joyfully cohabiting\nwith him, held the _semen virile_ in her hands. And then she thought\nwithin herself that those who would observe her in that disguise in the\nforest, would cast an unmerited slur upon the conduct of those Brahmana\nladies in connection with Agni. Therefore, to prevent this, she should\nassume the disguise of a bird, and in that state she should more easily\nget out of the forest.'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Then assuming the disguise of a winged creature,\nshe went out of the forest and reached the White Mountain begirt with\nclumps of heath and other plants and trees, and guarded by strange\nseven-headed serpents with poison in their very looks, and abounding\nwith _Rakshasas_, male and female _Pisachas_, terrible spirits, and\nvarious kinds of birds and animals. That excellent lady quickly\nascending a peak of those mountains, threw that _semen_ into a golden\nlake. And then assuming successively the forms of the wives of the\nhigh-souled seven _Rishis_, she continued to dally with Agni. But on\naccount of the great ascetic merit of Arundhati and her devotion to her\nhusband (Vasishtha), she was unable to assume her form. And, O chief of\nKuru's race, the lady Swaha on the first lunar day threw six times into\nthat lake the _semen_ of Agni. And thrown there, it produced a male\nchild endowed with great power. And from the fact of its being regarded\nby the _Rishis_ as _cast off_, the child born therefrom came to be\ncalled by the name of _Skanda_. And the child had six faces, twelve\nears, as many eyes, hands, and feet, one neck, and one stomach. And it\nfirst assumed a form on the second lunar day, and it grew to the size of\na little child on the third. And the limbs of Guha were developed on the\nfourth day. And being surrounded by masses of red clouds flashing forth\nlightning, it shone like the Sun rising in the midst of a mass of red\nclouds. And seizing the terrific and immense bow which was used by the\ndestroyer of the _Asura_ Tripura for the destruction of the enemies of\nthe gods, that mighty being uttered such a terrible roar that the three\nworlds with their mobile and immobile divisions became struck with awe.\nAnd hearing that sound which seemed like the rumbling of a mass of big\nclouds, the great _Nagas, Chitra_ and _Airavata_, were shaken with fear.\nAnd seeing them unsteady that lad shining with sun-like refulgence held\nthem with both his hands. And with a dart in (another) hand, and with a\nstout, red-crested, big cock fast secured in another, that long-armed\nson of Agni began to sport about making a terrible noise. And holding an\nexcellent conch-shell with two of his hands, that mighty being began to\nblow it to the great terror of even the most powerful creatures. And\nstriking the air with two of his hands, and playing about on the\nhill-top, the mighty Mahasena of unrivalled prowess, looked as if he\nwere on the point of devouring the three worlds, and shone like the\nbright Sun-god at the moment of his ascension in the heavens. And that\nbeing of wonderful prowess and matchless strength, seated on the top of\nthat hill, looked on with his numerous faces directed towards the\ndifferent cardinal points, and observing various things, he repeated his\nloud roars. And on hearing those roars various creatures were prostrate\nwith fear. And frightened and troubled in mind they sought protection.\nAnd all those persons of various orders who then sought the protection\nof that god are known as his powerful Brahmana followers. And rising\nfrom his seat, that mighty god allayed the fears of all those people,\nand then drawing his bow, he discharged his arrows in the direction of\nthe White Mountain. And with those arrows the hill Krauncha, the son of\nHimavat, was rent asunder. And that is the reason why swans and vultures\nnow migrate to the Sumeru mountains. The Krauncha hill, sorely wounded,\nfell down uttering fearful groans. And seeing him fallen, the other\nhills too began to scream. And that mighty being of unrivalled prowess,\nhearing the groans of the afflicted, was not at all moved, but himself\nuplifting his mace, yelled forth his war-whoop. And that high-souled\nbeing then hurled his mace of great lustre and quickly rent in twain one\nof the peaks of the White Mountain. And the White Mountain being thus\npierced by him was greatly afraid of him and dissociating himself from\nthe earth fled with the other mountains. And the earth was greatly\nafflicted and bereft of her ornaments on all sides. And in this\ndistress, she went over to _Skanda_ and once more shone with all her\nmight. And the mountains too bowed down to _Skanda_ and came back and\nstuck into the earth. And all creatures then celebrated the worship of\n_Skanda_ on the fifth day of the lunar month.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXXV\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'When that powerful, high-souled, and mighty\nbeing was born, various kinds of fearful phenomena occurred. And the\nnature of males and females, of heat and cold, and of such other pairs\nof contraries, was reversed. And the planets, the cardinal points and\nthe firmaments became radiant with light and the earth began to rumble\nvery much. And the _Rishis_ even, seeking the welfare of the world,\nwhile they observed all these terrific prodigies on all sides, began\nwith anxious hearts to restore tranquillity in the universe. And those\nwho used to live in that Chitraratha forest said, \"This very miserable\ncondition of ours hath been brought about by Agni cohabiting with the\nsix wives of the seven _Rishis_.\" Others again who had seen the goddess\nassume the disguise of a bird said, \"This evil hath been brought about\nby a bird.\" No one ever imagined that Swaha was the authoress of that\nmischief. But having heard that the (new born) male child was hers, she\nwent to Skanda and gradually revealed to him the fact that she was his\nmother. And those seven _Rishis_, when they heard that a son of great\npower had been born (to them), divorced their six wives with the\nexception of the adorable Arundhati, because all the dwellers of that\nforest protested that those six persons had been instrumental in\nbringing forth the child. Swaha too, O king, said again and again to the\nseven _Rishis_, saying, \"Ye ascetics, this child is mine, your wives are\nnot his mother.\"\n\n\"'The great _Muni_ Viswamitra had, after the conclusion of the\nsacrifices of the seven _Rishis_, followed unseen the god of fire, while\nthe latter was tortured with lust. He, therefore, knew everything as it\nhappened and he was the first to seek the protection of Mahasena. And he\noffered divine prayers to Mahasena and all the thirteen auspicious rites\nappertaining to childhood, such as the natal and other ceremonies, were\nall performed by the great _Muni_ in respect of that child. And for the\ngood of the world he promulgated the virtues of the six-faced Skanda,\nand performed ceremonies in honour of the cock, the goddess _Sakti_, and\nthe first followers of Skanda. And for this reason he became a great\nfavourite of the celestial youth. That great _Muni_ then informed the\nseven _Rishis_ of the transformations of Swaha and told them that their\nwives were perfectly innocent. But though thus informed the seven\n_Rishis_ abandoned their spouses unconditionally.'\"\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'The celestials having heard of the prowess of\nSkanda, all said to Vasava, \"O Sakra, do thou kill Skanda without delay\nfor his prowess is unbearable. And if thou dost not exterminate him, he\nwill conquer the three worlds with ourselves, and overpowering thee,\nwill himself become the mighty lord of the celestials.\" Perplexed in\nmind, Sakra replied unto them, \"This child is endowed with great\nprowess. He can himself destroy the Creator of the Universe, in battle\nputting forth his might. I venture not, therefore, to do away with him.\"\nTo this the gods replied, \"Thou hast no manliness in thee, in that thou\ntalkest in this manner. Let the great Mothers of the Universe repair\nto-day to Skanda. They can master at will any degree of energy. Let them\nkill this child.\" \"It shall be so.\"--the mothers replied. And then they\nwent away. But on beholding that he was possessed of great might, they\nbecame dispirited, and considering that he was invincible, they sought\nhis protection and said unto him, \"Do thou, O mighty being, become our\n(adopted) son. We are full of affection for thee and desirous of giving\nthee suck. Lo, the milk oozes from our breasts!\" On hearing these words,\nthe mighty Mahasena became desirous of sucking their breasts and he\nreceived them with due respect and acceded to their request. And that\nmightiest of mighty creatures then beheld his father Agni come towards\nhim. And that god, who is the doer of all that is good, was duly\nhonoured by his son, and in company with the Mothers, he stayed there by\nthe side of Mahasena to tend him. And that lady amongst the Mothers who\nwas born of Anger[34] with a spike in hand kept watch over Skanda even\nlike a mother guarding her own offspring, and that irascible\nred-coloured daughter of the Sea, who lived herself on blood, hugged\nMahasena in her breast and nursed him like a mother. And Agni\ntransforming himself into a trader with a goat's mouth and followed by\nnumerous children began to gratify that child of his with toys in that\nmountain abode of his.'\"\n\n    [34] Anger personified is a deity.\n\n\nSECTION CCXXVI\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'The planets with their satellites, the _Rishis_\nand the Mothers, Agni and numerous other blazing courtiers and many\nother dwellers of heaven of terrible mien, waited on Mahasena along with\nthe Mothers. And the illustrious sovereign of the gods, desirous of\nvictory but believing success to be doubtful mounted his elephant\nAiravata and attended by the other gods advanced towards Skanda. That\nmighty being followed by all the celestials was armed with his\nthunderbolt. And with the object of slaying Mahasena, he marched with\nterrible celestial army of great splendour, sounding their shrill\nwar-cry and furnished with various sorts of standards, with warriors\nencased in various armour and armed with numerous bows and riding on\nvarious animals. When Mahasena beheld the gloriously decked Sakra,\nattired in his best clothes, advancing with the determination of slaying\nhim, he (too on his part) advanced to meet that chief of the celestials.\nO Partha, the mighty Vasava, the lord of the celestials, then uttered a\nloud shout, to encourage his warriors and marching rapidly with the view\nof killing Agni's son and praised by Tridasas[35] and great _Rishis_, he\nat length reached the abode of Kartikeya. And then he shouted out with\nother gods; and Guha too in response to this, uttered a fearful war-cry\nresembling the roaring of the sea. On hearing that noise, the celestial\narmy behaved like an agitated sea, and was stunned and fixed to the\nspot. And that son of _Pavaka_ (the Fire-god) beholding the gods come\nnear to him with the object of killing him, was filled with wrath, and\ngave out rising flame of fire from within his mouth. And these flames\ndestroyed the celestial forces struggling on the ground. Their heads,\ntheir bodies, their arms and riding animals were all burnt in that\nconflagration and they appeared all on a sudden like stars displaced\nfrom their proper spheres. Thus afflicted, the god renounced all\nallegiance to the thunder-bolt, and sought the protection of Pavaka's\nson; and thus peace was again secured. When he was thus forsaken by the\ngods, Sakra hurled his thunder-bolt at Skanda. It pierced him on the\nright side; and, O great king, it passed through the body of that\nhigh-souled being. And from being struck with the thunder-bolt, there\narose from Skanda's body another being--a youth with a club in hand, and\nadorned with a celestial amulet. And because he was born on account of\nthe piercing of the thunder-bolt, he was named Visakha. And Indra, when\nhe beheld that another person looking like the fierce destroying\nFire-god had come into being was frightened out of his wits and besought\nthe protection of Skanda, with the palms of his hands joined together\n(as a mark of respect). And that excellent being Skanda, bade him\nrenounce all fear, with his arm. The gods were then transported with\njoy, and their hands too struck up.'\"\n\n    [35] Another name of gods, so named from their having only three\n    stages of life--viz., infancy, childhood, and youth--and being\n    exempt from the fourth--old age.\n\n\nSECTION CCXXVII\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Now hear of those terrible and curious-looking\nfollowers of Skanda. A number of male children came into being when\nSkanda was struck with the thunder-bolt,--those terrific creatures that\nsteal (spirit away) little children, whether born, or in the womb and a\nnumber of female children too of great strength were born to him. Those\nchildren adopted Visakha as their father. That adorable and dexterous\nBhadrasakha, having a face like that of a goat was at the time (of the\nbattle) surrounded by all his sons and daughters whom he guarded\ncarefully in the presence of the great mothers. And for this reason the\ninhabitants of this earth call Skanda the father of _Kumaras_ (little\nchildren). Those persons who desire to have sons born to them, worship\nin their places the powerful _Rudra_ in the form of the Fire-god, and\n_Uma_ in the form of _Swaha_. And by that means they are blessed with\nsons. The daughters begotten by the Fire-god, _Tapa_, went over to\nSkanda, who said to them, \"What can I do for you?\" Those girls replied,\n\"Do us this favour; by thy blessing, may we become the good and\nrespected mothers of all the world!\" He replied, \"Be it so.\" And that\nliberal-minded being repeated again and again, \"Ye shall be divided into\nSiva and Asiva.\"[36] And the mothers then departed, having first\nestablished Skanda's sonship, Kaki, Halima, Malini, Vrinhila, Arya,\nPalala and Vaimitra, these were the seven mothers of Sisu. They had a\npowerful, red-eyed, terrific, and very turbulent son named Sisu born by\nthe blessing of Skanda. He was reputed as the eighth hero, born of the\nmothers of Skanda. But he is also known as the ninth, when that being\nwith the face of a goat, is included. Know that the sixth face of Skanda\nwas like that of a goat. That face, O king, is situated in the middle of\nthe six, and is regarded constantly by the mother. That head by which\nBhadrasakha created the divine energy, is reputed to be the best of all\nhis heads. O ruler of men, these virtuous wonderful events happened on\nthe fifth day of the bright half of the lunar month, and on the sixth, a\nvery fierce and terrific battle was fought at that place.\"\n\n    [36] i.e., good and evil spirits.\n\n\nSECTION CCXXVIII\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Skanda was adorned with a golden amulet and\nwreath, and wore a crest and a crown of gold; his eyes were\ngolden-coloured, and he had a set of sharp teeth; he was dressed in a\nred garment and looked very handsome; he had a comely appearance, and\nwas endowed with all good characteristics and was the favourite of the\nthree worlds. He granted boons (to people who sought them) and was\nbrave, youthful, and adorned with bright ear-rings. Whilst he was\nreposing himself, the goddess of fortune, looking like a lotus and\nassuming a personal embodiment, rendered her allegiance to him. When he\nbecame thus possessed of good fortune, that famous and delicate-looking\ncreature appeared to all like the moon at its full. And high-minded\nBrahmanas worshipped that mighty being, and the _Maharshis_ (great\n_rishis_) then said as follows to Skanda, \"O thou born of the golden\negg, mayst thou be prosperous and mayst thou become an instrument of\ngood to the universe! O best of the gods, although thou wast born only\nsix nights (days) ago, the whole world has owned allegiance to thee\n(within this short time), and thou hast also allayed their fears.\nTherefore do thou become the Indra (lord) of the three worlds and remove\ntheir cause of apprehension.\" Skanda replied, \"You gentlemen of great\nascetic wealth (tell me) what Indra does with all three worlds and how\nthat sovereign of the celestials protects the hosts of gods\nunremittingly.\" The _Rishis_ replied, \"Indra is the giver of strength,\npower, children and happiness to all creatures and when propitiated,\nthat Lord of the celestials bestows on all the objects of their desire.\nHe destroys the wicked and fulfils the desires of the righteous; and\nthat Destroyer of Vala assigns to all creatures their various duties. He\nofficiates for the sun and the moon in places where there is no sun or\nmoon; he even when occasion requires it, acts for (serves the purposes\nof) fire, air, earth, and water. These are the duties of Indra; his\ncapacities are immense. Thou too art mighty; therefore great hero, do\nthou become our Indra.\"\n\n\"'Sakra said, \"O mighty being, do thou make us happy, by becoming our\nlord. Excellent being, thou art worthy of the honour; therefore shall we\nanoint thee this very day.\"\n\n\"'Skanda replied, \"Do thou continue to rule the three worlds with\nself-possession, and with thy heart bent on conquest. I shall remain thy\nhumble servant. I covet not thy sovereignty.\"\n\n\"'Sakra replied, \"Thy prowess is unrivalled, O hero, do thou therefore\nvanquish the enemies of the gods. People have been struck with wonder at\nthy prowess. More specially as I have been bereft of my prowess, and\ndefeated by thee, now if I were to act as Indra, I should not command\nthe respect of all creatures, and they would be busy in bringing about\ndissensions between us; and then, my lord, they would become the\npartisans of one or other of us. And when they formed themselves into\ntwo distinct factions, war as before would be the result of that\ndefection. And in that war, thou wouldst undoubtedly defeat me without\ndifficulty and thyself become the lord of all worlds.\"\n\n\"'Skanda replied, \"Thou, O Sakra, art my sovereign, as also of the three\nworlds; mayst thou be prosperous! Tell me if I can obey any commands of\nthine.\"\n\n\"'Indra replied, \"At thy bidding, O powerful being, I shall continue to\nact as Indra. And if thou hast said this deliberately and in earnest,\nthen hear me how thou canst gratify thy desire of serving me. Do thou, O\nmighty being, take the leadership of the celestial forces accordingly.\"\n\n\"'Skanda replied, \"Do thou anoint me as leader, for the destruction of\nthe Danavas, for the good of the celestials, and for the well-being of\ncows and Brahmanas.\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Thus anointed by Indra and all other gods, and\nhonoured by the _Maharshis_, he looked grand at the moment. The golden\numbrella[37] held (over his head) looked like a halo of blazing fire.\nThat famous god, the Conqueror of Tripura, himself fastened the\ncelestial wreath of gold, of Viswakarma's manufacture, round his neck.\nAnd, O great man and conqueror of thine enemies, that worshipful god\nwith the emblem of the bull, had gone there previously with Parvati. He\nhonoured him with a joyous heart. The Fire-god is called Rudra by\nBrahmanas, and from this fact Skanda is called the son of Rudra. The\nWhite Mountain was formed from discharges of Rudra's _semen virile_ and\nthe sensual indulgences of the Fire-god with the Krittikas took place on\nthat same White Mountain. And as Rudra was seen by all the dwellers of\nheaven to heap honours on the excellent Guha (Skanda), he was for that\nreason reputed as the son of Rudra. This child had his being by the\naction of Rudra entering into the constitution of the Fire-god, and for\nthis reason, Skanda came to be known as the son of Rudra. And, O\nBharata, as Rudra, the Fire-god, Swaha, and the six wives (of the seven\nRishis) were instrumental to the birth of the great god Skanda, he was\nfor that reason reputed as the son of Rudra.'\n\n    [37] One of the ensigns of royalty in Hindustan.\n\n\"'That son of Fire-god was clad in a pair of clean red cloths, and thus\nhe looked grand and resplendent like the Sun peeping forth from behind a\nmass of red clouds. And the red cock given to him by the Fire-god,\nformed his ensign; and when perched on the top of his chariot, it looked\nlike the image of the all-destroying fire. And the presiding deity of\nthe power which conduces to the victory of the god, and which is the\ndirector of the exertions of all creatures, and constitutes their glory,\nprop and refuge, advanced before him. And a mysterious charm entered\ninto his constitution, the charm which manifests its powers on the\nbattlefield. Beauty, strength, piety, power, might, truthfulness,\nrectitude, devotion to Brahmanas, freedom from illusion or perplexity,\nprotection of followers, destruction of foes, and care of all\ncreatures,--these, O lord of men, are the inborn virtues of Skanda. Thus\nanointed by all the gods, he looked pleased and complacent; and dressed\nin his best style, he looked beautiful like the moon at its full. The\nmuch-esteemed incantation of _Vedic_ hymns, the music of the celestial\nband, and the songs of gods and _Gandharvas_ then rang on all sides. And\nsurrounded by all the well-dressed _Apsaras_, and many other gay and\nhappy-looking _Pisachas_ and hosts of gods, that anointed (by gods) son\nof Pavaka disported himself in all his grandeur. To the dwellers of\nheaven, the anointed Mahasena appeared like the Sun rising after\nextinction of darkness. And then the celestial forces looking upon him\nas their leader, surrounded him on all sides in thousands. That adorable\nbeing followed by all creatures then assumed their commands, and praised\nand honoured by them, he encouraged them in return.\n\n\"'The Performer of a thousand sacrifices then thought of Devasena, whom\nhe has rescued before. And considering that this being (Skanda) was\nundoubtedly destined to be the husband of this lady by Brahma himself,\nhe had her brought there, dressed her with the best apparel. And the\nvanquisher of Vala then said to Skanda, \"O foremost of gods, this lady\nwas, even before thy birth, destined to be thy bride by that\nSelf-existent Being.[38] Therefore do thou duly accept her lotus-like\nbeautiful right hand with invocation of the (marital) hymns.\" Thus told,\nhe duly married her. And Vrihaspati learned in hymns performed the\nnecessary prayers and oblations. She who is called Shashthi, Lakshmi,\nAsa, Sukhaprada, Sinivali, Kuhu, Saivritti, and Aparajita, is known\namong men as Devasena, the wife of Skanda. When Skanda became united to\nDevasena in indissoluble bonds of matrimony, then the gods of prosperity\nin her own personal embodiment began to serve him with diligence. As\nSkanda attained celebrity on the fifth lunar day, that day is called\n_Sripanchami_ (or the auspicious fifth day) and as he attained his\nobject on the sixth, that lunar day is considered to be of great\nmoment.'\"\n\n    [38] Brahma.\n\n\nSECTION CCXXIX\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Those six ladies, the wives of the seven\n_Rishis_ when they learned that good fortune had smiled on Mahasena and\nthat he had been made leader of the celestial forces,[39] repaired to\nhis camp. Those virtuous ladies of high religious merit had been\ndisowned by the _Rishis_. They lost no time in visiting that leader of\nthe celestial forces and then addressed him thus, \"We, O son, have been\ncast out by our god-like husbands, without any cause. Some people spread\nthe rumour that we gave birth to thee. Believing in the truth of this\nstory, they became greatly indignant, and banished us from our sacred\nplaces. It behooves thee now to save us from this infamy. We desire to\nadopt thee as our son, so that, O mighty being, eternal bliss may be\nsecured to us by that favour. Do thou thus repay the obligation thou\nowest to us.\"\n\n    [39] Devasenapati is the original. It may mean either the _pati_\n    (leader) of the _sena_ (forces) of _devas_ or the _pati_\n    (husband) of Devasena.\n\n\"'Skanda replied, \"O ladies of faultless character, do you accordingly\nbecome my mothers. I am your son and ye shall attain all the objects of\nyour desire.\"\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Then Sakra having expressed a wish to say\nsomething to Skanda, the latter enquired, \"What is it?\" Being told by\nSkanda to speak it out, Vasava said, \"The lady Abhijit, the younger\nsister of Rohini, being jealous of her seniority, has repaired to the\nwoods to perform austerities. And I am at a loss to find out a\nsubstitute for the fallen star. May good luck attend on thee, do thou\nconsult with _Brahma_ (for the purpose of filling up the room) of this\ngreat asterism.\" Dhanishtha and other asterisms were created by\n_Brahma_, and Rohini used to serve the purpose of one such; and\nconsequently their number was full. And in accordance with Sakra's\nadvice, Krittika was assigned a place in the heavens, and that star\npresided over by _Agni_ shines as if with seven heads. Vinata also said\nto Skanda, \"Thou art as a son to me, and entitled to offer me the\nfuneral cakes (at my funeral obsequies). I desire, my son, to live with\nthee always.\"\n\n\"'Skanda replied, \"Be it so, all honour to thee! Do thou guide me with a\nmother's affection, and honoured by thy daughter-in-law, thou shalt\nalways live with me.\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Then the great mothers spoke as follows to\nSkanda, \"We have been described by the learned as the mothers of all\ncreatures. But we desire to be thy mothers, do thou honour us.\"\n\n\"'Skanda replied, \"Ye are all as mothers to me, and I am your son. Tell\nme what I can do to please you.\"\n\n\"'The mothers replied, \"The ladies (Brahmi, Maheswari, &c.) were\nappointed as mothers of the world in bygone ages. We desire, O great\ngod, that they be dispossessed of that dignity, and ourselves installed\nin their place, and that we, instead of them, be worshipped by the\nworld. Do thou now restore to us those of our progeny, of whom we have\nbeen deprived, by them on thy account.\"\n\n\"'Skanda replied, \"Ye shall not recover those that have been once given\naway, but I can give you other offspring if ye like.\"\n\n\"'The mothers replied, \"We desire that living with thee and assuming\ndifferent shapes we be able to eat up the progeny of those mothers and\ntheir guardians. Do thou grant us this favour.\"\n\n\"'Skanda said, \"I can grant you progeny, but this topic on which ye have\njust now dilated is a very painful one. May ye be prosperous! All honour\nto you, ladies, do ye vouchsafe to them your protecting care.\"\n\n\"'The mothers replied, \"We shall protect them, O Skanda, as thou\ndesirest. Mayst thou be prosperous! But, O mighty being, we desire to\nlive with thee always.\"\n\n\"'Skanda replied, \"So long as children of the human kind do not attain\nthe youthful state in the sixteenth year of their age, ye shall afflict\nthem with your various forms, and I too shall confer on you a fierce\ninexhaustible spirit. And with that ye shall live happily, worshipped by\nall.\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'And then a fiery powerful being came out of the\nbody of Skanda for the purpose of devouring the progeny of mortal\nbeings. He fell down upon the ground, senseless and hungry. And bidden\nby Skanda, that genius of evil assumed a terrific form. Skandapasmara is\nthe name by which it is known among good Brahmanas. Vinata is called the\nterrific Sakuni _graha_ (spirit of evil). She who is known as _Putana\nRakshasi_ by the learned is the _graha_ called Putana; that fierce and\nterrible looking _Rakshasa_ of a hideous appearance is also called the\n_pisacha_, Sita Putana. That fierce-looking spirit is the cause of\nabortion in women. Aditi is also known by the name of Revati; her evil\nspirit is called Raivata, and that terrible _graha_ also afflicts\nchildren. Diti, the mother of the Daityas (_Asuras_), is also called\nMuhkamandika, and that terrible creature is very fond of the flesh of\nlittle children. Those male and female children, O Kaurava, who are said\nto have been begotten by Skanda, are spirit of evil and they destroy the\nfoetus in the womb. They (the _Kumaras_) are known as the husbands of\nthose very ladies, and children are seized unawares by these cruel\nspirits. And, O king, _Surabhi_ who is called the mother of bovine kind\nby the wise is best ridden by the evil spirit Sakuni, who in company\nwith her, devours children on this earth. And Sarama, the mother of\ndogs, also habitually kills human beings while still in the womb. She\nwho is the mother of all trees has her abode in a _karanja_ tree. She\ngrants boons and has a placid countenance and is always favourably\ndisposed towards all creatures. Those persons who desire to have\nchildren, bow down to her, who is seated in a _karanja_ tree. These\neighteen evil spirits fond of meat and wine, and others of the same\nkind, invariably take up their abode in the lying-in-room for ten days.\nKadru introduces herself in a subtle form into the body of a pregnant\nwoman and there she causes the destruction of the foetus, and the mother\nis made to give birth to a _Naga_ (serpent). And that mother of the\nGandharvas takes away the foetus, and for this reason, conception in\nwoman turns out to be abortive. The mother of the _Apsaras_ removes the\nfoetus from the womb, and for this reason such conceptions are said to\nbe stationary by the learned. The daughter of the Divinity of the Red\nSea is said to have nursed Skanda,--she is worshipped under the name of\nLohitayani on Kadamva trees. Arya acts the same part among female\nbeings, as Rudra does among male ones. She is the mother of all children\nand is distinctly worshipped for their welfare. These that I have\ndescribed are the evil spirits presiding over the destinies of young\nchildren, and until children attain their sixteenth year, these spirits\nexercise their influence for evil, and after that, for good. The whole\nbody of male and female spirits that I have now described are always\ndenominated by men as the spirits of Skanda. They are propitiated with\nburnt offerings, ablutions, unguents, sacrifices and other offerings,\nand particularly by the worship of Skanda. And, O king, when they are\nhonoured and worshipped with due reverence, they bestow on men whatever\nis good for them, as also valour and long life. And now having bowed\ndown to Maheswara, I shall describe the nature of those spirits who\ninfluence the destinies of men after they have attained their sixteenth\nyear.\n\n\"'The man who beholds gods while sleeping, or in a wakeful state soon\nturns mad, and the spirit under whose influence these hallucinations\ntake place is called the celestial spirit. When a person beholds his\ndead ancestors while he is seated at ease, or lying in his bed, he soon\nloses his reason, and the spirit which causes this illusion of sensible\nperception, is called the ancestral spirit. The man who shows disrespect\nto the _Siddhas_ and who is cursed by them in return, soon runs mad and\nthe evil influence by which this is brought about, is called the\n_Siddha_ spirit. And the spirit by whose influence a man smells sweet\nodour, and becomes cognisant of various tastes (when there are no\nodoriferous or tasteful substances about him) and soon becomes\ntormented, is called the _Rakshasa_ spirit. And the spirit by whose\naction celestial musicians (_Gandharvas_) blend their existence into the\nconstitution of a human being, and make him run mad in no time, is\ncalled the _Gandharva_ spirit. And that evil spirit by whose influence\nmen are always tormented by _Pisachas_, is called the _Pisacha_ spirit.\nWhen the spirit of _Yakshas_ enters into the system of a human being by\nsome accident, he loses his reason immediately, and such a spirit is\ncalled the _Yaksha_ spirit. The man who loses his reason on account of\nhis mind being demoralised with vices, runs mad in no time, and his\nillness must be remedied according to methods prescribed in the\n_Sastras_. Men also run mad from perplexity, from fear, as also on\nbeholding hideous sights. The remedy lies in quieting their minds. There\nare three classes of spirits, some are frolicsome, some are gluttonous,\nand some sensual. Until men attain the age of three score and ten, these\nevil influences continue to torment them, and then fever becomes the\nonly evil spirit that afflicts sentient beings. These evil spirits\nalways avoid those who have subdued their senses, who are\nself-restrained, of cleanly habits, god-fearing and free from laziness\nand contamination. I have thus described to thee, O king, the evil\nspirits that mould the destinies of men. Thou who art devoted to\nMaheswara art never troubled by them.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXXX\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'When Skanda had bestowed these powers, Swaha\nappeared to him and said, \"Thou art my natural son,--I desire that thou\nshalt grant exquisite happiness to me.\"\n\n\"'Skanda replied, \"What sort of happiness dost thou wish to enjoy?\"\n\n\"'Swaha replied, \"O mighty being, I am the favourite daughter of Daksha,\nby name Swaha; and from my youthful days I have been in love with\nHutasana (the Fire-god); but that god, my son, does not understand my\nfeelings. I desire to live for ever with him (as his wife).\"\n\n\"'Skanda replied, \"From this day, lady, all the oblations that men of\nvirtuous character, who swerve not from the path of virtue, will offer\nto their gods or ancestors with incantation of purifying hymns by\nBrahmanas, shall always be offered (through Agni) coupled with the name\nof Swaha, and thus, excellent lady, wilt thou always live associated\nwith Agni, the god of fire.\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Thus addressed and honoured by Skanda, Swaha was\ngreatly pleased; and associated with her husband Pavaka (the Fire-god),\nshe honoured him in return.\n\n\"'Then _Brahma_, the lord of all creatures, said to Mahasena, \"Do thou\ngo and visit thy father Mahadeva, the conqueror of Tripura. Rudra\ncoalescing with Agni (the Fire-god) and Uma with Swaha have combined to\nmake thee invincible for the well-being of all creatures. And the semen\nof the high-souled Rudra cast into the reproductive organ of Uma was\nthrown back upon this hill, and hence the twin Mujika and Minjika came\ninto being. A portion of it fell into the Blood Sea, another portion,\ninto the rays of the sun, another upon the earth and thus was it\ndistributed in five portions. Learned men ought to remember that these\nthy various and fierce-looking followers living on the flesh of animals\nwere produced from the _semen_.\" \"Be it so,\" so saying, the high-souled\nMahasena with fatherly love, honoured his father Maheswara.'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Men who are desirous of acquiring wealth, should\nworship those five classes of spirits with the sun flower, and for\nalleviation of diseases also worship must be rendered to them. The twin\nMujika and Minjika begotten by Rudra must always be respected by persons\ndesiring the welfare of little children; and persons who desire to have\nchildren born to them must always worship those female spirits who live\non human flesh and are produced in trees. Thus all _Pisachas_ are said\nto be divided into innumerable classes. And now, O king, listen to the\norigin of the bells and standards of Skanda. Airavata (Indra's elephant)\nis known to have had two bells of the name of Vaijayanti, and the\nkeen-witted Sakra had them brought to him, and personally gave them to\nGuha. Visakha took one of those bells and Skanda the other. The\nstandards of both Kartikeya and Visakha were of a red colour. That\nmighty god Mahasena was pleased with the toys that had been given to him\nby the gods. Surrounded by hosts of gods and _Pisachas_ and seated on\nthe Golden Mountain, he looked splendid in all the grandeur of\nprosperity. And that mountain covered with fine forests, also looked\ngrand in his companionship, just as the Mandara hill abounding with\nexcellent caves shines with the rays of the sun. The White Mountain was\nadorned with whole tracts of wood-land covered with blossoming Santanaka\nflowers and with forests of Karavira, Parijata, Jaba and Asoke\ntrees,--as also with wild tracts overgrown with Kadamva trees; and it\nabounded with herds of celestial deer and flocks of celestial birds. And\nthe rumbling of clouds serving the purpose of musical instruments\nsounded like the murmur of an agitated sea, and celestial Gandharvas and\nApsaras began to dance. And there arose a great sound of joy from the\nmerriment of all creatures. Thus the whole world with Indra himself\nseemed to have been transferred to the White Mountain. And all the\npeople began to observe Skanda with satisfaction in their looks, and\nthey did not at all feel tired of doing so.'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'When that adorable son of the Fire-god was\nanointed as leader of the celestial army, that grand and happy lord,\nHara (Mahadeva) riding with Parvati in a chariot shining with sunlike\nrefulgence repaired to a place called Bhadravata. His excellent chariot\nwas drawn by a thousand lions and managed by _Kala_. They passed through\nblank space, and seemed as if they were about to devour the sky; and\nstriking terror into the heart of all creatures in the mobile divisions\nof the worlds, those maned beasts flitted through the air, uttering\nfearful growls. And that lord of all animals (Mahadeva) seated in that\nchariot with Uma, looked like the sun with flames of lightning\nilluminating masses of clouds begirt with Indra's bow (rainbow). He was\npreceded by that adorable Lord of riches riding on the backs of human\nbeings with his attendant Guhyakas riding in his beautiful car Pushpaka.\nAnd Sakra too riding on his elephant Airavata and accompanied by other\ngods brought up the rear of Mahadeva, the granter of boons, marching in\nthis way at the head of the celestial army. And the great _Yaksha\nAmogha_ with his attendants--the _Jambhaka Yakshas_ and other\n_Rakshasas_ decorated with garlands of flowers--obtained a place in the\nright wing of his army; and many gods of wonderful fighting powers in\ncompany with the _Vasus_ and the _Rudras_, also marched with the right\ndivision of his army. And the terrible-looking Yama too in company with\nDeath marched with him (followed by hundreds of terrible diseases); and\nbehind him was carried the terrible, sharp-pointed, well-decorated\ntrident of Siva, called Vijaya. And Varuna, the adorable lord of waters\nwith his terrible _Pasa_,[40] and surrounded by numerous aquatic\nanimals, marched slowly with the trident. And the trident Vijaya was\nfollowed by the _Pattisa_[41] of Rudra guarded by maces, balls, clubs\nand other excellent weapons. And the _Pattisa_, O king, was followed by\nthe bright umbrella of Rudra and the Kamandalu served by the\n_Maharshis_; and on it progressed in the company of Bhrigu, Angiras and\nothers. And behind all these rode Rudra in his white chariot,\nre-assuring the gods with the exhibition of his powers. And rivers and\nlakes and seas, _Apsaras, Rishis_, Celestials, _Gandharvas_ and\nserpents, stars, planets, and the children of gods, as also many women,\nfollowed him in his train. These handsome-looking ladies proceeded\nscattering flowers all around; and the clouds marched, having made their\nobeisance to that god (Mahadeva) armed with the _Pinaka_ bow. And some\nof them held a white umbrella over his head, and Agni (the Fire god) and\nVayu (the god of winds) busied themselves with two hairy fans (emblems\nof royalty). And, O king, he was followed by the glorious Indra\naccompanied by the _Rajarshis_, and singing the praise of that god with\nthe emblem of the bull. And Gauri, Vidya, Gandhari, Kesini, and the lady\ncalled Mitra in company with Savitri, all proceeded in the train of\nParvati, as also all the Vidyas (presiding deities of all branches of\nknowledge) that were created by the learned. The _Rakshasa_ spirit who\ndelivers to different battalions the commands which are implicitly\nobeyed by Indra and other gods, advanced in front of the army as\nstandard-bearer. And that foremost of _Rakshasas_, by name Pingala, the\nfriend of Rudra, who is always busy in places where corpses are burnt,\nand who is agreeable to all people, marched with them merrily, at one\ntime going ahead of the army, and falling behind again at another, his\nmovements being uncertain. Virtuous actions are the offerings with which\nthe god Rudra is worshipped by mortals. He who is also called Siva, the\nomnipotent god, armed with the Pinaka bow, is Maheswara. He is\nworshipped in various forms.\n\n    [40] A kind of missile.\n\n    [41] Another kind of weapon.\n\n\"'The son of Krittika, the leader of the celestial army, respectful to\nBrahmanas, surrounded by the celestial forces, also followed that lord\nof the gods. And then Mahadeva said these weighty words to Mahasena, \"Do\nthou carefully command the seventh army corps of the celestial forces.\"\n\n\"'Skanda replied, \"Very well, my lord! I shall command the seventh army\ncorps. Now tell me quickly if there is anything else to be done.\"\n\n\"'Rudra said, \"Thou shall always find me in the field of action. By\nlooking up to me and by devotion to me shalt thou attain great\nwelfare.\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'With these words Maheswara received him in his\nembrace, and then dismissed him. And, O great king, after the dismissal\nof Skanda, prodigies of various kinds occurred to disturb the equanimity\nof the gods.\n\n\"'The firmament with the stars was in a blaze, and the whole universe in\na state of utter confusion. The earth quaked and gave forth a rumbling\nsound, and darkness overspread the whole world. Then observing this\nterrible catastrophy, Sankara with the estimable Uma, and the\ncelestials with the great _Maharshis_, were much exercised in mind. And\nwhen they had fallen into this state of confusion, there appeared before\nthem a fierce and mighty host armed with various weapons, and looking\nlike a mass of clouds and rocks. Those terrible and countless beings,\nspeaking different languages directed their movements towards the point\nwhere Sankara and the celestials stood. They hurled into the ranks of\nthe celestial army flights of arrows in all directions, masses of rock,\nmaces, _sataghnis, prasas_ and _parighas_. The celestial army was thrown\ninto a state of confusion by a shower of these terrible weapons and\ntheir ranks were seen to waver. The _Danavas_ made a great havoc by\ncutting up their soldiers, horses, elephants, chariots and arms. And the\ncelestial troops then seemed as if they were about to turn their backs\nupon the enemy. And numbers of them fell, slain by the _Asuras_, like\nlarge trees in a forest burnt in a conflagration. Those dwellers of\nheaven fell with their heads separated from their bodies, and having\nnone to lead them in that fearful battle, they were slaughtered by the\nenemy. And then the god Purandara (Indra), the slayer of Vala, observing\nthat they were unsteady and hard-pressed by the _Asuras_, tried to rally\nthem with this speech, \"Do not be afraid, ye heroes, may success attend\nyour efforts! Do ye all take up your arms, and resolve upon manly\nconduct, and ye will meet with no more misfortune, and defeat those\nwicked and terrible-looking _Danavas_. May ye be successful! Do ye fall\nupon the _Danavas_ with me.\"\n\n\"'The dwellers of heaven were re-assured on hearing this speech from\nSakra; and under his leadership, they again rushed against the\n_Danavas_. And then the thirty-three crores of gods and all the powerful\n_Marutas_ and the _Sadhyas_ with the _Vasus_ returned to the charge. And\nthe arrows which they angrily discharged against the enemy drew a large\nquantity of blood from the bodies of the _Daityas_ and of their horses\nand elephants. And those sharp arrows passing through their bodies fell\nupon the ground, looking like so many snakes falling from the sides of a\nhill. And, O king, the _Daityas_ pierced by those arrows fell fast on\nall sides, looking like so many detached masses of clouds. Then the\n_Danava_ host, struck with panic at that charge of the celestials on the\nfield of battle, wavered at that shower of various weapons. Then all the\ngods loudly gave vent to their joy, with arms ready to strike; and the\ncelestial bands too struck up various airs. Thus took place that\nencounter, so fearful to both sides: for all the battle-field was\ncovered with blood and strewn with the bodies of both gods and _Asuras_.\nBut the gods were soon worsted all on a sudden, and the terrible\n_Danavas_ again made a great havoc of the celestial army. Then the\n_Asuras_ drums struck up and their shrill bugles were sounded; and the\n_Danava_ chiefs yelled their terrific war-cry.\n\n\"'Then a powerful _Danava_, taking a huge mass of rock in his hands,\ncame out of that terrible _Daitya_ army. He looked like the sun peering\nforth from against a mass of dark clouds. And, O king, the celestials,\nbeholding that he was about to hurl that mass of rock at them, fled in\nconfusion. But they were pursued by Mahisha, who hurled that hillock at\nthem. And, O lord of the world, by the falling of that mass of rock, ten\nthousand warriors of the celestial army were crushed to the ground and\nbreathed their last. And this act of Mahisha struck terror into the\nhearts of the gods, and with his attendant _Danavas_ he fell upon them\nlike a lion attacking a herd of deer. And when Indra and the other\ncelestials observed that Mahisha was advancing to the charge, they fled,\nleaving behind their arms and colours. And Mahisha was greatly enraged\nat this, and he quickly advanced towards the chariot of Rudra; and\nreaching near, he seized its pole with his hands. And when Mahisha in a\nfit of rage had thus seized the chariot of Rudra, all the Earth began to\ngroan and the great _Rishis_ lost their senses. And _Daityas_ of huge\nproportions, looking like dark clouds, were boisterous with joy,\nthinking that victory was assured to them. And although that adorable\ngod (Rudra) was in that plight, yet he did not think it worth while to\nkill Mahisha in battle; he remembered that Skanda would deal the\ndeathblow to that evil-minded _Asura_. And the fiery Mahisha,\ncontemplating with satisfaction the prize (the chariot of Rudra) which\nhe had secured, sounded his war-cry, to the great alarm of the gods and\nthe joy of the _Daityas_. And when the gods were in that fearful\npredicament, the mighty Mahasena, burning with anger, and looking grand\nlike the Sun advanced to their rescue. And that lordly being was clad in\nblazing red and decked with a wreath of red flowers. And cased in armour\nof gold he rode in a gold-coloured chariot bright as the Sun and drawn\nby chestnut horses. And at his sight the army of the daityas was\nsuddenly dispirited on the field of battle. And, O great king, the\nmighty Mahasena discharged a bright _Sakti_ for the destruction of\nMahisha. That missile cut off the head of Mahisha, and he fell upon the\nground and died. And his head massive as a hillock, falling on the\nground, barred the entrance to the country of the Northern Kurus,\nextending in length for sixteen _Yojanas_ though at present the people\nof that country pass easily by that gate.\n\n\"'It was observed both by the gods and the _Danavas_ that Skanda hurled\nhis _sakti_ again and again on the field of battle, and that it returned\nto his hands, after killing thousands of the enemy's forces. And the\nterrible _Danavas_ fell in large numbers by the arrows of the wise\nMahasena. And then a panic seized them, and the followers of Skanda\nbegan to slay and eat them up by thousands and drink their blood. And\nthey joyously exterminated the _Danavas_ in no time, just as the sun\ndestroys darkness, or as fire destroys a forest, or as the winds drive\naway the clouds. And in this manner the famous Skanda defeated all his\nenemies. And the gods came to congratulate him, and he, in turn, paid\nhis respects to Maheswara. And that son of Krittika looked grand like\nthe sun in all the glory of his effulgence. And when the enemy was\ncompletely defeated by Skanda and when Maheswara left the battle-field,\nPurandara embraced Mahasena and said to him, \"This Mahisha, who was made\ninvincible by the favour of Brahma hath been killed by thee. O best of\nwarriors, the gods were like grass to him. O strong-limbed hero, thou\nhast removed a thorn of the celestials. Thou hast killed in battle\nhundreds of Danavas equal in valour to Mahisha who were all hostile to\nus, and who used to harass us before. And thy followers too have\ndevoured them by hundreds. Thou art, O mighty being, invincible in\nbattle like Uma's lord; and this victory shall be celebrated as thy\nfirst achievement, and thy fame shall be undying in the three worlds.\nAnd, O strong-armed god, all the gods will yield their allegiance to\nthee.\" Having spoken thus to Mahasena, the husband of Sachi left the\nplace accompanied by the gods and with the permission of the adorable\nthree-eyed god (Siva). And Rudra returned to Bhadravata, and the\ncelestials too returned to their respective abodes. And Rudra spoke,\naddressing the gods, \"Ye must render allegiance to Skanda just as ye do\nunto me.\" And that son of the Fire-god, having killed the Danavas hath\nconquered the three worlds, in one day, and he hath been worshipped by\nthe great _Rishis_. The Brahmana who with due attention readeth this\nstory of the birth of Skanda, attaineth to great prosperity in this\nworld and the companionship of Skanda hereafter.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O good and adorable Brahmana, I wish to know the\ndifferent names of that high-souled being, by which he is celebrated\nthroughout the three worlds.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed by the Pandava in that assembly\nof _Rishis_, the worshipful Markandeya of high ascetic merit replied,\n'Agneya (Son of Agni), Skanda (Cast-off), Diptakirti (Of blazing fame),\nAnamaya (Always hale), Mayuraketu (Peacock-bannered), Dharmatman (The\nvirtuous-souled), Bhutesa (The lord of all creatures), Mahishardana (The\nslayer of Mahisha), Kamajit (The subjugator of desires), Kamada (The\nfulfiller of desires), Kanta (The handsome), Satyavak (The truthful in\nspeech), Bhuvaneswara (The lord of the universe), Sisu (The child),\nSighra (The quick), Suchi (The pure), Chanda (The fiery), Diptavarna\n(The bright-complexioned), Subhanana (Of beautiful face), Amogha\n(Incapable of being baffled), Anagha (The sinless), Rudra (The\nterrible), Priya (The favourite), Chandranana (Of face like the moon),\nDipta-sasti (The wielder of the blazing lance), Prasantatman (Of\ntranquil soul), Bhadrakrit (The doer of good), Kutamahana (The chamber\nof even the wicked), Shashthipriya (True favourite of Shashthi), Pavitra\n(The holy), Matrivatsala (The reverencer of his mother), Kanya-bhartri\n(The protector of virgins), Vibhakta (Diffused over the universe),\nSwaheya (The son of Swaha), Revatisuta (The child of Revati), Prabhu\n(The Lord), Neta (The leader), Visakha (Reared up by Visakha), Naigameya\n(Sprang from the Veda), Suduschara (Difficult of propitiation), Suvrata\n(Of excellent vows), Lalita (The beautiful), Valakridanaka-priya (Fond\nof toys), Khacharin (The ranger of skies), Brahmacharin (The chaste),\nSura (The brave), Saravanodbhava (Born in a forest of heath), Viswamitra\npriya (The favourite of Viswamitra), Devasena-priya (The lover of\nDevasena), Vasudeva-priya (The beloved of Vasudeva), and Priya-krit (The\ndoer of agreeable things)--these are the divine names of Kartikeya.\nWhoever repeateth them, undoubtedly secureth fame, wealth, and\nsalvation.'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'O valiant scion of Kuru's race, I shall now with\ndue devotion pray to that unrivalled, mighty, six-faced, and valiant\nGuha who is worshipped by gods and _Rishis_, enumerating his other\ntitles of distinction: do thou listen to them: Thou art devoted to\n_Brahma_, begotten of Brahma, and versed in the mysteries of _Brahma_.\nThou art called _Brahmasaya_, and thou art the foremost of those who are\npossessed of _Brahma_. Thou art fond of _Brahma_, thou art austere like\nthe Brahmanas and art versed in the great mystery of _Brahma_ and the\nleader of the Brahmanas. Thou art _Swaha_, thou art _Swadha_, and thou\nart the holiest of the holy, and art invoked in hymns and celebrated as\nthe six-flamed fire. Thou art the year, thou art the six seasons, thou\nart the months, the (lunar) half months, the (solar) declinations, and\nthe cardinal points of space. Thou art lotus-eyed. Thou art possessed of\na lily-like face. Thou hast a thousand faces and a thousand arms. Thou\nart the ruler of the universe, thou art the great Oblation, and thou art\nthe animating spirit of all the gods and the _Asuras_. Thou art the\ngreat leader of armies. Thou art _Prachanda_ (furious), thou art the\nLord, and thou art the great master and the conqueror of thine enemies.\nThou art _Sahasrabhu_ (multiform), _Sahasratusti_ (a thousand times\ncontent), _Sahasrabhuk_ (devourer of everything), and _Sahasrapad_ (of a\nthousand legs), and thou art the earth itself. Thou art possessed of\ninfinite forms and thousand heads and great strength. According to thine\nown inclinations thou hast appeared as the son of Ganga, Swaha, Mahi, or\nKrittika. O six-faced god, thou dost play with the cock and assume\ndifferent forms according to thy will. Thou art Daksha, Soma, the\nMaruta, Dharma, Vayu, the prince of mountains, and Indra, for all time.\nThou art mighty, the most eternal of all eternal things, and the lord of\nall lords. Thou art the progenitor of Truth, the destroyer of Diti's\nprogeny (_Asuras_), and the great conqueror of the enemies of the\ncelestials. Thou art the personation of virtue and being thyself vast\nand minute, thou art acquainted with the highest and lowest points of\nvirtuous acts, and the mysteries of _Brahma_. O foremost of all gods and\nhigh-souled lord of the Universe, this whole creation is over-spread\nwith thy energy! I have thus prayed to thee according to the best of my\npower. I salute thee who art possessed of twelve eyes and many hands.\nThy remaining attributes transcend my powers of comprehension!'\n\n\"'The Brahmana who with due attention readeth this story of the birth of\nSkanda, or relateth it unto Brahmanas, or hears it narrated by\nregenerate men, attaineth to wealth, long life, fame, children, as also\nvictory, prosperity and contentment, and the companionship of Skanda.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXI\n\n(_Draupadi-Satyabhama Samvada_)\n\nVaisampayana said, \"After those Brahmanas and the illustrious sons of\nPandu had taken their seats, Draupadi and Satyabhama entered the\nhermitage. And with hearts full of joy the two ladies laughed merrily\nand seated themselves at their ease. And, O king, those ladies, who\nalways spake sweetly to each other, having met after a long time, began\nto talk upon various delightful topics arising out of the stories of the\nKurus and the Yadus. And the slender-waisted Satyabhama, the favourite\nwife of Krishna and the daughter of Satrajit, then asked Draupadi in\nprivate, saying, 'By what behaviour is it, O daughter of Drupada, that\nthou art able to rule the sons of Pandu--those heroes endued with\nstrength and beauty and like unto the _Lokapalas_ themselves? Beautiful\nlady, how is it that they are so obedient to thee and are never angry\nwith thee? Without doubt the sons of Pandu, O thou of lovely features,\nare ever submissive to thee and watchful to do thy bidding! Tell me, O\nlady, the reason of this. Is it practice of vows, or asceticism, or\nincantation or drug at the time of the bath (in season) or the efficacy\nof science, or the influence of youthful appearance, or the recitation\nof particular formulae, or _Homa_, or collyrium and other medicaments?\nTell me now, O princess of Panchala, of that blessed and auspicious\nthing by which, O Krishna, Krishna may ever be obedient to me.'\n\n\"When the celebrated Satyabhama, having said this, ceased, the chaste\nand blessed daughter of Drupada answered her, saying, 'Thou askedest me,\nO Satyabhama, of the practices of women that are wicked. How can I\nanswer thee, O lady, about the cause that is pursued by wicked females?\nIt doth not become thee, lady, to pursue the questions, or doubt me,\nafter this, for thou art endued with intelligence and art the favourite\nwife of Krishna. When the husband learns that his wife is addicted to\nincantations and drugs, from that hour he beginneth to dread her like a\nserpent ensconced in his sleeping chamber. And can a man that is\ntroubled with fear have peace, and how can one that hath no peace have\nhappiness? A husband can never be made obedient by his wife's\nincantations. We hear of painful diseases being transmitted by enemies.\nIndeed, they that desire to slay others, send poison in the shape of\ncustomary gifts, so that the man that taketh the powders so sent, by\ntongue or skin, is, without doubt, speedily deprived of life. Women have\nsometimes caused dropsy and leprosy, decrepitude and impotence and\nidiocy and blindness and deafness in men. These wicked women, ever\ntreading in the path of sin, do sometimes (by these means) injure their\nhusbands. But the wife should never do the least injury to her lord.\nHear now, O illustrious lady, of the behaviour I adopt towards the\nhigh-souled sons of Pandu. Keeping aside vanity, and controlling desire\nand wrath, I always serve with devotion the sons of Pandu with their\nwives. Restraining jealousy, with deep devotion of heart, without a\nsense of degradation at the services I perform, I wait upon my husbands.\nEver fearing to utter what is evil or false, or to look or sit or walk\nwith impropriety, or cast glances indicative of the feelings of the\nheart, do I serve the sons of Pritha--those mighty warriors blazing like\nthe sun or fire, and handsome as the moon, those endued with fierce\nenergy and prowess, and capable of slaying their foes by a glance of the\neye. Celestial, or man, or Gandharva, young or decked with ornaments,\nwealthy or comely of person, none else my heart liketh. I never bathe or\neat or sleep till he that is my husband hath bathed or eaten or\nslept,--till, in fact, our attendants have bathed, eaten, or slept.\nWhether returning from the field, the forest, or the town, hastily\nrising up I always salute my husband with water and a seat. I always\nkeep the house and all household articles and the food that is to be\ntaken well-ordered and clean. Carefully do I keep the rice, and serve\nthe food at the proper time. I never indulge in angry and fretful\nspeech, and never imitate women that are wicked. Keeping idleness at\ndistance I always do what is agreeable. I never laugh except at a jest,\nand never stay for any length of time at the house-gate. I never stay\nlong in places for answering calls of nature, nor in pleasure-gardens\nattached to the house. I always refrain from laughing loudly and\nindulging in high passion, and from everything that may give offence.\nIndeed, O Satyabhama, I always am engaged in waiting upon my lords. A\nseparation from my lords is never agreeable to me. When my husband\nleaveth home for the sake of any relative, then renouncing flowers and\nfragrant paste of every kind, I begin to undergo penances. Whatever my\nhusband drinketh not, whatever my husband eateth not, whatever my\nhusband enjoyeth not, I ever renounce. O beautiful lady, decked in\nornaments and ever controlled by the instruction imparted to me, I\nalways devotedly seek the good of my lord. Those duties that my\nmother-in-law had told me of in respect of relatives, as also the duties\nof alms-giving, of offering worship to the gods, of oblations to the\ndiseased, of boiling food in pots on auspicious days for offer to\nancestors and guests of reverence and service to those that deserve our\nregards, and all else that is known to me, I always discharge day and\nnight, without idleness of any kind. Having with my whole heart recourse\nto humility and approved rules I serve my meek and truthful lords ever\nobservant of virtue, regarding them as poisonous snakes capable of being\nexcited at a trifle. I think that to be eternal virtue for women which\nis based upon a regard for the husband. The husband is the wife's god,\nand he is her refuge. Indeed, there is no other refuge for her. How can,\nthen, the wife do the least injury to her lord? I never, in sleeping or\neating or adorning any person, act against the wishes of my lord, and\nalways guided by my husbands, I never speak ill of my mother-in-law. O\nblessed lady, my husbands have become obedient to me in consequence of\nmy diligence, my alacrity, and the humility with which I serve\nsuperiors. Personally do I wait every day with food and drink and\nclothes upon the revered and truthful Kunti--that mother of heroes.\nNever do I show any preference for myself over her in matters of food\nand attire, and never do I reprove in words that princess equal unto the\nEarth herself in forgiveness. Formerly, eight thousand Brahmanas were\ndaily fed in the palace of Yudhishthira from off plates of gold. And\neighty thousand Brahmanas also of the _Snataka_ sect leading domestic\nlives were entertained by Yudhishthira with thirty serving-maids\nassigned to each. Besides these, ten thousand _yatis_ with the vital\nseed drawn up, had their pure food carried unto them in plates of gold.\nAll these Brahmanas that were the utterers of the _Veda_, I used to\nworship duly with food, drink, and raiment taken from stores only after\na portion thereof had been dedicated to the Viswadeva.[42] The\nillustrious son of Kunti had a hundred thousand well-dressed\nserving-maids with bracelets on arms and golden ornaments on necks, and\ndecked with costly garlands and wreaths and gold in profusion, and\nsprinkled with sandal paste. And adorned with jewels and gold they were\nall skilled in singing and dancing. O lady, I knew the names and\nfeatures of all those girls, as also what they are and what they were,\nand what they did not. Kunti's son of great intelligence had also a\nhundred thousand maid-servants who daily used to feed guests, with\nplates of gold in their hands. And while Yudhishthira lived in\nIndraprastha a hundred thousand horses and a hundred thousand elephants\nused to follow in his train. These were the possessions of Yudhishthira\nwhile he ruled the earth. It was I however, O lady, who regulated their\nnumber and framed the rules to be observed in respect of them; and it\nwas I who had to listen to all complaints about them. Indeed, I knew\neverything about what the maid-servants of the palace and other classes\nof attendants, even the cow-herds and the shepherds of the royal\nestablishment, did or did not. O blessed and illustrious lady, it was I\nalone amongst the Pandavas who knew the income and expenditure of the\nking and what their whole wealth was. And those bulls among the\nBharatas, throwing upon me the burden of looking after all those that\nwere to be fed by them, would, O thou of handsome face, pay their court\nto me. And this load, so heavy and incapable of being borne by persons\nof evil heart, I used to bear day and night, sacrificing my ease, and\nall the while affectionately devoted to them. And while my husbands were\nengaged in the pursuit of virtue, I only supervised their treasury\ninexhaustible like the ever-filled receptacle of Varuna. Day and night\nbearing hunger and thirst, I used to serve the Kuru princes, so that my\nnights and days were equal to me. I used to wake up first and go to bed\nlast. This, O Satyabhama, hath ever been my charm for making my husbands\nobedient to me! This great art hath ever been known to me for making my\nhusbands obedient to me. Never have I practised the charms of wicked\nwomen, nor do I ever wish to practise them.'\"\n\n    [42] The word in the text is \"Agrahara,\" which, as Nilakantha\n    explains, means here, \"That which is first taken from a heap\n    after the dedication of a portion to the Viswadevas.\" What\n    Draupadi means to say is, that she always took care to feed\n    those Brahmanas with food \"first\" taken from the stores,\n    without, in fact, having taken anything there from the use of\n    anybody else.\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing those words of virtuous import uttered\nby Krishna, Satyabhama, having first reverenced the virtuous princess of\nPanchala, answered saying, 'O princess of Panchala, I have been guilty,\nO daughter of Yajnasena, forgive me! Among friends, conversations in\njest arise naturally, and without premeditation.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXII\n\n\"Draupadi said, 'I shall now indicate to thee, for attracting the heart\nof thy husbands a way that is free from deceit. By adopting it duly,\ndear friend, thou will be able to draw away thy lord from other females.\nIn all the worlds, including that of the celestials, there is no god\nequal, O Satyabhama, unto the husband. When he is gratified with thee,\nthou mayst have (from thy husband) every object of desire; when he is\nangry, all these may be lost. It is from her husband that the wife\nobtaineth offspring and various articles of enjoyment. It is from thy\nhusband that thou mayst have handsome beds and seats, and robes and\ngarlands, and perfumes, and great fame and heaven itself hereafter. One\ncannot obtain happiness here by means that are easy. Indeed, the woman\nthat is chaste, obtains weal with woe. Always adore Krishna, therefore,\nwith friendship and love physical sufferings. And do thou also act in a\nway, by offering handsome seats and excellent garlands and various\nperfumes and prompt service, that he may be devoted to thee, thinking,\n\"_I am truly loved by her!_\" Hearing the voice of thy lord at the gate,\nrise thou up from thy seat and stay in readiness within the room. And as\nsoon as thou seest him enter thy chamber, worship him by promptly\noffering him a seat and water to wash his feet. And even when he\ncommands a maidservant to do anything, get thou up and do it thyself.\nLet Krishna understand this temper of thy mind and know that thou\nadorest him with all thy heart. And, O Satyabhama, whatever thy lord\nspeaketh before thee, do not blab of it even if it may not deserve\nconcealment,--for if any of thy co-wives were to speak of it unto\nVasudeva, he might be irritated with thee. Feed thou by every means in\nthy power those that are dear and devoted to thy lord and always seek\nhis good. Thou shouldst, however, always keep thyself aloof from those\nthat are hostile to and against thy lord and seek to do him injury, as\nalso from those that are addicted to deceit. Foregoing all excitement\nand carelessness in the presence of men, conceal thy inclinations by\nobserving silence, and thou shouldst not stay or converse in private\neven with thy sons, Pradyumna and Samva. Thou shouldst form attachments\nwith only such females as are high-born and sinless and devoted to their\nlords, and thou shouldst always shun women that are wrathful, addicted\nto drinks, gluttonous, thievish, wicked and fickle. Behaviour such as\nthis is reputable and productive of prosperity; and while it is capable\nof neutralising hostility, it also leadeth to heaven. Therefore, worship\nthou thy husband, decking thyself in costly garlands and ornaments and\nsmearing thyself with unguents and excellent perfumes.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then Kesava, the slayer of Madhu, also called\nJanardana, having conversed on various agreeable themes with the\nillustrious sons of Pandu and with those Brahmanas that were headed by\nMarkandeya and having bid them farewell, mounted his car and called for\nSatyabhama. And Satyabhama then, having embraced the daughter of\nDrupada, addressed her in these cordial words expressive of her feelings\ntowards her: 'O Krishna, let there be no anxiety, no grief, for thee!\nThou hast no cause to pass thy nights in sleeplessness, for thou wilt\nsurely obtain back the earth subjugated by thy husbands, who are all\nequal unto the gods. O thou of black eyes, women endued with such\ndisposition and possessed of such auspicious marks, can never suffer\nmisfortune long. It hath been heard by me that thou shall, with thy\nhusbands, certainly enjoy this earth peacefully and freed from all\nthorns! And, O daughter of Drupada, thou shalt certainly behold the\nearth ruled by Yudhishthira after the sons of Dhritarashtra have been\nslain and the deeds of their hostility avenged! Thou wilt soon behold\nthose wives of the Kurus, who, deprived of sense by pride, laughed at\nthee while on thy way to exile, themselves reduced to a state of\nhelplessness and despair! Know them all, O Krishna, that did thee any\ninjury while thou wert afflicted, to have already gone to the abode of\nYama. Thy brave sons, Prativindhya by Yudhishthira and Sutasoma by\nBhima, and Srutakarman by Arjuna, and Satanika by Nakula, and Srutasena\nbegot by Sahadeva, are well and have become skilled in weapons. Like\nAbhimanyu they are all staying at Dwaravati, delighted with the place.\nAnd Subhadra also, cheerfully and with her whole soul, looketh after\nthem like thee, and like thee joyeth in them and deriveth much happiness\nfrom them. Indeed, she grieveth in their griefs and joyeth in their\njoys. And the mother of Pradyumna also loveth them with her whole soul.\nAnd Kesava with his sons Bhanu and others watcheth over them with\nespecial affection. And my mother-in-law is ever attentive in feeding\nand clothing them. And the Andhakas and Vrishnis, including Rama and\nothers, regard them with affection. And, O beautiful lady, their\naffection for thy sons is equal unto what they feel for Pradyumna.'\n\n\"Having said these agreeable and truthful and cordial words, Satyabhama\ndesired to go to Vasudeva's car. And the wife of Krishna then walked\nround the queen of the Pandavas. And having done so the beautiful\nSatyabhama mounted the car of Krishna. And the chief of the Yadavas,\ncomforting Draupadi with a smile and causing the Pandavas to return, set\nout for his own city, with swift horses (yoked unto his car).\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXIV\n\n(_Ghosha-yatra Parva_)\n\nJanamejaya said, \"While those foremost of men--the sons of Pritha--were\npassing their days in the forest exposed to the inclemencies of the\nwinter, the summer, the wind and the sun, what did they do, O Brahmana,\nafter they had reached the lake and woods going by the name of Dwaita?\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"After the sons of Pandu had arrived at that lake,\nthey chose a residence that was removed from the habitations of men. And\nthey began to roam through delightful woods and ever charming mountains\nand picturesque river-valleys. And after they had taken up their\nresidence there, many venerable ascetics endued with Vedic lore often\ncame to see them. And those foremost of men always received those\n_Veda_-knowing _Rishis_ with great respect. And one day there came unto\nthe Kaurava princes a certain Brahmana who was well known on earth for\nhis powers of speech. And having conversed with the Pandavas for a\nwhile, he went away as pleased him to the court of the royal son of\nVichitravirya. Received with respect by that chief of the Kurus, the old\nking, the Brahmana took his seat; and asked by the monarch he began to\ntalk of the sons of Dharma, Pavana, Indra and of the twins, all of whom\nhaving fallen into severe misery, had become emaciated and reduced owing\nto exposure to wind and sun. And that Brahmana also talked of Krishna\nwho was overwhelmed with suffering and who then had become perfectly\nhelpless, although she had heroes for her lords. And hearing the words\nof that Brahmana, the royal son of Vichitravirya became afflicted with\ngrief, at the thought of those princes of royal lineage then swimming in\na river of sorrow. His inmost soul afflicted with sorrow and trembling\nall over with sighs, he quieted himself with a great effort, remembering\nthat everything had arisen from his own fault. And the monarch said,\n'Alas, how is it that Yudhishthira who is the eldest of my sons, who is\ntruthful and pious and virtuous in his behaviour, who hath not a foe,\nwho had formerly slept on beds made of soft _Ranku_ skins, sleepeth now\non the bare ground! Alas, wakened formerly by _Sutas_ and _Magadhas_ and\nother singers with his praises, melodiously recited every morning, that\nprince of the Kuru race, equal unto Indra himself, is now waked from the\nbare ground towards the small hours of the night by a multitude of\nbirds! How doth Vrikodara, reduced by exposure to wind and sun and\nfilled with wrath, sleep, in the presence of the princess of Panchala,\non the bare ground, unfit as he is to suffer such lot! Perhaps also, the\nintelligent Arjuna, who is incapable of bearing pain, and who, though\nobedient to the will of Yudhishthira, yet feeleth himself to be pierced\nover all by the remembrance of his wrongs, sleepeth not in the night!\nBeholding the twins and Krishna and Yudhishthira and Bhima plunged in\nmisery, Arjuna without doubt, sigheth like a serpent of fierce energy\nand sleepeth not from wrath in the night! The twins also, who are even\nlike a couple of blessed celestials in heaven sunk in woe though\ndeserving of bliss, without doubt pass their nights in restless\nwakefulness restrained (from avenging their wrongs) by virtue and truth!\nThe mighty son of the Wind-god, who is equal to the Wind-god himself in\nstrength, without doubt, sigheth and restraineth his wrath, being tied\nthrough his elder brother in the bonds of truth! Superior in battle to\nall warriors, he now lieth quiet on the ground, restrained by virtue and\ntruth, and burning to slay my children, he bideth his time. The cruel\nwords that Dussasana spoke after Yudhishthira had been deceitfully\ndefeated at dice, have sunk deep into Vrikodara's heart, and are\nconsuming him, like a burning bundle of straw consuming a fagot of dry\nwood! The son of Dharma never acteth sinfully; Dhananjaya also always\nobeyeth him; but Bhima's wrath, in consequence of a life of exile, is\nincreasing like a conflagration assisted by the wind! That hero, burning\nwith rage such as that, squeezeth his hands and breatheth hot and fierce\nsighs, as if consuming therewith my sons and grandsons! The wielder of\nthe _Gandiva_ and Vrikodara, when angry, are like Yama and Kala\nthemselves; scattering their shafts, which are like unto thunder-bolts,\nthey exterminate in battle the ranks of the enemy. Alas Duryodhana, and\nSakuni, and the _Suta's_ son, and Dussasana also of wicked soul, in\nrobbing the Pandavas of their kingdom by means of dice, seem to behold\nthe honey alone without marking the terrible ruin. A man having acted\nrightly or wrongly, expecteth the fruit of those acts. The fruit,\nhowever, confounding him, paralyses him fully. How can man, thereof,\nhave salvation? If the soil is properly tilled, and the seed sown\ntherein, and if the god (of rain) showereth in season, still the crop\nmay not grow. This is what we often hear. Indeed, how could this saying\nbe true unless, as I think, it be that everything here is dependent on\nDestiny? The gambler Sakuni hath behaved deceitfully towards the son of\nPandu, who ever acteth honestly. From affection for my wicked sons I\nalso have acted similarly. Alas, it is owing to this that the hour of\ndestruction hath come for the Kurus! Oh, perhaps, what is inevitable\nmust happen! The wind, impelled or not, will move. The woman that\nconceives will bring forth. Darkness will be dispelled at dawn, and day\ndisappear at evening! Whatever may be earned by us or others, whether\npeople spend it or not, when the time cometh, those possessions of ours\ndo bring on misery. Why then do people become so anxious about earning\nwealth? If, indeed, what is acquired is the result of fate, then should\nit be protected so that it may not be divided, nor lost little by\nlittle, nor permitted to flow out at once, for if unprotected, it may\nbreak into a hundred fragments. But whatever the character of our\npossessions, our acts in the world are never lost. Behold what the\nenergy of Arjuna is, who went into the abode of Indra from the woods!\nHaving mastered the four kinds of celestial weapons he hath come back\ninto this world! What man is there who, having gone to heaven in his\nhuman form, wisheth to come back? This would never have been but because\nhe seeth innumerable Kurus to be at the point of death, afflicted by\nTime! The bowman is Arjuna, capable of wielding the bow with his left\nhand as well! The bow he wieldeth is the _Gandiva_ of fierce impetus. He\nhath, besides, those celestial weapons of his! Who is there that would\nbear the energy of these three!'\n\n\"Hearing these words of the monarch, the son of Suvala, going unto\nDuryodhana, who was then sitting with Karna, told them everything in\nprivate. And Duryodhana, though possessed of little sense, was filled\nwith grief at what he heard.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Hearing those words of Dhritarashtra, Sakuni, when\nthe opportunity presented itself, aided by Karna, spoke unto Duryodhana\nthese words, 'Having exiled the heroic Pandavas by thy own prowess, O\nBharata, rule thou this earth without a rival like the slayer of Samvara\nruling the heaven! O monarch, the kings of the east, the south, the\nwest, and the north, have all been made tributary to thee! O lord of\nearth, that blazing Prosperity which had before paid her court to the\nsons of Pandu, hath now been acquired by thee along with thy brothers!\nThat blazing Prosperity, O king, which we not many days ago saw with\nheavy hearts in Yudhishthira at Indraprastha, is today seen by us to be\nowned by thee, she having, O mighty-armed monarch, been snatched by thee\nfrom the royal Yudhishthira by force of intellect alone. O slayer of\nhostile heroes, all the kings of the earth now living in subjection to\nthee, await thy commands, as they did before under Yudhishthira,\nawaiting his. O monarch, the goddess Earth with her boundless extent\nwith girth of seas, with her mountains and forests, and towns and cities\nand mines, and decked with woodlands and hills is now thine! Adored by\nthe Brahmanas and worshipped by the kings, thou blazest forth, O king,\nin consequence of thy prowess, like the Sun among the gods in heaven!\nSurrounded by the Kurus, O king, like Yama by the Rudra, or Vasava by\nthe Maruts, thou shinest, O monarch, like the Moon among the stars! Let\nus, therefore, O king, go and look at the sons of Pandu--them who are\nnow divested of prosperity, them who never obeyed commands, them who\nnever owed subjection! It hath been heard by us, O monarch, that the\nPandavas are now living on the banks of the lake called _Dwaitavana_,\nwith a multitude of Brahmanas, having the wilderness for their home. Go\nthither, O king, in all thy prosperity, scorching the son of Pandu with\na sight of thy glory, like the Sun scorching everything with his hot\nrays! Thyself a sovereign and they divested of sovereignty, thyself in\nprosperity and they divested of it, thyself possessing affluence and\nthey in poverty, behold now, O king, the sons of Pandu. Let the sons of\nPandu behold thee like Yayati, the son of Nahusha, accompanied by a\nlarge train of followers and enjoying bliss that is great. O king, that\nblazing Prosperity which is seen by both one's friends and foes, is\nregarded as well-bestowed! What happiness can be more complete than that\nwhich he enjoyeth who while himself in prosperity, looketh upon his foes\nin adversity, like a person on the hill top looking down upon another\ncrawling on the earth? O tiger among kings, the happiness that one\nderives from beholding his foes in grief, is greater than what one may\nderive from the acquisition of offering or wealth or kingdom! What\nhappiness will not be his who, himself in affluence, will cast his eyes\non Dhananjaya attired in barks and deer-skins? Let thy wife dressed in\ncostly robes look at the woeful Krishna clad in barks and deer-skins,\nand enhance the latter's grief! Let the daughter of Drupada reproach\nherself and her life, divested as she is of wealth, for the sorrow that\nshe will feel upon beholding thy wife decked in ornaments will be far\ngreater than what she had felt in the midst of the assembly (when\nDussasana had dragged her there)!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having thus spoken unto the king, Karna and\nSakuni both remained silent, O Janamejaya, after their discourse was\nover.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXVI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having heard these words of Karna, king Duryodhana\nbecame highly pleased. Soon after, however, the prince became melancholy\nand addressing the speaker said, 'What thou tellest me, O Karna, is\nalways before my mind. I shall not, however, obtain permission to repair\nto the place where the Pandavas are residing. King Dhritarashtra is\nalways grieving for those heroes. Indeed, the king regarded the sons of\nPandu to have become more powerful than before in consequence of their\nascetic austerities. Or, if the king understands our motives, he will\nnever, having regard to the future, grant us permission, for, O thou of\ngreat effulgence, we can have no other business in the woods of\n_Dwaitavana_ than the destruction of the Pandavas in exile! Thou knowest\nthe words that Kshatri spoke to me, to thyself, and to the son of\nSuvala, at the time of the match at dice! Reflecting upon all those\nwords as also upon all those lamentations (that he and others indulged\nin), I cannot make up my mind as to whether I should or should not go! I\nshall certainly be highly pleased if I cast my eyes on Bhima and\nPhalguna passing their days in pain with Krishna in the woods. The joy\nthat I may feel in obtaining the sovereignty of the entire earth is\nnothing to that which will be mine upon beholding the sons of Pandu\nattired in barks of trees and deer-skins. What joy can be greater, O\nKarna, that will be mine upon beholding the daughter of Drupada dressed\nin red rags in the woods? If king Yudhishthira and Bhima, the sons of\nPandu, behold me graced with great affluence, then only shall I have\nattained the great end of my life! I do not, however, see the means by\nwhich I may repair to those woods, by which, in fact, I may obtain the\nking's permission to go thither! Contrive thou, therefore, some skilful\nplan, with Suvala's son and Dussasana, by which we may go to those\nwoods! I also, making up my mind today as to whether I should go or not,\napproach the presence of the king tomorrow. And when I shall be sitting\nwith Bhishma--that best of the Kurus--thou wilt, with Sakuni propose the\npretext which thou mayst have contrived. Hearing then the words of\nBhishma and of the king on the subject of our journey, I will settle\neverything beseeching our grandfather.'\n\n\"Saying 'So be it,' they then all went away to their respective\nquarters. And as soon as the night had passed away, Karna came to the\nking. And coming to him, Karna smilingly spoke unto Duryodhana, saying,\n'A plan hath been contrived by me. Listen to it, O lord of men! Our\nherds are now waiting in the woods of _Dwaitavana_ in expectation of\nthee! Without doubt, we may all go there under the pretext of\nsupervising our cattle stations, for, O monarch, it is proper that kings\nshould frequently repair to their cattle stations. If this be the motive\nput forth, thy father, O prince, will certainly grant thee permission!'\nAnd while Duryodhana and Karna were thus conversing laughingly, Sakuni\naddressed them and said, 'This plan, free from difficulties, was what I\nalso saw for going thither! The king will certainly grant us permission,\nor even send us thither of his own accord. Our herds are now all waiting\nin the woods of _Dwaitavana_ expecting thee. Without doubt, we may all\ngo there under the pretext of supervising our cattle stations!'\n\n\"They then all three laughed together, and gave their hands unto one\nanother. And having arrived at that conclusion, they went to see the\nchief of Kurus.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXVII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"They then all saw king Dhritarashtra, O Janamejaya,\nand having seen him, enquired after his welfare, and were, in return,\nasked about their welfare. Then a cow-herd named Samanga, who had been\ninstructed beforehand by them, approaching the king, spoke unto him of\nthe cattle. Then the son of Radha and Sakuni, O king, addressing\nDhritarashtra, that foremost of monarchs, said, 'O Kaurava, our\ncattle-stations are now in a delightful place. The time for their tale\nas also for marking the calves hath come. And, O monarch, this also is\nan excellent season for thy son to go ahunting! It behoveth thee,\ntherefore, to grant permission to Duryodhana to go thither.'\n\n\"Dhritarashtra replied, 'The chase of the deer, as also the examination\nof cattle is very proper, O child! I think, indeed, that the herdsmen\nare not to be trusted. But we have heard that those tigers among men,\nthe Pandavas, are now staying in the vicinity of those cattle stations.\nI think, therefore, ye should not go thither yourselves! Defeated by\ndeceitful means they are now living in the deep forest in great\nsuffering. O Radheya, they are mighty warriors and naturally able, they\nare now devoted to ascetic austerities. King Yudhishthira will not\nsuffer his wrath to be awakened, but Bhimasena is naturally passionate.\nThe daughter of Yajnasena is energy's self. Full of pride and folly, ye\nare certain to give offence. Endued with ascetic merit she will\ncertainly consume you, or perhaps, those heroes, armed with swords and\nweapons! Nor, if from force of numbers, ye seek to injure them in any\nrespect, that will be a highly improper act, although, as I think, ye\nwill never be able to succeed. The mighty-armed Dhananjaya hath returned\nthence to the forest. While unaccomplished in arms, Vivatsu had\nsubjugated the whole earth before. A mighty warrior as he is and\naccomplished in arms now, will he not be able to slay you all? Or, if in\nobedience to my words, ye behave carefully having repaired thither, ye\nwill not be able to live happily there in consequence of the anxiety ye\nwill feel owing to a state of continued trustlessness. Or, some soldier\nof yours may do some injury to Yudhishthira, and that unpremeditated act\nwill be ascribed to your fault. Therefore, let some faithful men proceed\nthere for the work of tale. I do not think it is proper for thee,\nBharata, to go thither thyself.'\n\n\"Sakuni said, 'The eldest of the sons of Pandu is cognisant of morality.\nHe pledged in the midst of the assembly, O Bharata, that he would live\nfor twelve years in the forest. The other sons of Pandu are all virtuous\nand obedient to Yudhishthira. And Yudhishthira himself, the son of\nKunti, will never be angry with us. Indeed, we desire very much to go on\na hunting expedition, and will avail of that opportunity for supervising\nthe tale of our cattle. We have no mind to see the sons of Pandu. We\nwill not go to that spot where the Pandavas have taken up their\nresidence, and consequently no exhibition of misconduct can possibly\narise on our part.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed by Sakuni, that lord of men,\nDhritarashtra, granted permission, but not very willingly, to Duryodhana\nand his counsellors to go to the place. And permitted by the monarch the\nBharata prince born of Gandhari started, accompanied by Karna and\nsurrounded by a large host. And he was also accompanied by Dussasana and\nSuvala's son of great intelligence and by many other brothers of his and\nby ladies in thousands. And as the mighty-armed prince started for\nbeholding the lake that was known by the name of _Dwaitavana_, the\ncitizens (of Hastina), also accompanied by their wives began to follow\nhim to that forest. Eight thousand cars, thirty thousand elephants, nine\nthousand horses, and many thousands of foot-soldiers, and shops and\npavilions and traders, bards and men trained in the chase by hundreds\nand thousands followed the prince. And as the king started, followed by\nthis large concourse of people, the uproar that was caused there\nresembled, O king, the deep tumult of the ranging winds in the rainy\nseason. And reaching the lake _Dwaitavana_ with all his followers and\nvehicles, king Duryodhana took up his quarters at the distance of four\nmiles from it.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXVIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"King Duryodhana then moving from forest to forest,\nat last approached the cattle-stations, and encamped his troops. And his\nattendants, selecting a well-known and delightful spot that abounded in\nwater and trees and that possessed every convenience constructed an\nabode for him. And near enough to the royal residence they also erected\nseparate abodes for Karna and Sakuni and the brothers of the king. And\nthe king beheld his cattle by hundreds and thousands and examining their\nlimbs and marks supervised their tale. And he caused the calves to be\nmarked and took note of those that required to be tamed. And he also\ncounted those kine whose calves had not yet been weaned. And completing\nthe task of tale by marking and counting every calf that was three years\nold, the Kuru prince, surrounded by the cowherds, began to sport and\nwander cheerfully. And the citizens also and the soldiers by thousands\nbegan to sport, as best pleased them, in those woods, like the\ncelestials. And the herdsmen, well skilled in singing and dancing and\ninstrumental music, and virgins decked in ornaments, began to minister\nto the pleasures of Dhritarashtra's son. And the king surrounded by the\nladies of the royal household began cheerfully to distribute wealth and\nfood and drinks of various kinds amongst those that sought to please\nhim, according to their desires.\n\n\"And the king, attended by all his followers, began also to slay hyenas\nand buffaloes and deer and gayals and bears and boars all around. And\nthe king, piercing by his shafts those animals by thousands in deep\nforest, caused the deer to be caught in the more delightful parts of the\nwoods. Drinking milk and enjoying, O Bharata, various other delicious\narticles and beholding, as he proceeded, many delightful forests and\nwoods swarming with bees inebriate with floral honey and resounding with\nthe notes of the peacock, the king at last reached the sacred lake of\n_Dwaitavana_. And the spot which the king reached swarmed with bees\ninebriate with floral honey, and echoed with the mellifluous notes of\nthe blue-throated jay and was shaded by _Saptacchadas_ and _punnagas_\nand _Vakulas_. And the king graced with high prosperity proceeded\nthither like the thunder-wielding chief of the celestials himself. And,\nO thou best of the Kuru race, King Yudhishthira the just, endued with\nhigh intelligence, was then, O monarch, residing in the vicinity of that\nlake at will and celebrating with his wedded wife, the daughter of\nDrupada, the diurnal sacrifice called _Rajarshi_, according to the\nordinance sanctioned for the celestials and persons living in the\nwilderness. And, O monarch, having reached that spot, Duryodhana\ncommanded his men by thousands, saying, 'Let pleasure-houses be\nconstructed soon.' Thus commanded, those doers of the king's behests\nreplying to the Kuru chief with the words, 'So be it,' went towards the\nbanks of the lake for constructing pleasure-houses. And as the picked\nsoldiers of Dhritarashtra's son, having reached the region of the lake,\nwere about to enter the gates of the wood, a number of _Gandharvas_\nappeared and forbade them to enter. For, O monarch, the king of the\n_Gandharvas_ accompanied by his followers, had come thither beforehand,\nfrom the abode of _Kuvera_. And the king of the _Gandharvas_ had also\nbeen accompanied by the several tribes of _Apsaras_, as also by the sons\nof the celestials. And intent upon sport, he had come to that place for\nmerriment, and occupying it, had closed it against all comers. And the\nattendants of the (Kuru) king, finding the lake closed by the king of\nthe _Gandharvas_, went back, O monarch, to where the royal Duryodhana\nwas. And Duryodhana having heard these words, despatched a number of his\nwarriors difficult of being subjugated in battle, commanding them to\ndrive away the _Gandharvas_. And those warriors who formed the vanguard\nof the Kuru army, hearing these words of the king, went back to the lake\nof _Dwaitavana_ and addressing the _Gandharvas_, said, 'The mighty king\nDuryodhana--the son of Dhritarashtra--is coming, hither for sport. Stand\nye aside, therefore!' Thus addressed by them, O king, the _Gandharvas_\nlaughed and replied unto those men in these harsh words: 'Your wicked\nking Duryodhana must be destitute of sense. How else could he have thus\ncommanded us that are dwellers of heaven, as if indeed, we were his\nservants? Without forethought, ye also are doubtless on the point of\ndeath; for senseless idiots as ye are, ye have dared to bring us his\nmessage! Return ye soon to where that king of the Kurus is, or else go\nthis very day to the abode of Yama.' Thus addressed by the _Gandharvas_,\nthe advanced guard of the king's army ran back to the place where the\nroyal son of Dhritarashtra was.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXIX\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Those soldiers then, O king, all went back to\nDuryodhana and repeated to him every word that the _Gandharvas_ had\nsaid. And, O Bharata, finding that his soldiers had been opposed by the\n_Gandharvas_, Dhritarashtra's son, endued with energy, was filled with\nrage. And the king addressed his soldiers, saying, 'Punish these\nwretches who desire to oppose my will, even if they have come hither to\nsport, accompanied by all the celestials with him of a hundred\nsacrifices.' And hearing these words of Duryodhana, the sons and\nofficers of Dhritarashtra all endued with great strength, as also\nwarriors by thousands, began to arm themselves for battle. And filling\nthe ten sides with loud leonine roars and rushing at those _Gandharvas_\nthat had been guarding the gates, they entered the forest. And as the\nKuru soldiers entered the forest, other _Gandharvas_ came up and forbade\nthem to advance. And though gently forbidden by the _Gandharvas_ to\nadvance, the Kuru soldiers, without regarding them in the least, began\nto enter that mighty forest. And when those rangers of the sky found\nthat the warriors of Dhritarashtra along with their king could not be\nstopped by words they all went to their king Chitrasena and represented\neverything unto him. And when Chitrasena, the king of the Gandharvas,\ncame to know all this he became filled with rage, alluding to the Kuru,\nand commanded his followers saying, 'Punish these wretches of wicked\nbehaviour.' And, O Bharata, when the _Gandharvas_ were so commanded by\nChitrasena, they rushed weapons in hand, towards the Dhritarashtra\nranks. And beholding the _Gandharvas_ impetuously rushing towards them\nwith upraised weapons, the Kuru warriors precipitously fled in all\ndirections at the very sight of Duryodhana. And beholding the Kuru\nsoldiers all flying from the field with their backs to the foe, the\nheroic Radheya alone fled not. And seeing the mighty host of the\nGandharvas rushing towards him, Radheya checked them by a perfect shower\nof arrows. And the _Suta's_ son, owing to his extreme lightness of hand,\nstruck hundreds of _Gandharvas_ with _Kshurapras_ and arrows and\n_Bhallas_ and various weapons made of bones and steel. And that mighty\nwarrior, causing the heads of numerous _Gandharvas_ to roll down within\na short time, made the ranks of Chitrasena to yell in anguish. And\nalthough they were slaughtered in great numbers by Karna endued with\ngreat intelligence, yet the _Gandharvas_ returned to the charge by\nhundreds and thousands. And in consequence of the swarms of Chitrasena's\nwarriors rushing impetuously to the field the earth itself became soon\ncovered by the _Gandharva_ host. Then king Duryodhana, and Sakuni, the\nson of Suvala, and Dussasana, and Vikarna, and other sons of\nDhritarashtra, seated on cars the clatter of whose wheels resembled the\nroars of Garuda, returned to the charge, following the lead of Karna,\nand began to slaughter that host. And desirous of supporting Karna,\nthese princes invested the Gandharva army, with a large number of cars\nand a strong body of horses. Then the whole of the _Gandharva_ host\nbegan to fight with the Kauravas. And the encounter that took place\nbetween the contending hosts was fierce in the extreme and might make\none's hair stand on end. The _Gandharvas_, at last, afflicted with the\nshafts of the Kuru army, seemed to be exhausted. And the Kauravas\nbeholding the _Gandharvas_ so afflicted sent up a loud sound.\n\n\"And seeing the _Gandharva_ host yielding to fear, the angry Chitrasena\nsprang from his seat, resolved to exterminate the Kuru army. And\nconversant with various modes of warfare, he waged on the fight, aided\nby his weapons of illusion. And the Kaurava warriors were then all\ndeprived of their senses by the illusion of Chitrasena. And then, O\nBharata, it seemed that every warrior of the Kuru army was fallen upon\nand surrounded by ten _Gandharvas_. And attacked with great vigour, the\nKuru host was greatly afflicted and struck with panic. O king, all of\nthem that liked to live, fled from the field. But while the entire\nDhritarashtra host broke and fled, Karna, that offspring of the Sun,\nstood there, O king, immovable as a hill. Indeed, Duryodhana and Karna\nand Sakuni, the son of Suvala, all fought with the _Gandharvas_,\nalthough every one of them was much wounded and mangled in the\nencounter. All the _Gandharvas_ then, desirous of slaying Karna, rushed\ntogether by hundreds and thousands towards Karna. And those mighty\nwarriors, desirous of slaying the _Suta's_ son, surrounded him on all\nsides, with swords and battle-axes and spears. And some cut down the\nyoke of his car, and some his flagstaff, and some the shaft of his car,\nand some his horses, and some his charioteer. And some cut down his\numbrella and some the wooden fender round his car and some the joints of\nhis car. It was thus that many thousands of Gandharvas, together\nattacking his car, broke it into minute fragments. And while his car was\nthus attacked, Karna leaped therefrom with sword and shield in hand, and\nmounting on Vikarna's car, urged the steeds for saving himself.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXL\n\nVaisampayana said, \"After that great warrior Karna had been routed by\nthe _Gandharvas_, the whole of the Kuru army, O monarch, fled from the\nfield in the very sight of Dhritarashtra's son. And beholding all his\ntroops flying from the field of battle with their back to the foe, king\nDuryodhana refused to fly. Seeing the mighty host of the _Gandharvas_\nrushing towards him, that represser of foes poured down upon them a\nthick shower of arrows. The _Gandharvas_, however, without regarding\nthat arrowy shower, and desirous also of slaying him, surrounded that\ncar of his. And by means of their arrows, they cut off into fragments\nthe yoke, the shaft, the fenders, the flagstaff, the three-fold bamboo\npoles, and the principal turret of his car. And they also slew his\ncharioteer and horses, hacking them to pieces. And when Duryodhana,\ndeprived of his car, fell on the ground, the strong-armed Chitrasena\nrushed towards him and seized him in such a way that it seemed his life\nitself was taken. And after the Kuru king had been seized, the\n_Gandharvas_, surrounding Dussasana, who was seated on his car, also\ntook him prisoner. And some _Gandharvas_ seized Vivinsati and\nChitrasena, and some Vinda and Anuvinda, while others seized all the\nladies of royal household. And the warriors of Duryodhana, who were\nrouted by the _Gandharvas_, joining those who had fled first, approached\nthe Pandavas (who were living in the vicinity). And after Duryodhana had\nbeen made captive, the vehicles, the shops, the pavilions, the\ncarriages, and the draught animals, all were made over to the Pandavas\nfor protection. And those soldiers said, 'The mighty-armed son of\nDhritarashtra, possessed of great strength and handsome mien, is being\ntaken away captive by the _Gandharvas_! Ye sons of Pritha, follow them!\nDussasana, Durvishasa, Durmukha, and Durjaya, are all being led away as\ncaptives in chains by the Gandharvas, as also all the ladies of the\nroyal household!'\n\n\"Crying thus, the followers of Duryodhana, afflicted with grief and\nmelancholy, approached Yudhishthira, desirous of effecting the release\nof the king. Bhima then answered those old attendants of Duryodhana,\nwho, afflicted with grief and melancholy, were thus soliciting (the aid\nof Yudhishthira), saying, 'What we should have done with great efforts,\narraying ourselves in line of battle, supported by horses and elephants\nhath, indeed, been done by the _Gandharvas_! They that come hither for\nother purposes, have been overtaken by consequences they had not\nforeseen! Indeed, this is the result of the evil counsels of a king who\nis fond of deceitful play! It hath been heard by us that the foe of a\nperson who is powerless, is overthrown by others. The Gandharvas have,\nin an extraordinary way illustrated before our eyes the truth of this\nsaying! It seems that there is still fortunately some person in the\nworld who is desirous of doing us good who hath, indeed, taken upon his\nown shoulders our pleasant load, although we are sitting idly! The\nwretch had come hither to cast his eyes on us,--himself in prosperity\nwhile ourselves are sunk in adversity and emaciated by ascetic\nausterities and are exposed to wind, cold and heat. They that imitate\nthe behaviour of that sinful and wretched Kaurava, are now beholding his\ndisgrace! He that had instructed Duryodhana to do this, had certainly\nacted sinfully. That the sons of Kunti are not wicked and sinful, I tell\nit before you all!'\n\n\"And while Bhima, the son of Kunti, was speaking thus in a voice of\nsarcasm, king Yudhishthira told him, 'This is not time for cruel\nwords!'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXLI\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O child, why dost thou use language such as this,\ntowards the frightened Kurus, who are now in adversity and who have come\nto us, solicitous of protection! O Vrikodara, disunions and disputes do\ntake place amongst those that are connected in blood. Hostilities such\nas these do go on. But the honour of the family is never suffered to be\ninterfered with. If any stranger seeketh to insult the honour of a\nfamily, they that are good never tolerate such insult coming from the\nstranger. The wicked-souled king of the Gandharvas knoweth that we are\nliving here from some time. Yet disregarding us, he hath done this deed\nwhich is so disagreeable to us! O exalted one, from this forcible\nseizure of Duryodhana and from this insult to the ladies of our house by\na stranger, our family honour is being destroyed. Therefore, ye tigers\namong men, arise and arm yourselves without delay for rescuing those\nthat have sought our protection and for guarding the honour of our\nfamily. Ye tigers among men, let Arjuna and the twins and thyself also\nthat art brave and unvanquished, liberate Duryodhana, who is even now\nbeing taken away a captive! Ye foremost of warriors, these blazing cars,\nfurnished with golden flagstaffs and every kind of weapons belonging to\nDhritarashtra's sons, are ready here. With Indrasena and other\ncharioteers skilled in arms, for guiding them, ride ye on these\neverfurnished cars of deep rattle! And riding on these, exert ye with\nactivity for fighting with the Gandharvas to liberate Duryodhana. Even\nan ordinary Kshatriya (amongst those that are here), would to the\nheight of his power, protect one that hath come hither for refuge! What\nthen, O Vrikodara, shall I say of thee! Entreated for assistance in such\nwords as \"_O hasten to my aid_!\" Who is there (amongst those standing\naround me) that is high-souled enough to assist even his foe, beholding\nhim seeking shelter with joined hands? The bestowal of a boon,\nsovereignty, and the birth of a son are sources of great joy. But, ye\nsons of Pandu, the liberation of a foe from distress is equal to all the\nthree put together! What can be a source of greater joy to you than that\nDuryodhana sunk in distress seeketh his very life as depending on the\nmight of your arms? O Vrikodara, if the vow in which I am engaged had\nbeen over, there is little doubt that I would myself have run to his\naid. Strive thou by all means, O Bharata, to liberate Duryodhana by the\narts of conciliation. If, however, the king of the Gandharvas cannot be\nmanaged by the arts of conciliation, then must thou try to rescue\nSuyodhana by lightly skirmishing with the foe. But if the chief of the\nGandharvas do not let the Kurus off even then, they must be rescued by\ncrushing the foe by all means. O Vrikodara, this is all I can tell thee\nnow, for my vow hath been begun and is not ended yet!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing these words of Ajatasatru, Dhananjaya\npledged himself, from respect for these commands of his superior, to\nliberate the Kauravas. And Arjuna said, 'If the Gandharvas do not set\nthe Dhartarashtras free peacefully, the Earth shall this day drink the\nblood of the king of the Gandharvas!' And hearing that pledge of the\ntruth-speaking Arjuna, the Kauravas then, O king, regained (the lost)\ntenor of their minds.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXLII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Hearing the words of Yudhishthira, those bulls among\nmen, headed by Bhimasena, rose up with faces beaming in joy. And those\nmighty warriors, O Bharata, then began to case themselves in\nimpenetrable mail that were besides variegated with pure gold, and armed\nthemselves with celestial weapons of various kinds. And the Pandavas\nthus cased in mail, and mounted on those chariots furnished with\nflagstaffs and armed with bows and arrows, looked like blazing fires.\nAnd those tigers among warriors, riding upon those well furnished cars\ndrawn by fleet horses, proceeded to that spot without losing a moment.\nAnd beholding those mighty warriors--the sons of Pandu--thus proceeding\ntogether (for the liberation of Duryodhana), the Kuru army sent forth a\nloud shout. And soon did those rangers of the sky flushed with victory,\nand those impetuous warriors, the sons of Pandu, fearlessly encounter\neach other in that forest. The Gandharvas were flushed with success, and\nbeholding the four brave sons of Pandu coming to battle seated on their\ncars, they all turned back towards the advancing combatants. And, the\ndwellers of the Gandhamadana, beholding the Pandavas looking like\nblazing guardians of the world provoked to ire, stood arrayed in order\nof battle. And, O Bharata, in accordance with words of king Yudhishthira\nof great wisdom, the encounter that took place was a skirmish. But when\nArjuna--that persecutor of foes--saw that the foolish soldiers of the\nking of Gandharvas could not be made to understand what was good for\nthem by means of a light skirmish, he addressed those invincible rangers\nof the skies in a conciliatory tone and said, 'Leave ye my brother king\nSuyodhana.' Thus addressed by the illustrious son of Pandu, the\nGandharvas, laughing aloud, replied unto him saying, 'O child, there is\nbut one in the world whose behests we obey and living under whose rule\nwe pass our days in happiness: O Bharata, we always act as that one only\nperson commandeth us! Besides that celestial chief there is none that\ncan command us!' Thus addressed by the Gandharvas, Dhananjaya, the son\nof Kunti, replied unto them, saying, 'This contact with other people's\nwives and this hostile encounter with human beings are acts that are\nboth censurable in the king of the Gandharvas and not proper for him.\nTherefore, leave ye these sons of Dhritarashtra all endued with mighty\nenergy. And liberate ye also these ladies, at the command of king\nYudhishthira the just. If, ye Gandharvas, ye do not set the sons of\nDhritarashtra free peacefully, I shall certainly rescue Suyodhana (and\nhis party) by exerting my prowess.' And speaking unto them thus,\nPritha's son, Dhananjaya, capable of wielding the bow with his left hand\nalso, then rained a shower of sharp pointed sky-ranging shafts upon\nthose rangers of the firmament. Thus attacked, the mighty Gandharvas\nthen encountered the sons of Pandu with a shower of arrows equally\nthick, and the Pandavas also replied by attacking those dwellers of\nheaven. And the battle then, O Bharata, that ranged between the active\nand agile Gandharvas and the impetuous son of Pandu was fierce in the\nextreme.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXLIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then those Gandharvas decked in golden garlands and\naccomplished in celestial weapons, showing their blazing shafts,\nencountered the Pandavas from every side. And as the sons of Pandu were\nonly four in number and the Gandharvas counted by thousands, the battle\nthat ensued appeared to be extraordinary. And as the cars of Karna and\nDuryodhana had formerly been broken into a hundred fragments by the\nGandharvas, so were the cars of the four heroes attempted to be broken.\nBut those tigers among men began to encounter with their showers of\narrows thousands upon thousands of Gandharvas rushing towards them.\nThose rangers of skies endued with great energy, thus checked on all\nsides by that arrowy down-pour, succeeded not in even coming near to the\nsons of Pandu. Then Arjuna whose ire had been provoked, aiming at the\nangry Gandharvas, prepared to hurl against them his celestial weapons.\nAnd in that encounter, the mighty Arjuna, by means of his _Agneya_\nweapon, sent ten hundreds of thousands of Gandharvas to the abode of\nYama. And that mighty bowman, Bhima, also, that foremost of all warriors\nin battle, slew, by means of his sharp arrows, Gandharvas by hundreds.\nAnd the mighty sons of Madri also, battling with vigour, encountered\nhundreds of Gandharvas, O king, and slaughtered them all. And as\nGandharvas were being thus slaughtered by the mighty warriors with their\ncelestial weapons, they rose up to the skies, taking with them the sons\nof Dhritarashtra. But Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, beholding them rise\nup to the skies, surrounded them on every side by a wide net of arrows.\nAnd confined within that arrowy net like birds within a cage, they\nshowered in wrath upon Arjuna maces and darts and broad-swords. But\nArjuna who was conversant with the most efficacious weapons, soon\nchecked that shower of maces and darts and broad-swords, and in return\nbegan to mangle the limbs of the Gandharvas with his crescent-shaped\narrows. And heads and legs and arms began to drop down from above\nresembling a shower of stones. And at that sight, the foe was struck\nwith panic. And as the Gandharvas were being slaughtered by the\nillustrious son of Pandu, they began to shower from the skies a heavy\ndownpour of shafts upon Arjuna, who was on the surface of the earth. But\nthat chastiser of foes, Arjuna, endued with mighty energy checked that\nshower of arrows by means of his own weapons and began, in return, to\nwound them. Then Arjuna of the Kuru race shot his well-known weapons\ncalled _Sthunakarna, Indrajala, Saura, Agneya_ and _Saumya_. And the\nGandharvas consumed by the fiery weapons of Kunti's son, began to suffer\nheavily, like the sons of Diti, while being scorched by Sakra's\nthunder-bolt. And when they attacked Arjuna from above, they were\nchecked by his net of arrows. And while they attacked him from all sides\non the surface of the earth, they were checked by his crescent-shaped\narrows. And beholding the Gandharvas put in fear by Kunti's son,\nChitrasena rushed, O Bharata, at Dhananjaya, armed with a mace. And as\nthe king of the Gandharvas was rushing at Arjuna from above with that\nmace in hand, the latter cut with his arrows that mace wholly made of\niron into seven pieces. And beholding that mace of his cut into many\npieces by Arjuna of great activity, with his arrows, Chitrasena, by\nmeans of his science, concealed himself from the view of the Pandava and\nbegan to fight with him. The heroic Arjuna, however, by means of his own\ncelestial weapons checked all the celestial weapons that were aimed at\nhim by the Gandharvas. And when the chief of the Gandharvas saw that he\nwas checked by the illustrious Arjuna with those weapons of his he\nentirely disappeared from sight by help of his powers of illusion. And\nArjuna, observing that the chief of the Gandharvas was striking at him\nconcealed from sight, attacked his assailant with celestial weapon\ninspired with proper _Mantras_. And the multiform Dhananjaya filled with\nwrath, prevented the disappearance of his foe by means of his weapon\nknown by the name of _Sabda-veda_. And assailed with those weapons by\nthe illustrious Arjuna, his dear friend, the king of the Gandharvas,\nshowed himself unto him. And Chitrasena said, 'Behold in me thy friend\nbattling with thee!' And beholding his friend Chitrasena exhausted in\nthe battle, that bull among the sons of Pandu withdrew the weapons he\nhad shot. And the other sons of Pandu beholding Arjuna withdraw his\nweapons, checked their flying steeds and the impetus of their weapons\nand withdrew their bows. And Chitrasena and Bhima and Arjuna and the\ntwins enquiring about one another's welfare, sat awhile on their\nrespective cars.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXLIV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then that mighty bowman of blazing splendour,\nArjuna, smilingly said unto Chitrasena in the midst of the Gandharva\nhost, 'What purpose dost thou serve, O hero, in punishing the Kauravas?\nO, why also hath Suyodhana with his wives been thus punished?'\n\n\"Chitrasena replied, 'O Dhananjaya, without stirring from my own abode I\nbecame acquainted with the purpose of the wicked Duryodhana and the\nwretched Karna in coming hither. The purpose was even this,--knowing\nthat ye are exiles in the forest and suffering great afflictions as if\nye had none to take care of you, himself in prosperity, this wretch\nentertained the desire of beholding you plunged in adversity and\nmisfortune. They came hither for mocking you and the illustrious\ndaughter of Drupada. The lord of the celestials also, having ascertained\nthis purpose of theirs, told me, \"Go thou and bring Duryodhana hither in\nchains along with his counsellors. Dhananjaya also with his brother\nshould always be protected by thee in battle, for he is thy dear friend\nand disciple.\" At these words of the lord of the celestials I came\nhither speedily. This wicked prince hath also been put in chains. I will\nnow proceed to the region of the celestials, whither I will lead this\nwicked wight at the command of the slayer of Paka!'\n\n\"Arjuna answered, saying, 'O Chitrasena, if thou wishest to do what is\nagreeable to me, set Suyodhana free, at the command of king Yudhishthira\nthe just, for he is our brother!'\n\n\"Chitrasena said, 'This sinful wretch is always full of vanity. He\ndeserveth not to be set free. O Dhananjaya, he hath deceived and wronged\nboth king Yudhishthira the just and Krishna. Yudhishthira the son of\nKunti as yet knoweth not the purpose on which the wretch came hither.\nLet the king, therefore, do what he desires after knowing everything!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"After this, all of them went to king\nYudhishthira the just. And going unto the king, they represented unto\nhim everything about Duryodhana's conduct. And Ajatasatru, hearing\neverything that the Gandharvas had said, liberated all the Kauravas and\napplauded the Gandharvas. And the king said, 'Fortunate it is for us\nthat though gifted with great strength, ye did not yet slay the wicked\nson of Dhritarashtra along with all counsellors and relatives. This, O\nsir, hath been an act of great kindness done to me by the Gandharvas.\nThe honour also of my family is saved by liberating this wicked wight. I\nam glad at seeing you all. Command me what I am to do for you. And\nhaving obtained all you wish, return ye soon whence ye came!'\n\n\"Thus addressed by the intelligent son of Pandu, the Gandharvas became\nwell-pleased and went away with the Apsaras. And the lord of the\ncelestials then, coming to that spot, revived those Gandharvas that had\nbeen slain in the encounter with the Kurus, by sprinkling the celestial\n_Amrita_ over them. And the Pandavas also, having liberated their\nrelatives along with the ladies of the royal household, and having\nachieved that difficult feat (the defeat of the Gandharvas host) became\nwell-pleased. And those illustrious and mighty warriors worshipped by\nthe Kurus along with their sons and wives, blazed forth in splendour\nlike flaming fires in the sacrificial compound. And Yudhishthira then\naddressing the liberated Duryodhana in the midst of his brothers, from\naffection, told him these words: 'O child, never again do such a rash\nact. O Bharata, a rash wight never cometh by happiness. O son of the\nKuru race, pleased be thou with all thy brothers. Go back to thy capital\nas pleaseth thee, without yielding thyself to despondency or\ncheerlessness!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus dismissed by the son of Pandu, king\nDuryodhana then saluted king Yudhishthira the just and overwhelmed with\nshame, and his heart rent in twain, mechanically set out for his\ncapital, like one destitute of life. And after the Kaurava prince had\ndeparted, the brave Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, along with his\nbrothers, was worshipped by the Brahmanas, and surrounded by those\nBrahmanas endued with the wealth of asceticism, like Sakra himself by\nthe celestials, he began to pass his days happily in the woods of\nDwaita.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXLV\n\nJanamejaya said, \"After his defeat and capture by the foe and his\nsubsequent liberation by the illustrious sons of Pandu by force of arms,\nit seemeth to me that the entry into Hastinapura of the proud, wicked,\nboastful, vicious, insolent, and wretched Duryodhana, engaged in\ninsulting the sons of Pandu and bragging of his own superiority, must\nhave been exceedingly difficult. Describe to me in detail, O\nVaisampayana, the entry into the capital, of that prince overwhelmed\nwith shame and unmanned by grief!\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Dismissed by the king Yudhishthira the just,\nDhritarashtra's son Suyodhana, bending his head down in shame and\nafflicted with grief and melancholy, set out slowly. And the king,\naccompanied by his four kinds of forces, proceeded towards his city, his\nheart rent in grief and filled with thoughts of his defeat along the way\nin a region that abounded in grass and water. The king encamped on a\ndelightful piece of ground as pleased him best, with his elephants and\ncars and cavalry and infantry stationed all around. And as the king\nDuryodhana was seated on an elevated bedstead endued with the effulgence\nof fire, himself looking like the moon under an eclipse, towards the\nsmall hours of the morning Karna, approaching him, said, 'Fortunate it\nis, O son of Gandhari, that thou art alive! Fortunate it is, that we\nhave once more met! By good luck it is that thou hast vanquished the\nGandharvas capable of assuming any form at will. And, O son of the Kuru\nrace, it is by good luck alone, that I am enabled to see thy\nbrothers--mighty warriors all--come off victorious from that encounter,\nhaving subjugated their foes! As regards myself, assailed by all the\nGandharvas, I fled before thy eyes, unable to rally our flying host.\nAssailed by the foe with all his might, my body mangled with their\narrows, I sought safety in flight. This however, O Bharata, seemed to me\nto be a great marvel that I behold you all come safe and sound in body,\nwith your wives, troops, and vehicles, out of that super-human\nencounter. O Bharata, there is another man in this world who can achieve\nwhat thou, O king, hast achieved in battle to-day with thy brothers.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed by Karna, king Duryodhana\nreplied unto the ruler of the Angas in a voice choked with tears.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXLVI\n\n\"Duryodhana said, 'O Radheya, thou knowest not what hath happened.\nTherefore, I do not resent thy words. Thou thinkest the hostile\nGandharvas to have been vanquished by me with my own energy. O thou of\nmighty arms, my brothers, indeed had for a long time, aided by me fought\nwith the Gandharvas. The slaughtered, indeed, on both sides were great.\nBut when those brave Gandharvas, resorting to their many powers of\nillusion, ascended the skies and began to fight with us thence, our\nencounter with them ceased to be an equal one. Defeat then was ours and\neven captivity. And afflicted with sorrow, we along with our attendants\nand counsellors and children and wives and troops and vehicles were\nbeing taken by them through the skies. It was then that some soldiers of\nours and some brave officers repaired in grief unto the sons of\nPandu--those heroes that never refuse succour to those that ask for it.\nAnd having gone to them they said, \"Here is king Duryodhana, the son of\nDhritarashtra, who with his younger brothers and friends and wives is\nbeing led away a captive by the Gandharvas along the sky. Blest be ye.\nLiberate the king along with the women of the royal household! Suffer no\ninsult to be offered unto all the ladies of the Kuru race.\" And when\nthey had spoken thus, the eldest of Pandu's sons, who is endued with a\nvirtuous soul then conciliated his brothers and commanded them to\nliberate us. Then those bulls among men, the Pandavas, overtaking the\nGandharvas, solicited our release in soft words, although fully able to\neffect it by force of arms. And when the Gandharvas, addressed in such\nconciliatory words, refused to set us at liberty, then Arjuna and Bhima\nand the twins endued with mighty energy, shot showers of arrows at the\nGandharvas. Then the Gandharvas, abandoning the fight, fled through the\nsky, dragging our melancholy selves after them, filled with joy. Then we\nbeheld a network of arrows spread all around by Dhananjaya, who was also\nshooting celestial weapons upon the foe. And seeing the points of the\nhorizon covered by Arjuna with a thick network of sharp arrows, his\nfriend, the chief of the Gandharvas, showed himself. And Chitrasena and\nArjuna, embracing each other, enquired after each other's welfare. And\nthe other sons of Pandu also embraced the chief of the Gandharvas and\nwere embraced by him. And enquiries of courtesy passed between them\nalso. And the brave Gandharvas then abandoning their weapons and mail\nmingled in a friendly spirit with the Pandavas. And Chitrasena and\nDhananjaya worshipped each other with regard.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXLVII\n\n\"Duryodhana said, 'That slayer of hostile heroes, Arjuna, then\napproaching Chitrasena, smilingly addressed him in these manly words: \"O\nhero, O foremost of the Gandharvas, it behoveth thee to set my brothers\nat liberty. They are incapable of being insulted as long as the sons of\nPandu are alive.\" Thus addressed by the illustrious son of Pandu, the\nchief of the Gandharvas, O Karna, disclosed unto the Pandavas the object\nwe had in view in proceeding to that place, viz., that we came there for\ncasting our eyes on the sons of Pandu with their wife, all plunged in\nmisery. And while the Gandharva was disclosing those counsels of ours,\noverwhelmed with shame I desired the earth to yield me a crevice, so\nthat I might disappear there and then. The Gandharvas then, accompanied\nby the Pandavas, went to Yudhishthira, and, disclosing unto him also\ncounsels, made us over, bound as we were, to him. Alas, what greater\nsorrow could be mine than that I should thus be offered as a tribute\nunto Yudhishthira, in the very sight of the women of our household,\nmyself in chains and plunged in misery, and under the absolute control\nof my enemies. Alas, they, who have ever been persecuted by me, they\nunto whom I have ever been a foe released me from captivity, and wretch\nthat I am, I am indebted to them for my life. If, O hero, I had met with\nmy death in that great battle, that would have been far better than that\nI should have obtained my life in this way. If I had been slain by the\nGandharvas, my fame would have spread over the whole earth, and I should\nhave obtained auspicious regions of eternal bliss in the heaven of\nIndra. Listen to me therefore, ye bulls among men, as to what I intend\nto do now. I will stay here forgoing all food, while ye all return home.\nLet all my brothers also go to Hastinapura. Let all our friends,\nincluding Karna, and all our relatives headed by Dussasana, return now\nto the capital. Insulted by the foe, I myself will not repair thither. I\nwho had before wrested from the foe his respect, I who had always\nenhanced the respect of my friends, have now become a source of sorrow\nunto friends and of joy unto enemies. What shall I now say unto the\nking, going to the city named after the elephant? What will Bhishma and\nDrona, Kripa, and Drona's son, Vidura and Sanjaya, Vahuka and Somadatta\nand other revered seniors,--what will the principal men of the other\norders and men of independent professions, say to me and what shall I\nsay unto them in reply? Having hitherto stayed over the heads of my\nenemies, having hitherto trod upon their breasts, I have fallen away\nfrom my position. How shall I ever speak with them? Insolent men having\nobtained prosperity and knowledge and affluence, are seldom blest for\nany length of time like myself puffed up with vanity. Alas, led by folly\nI have done a highly improper and wicked act, for which, fool that I am,\nI have fallen into such distress. Therefore, will I perish by starving,\nlife having become insupportable to me. Relieved from distress by the\nfoe, what man of spirit is there who can drag on his existence? Proud as\nI am, shorn of manliness, the foe hath laughed at me, for the Pandavas\npossessed of prowess have looked at me plunged in misery!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"While giving way to such reflections Duryodhana\nspoke unto Dussasana thus: 'O Dussasana, listen to these words of mine,\nO thou of the Bharata race! Accepting this installation that I offer\nthee, be thou king in my place. Rule thou the wide earth protected by\nKarna and Suvala's sons. Like Indra himself looking after the Maruts,\ncherish thou thy brothers in such a way that they may all confide in\nthee. Let thy friends and relatives depend on thee like the gods\ndepending on him of a hundred sacrifices. Always shouldst thou bestow\npensions on Brahmanas, without idleness, and be thou ever the refuge of\nthy friends and relatives. Like Vishnu looking after the celestials,\nthou shouldst always look after all consanguineous relatives. Thou\nshouldst also ever cherish thy superiors. Go, rule thou the earth\ngladdening thy friends and reproving thy foes.' And clasping his neck,\nDuryodhana said, 'Go!' Hearing these words of his, Dussasana in perfect\ncheerlessness and overwhelmed with great sorrow, his voice choked in\ntears, said, with joined hands and bending his head unto his eldest\nbrother, 'Relent!' And saying this he fell down on earth with heavy\nheart. And afflicted with grief that tiger among men, shedding his tears\non the feet of his brother again said, 'This will never be! The earth\nmay split, the vault of heaven may break in pieces, the sun may cast off\nhis splendour, the moon may abandon his coolness, the wind may forsake\nits speed, the Himavat may be moved from its site, the waters of the\nocean may dry up, and fire may abandon its heat, yet I, O king, may\nnever rule the earth without thee.' And Dussasana repeatedly said,\n'Relent, O king! Thou alone shall be king in our race for a hundred\nyears.' And having spoken thus unto the king, Dussasana began to weep\nmelodiously catching, O Bharata, the feet of his eldest brother\ndeserving of worship from him.\n\n\"And beholding Dussasana and Duryodhana thus weeping, Karna in great\ngrief approached them both and said, 'Ye Kuru princes, why do you thus\nyield to sorrow like ordinary men, from senselessness? Mere weeping can\nnever ease a sorrowing man's grief. When weeping can never remove one's\ngriefs, what do you gain by thus giving way to sorrow? Summon patience\nto your aid to not gladden the foe by such conduct. O king, the Pandavas\nonly did their duty in liberating thee. They that reside in the\ndominions of the king, should always do what is agreeable to the king.\nProtected by thee, the Pandavas are residing happily in thy dominion. It\nbehoveth thee not to indulge in such sorrow like an ordinary person.\nBehold, thy uterine brothers are all sad and cheerless at seeing thee\nresolved to put an end to thy life by forgoing food. Blest be thou! Rise\nup and come to thy city and console these thy uterine brothers.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXLVIII\n\n\"Karna continued, 'O king, this conduct of thine to-day appeareth to be\nchildish. O hero, O slayer of foes, what is to be wondered at in this\nthat the Pandavas liberated thee when thou wert vanquished by the foe? O\nson of the Kuru race, those that reside in the territories of the king,\nespecially those (amongst them) that lead the profession of arms, should\nalways do what is agreeable to the king whether they happen to be known\nto their monarch or unknown to him. It happened often that foremost men\nwho crush the ranks of the hostile host, are vanquished by them, and are\nrescued by their own troops. They that leading the profession of arms,\nreside in the king's realm should always combine and exert themselves to\nthe best of their power, for the king. If, therefore, O king, the\nPandavas, who live in the territories, have liberated thee, what is\nthere to be regretted at in this? That the Pandavas, O best of kings,\ndid not follow thee when thou didst march forth to battle at the head of\nthy troops, has been an improper act on their part. They had before this\ncome under thy power, becoming thy slaves. They are, therefore, bound to\naid thee now, being endued with courage and might and incapable of\nturning away from the field of battle. Thou art enjoying all the rich\npossessions of the Pandavas. Behold them yet alive, O king! They have\nnot resolved to die, forgoing all food. Blest be thou! Rise up, O king!\nIt behoveth thee not to indulge in great sorrow long. O king, it is the\ncertain duty of those that reside in the king's realm to do what is\nagreeable to the king. Where should the regret be in all this? If thou,\nO king, dost not act according to my words I shall stay here employed in\nreverentially serving thy feet. O bull among men, I do not desire to\nlive deprived of thy company. O king, if thou resolvest to slay thyself\nby forgoing food, thou wilt simply be an object of laughter with other\nkings.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed by Karna, king Duryodhana,\nfirmly resolved to leave the world, desired not to rise from where he\nsat.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXLIX\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Beholding king Duryodhana, incapable of putting up\nwith an insult, seated with the resolution of giving up life by forgoing\nfood, Sakuni, the son of Suvala, said these words to comfort him. Sakuni\nsaid, 'O son of the Kuru race, you have just heard what Karna hath said.\nHis words are, indeed fraught with wisdom. Why wouldst thou abandoning\nfrom foolishness the high prosperity that I won for thee, cast off thy\nlife today, O king, yielding to silliness? It seemeth to me to-day that\nthou hast never waited upon the old. He that cannot control sudden\naccession of joy or grief, is lost even though he may have obtained\nprosperity, like an unburnt earthen vessel in water. That king who is\nentirely destitute of courage, who hath no spark of manliness, who is\nthe slave of procrastination, who always acts with indiscretion, who is\naddicted to sensual pleasures, is seldom respected by his subjects.\nBenefited as thou has been, whence is this unreasonable grief of thine?\nDo not undo this graceful act done by the sons of Pritha, by indulging\nin such grief. When thou shouldst joy and reward the Pandavas, thou art\ngrieving, O king? Indeed, this behaviour of thine is inconsistent. Be\ncheerful, do not cast away thy life; but remember with a pleased heart\nthe good they have done thee. Give back unto the sons of Pritha their\nkingdom, and win thou both virtue and renown by such conduct. By acting\nin this way, thou mayst be grateful. Establish brotherly relations with\nthe Pandavas by being friends, and give them their paternal kingdom, for\nthen thou wilt be happy!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing these words of Sakuni, and seeing the\nbrave Dussasana lying prostrate before him unmanned by fraternal love,\nthe king raised Dussasana and, clasping him in his well round arms,\nsmelt his head from affection. And hearing these words of Karna and\nSauvala, king Duryodhana lost heart more than ever, and he was\noverwhelmed with shame and utter despair overtook his soul. And hearing\nall that his friends said, he answered with sorrow, 'I have nothing more\nto do with virtue, wealth, friendship, affluence, sovereignty, and\nenjoyments. Do not obstruct my purpose, but leave me all of you. I am\nfirmly resolved to cast away my life by forgoing food. Return to the\ncity, and treat my superiors there respectfully.'\n\n\"Thus addressed by him, they replied unto that royal grinder of foes,\nsaying, 'O monarch, the course that is thine, is also ours, O Bharata.\nHow can we enter the city without thee?'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Though addressed in all manner of ways by his\nfriends and counsellors and brothers and relatives, the king wavered not\nfrom his purpose. And the son of Dhritarashtra in accordance with his\npurpose spread _Kusa_ grass on the earth, and purifying himself by\ntouching water, sat down upon that spot. And clad in rags and _Kusa_\ngrass he set himself to observe the highest vow. And stopping all\nspeech, that tiger among kings, moved by the desire of going to heaven,\nbegan to pray and worship internally suspending all external\nintercourse.\n\n\"Meanwhile the fierce _Daityas_ and the _Danavas_ who had been defeated\nof old by the celestials and had been dwelling in the nether regions\nhaving ascertained Duryodhana's purpose and knowing that if the king\ndied their party would be weakened, commenced a sacrifice with fire for\nsummoning Duryodhana to their presence. And _mantra_ knowing persons\nthen commenced with the help of formulae declared by Brihaspati and\nUsanas, those rites that are indicated in the _Atharva Veda_ and the\n_Upanishads_ and which are capable of being achieved by _mantras_ and\nprayers. And Brahmins of rigid vows, well-versed in the _Vedas_ and the\nbranches, began, with rapt soul, to pour libations of clarified butter\nand milk into the fire, uttering _mantras_. And after those rites were\nended, a strange goddess, O king, with mouth wide open, arose (from the\nsacrificial fire), saying, 'What am I to do?' And the Daityas with\nwell-pleased hearts, commanded her, saying, 'Bring thou hither the royal\nson of Dhritarashtra, who is even now observing the vow of starvation\nfor getting rid of his life.' Thus commanded, she went away saying, 'So\nbe it.' And she went in the twinkling of an eye to that spot where\nSuyodhana was. And taking up the king back to the nether regions, and\nhaving brought him thus in a moment, she apprised the _Danavas_ of it.\nAnd the _Danavas_ beholding the king brought into their midst in the\nnight, united together, and all of them with well-pleased hearts and\neyes expanded in delight addressed these flattering words to\nDuryodhana.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCL\n\n\"The Danavas said, 'O Suyodhana, O great king! O perpetuator of the race\nof Bharata, thou art ever surrounded by heroes and illustrious men. Why\nhast thou, then, undertaken to do such a rash act as the vow of\nstarvation? The suicide ever sinketh into hell and becometh the subject\nof calumnious speech. Nor do intelligent persons like thee ever set\ntheir hands to acts that are sinful and opposed to their best interests\nand striking at the very root of their purposes. Restrain this resolve\nof thine, therefore, O king, which is destructive of morality, profit,\nand happiness, of fame, prowess, and energy, and which enhanceth the joy\nof foes. O exalted king, know the truth, the celestial origin of thy\nsoul, and the maker of thy body, and then summon thou patience to thy\naid. In days of old, O king, we have obtained thee, by ascetic\nausterities from Maheswara. The upper part of thy body is wholly made of\nan assemblage of _Vajras_, and is, therefore, invulnerable to weapons of\nevery description, O sinless one. The lower part of thy body, capable of\ncaptivating the female heart by its comeliness was made of flowers by\nthe goddess herself--the wife of Mahadeva. Thy body is thus, O best of\nkings, the creation of Maheswara himself and his goddess. Therefore, O\ntiger among kings, thou art of celestial origin, not human. Other brave\nKshatriyas of mighty energy headed by Bhagadatta, and all acquainted\nwith celestial weapons, will slay thy foes. Therefore, let this grief of\nthine cease. Thou hast no cause for fear. For aiding thee, many heroic\n_Danavas_ have been born on the earth. Other Asuras will also possess\nBhishma and Drona and Karna and others. Possessed by those Asuras, these\nheroes will cast away their kindness and fight with thy foes. Indeed,\nwhen the _Danavas_ will enter their heart and possess them completely,\nflinging all affections to a distance, becoming hard-hearted, these\nwarriors will strike every body opposed to them in battle without\nsparing sons, brothers, fathers, friends, disciples, relatives, even\nchildren and old men. Blinded by ignorance and wrath, and impelled by\nthat destiny which hath been ordained by the Creator, these tigers among\nmen, with hearts steeped in sin, will, O thou foremost of the Kurus,\ndepopulate the earth by hurling and shooting all kinds of weapons, with\ngreat manliness and strength and always addressing one another\nboastfully with words such as these, \"_Thou shall not escape from me\ntoday with life_.\" And these illustrious sons of Pandu also, five in\nnumber, will fight with these. And, endued with mighty strength and\nfavoured by Fate, they will compass the destruction of these. And, O\nking, many _Daityas_ and _Rakshasas_ also that have been born in the\nKshatriya order, will fight with great prowess in the battle with thy\nfoes, using maces and clubs and lances and various weapons of a superior\nkind. And, O hero, with respect to the fear that is in thy heart rising\nfrom Arjuna, we have already settled the means for slaying Arjuna. The\nsoul of the slain Naraka hath assumed the form of Karna. Recollecting\nhis former hostility he will encounter both Kesava and Arjuna. And that\nmighty warrior and foremost of smiters, proud of his prowess will\nvanquish Arjuna in battle as also all thy enemies. The wielder of the\nthunder-bolt, knowing all this, and desirous of saving Arjuna, will in\ndisguise take away from Karna his ear-rings and coat of mail. We also\nhave for that reason appointed hundreds upon hundreds and thousands upon\nthousands of _Daityas_ and _Rakshasas_, viz., those that are known by\nthe name of _Samsaptakas_.[43] These celebrated warriors will slay the\nheroic Arjuna. Therefore, grieve not, O king. Thou wilt rule the whole\nearth, O monarch, without a rival. Do not yield to despondency. Conduct\nsuch as this does not suit thee. O thou of the Kuru race, if thou diest,\nour party becometh weak. Go thou, O hero, and let not thy mind be\ndirected to any other course of action. Thou art ever our refuge as,\nindeed, the Pandavas are the refuge of the gods.'\"\n\n    [43] Lit, Soldiers that have sworn to conquer or die. A full\n    Akshauhini of these soldiers was owned by Krishna, who gave them\n    to Duryodhana to fight for him. The story of Krishna's offering\n    to Duryodhana the choice between these soldiers on the one side,\n    and himself sworn not to fight but only to aid with his counsels\n    on the other, is given in full in the Udyoga Parva. Duryodhana,\n    from folly, accepted the former, who were all slain by Arjuna.\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having addressed him thus, those _Daityas_\nembraced that elephant among kings, and those bulls among the _Danavas_\ncheered that irrepressible one like a son. And, O Bharata, pacifying his\nmind by soft speech, they permitted him to depart, saying, 'Go and\nattain victory!' And when they had given leave to the mighty-armed one,\nthat very goddess carried him back to the spot where he had sat down,\nintent upon putting an end to his life. And having set that hero down\nand paid him homage, the goddess vanished, taking the king's permission.\nO Bharata, when she had gone, king Duryodhana considered all (that had\nhappened) as a dream. He then thought within himself, 'I shall defeat\nthe Pandavas in battle.' And Suyodhana thought that Karna and the\nSamsaptaka army were both able (to destroy) and intent upon destroying\nthat slayer of foes, Partha. Thus, O bull of the Bharata race, the hope\nwas strengthened of the wicked minded son of Dhritarashtra, of\nconquering the Pandavas. And Karna also, his soul and faculties\npossessed by the inmost soul of Naraka, had at that time cruelly\ndetermined to slay Arjuna. And those heroes--the Samsaptakas\nalso--having their sense possessed by the _Rakshasas_, and influenced by\nthe qualities of emotion and darkness, were desirous of slaying\nPhalguna. And, O king, others with Bhishma, Drona, and Kripa at their\nhead, having their faculties influenced by the Danavas, were not so\naffectionate towards the sons of Pandu as they had been. But king\nSuyodhana did not tell any one of this.\n\n\"When the night passed away, Karna, that offspring of the Sun, with\njoined hands, smilingly addressed these wise words to king Duryodhana,\n'No dead man conquereth his foes: it is when he is alive that he can see\nhis good. Where is the good of the dead person; and, O Kauravya, where\nis his victory? Therefore, this is no time for grief, or fear or death.'\nAnd having, with his arms embraced that mighty-armed one, he further\nsaid, 'Rise up, O king! Why dost thou lie down? Why dost thou grieve, O\nslayer of foes? Having afflicted thy enemies by thy prowess, why dost\nthou wish for death? Or (perhaps) fear hath possessed thee at the sight\nof Arjuna's prowess. I truly promise unto thee that I will slay Arjuna\nin battle. O lord of men, I swear by my weapon that when the three and\nten years shall have passed away, I will bring the sons of Pritha under\nthy subjection.' Thus addressed by Karna, and remembering the words of\nthe _Daityas_ and supplications made by them (his brothers), Suyodhana\nrose up. And having heard those words of the _Daityas_ that tiger among\nmen, with a firm resolve in his heart arrayed his army, abounding in\nhorses and elephants and cars and infantry. And, O monarch, immensely\nswarming with white umbrellas, and pennons, and white _Chamaras_, and\ncars, and elephants, and foot-soldiers, that mighty army, as it moved\nlike the waters of the Ganga, looked graceful like the firmament, at a\nseason when the clouds have dispersed and the signs of autumn have been\nbut partially developed. And, O foremost of kings, eulogised like a\nmonarch by the best of the Brahmanas blessing with victory, that lord of\nmen Suyodhana, Dhritarashtra's son, receiving honours paid with\ninnumerable joined palms, and flaming in exceeding splendour, went in\nthe front, accompanied by Karna, and that gambler, the son of Suvala.\nAnd all his brothers with Dussasana at their head, and Bhurisrava, and\nSomadatta, and the mighty king Vahlika, followed that lion among kings\non his way, with cars of various forms, and horses, and the best of\nelephants. And, O prince among monarchs, in a short time, those\nperpetuators of the Kuru race entered their own city.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLI\n\nJanamejaya said, \"When the high-souled sons of Pritha were living in the\nforest, what did those foremost of men and mighty archers--the sons of\nDhritarashtra--do? And what did the offspring of the Sun, Karna, and the\nmighty Sakuni, and Bhishma, and Drona, and Kripa do? It behoveth thee to\nrelate this unto me.\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"When, O mighty king, in this manner the Pandavas had\ngone, leaving Suyodhana, and when, having been liberated by Pandu's\nsons, he had come to Hastinapura, Bhishma said these words to the son of\nDhritarashtra, 'O child, I had told thee before, when thou wert intent\nupon going to the hermitage that thy journey did not please me. But thou\ndidst do so. And as a consequence, O hero, wert thou forcibly taken\ncaptive by the enemy, and wert delivered by the Pandavas versed in\nmorality. Yet art thou not ashamed. Even in the presence of thee, O son\nof Gandhari, together with thy army, did the Suta's son, struck with\npanic, fly from the battle of the Gandharvas, O king. And, O foremost of\nkings, O son of the monarch! while thou with thy army wert crying\ndistressfully, thou didst witness the prowess of the high-souled\nPandavas, and also, O mighty-armed one, of the wicked son of the Suta,\nKarna. O best of kings, whether in the science of arms, or heroism, or\nmorality, Karna, O thou devoted to virtue, is not a fourth part of the\nPandavas. Therefore, for the welfare of this race, the conclusion of\npeace is, I think, desirable with the high-souled Pandavas.'\n\n\"Having been thus addressed by Bhishma, Dhritarashtra's son the king,\nlaughed a good deal, and then suddenly sailed out with the son of\nSuvala. Thereupon, knowing that he was gone, those mighty bowmen with\nKarna, and Dussasana at their head, followed the highly powerful son of\nDhritarashtra. And seeing them gone, Bhishma, the grandfather of the\nKurus, hung down his head from shame, and then, O king, went to his own\nquarters. And, O mighty monarch, when Bhishma had left, that lord of\nmen, Dhritarashtra's son came there again, and began to consult with his\ncounsellors, 'What is it that is good for me? What remaineth to be done?\nAnd how we can most effectively bring about the good we shall discuss\nto-day.' Karna said, 'O Kuru's son, Duryodhana, do thou lay to heart the\nwords that I say. Bhishma always blameth us, and praiseth the Pandavas.\nAnd from the ill-will he beareth towards thee, he hateth me also. And, O\nlord of men, in thy presence he ever crieth me down. I shall never, O\nBharata, bear these words that Bhishma had said in thy presence in\nrelation to this matter, extolling the Pandavas, and censuring thee, O\nrepresser of foes! Do thou, O king, enjoin on me, together with\nservants, forces, and cars. I shall, O monarch, conquer the earth\nfurnished with mountains and woods and forests. The earth had been\nconquered by the four powerful Pandavas. I shall, without doubt, conquer\nit for thee single-handed. Let that wretch of the Kuru race, the\nexceedingly wicked-minded Bhishma, see it,--he who vilifies those that\ndo not deserve censure, and praises those that should not be praised.\nLet him this day witness my might, and blame himself. Do thou, O king,\ncommand me. Victory shall surely be thine. By my weapon, O monarch, I\nswear this before thee.'\n\n\"O king, O bull of the Bharata race, hearing those words of Karna, that\nlord of men, experiencing the highest delight, spoke unto Karna, saying,\n'I am blessed. I have been favoured by thee,--since thou, endued with\ngreat strength, art ever intent on my welfare. My life hath borne fruit,\nto-day. As thou, O hero, intendest to subdue all our enemies, repair\nthou. May good betide thee! Do thou command me (what I am to do).' O\nsubduer of foes, having been thus addressed by Dhritarashtra's\nintelligent son, Karna ordered all the necessaries for the excursion.\nAnd on an auspicious lunar day, at an auspicious moment, and under the\ninfluence of a star presided over by an auspicious deity, that mighty\nbowman, having been honoured by twice-born ones, and been bathed with\nauspicious and holy substances and also worshipped by speech set out,\nfilling with the rattle of his car the three worlds, with their mobile\nand immobile objects.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLII\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then, O bull among the Bharatas, that mighty\nbowman, Karna, surrounded by a large army, besieged the beautiful city\nof Drupada. And he, after a hard conflict, brought the hero under\nsubjection, and, O best of monarchs, made Drupada contribute silver and\ngold and gems, and also pay tribute. And, O foremost of kings, having\nsubdued him, (Karna) brought under subjection those princes that were\nunder him (Drupada) and made them pay tribute. Then going to the north,\nhe subdued the sovereigns (of that quarter) and having effected the\ndefeat of Bhagadatta, Radha's son ascended that mighty mountain Himavat,\nall along fighting his foes. And ranging all sides, he conquered and\nbrought under subjection all the kings inhabiting the Himavat, and made\nthem pay dues. Then descending from the mountain and rushing to the\neast, he reduced the Angas, and the Bangas, and the Kalingas, and the\nMandikas, and the Magadhas, the Karkakhandas; and also included with\nthem the Avasiras, Yodhyas, and the Ahikshatras. Having (thus) conquered\nthe eastern quarter Karna then presented himself before Batsa-bhumi. And\nhaving taken Batsa-bhumi, he reduced Kevali, and Mrittikavati, and\nMohana and Patrana, and Tripura, and Kosala,--and compelled all these to\npay tribute. Then going to the south, Karna vanquished the mighty\ncharioteers (of that quarter) and in Dakshinatya, the Suta's son entered\ninto conflict with Rukmi. After having fought dreadfully, Rukmi spake to\nthe Suta's son saying, 'O foremost of monarchs, I have been pleased with\nthy might and prowess. I shall not do thee wrong: I have only fulfilled\nthe vow of a Kshatriya. Gladly will I give thee as many gold coins as\nthou desirest.' Having met with Rukmi, Karna repaired to Pandya and the\nmountain, Sri. And by fighting, he made Karala, king Nila, Venudari's\nson, and other best of kings living in the southern direction pay\ntribute. Then going to Sisupala's son, the son of the Suta defeated him\nand that highly powerful one also brought under his sway all the\nneighbouring rulers. And, O bull of the Bharata race, having subjugated\nthe Avantis and concluded peace with them, and having met with the\nVrishnis, he conquered the west. And, having come to the quarter of\nVaruna, he made all the Yavana and Varvara kings pay tribute. And,\nhaving conquered the entire earth--east, west, north and south--that\nhero without any aid brought under subjection all the nations of the\nMlechchhas, the mountaineers, the Bhadras, the Rohitakas, the Agneyas\nand the Malavas. And, having conquered the mighty charioteers, headed by\nthe Nagnajitas, the Suta's son brought the _Sasakas_ and the _Yavanas_\nunder his sway. Having thus conquered and brought under his subjection\nthe world, the mighty charioteer and tiger among men came (back) to\nHastinapura. That lord of men, Dhritarashtra's son, accompanied by his\nfather and brothers and friends, came to that mighty bowman, who had\narrived, and duly paid homage unto Karna crowned with martial merit. And\nthe king proclaimed his feats, saying, 'What I have not received from\neither Bhishma, or Drona, or Kripa, or Vahlika, I have received from\nthee. May good betide thee! What need of speaking at length! Hear my\nwords, O Karna! In thee, O chief of men, I have my refuge. O\nmighty-armed one, O tiger among men, without doubt all the Pandavas and\nthe other kings crowned with prosperity, come not to a sixteenth part of\nthee. Do thou, O mighty bowman, O Karna, see Dhritarashtra, and the\nillustrious Gandhari, as the bearer of the thunderbolt did Aditi.'\n\n\"Then, O king, there arose in the city of Hastinapura a clamour, and\nsounds of _Oh!_ and _Alas!_ and, O lord of men, some of the kings\npraised him (Karna), while others censured him, while others, again,\nremained silent. Having thus, O foremost of monarchs, in a short time\nconquered this earth furnished with mountains and forests and skies, and\nwith oceans, and fields, and filled with high and low tracts, and\ncities, and replete also with islands, O lord of earth, and brought the\nmonarchs under subjection,--and having gained imperishable wealth, the\nSuta's son appeared before the king. Then, O represser of foes, entering\ninto the interior of the palace that hero saw Dhritarashtra with\nGandhari, O tiger among men, that one conversant with morality took hold\nof his feet even like a son. And Dhritarashtra embraced him\naffectionately, and then dismissed him. Ever since that time, O monarch,\nO Bharata, king Duryodhana and Sakuni, the son of Suvala, thought that\nPritha's sons had already been defeated in battle by Karna.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLIII\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"O king, O lord of men, that slayer of hostile\nheroes, the Suta's son, said these words to Duryodhana, 'O Kaurava\nDuryodhana, do thou lay unto thy heart the words that I shall tell thee;\nand, O represser of foes, after having heard my words, it behoveth thee\nto act accordingly every way. Now, O best of monarchs, O hero, hath the\nearth been rid of foes. Do thou rule her even like the mighty-minded\nSakra himself, having his foes destroyed.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having been thus addressed by Karna, the king\nagain spake unto him, saying, 'O bull among men, nothing whatever is\nunattainable to him who hath thee for refuge, and to whom thou art\nattached and on whose welfare thou art entirely intent. Now, I have a\npurpose, which do thou truly listen to. Having beheld that foremost of\nsacrifices, the mighty _Rajasuya_, performed by the Pandavas, a desire\nhath sprung up in me (to celebrate the same). Do thou, O Suta's son,\nfulfil this desire of mine.' Thus addressed, Karna spake thus unto the\nking, 'Now that all the rulers of the earth have been brought under thy\nsubjection, do thou summon the principal Brahmanas, and, O best of\nKurus, duly procure the articles required for the sacrifice. And, O\nrepresser of foes, let Ritwijas as prescribed, and versed in the Vedas,\ncelebrate thy rites according to the ordinance, O king. And, O bull of\nthe Bharata race, let thy great sacrifice also, abounding in meats and\ndrinks, and grand with parts, commence.'\n\n\"O king, having been thus addressed by Karna, Dhritarashtra's son\nsummoned the priest, and spake unto him these words, 'Do thou duly and\nin proper order celebrate for me that best of sacrifices, the _Rajasuya_\nfurnished with excellent _Dakshinas_.' Thus accosted, that best of\nBrahmanas spake unto the king, saying, 'O foremost of the Kauravas,\nwhile Yudhishthira is living, that best of sacrifices cannot be\nperformed in thy family, O Prince of kings! Further, O monarch, thy\nfather Dhritarashtra, endued with long life, liveth. For this reason\nalso, O best of kings, this sacrifice cannot be undertaken by thee.\nThere is, O lord, another great sacrifice, resembling the Rajasuya. Do\nthou, O foremost of kings, celebrate that sacrifice. Listen to these\nwords of mine. All these rulers of the earth, who have, O king, become\ntributary to thee, will pay thee tribute in gold, both pure and impure.\nOf that gold, do thou, O best of monarchs, now make the (sacrificial)\nplough, and do thou, O Bharata, plough the sacrificial compound with it.\nAt that spot, let there commence, O foremost of kings, with due rites,\nand without any disturbance the sacrifice, sanctified with _mantras_\nabounding in edibles. The name of that sacrifice worthy of virtuous\npersons, is Vaishnava. No person save the ancient Vishnu hath performed\nit before. This mighty sacrifice vies with that best of sacrifices--the\n_Rajasuya_ itself. And, further, it liketh us--and it is also for thy\nwelfare (to celebrate it). And, moreover, it is capable of being\ncelebrated without any disturbance. (By undertaking this), thy desire\nwill be fufilled.'\n\n\"Having been thus addressed by those Brahmanas, Dhritarashtra's son, the\nking, spake these words to Karna, his brothers and the son of Suvala,\n'Beyond doubt, the words of the Brahmanas are entirely liked by me. If\nthey are relished by you also, express it without delay.' Thus appealed,\nthey all said unto the king, 'So be it.' Then the king one by one\nappointed persons to their respective tasks; and desired all the\nartisans to construct the (sacrificial) plough. And, O best of kings,\nall that had been commanded to be done, was gradually executed.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLIV\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then all the artisans, the principal\ncounsellors, and the highly wise Vidura said unto Dhritarashtra's son,\n'All the preparations for the excellent sacrifice have been made, O\nking; and the time also hath come, O Bharata. And the exceedingly\nprecious golden plough hath been constructed.' Hearing this, O monarch,\nthat best of kings, Dhritarashtra's son commanded that prince among\nsacrifices to be commenced. Then commenced that sacrifice sanctified by\n_mantras_, and abounding in edibles, and the son of Gandhari was duly\ninitiated according to the ordinance. And Dhritarashtra, and the\nillustrious Vidura, and Bhishma, and Drona, and Kripa, and Karna, and\nthe celebrated Gandhari experienced great delight. And, O foremost of\nkings, Duryodhana despatched swift messengers to invite the princes and\nthe Brahmanas. And mounting fleet vehicles they went to the (respective)\ndirections assigned to them. Then to a certain messenger on the point of\nsetting out, Dussasana said, 'Go thou speedily to the woods of _Dwaita_;\nand in that forest duly invite the Brahmanas and those wicked persons,\nthe Pandavas.' Thereupon, he repaired thither, and bowing down to all\nthe Pandavas, said, 'Having acquired immense wealth by his native\nprowess, that best of kings and foremost of Kurus, Duryodhana, O\nmonarch, is celebrating a sacrifice. Thither are going from various\ndirections the kings and the Brahmanas. O king, I have been sent by the\nhigh-souled Kaurava. That king and lord of men, Dhritarashtra's son,\ninvites you. It behoveth you, therefore, to witness the delightful\nsacrifice of that monarch.'\n\n\"Hearing these words of the messenger, that tiger among kings, the royal\nYudhishthira, said, 'By good luck it is that that enhancer of the glory\nof his ancestors, king Suyodhana is celebrating this best of sacrifices.\nWe should certainly repair thither; but we cannot do now; for till (the\ncompletion of) the thirteenth year, we shall have to observe our vow.'\nHearing this speech of Yudhishthira the just, Bhima said these words,\n'Then will king Yudhishthira the just go thither, when he will cast him\n(Duryodhana) into the fire kindled by weapons. Do thou say unto\nSuyodhana. \"_When after the expiration of the thirteenth year, that lord\nof men, the Pandava, will, in the sacrifice of battle, pour upon the\nDhritarashtras, the clarified butter of his ire, then will I come!_\"' But\nthe other Pandavas, O king, did not say anything unpleasant. The\nmessenger (on his return) related unto Dhritarashtra's son all as it had\nfallen out. Then there came to the city of Dhritarashtra many foremost\nof men, lords of various countries, and highly virtuous Brahmanas. And\nduly received in order according to the ordinance, those lords of men\nexperienced great delight and were all well-pleased. And that foremost\namong monarchs--Dhritarashtra--surrounded by all the Kauravas,\nexperienced the height of joy, and spake unto Vidura, saying, 'Do thou,\nO Kshatta, speedily so act that all persons in the sacrificial compound\nmay be served with food, be refreshed and satisfied.' Thereupon, O\nrepresser of foes, assenting to that order, the learned Vidura versed in\nmorality, cheerfully entertained all the orders in proper measure with\nmeat and beverages to eat and drink, and fragrant garland and various\nkinds of attire. And having constructed pavilions (for their\naccommodation), that hero and foremost of kings, duly entertained the\nprinces and the Brahmanas by thousands, and also bestowing upon them\nwealth of various kinds, bade them farewell. And having dismissed all\nthe kings, he entered Hastinapura, surrounded by his brothers, and in\ncompany with Karna and Suvala's son.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"While, O great king, Duryodhana was entering (the\ncity), the panegyrists eulogized the prince of unfailing prowess. And\nothers also eulogized that mighty bowman and foremost of kings. And\nsprinkling over him fried paddy and sandal paste the citizens said, 'By\ngood luck it is, O king, that thy sacrifice hath been completed without\nobstruction.' And some, more reckless of speech, that were present\nthere, said unto that lord of the earth, 'Surely this thy sacrifice\ncannot be compared with Yudhishthira's: nor doth this come up to a\nsixteenth part of that (sacrifice).' Thus spake unto that king some that\nwere reckless of consequences. His friends, however, said, 'This\nsacrifice of thine hath surpassed all others. Yayati and Nahusha, and\nMandhata and Bharata, having been sanctified by celebrating such a\nsacrifice, have all gone to heaven.' Hearing such agreeable words from\nhis friends, that monarch, O bull of the Bharata's race, well-pleased,\nentered the city and finally his own abode. Then, O king, worshipping\nthe feet of his father and mother and of others headed by Bhishma, Drona\nand Kripa, and of the wise Vidura, and worshipped in turn by his younger\nbrothers, that delighter of brothers sat down upon an excellent seat,\nsurrounded by the latter. And the Suta's son, rising up, said, 'By good\nluck it is, O foremost of the Bharata race, that this mighty sacrifice\nof thine hath been brought to a close. When, however, the sons of Pritha\nshall have been slain in battle and thou wilt have completed the\n_Rajasuya_ sacrifice, once again, O lord of men, shall I honour thee\nthus.' Then that mighty king, the illustrious son of Dhritarashtra,\nreplied unto him, 'Truly hath this been spoken by thee. When, O foremost\nof men, the wicked-minded Pandavas have been slain, and when also the\ngrand _Rajasuya_ hath been celebrated by me, then thou shalt again, O\nhero, honour me thus.' And having said this, O Bharata, the Kaurava\nembraced Karna, and began, O mighty king, to think of the _Rajasuya_,\nthat foremost of sacrifices. And that best of kings also addressed the\nKurus around him, saying, 'When shall I, ye Kauravas, having slain all\nthe Pandavas, celebrate that costly and foremost of sacrifices, the\n_Rajasuya_.' Then spake Karna unto him, saying, 'Hear me, O elephant\namong kings! So long as I do not slay Arjuna, I shall not allow any one\nto wash my feet, nor shall I taste meat. And I shall observe the _Asura_\nvow[44] and whoever may solicit me (for any thing), I never shall say,\n\"_I have it not_.\"' When Karna had thus vowed to slay Phalguna in\nbattle, those mighty charioteers and bowmen, the sons of Dhritarashtra,\nsent up a loud cheer; and Dhritarashtra's sons thought that the Pandavas\nhad already been conquered. Then that chief of kings, the graceful\nDuryodhana, leaving those bulls among men, entered his apartment, like\nthe lord Kuvera entering the garden of Chitraratha. And all those mighty\nbowmen also, O Bharata, went to their respective quarters.\n\n    [44] The vow of the Asuras was (according to the Burdwan\n    Pundits) never to drink wine. It is more rational to suppose\n    that Karna swears to give up the refined manners and practices\n    of the Arvas and adopt those of the Asuras till the consummation\n    of the cherished desire.\n\n\"Meanwhile those mighty bowmen, the Pandavas, excited by the words the\nmessenger had spoken, became anxious, and they did not (from that time)\nexperience the least happiness. Intelligence, further, O foremost of\nkings, had been brought by spies regarding the vow of the Suta's son to\nslay Vijaya. Hearing this, O lord of men, Dharma's son became\nexceedingly anxious. And considering Karna of the impenetrable mail to\nbe of wonderful prowess, and remembering all their woes, he knew no\npeace. And that high-souled one filled with anxiety, made up his mind to\nabandon the woods about _Dwaitavana_ abounding with ferocious animals.\n\n\"Meanwhile the royal son of Dhritarashtra began to rule the earth, along\nwith his heroic brothers as also with Bhishma and Drona and Kripa. And\nwith the assistance of the Suta's son crowned with martial glory,\nDuryodhana remained ever intent on the welfare of the rulers of the\nearth, and he worshipped the foremost of Brahmanas by celebrating\nsacrifices with profuse gifts. And that hero and subduer of foes, O\nking, was engaged in doing good to his brothers, concluding for certain\nin his mind that giving and enjoying are the only use of riches.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLVI\n\nJanamejaya said, \"After having delivered Duryodhana, what did the mighty\nsons of Pandu do in that forest? It behoveth thee to tell me this.\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Once on a time, as Yudhishthira lay down at night in\nthe _Dwaita_ woods, some deer, with accents choked in tears, presented\nthemselves before him in his dreams. To them standing with joined hands,\ntheir bodies trembling all over that foremost of monarchs said, 'Tell me\nwhat ye wish to say. Who are ye? And what do ye desire?' Thus accosted\nby Kunti's son--the illustrious Pandava, those deer, the remnant of\nthose that had been slaughtered, replied unto him, saying, 'We are, O\nBharata, those deer that are still alive after them that had been\nslaughtered. We shall be exterminated totally. Therefore, do thou change\nthy residence. O mighty king, all thy brothers are heroes, conversant\nwith weapons; they have thinned the ranks of the rangers of the forest.\nWe few--the remnants,--O mighty-minded one, remain like seed. By thy\nfavour, O king of kings, let us increase.' Seeing these deer, which\nremained like seed after the rest had been destroyed trembling and\nafflicted with fear, Yudhishthira the just was greatly affected with\ngrief. And the king, intent on the welfare of all creatures, said unto\nthem, 'So be it. I shall act as ye have said.' Awaking after such a\nvision, that excellent king, moved by pity towards the deer, thus spake\nunto his brothers assembled there, 'Those deer that are alive after them\nthat have been slaughtered, accosted me at night, after I had awakened,\nsaying, \"_We remain like the cues of our lines. Blest be thou! Do thou\nhave compassion on us_.\" And they have spoken truly. We ought to feel\npity for the dwellers of the forest. We have been feeding on them for a\nyear together and eight months. Let us, therefore, again (repair) to the\nromantic Kamyakas, that best of forests abounding in wild animals,\nsituated at the head of the desert, near lake Trinavindu. And there let\nus pleasantly pass the rest of our time.' Then, O king, the Pandavas\nversed in morality, swiftly departed (thence), accompanied by the\nBrahmanas and all those that lived with them, and followed by Indrasena\nand other retainers. And proceeding along the roads walked (by\ntravellers), furnished with excellent corn and clear water, they at\nlength beheld the sacred asylum of Kamyaka endued with ascetic merit.\nAnd as pious men enter the celestial regions, those foremost of the\nBharata race, the Kauravas, surrounded by those bulls among Brahmanas\nentered that forest.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLVII\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Dwelling in the woods, O bull of the Bharata\nrace, the high-souled Pandavas spent one and ten years in a miserable\nplight. And although deserving of happiness, those foremost of men,\nbrooding over their circumstances, passed their days miserably, living\non fruits and roots. And that royal sage, the mighty-armed Yudhishthira,\nreflecting that the extremity of misery that had befallen his brothers,\nwas owing to his own fault, and remembering those sufferings that had\narisen from his act of gambling, could not sleep peacefully. And he felt\nas if his heart had been pierced with a lance. And remembering the harsh\nwords of the Suta's son, the Pandava, repressing the venom of his wrath,\npassed his time in humble guise, sighing heavily. And Arjuna and both\nthe twins and the illustrious Draupadi, and the mighty Bhima--he that\nwas strongest of all men--experienced the most poignant pain in casting\ntheir eyes on Yudhishthira. And thinking that a short time only remained\n(of their exile), those bulls among men, influenced by rage and hope and\nby resorting to various exertions and endeavours, made their bodies\nassume almost different shapes.\n\n\"After a little while, that mighty ascetic, Vyasa, the son of Satyavati,\ncame there to see the Pandavas. And seeing him approach, Kunti's son,\nYudhishthira, stepped forward, and duly received that high-souled one.\nAnd having gratified Vyasa by bowing down unto him, Pandu's son of\nsubdued senses, after the _Rishi_ had been seated, sat down before him,\ndesirous of listening to him. And beholding his grandsons lean and\nliving in the forest on the produce of the wilderness, that mighty sage,\nmoved by compassion, said these words, in accents choked in tears, 'O\nmighty-armed Yudhishthira, O thou best of virtuous persons, those men\nthat do not perform ascetic austerities never attain great happiness in\nthis world. People experience happiness and misery by turns; for surely,\nO bull among men, no man ever enjoyeth unbroken happiness. A wise man\nendued with high wisdom, knowing that life hath its ups and downs, is\nneither filled with joy nor with grief. When happiness cometh, one\nshould enjoy it; when misery cometh, one should bear it, as a sower of\ncrops must bide his season. Nothing is superior to asceticism: by\nasceticism one acquireth mighty fruit. Do thou know, O Bharata, that\nthere is nothing that asceticism cannot achieve. Truth, sincerity,\nfreedom from anger, justice, self-control, restraint of the faculties,\nimmunity from malice, guilelessness, sanctity, and mortification of the\nsenses, these, O mighty monarch, purify a person of meritorious acts.\nFoolish persons addicted to vice and bestial ways, attain to brutish\nbirths in after life and never enjoy happiness. The fruit of acts done\nin this world is reaped in the next. Therefore should one restrain his\nbody by asceticism and the observance of vows. And, O king, free from\nguile and with a cheerful spirit, one should, according to his power,\nbestow gifts, after going down to the recipient and paying him homage. A\ntruth-telling person attaineth a life devoid of trouble. A person void\nof anger attaineth sincerity, and one free from malice acquireth supreme\ncontentment. A person who hath subdued his senses and his inner\nfaculties, never knoweth tribulation; nor is a person of subdued senses\naffected by sorrow at the height of other's prosperity. A man who giveth\neveryone his due, and the bestower of boons, attain happiness, and come\nby every object of enjoyment; while a man free from envy reapeth perfect\nease. He that honoureth those to whom honour is due, attaineth birth in\nan illustrious line; and he that hath subdued his senses, never cometh\nby misfortune. A man whose mind followeth good, after having paid his\ndebt to nature, is on this account, born again endued with a righteous\nmind.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O eminently virtuous one, O mighty sage, of the\nbestowal of gifts and the observance of asceticism, which is of greater\nefficacy in the next world, and which, harder of practice?'\n\n\"Vyasa said, 'There is nothing, O child, in this world harder to\npractise than charity. Men greatly thirst after wealth, and wealth also\nis gotten with difficulty. Nay, renouncing even dear life itself, heroic\nmen, O magnanimous one, enter into the depths of the sea and the forest\nfor the sake of wealth. For wealth, some betake themselves to\nagriculture and the tending of kine, and some enter into servitude.\nTherefore, it is extremely difficult to part with wealth that is\nobtained with such trouble. Since nothing is harder to practise than\ncharity, therefore, in my opinion, even the bestowal of boons is\nsuperior to everything. Specially is this to be borne in mind that\nwell-earned gains should, in proper time and place, be given away to\npious men. But the bestowal of ill-gotten gains can never rescue the\ngiver from the evil of rebirth. It hath been declared, O Yudhishthira,\nthat by bestowing, in a pure spirit, even a slight gift in due time and\nto a fit recipient, a man attaineth inexhaustible fruit in the next\nworld. In this connection is instanced the old story regarding the fruit\nobtained by _Mudgala_, for having given away only a _drona_[45] of\ncorn.'\"\n\n    [45] A very small measure.\n\n\nSECTION CCLVIII\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'Why did that high-souled one give away a drona of\ncorn? And, O eminently pious one, to whom and in what prescribed way did\nhe give it? Do thou tell me this. Surely, I consider the life of that\nvirtuous person as having borne fruit with whose practices the possessor\nhimself of the six attributes, witnessing everything, was well pleased.'\n\n\"Vyasa said, 'There lived, O king, in Kurukshetra a virtuous man (sage),\nMudgala by name. And he was truthful, and free from malice, and of\nsubdued senses. And he used to lead the _Sila_ and _Unchha_ modes of\nlife.[46] And although living like a pigeon, yet that one of mighty\nausterities entertained his guests, celebrated the sacrifice called\n_Istikrita_, and performed other rites. And that sage together with his\nson and wife, ate for a fortnight, and during the other fortnight led\nthe life of a pigeon, collecting a _drona_ of corn. And celebrating the\n_Darsa_ and _Paurnamasya_ sacrifices, that one devoid of guile, used to\npass his days by taking the food that remained after the deities and the\nguests had eaten. And on auspicious lunar days, that lord of the three\nworlds, Indra himself, accompanied by the celestials used, O mighty\nmonarch, to partake of the food offered at his sacrifice. And that one,\nhaving adopted the life of a _Muni_, with a cheerful heart entertained\nhis guests also with food on such days. And as that high-souled one\ndistributed his food with alacrity, the remainder of the _drona_ of corn\nincreased as soon as a guest appeared. And by virtue of the pure spirit\nin which the sage gave away, that food of his increased so much that\nhundreds upon hundreds of learned Brahmanas were fed with it.\n\n    [46] Picking up for support (1) ears of corn and (2) individual\n    grains, left on the field by husbandmen after they have gathered\n    and carried away the sheaves, are called the Sila and the Unchha\n    modes of life.\n\n\"'And, O king, it came to pass that having heard of the virtuous Mudgala\nobservant of vows, the _Muni_ Durvasa, having space alone for his\ncovering,[47] his accoutrements worn like that of maniac, and his head\nbare of hair, came there, uttering, O Pandava various insulting words.\nAnd having arrived there that best of _Munis_ said unto the Brahmana,\n\"Know thou, O foremost of Brahmanas, that I have come hither seeking for\nfood.\" Thereupon Mudgala said unto the sage, \"Thou art welcome!\" And\nthen offering to that maniac of an ascetic affected by hunger, water to\nwash his feet and mouth, that one observant of the vow of feeding\nguests, respectfully placed before him excellent fare. Affected by\nhunger, the frantic _Rishi_ completely exhausted the food that had been\noffered unto him. Thereupon, Mudgala furnished him again with food. Then\nhaving eaten up all that food, he besmeared his body with the unclean\norts and went away as he had come. In this manner, during the next\nseason, he came again and ate up all the food supplied by that wise one\nleading the _Unchha_ mode of life. Thereupon, without partaking any food\nhimself, the sage Mudgala again became engaged in collecting corn,\nfollowing the _Unchha_ mode. Hunger could not disturb his equanimity.\nNor could anger, nor guile, nor a sense of degradation, nor agitation,\nenter into the heart of that best of Brahmanas leading the _Unchha_ mode\nof life along with his son and his wife. In this way, Durvasa having\nmade up his mind, during successive seasons presented himself for six\nseveral times before that best of sages living according to the _Unchha_\nmode; yet that _Muni_ could not perceive any agitation in Mudgala's\nheart; and he found the pure heart of the pure-souled ascetic always\npure. Thereupon, well-pleased, the sage addressed Mudgala, saying,\n\"There is not another guileless and charitable being like thee on earth.\nThe pangs of hunger drive away to a distance the sense of righteousness\nand deprive people of all patience. The tongue, loving delicacies,\nattracteth men towards them. Life is sustained by food. The mind,\nmoreover, is fickle, and it is hard to keep it in subjection. The\nconcentration of the mind and of the senses surely constitutes ascetic\nausterities. It must be hard to renounce in a pure spirit a thing earned\nby pains. Yet, O pious one, all this hath been duly achieved by thee. In\nthy company we feel obliged and gratified. Self-restraint, fortitude,\njustice, control of the senses and of faculties, mercy, and virtue, all\nthese are established in thee. Thou hast by thy deeds conquered the\ndifferent worlds and have thereby obtained admission into paths of\nbeautitude. Ah! even the dwellers of heaven are proclaiming thy mighty\ndeeds of charity. O thou observant of vows, thou shalt go to heaven even\nin thine own body.\"\n\n    [47] Naked.\n\n\"'Whilst the _Muni_ Durvasa was speaking thus, a celestial messenger\nappeared before Mudgala, upon a car yoked with swans and cranes, hung\nwith a neat work of bells, scented with divine fragrance, painted\npicturesquely, and possessed of the power of going everywhere at will.\nAnd he addressed the Brahmana sage, saying, \"O sage, do thou ascend into\nthis chariot earned by thy acts. Thou hast attained the fruit of thy\nasceticism!\"\n\n\"'As the messenger of the gods was speaking thus, the sage told him, \"O\ndivine messenger, I desire that thou mayst describe unto me the\nattributes of those that reside there. What are their austerities, and\nwhat their purposes? And, O messenger of the gods, what constitutes\nhappiness in heaven, and what are the disadvantages thereof? It is\ndeclared by virtuous men of good lineage that friendship with pious\npeople is contracted by only walking with them seven paces. O lord, in\nthe name of that friendship I ask thee, do thou without hesitation tell\nme the truth, and that which is good for me now. Having heard thee, I\nshall, according to thy words, ascertain the course I ought to\nfollow.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLIX\n\n\"'The messenger of the gods said, \"O great sage, thou art of simple\nunderstanding; since, having secured that celestial bliss which bringeth\ngreat honour, thou art still deliberating like an unwise person. O\n_Muni_, that region which is known as heaven, existeth there above us.\nThose regions tower high, and are furnished with excellent paths, and\nare, O sage, always ranged by celestial cars. Atheists, and untruthful\npersons, those that have not practised ascetic austerities and those\nthat have not performed great sacrifices, cannot repair thither. Only\nmen of virtuous souls, and those of subdued spirits, and those that have\ntheir faculties in subjection, and those that have controlled their\nsenses, and those that are free from malice, and persons intent on the\npractice of charity, and heroes, and men bearing marks of battle, after\nhaving, with subdued senses and faculties, performed the most\nmeritorious rites, attain those regions, O Brahmana, capable of being\nobtained only by virtuous acts, and inhabited by pious men. There, O\nMudgala, are established separately myriads of beautiful, shining, and\nresplendent worlds bestowing every object of desire, owned by those\ncelestial beings, the gods, the _Sadhyas_, and the _Vaiswas_, the great\nsages, _Yamas_, and the _Dharmas_, and the _Gandharvas_ and the\n_Apsaras_. And there is that monarch of mountains the golden Meru\nextending over a space of thirty-three thousand _Yojanas_. And there, O\nMudgala, are the sacred gardens of the celestials, with Nandana at their\nhead, where sport the persons of meritorious acts. And neither hunger,\nnor thirst, nor lassitude, nor fear, nor anything that is disgusting or\ninauspicious is there. And all the odours of that place are delightful,\nand all the breezes delicious to the touch. And all the sounds there are\ncaptivating, O sage, to the ear and the heart. And neither grief, nor\ndecrepitude, nor labour, nor repentance also is there. That world, O\n_Muni_, obtained as the fruit of one's own acts, is of this nature.\nPersons repair thither by virtue of their meritorious deeds. And the\npersons of those that dwell there look resplendent, and this, O Mudgala,\nsolely by virtue of their own acts, and not owing to the merits of\nfather or mothers. And there is neither sweat, nor stench, nor urine\nthere. And there, O _Muni_, dust doth not soils one's garments. And\ntheir excellent garlands, redolent of divine fragrance, never fade. And,\nO Brahmana, they yoke such cars as this (that I have brought). And, O\nmighty sage, devoid of envy and grief and fatigue and ignorance and\nmalice, men who have attained heaven, dwell in those regions happily.\nAnd, O bull among _Munis_, higher and higher over such regions there are\nothers endued with higher celestial virtues. Of these, the beautiful and\nresplendent regions of Brahma are the foremost. Thither, O Brahmana,\nrepair _Rishis_ that have been sanctified by meritorious acts. And there\ndwell certain beings named _Ribhus_. They are the gods of the gods\nthemselves. Their regions are supremely blessed, and are adored even by\nthe deities. These shine by their own light, and bestow every object of\ndesire. They suffer no pangs that women might cause, do not possess\nworldly wealth, and are free from guile. The _Ribhus_ do not subsist on\noblations, nor yet on ambrosia. And they are endued with such celestial\nforms that they cannot be perceived by the senses. And these eternal\ngods of the celestials do not desire happiness for happiness' sake, nor\ndo they change at the revolution of a _Kalpa_. Where, indeed, is their\ndecrepitude or dissolution? For them there is neither ecstasy, nor joy,\nnor happiness. They have neither happiness nor misery. Wherefore should\nthey have anger or aversion then, O _Muni_? O Mudgala, their supreme\nstate is coveted even by the gods. And that crowning emancipation, hard\nto attain, can never be acquired by people subject to desire. The number\nof those deities is thirty-three. To their regions repair wise men,\nafter having observed excellent vows, or bestowed gifts according to the\nordinance. Thou also hast easily acquired that success by thy charities.\nDo thou, by effulgence displayed by virtue of thy ascetic austerities,\nenjoy that condition obtained by thy meritorious acts. Such, O Brahmana,\nis the bliss of heaven containing various worlds.\n\n\"'\"Thus have I described unto thee the blessing of the celestial\nregions. Do thou now hear from me some of the disadvantages thereof.\nThat in the celestial regions a person, while reaping the fruit of the\nacts he hath already performed, cannot be engaged in any others, and\nthat he must enjoy the consequences of the former until they are\ncompletely exhausted, and, further, that he is subject to fall after he\nhath entirely exhausted his merit, form, in my opinion, the\ndisadvantages of heaven. The fall of a person whose mind hath been\nsteeped in happiness, must, O Mudgala, be pronounced as a fault. And the\ndiscontent and regret that must follow one's stay at an inferior seat\nafter one hath enjoyed more auspicious and brighter regions, must be\nhard to bear. And the consciousness of those about to fall is stupefied,\nand also agitated by emotions. And as the garlands of those about to\nfall fade away, fear invadeth their hearts. These mighty drawbacks, O\nMudgala, extend even to the regions of Brahma. In the celestial regions,\nthe virtues of men who have performed righteous acts, are countless.\nAnd, O _Muni_, this is another of the attributes of the fallen that, by\nreason of their merits, they take birth among men. And then they attain\nto high fortune and happiness. If one, however, cannot acquire knowledge\nhere, one cometh by an inferior birth. The fruits of acts done in this\nworld are reaped in the next. This world, O Brahmana, hath been declared\nto be one of acts; the others, as one of fruit. Thus have I, O Mudgala,\nasked by thee, described all unto thee. Now, O pious one, with thy\nfavour, we shall easily set out with speed.\"'\n\n\"Vyasa continued, 'Having heard this speech, Mudgala began to reflect in\nhis mind. And having deliberated well, that best of _Munis_ spake thus\nunto the celestial messenger, \"O messenger of the gods, I bow unto thee.\nDo thou, O sire, depart in peace. I have nothing to do with either\nhappiness, or heaven having such prominent defects. Persons who enjoy\nheaven suffer, after all, huge misery and extreme regret in this world.\nTherefore, I do not desire heaven. I shall seek for that unfailing\nregion repairing whither people have not to lament, or to be pained, or\nagitated. Thou hast described unto me these great defects belonging to\nthe celestial regions. Do thou now describe unto me a region free from\nfaults.\" Thereupon the celestial messenger said, \"Above the abode of\n_Brahma_, there is the supreme seat of Vishnu, pure, and eternal, and\nluminous known by the name of _Para Brahma_. Thither, O Brahmana, cannot\nrepair persons who are attached to the objects of the senses: nor can\nthose subject to arrogance, covetousness, ignorance, anger, and envy, go\nto that place. It is only those that are free from affection, and those\nfree from pride, and those free from conflicting emotions, and those\nthat have restrained their senses, and those given to contemplation and\n_Yoga_, that can repair thither.\" Having heard these words, the _Muni_\nbade farewell to the celestial messenger, and that virtuous one leading\nthe _Unchha_ mode of life, assumed perfect contentment. And then praise\nand dispraise became equal unto him; and a brickbat, stone, and gold\nassumed the same aspect in his eyes. And availing himself of the means\nof attaining _Brahma_, he became always engaged in meditation. And\nhaving obtained power by means of knowledge, and acquired excellent\nunderstanding, he attained that supreme state of emancipation which is\nregarded as Eternal. Therefore, thou also, O Kunti's son, ought not to\ngrieve. Deprived thou hast truly been of a flourishing kingdom, but thou\nwilt regain it by thy ascetic austerities. Misery after happiness, and\nhappiness after misery, revolve by turns round a man even like the point\nof a wheel's circumference round the axle. After the thirteenth year\nhath passed away, thou wilt, O thou of immeasurable might, get back the\nkingdom possessed before thee by thy father and grand-father. Therefore,\nlet the fever of thy heart depart!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having said this to Pandu's son, the worshipful\nVyasa went back to his hermitage for the purpose of performing\nausterities.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLX\n\nJanamejaya said, \"While the high-souled Pandavas were living in those\nwoods, delighted with the pleasant conversation they held with the\n_Munis_, and engaged in distributing the food they obtained from the\nsun, with various kinds of venison to Brahmanas and others that came to\nthem for edibles till the hour of Krishna's meal, how, O great _Muni_,\ndid Duryodhana and the other wicked and sinful sons of Dhritarashtra,\nguided by the counsels of Dussasana, Karna and Sakuni, deal with them? I\nask thee this. Do thou, worshipful Sir, enlighten me.\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"When, O great king, Duryodhana heard that the\nPandavas were living as happily in the woods as in a city, he longed,\nwith the artful Karna, Dussasana and others, to do them harm. And while\nthose evil-minded persons were employed in concerting various wicked\ndesigns, the virtuous and celebrated ascetic Durvasa, following the bent\nof his own will, arrived at the city of the Kurus with ten thousand\ndisciples. And seeing the irascible ascetic arrived, Duryodhana and his\nbrothers welcomed him with great humility, self-abasement and\ngentleness. And himself attending on the _Rishi_ as a menial, the prince\ngave him a right worshipful reception. And the illustrious _Muni_ stayed\nthere for a few days, while king Duryodhana, watchful of his\nimprecations, attended on him diligently by day and night. And sometimes\nthe _Muni_ would say, 'I am hungry, O king, give me some food quickly.'\nAnd sometimes he would go out for a bath and, returning at a late hour,\nwould say, 'I shall not eat anything today as I have no appetite,' and\nso saying would disappear from his sight. And sometimes, coming all on a\nsudden, he would say, 'Feed us quickly.' And at other times, bent on\nsome mischief, he would awake at midnight and having caused his meals to\nbe prepared as before, would carp at them and not partake of them at\nall. And trying the prince in this way for a while, when the _Muni_\nfound that the king Duryodhana was neither angered, nor annoyed, he\nbecame graciously inclined towards him. And then, O Bharata, the\nintractable Durvasa said unto him, 'I have power to grant thee boons.\nThou mayst ask of me whatever lies nearest to thy heart. May good\nfortune be thine. Pleased as I am with thee, thou mayst obtain from me\nanything that is not opposed to religion and morals.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing these words of the great ascetic,\nSuyodhana felt himself to be inspired with new life. Indeed, it had been\nagreed upon between himself and Karna and Dussasana as to what the boon\nshould be that he would ask of the _Muni_ if the latter were pleased\nwith his reception. And the evil-minded king, bethinking himself of what\nhad previously been decided, joyfully solicited the following favour,\nsaying, 'The great king Yudhishthira is the eldest and the best of our\nrace. That pious man is now living in the forest with his brothers. Do\nthou, therefore, once become the guest of that illustrious one even as,\nO Brahmana, thou hast with thy disciples been mine for some time. If\nthou art minded to do me a favour, do thou go unto him at a time when\nthat delicate and excellent lady, the celebrated princess of Panchala,\nafter having regaled with food the Brahmanas, her husbands and herself,\nmay lie down to rest.' The _Rishi_ replied, 'Even so shall I act for thy\nsatisfaction.' And having said this to Suyodhana, that great Brahmana,\nDurvasa, went away in the very same state in which he had come. And\nSuyodhana regarded himself to have attained all the objects of his\ndesire. And holding Karna by the hand he expressed great satisfaction.\nAnd Karna, too, joyfully addressed the king in the company of his\nbrothers, saying, 'By a piece of singular good luck, thou hast fared\nwell and attained the objects of thy desire. And by good luck it is that\nthy enemies have been immersed in a sea of dangers that is difficult to\ncross. The sons of Pandu are now exposed to the fire of Durvasa's wrath.\nThrough their own fault they have fallen into an abyss of darkness.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"O king, expressing their satisfaction in this\nstrain, Duryodhana and others, bent on evil machinations, returned\nmerrily to their respective homes.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXI\n\n(_Draupadi-harana Parva_)\n\nVaisampayana said, \"One day, having previously ascertained that the\nPandavas were all seated at their ease and that Krishna was reposing\nherself after her meal, the sage Durvasa, surrounded by ten thousand\ndisciples repaired to that forest. The illustrious and upright king\nYudhishthira, seeing that guest arrived, advanced with his brothers to\nreceive him. And joining the palms of his hands and pointing to a proper\nand excellent seat, he accorded the _Rishis_ a fit and respectful\nwelcome. And the king said unto him, 'Return quick, O adorable sir,\nafter performing thy diurnal ablutions and observances.' And that\nsinless _Muni_, not knowing how the king would be able to provide a\nfeast for him and his disciples, proceeded with the latter to perform\nhis ablutions. And that host of the _Muni_, of subdued passions, went\ninto the stream for performing their ablutions. Meanwhile, O king, the\nexcellent princess Draupadi, devoted to her husbands, was in great\nanxiety about the food (to be provided for the _Munis_). And when after\nmuch anxious thought she came to the conclusion that means there were\nnone for providing a feast, she inwardly prayed to Krishna, the slayer\nof Kansa. And the princess said, 'Krishna, O Krishna, of mighty arms, O\nson of Devaki, whose power is inexhaustible, O Vasudeva, O lord of the\nUniverse, who dispellest the difficulties of those that bow down to\nthee, thou art the soul, the creator and the destroyer of the Universe.\nThou, O lord, art inexhaustible and the saviour of the afflicted. Thou\nart the preserver of the Universe and of all created beings. Thou art\nthe highest of the high, and the spring of the mental perceptions\n_Akuli_ and _Chiti_![48] O Supreme and Infinite Being, O giver of all\ngood, be thou the refuge of the helpless. O Primordial Being, incapable\nof being conceived by the soul or the mental faculties or otherwise,\nthou art the ruler of all and the lord of Brahma. I seek thy protection.\nO god, thou art ever kindly disposed towards those that take refuge in\nthee. Do thou cherish me with thy kindness. O thou with a complexion\ndark as the leaves of the blue lotus, and with eyes red as the corolla\nof the lily, and attired in yellow robes with, besides, the bright\n_Kaustubha_ gem in thy bosom, thou art the beginning and the end of\ncreation, and the great refuge of all. Thou art the supreme light and\nessence of the Universe! Thy face is directed towards every point. They\ncall thee Supreme Gem and the depository of all treasures. Under thy\nprotections, O lord of the gods, all evils lose their terror. As thou\ndidst protect me before from Dussasana, do thou extricate me now from\nthis difficulty.'\"\n\n    [48] Both these words are of doubtful meaning. It seems they are\n    employed in the Vedas to denote the faculties of knowledge and\n    the moral sense respectively.\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"The great and sovereign God, and Lord of the\nearth, of mysterious movements, the lord Kesava who is ever kind to the\ndependents, thus adored by Krishna, and perceiving her difficulty,\ninstantly repaired to that place leaving the bed of Rukmini who was\nsleeping by his side. Beholding Vasudeva, Draupadi bowed down to him in\ngreat joy and informed him of the arrival of the _Munis_ and every other\nthing. And having heard everything Krishna said unto her, 'I am very\nmuch afflicted with hunger, do thou give me some food without delay, and\nthen thou mayst go about thy work.' At these words of Kesava, Krishna\nbecame confused, and replied unto him, saying, 'The sun-given vessel\nremains full till I finish my meal. But as I have already taken my meal\ntoday, there is no food in it now.' Then that lotus-eyed and adorable\nbeing said unto Krishna, 'This is no time for jest, O Krishna.--I am\nmuch distressed with hunger, go thou quickly to fetch the vessel and\nshow it to me.' When Kesava, that ornament of the Yadu's race, had the\nvessel brought unto him,--with such persistence, he looked into it and\nsaw a particle of rice and vegetable sticking at its rim. And swallowing\nit he said unto her, 'May it please the god Hari, the soul of the\nUniverse, and may that god who partaketh at sacrifices, be satiated with\nthis.' Then the long-armed Krishna, that soother of miseries, said unto\nBhimasena, 'Do thou speedily invite the _Munis_ to dinner.' Then, O good\nking, the celebrated Bhimasena quickly went to invite all those _Munis_,\nDurvasa and others, who had gone to the nearest stream of transparent\nand cool water to perform their ablutions. Meanwhile, these ascetics,\nhaving plunged into the river, were rubbing their bodies and observing\nthat they all felt their stomachs to be full. And coming out of the\nstream, they began to stare at one another. And turning towards Durvasa,\nall those ascetics observed, 'Having bade the king make our meals ready,\nwe have come hither for a bath. But how, O regenerate _Rishi_, can we\neat anything now, for our stomachs seem to be full to the throat. The\nrepast hath been uselessly prepared for us. What is the best thing to be\ndone now?' Durvasa replied, 'By spoiling the repast, we have done a\ngreat wrong to that royal sage, king Yudhishthira. Would not the\nPandavas destroy us by looking down upon us with angry eyes? I know the\nroyal sage Yudhishthira to be possessed of great ascetic power. Ye\nBrahmanas, I am afraid of men that are devoted to Hari. The high-souled\nPandavas are all religious men, learned, war-like, diligent in ascetic\nausterities and religious observances, devoted to Vasudeva, and always\nobservant of rules of good conduct. If provoked, they can consume us\nwith their wrath as fire doth a bale of cotton. Therefore, ye disciples,\ndo ye all run away quickly without seeing them (again)!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"All those Brahmanas, thus advised by their\nascetic preceptor, became greatly afraid of the Pandavas and fled away\nin all directions. Then Bhimasena not beholding those excellent _Munis_\nin the celestial river, made a search after them here and there at all\nthe landing places. And learning from the ascetics of those places that\nthey had run away, he came back and informed Yudhishthira of what had\nhappened. Then all the Pandavas of subdued senses, expecting them to\ncome, remained awaiting their arrival for some time. And Yudhishthira\nsaid, 'Coming dead of night the _Rishis_ will deceive us. Oh how, can we\nescape from this difficulty created by the fates?' Seeing them absorbed\nin such reflections and breathing long deep sighs at frequent intervals,\nthe illustrious Krishna suddenly appeared to them and addressed them\nthese words: 'Knowing, ye sons of Pritha, your danger from that wrathful\n_Rishi_, I was implored by Draupadi to come, and (therefore) have I come\nhere speedily. But now ye have not the least fear from the _Rishi_\nDurvasa. Afraid of your ascetic powers, he hath made himself scarce ere\nthis. Virtuous men never suffer. I now ask your permission to let me\nreturn home. May you always be prosperous!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing Kesava's words, the sons of Pritha,\nwith Draupadi, became easy in mind. And cured of their fever (of\nanxiety), they said unto him, 'As persons drowning in the wide ocean\nsafely reach the shore by means of a boat, so have we, by thy aid, O\nlord Govinda, escaped from this inextricable difficulty. Do thou now\ndepart in peace, and may prosperity be thine.' Thus dismissed, he\nrepaired to his capital and the Pandavas too, O blessed lord, wandering\nfrom forest to forest passed their days merrily with Draupadi. Thus, O\nking, have I related to thee the story which thou askedest me to repeat.\nAnd it was thus that the machinations of the wicked sons of\nDhritarashtra about the Pandavas in the forest, were frustrated.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"These great warriors of the race of Bharata\nsojourned like immortals in the great forest of Kamyaka, employed in\nhunting and pleased with the sight of numerous wild tracts of country\nand wide reaches of woodland, gorgeous with flowers blossoming in\nseason. And the sons of Pandu, each like unto Indra and the terror of\nhis enemies, dwelt there for some time. And one day those valiant men,\nthe conquerors of their foes, went about in all directions in search of\ngame for feeding the Brahmanas in their company, leaving Draupadi alone\nat the hermitage, with the permission of the great ascetic Trinavindu,\nresplendent with ascetic grandeur, and of their spiritual guide Dhaumya.\nMeanwhile, the famous king of Sindhu, the son of Vriddhakshatra was,\nwith a view to matrimony, proceeding to the kingdom of Salwa, dressed in\nhis best royal apparel and accompanied by numerous princes. And the\nprince halted in the woods of Kamyaka. And in that secluded place, he\nfound the beautiful Draupadi, the beloved and celebrated wife of the\nPandavas, standing at the threshold of the hermitage. And she looked\ngrand in the superb beauty of her form, and seemed to shed a lustre on\nthe woodland around, like lightning illuminating masses of dark clouds.\nAnd they who saw her asked themselves, 'Is this an Apsara, or a daughter\nof the gods, or a celestial phantom?' And with this thought, their hands\nalso joined together, they stood gazing on the perfect and faultless\nbeauty of her form. And Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu, and the son of\nVriddhakshatra, struck with amazement at the sight of that lady of\nfaultless beauty, was seized with an evil intention. And inflamed with\ndesire, he said to the prince named Kotika, 'Whose is this lady of\nfaultless form? Is she of the human kind? I have no need to marry if I\ncan secure this exquisitely beautiful creature. Taking her with me, I\nshall go back to my abode, Oh sir, and enquire who she is and whence she\nhas come and why also that delicate being hath come into this forest\nbeset with thorns. Will this ornament of womankind, this slender-waisted\nlady of so much beauty, endued with handsome teeth and large eyes,\naccept me as her lord? I shall certainly regard myself successful, if I\nobtain the hand of this excellent lady. Go, Kotika, and enquire who her\nhusband may be.' Thus asked, Kotika, wearing a kundala, jumped out of\nhis chariot and came near her, as a jackal approacheth a tigress, and\nspake unto her these words.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXIII\n\n\"Kotika said, 'Excellent lady, who art thou that standest alone, leaning\non a branch of the _Kadamva_ tree at this hermitage and looking grand\nlike a flame of fire blazing at night time, and fanned by the wind?\nExquisitely beautiful as thou art, how is it that thou feelest not any\nfear in these forests? Methinks thou art a goddess, or a _Yakshi_, or a\n_Danavi_, or an excellent _Apsara_, or the wife of a _Daitya_, or a\ndaughter of the _Naga_ king, or a _Rakshasi_ or the wife of Varuna, or\nof Yama, or of Soma, or of Kuvera, who, having assumed a human form,\nwanderest in these forests. Or, hast thou come from the mansions of\nDhatri, or of Vidhatri, or of Savitri, or of Vibhu, or of Sakra? Thou\ndost not ask us who we are, nor do we know who protects thee here!\nRespectfully do we ask thee, good lady, who is thy powerful father, and,\nO, do tell us truly the names of thy husband, thy relatives, and thy\nrace, and tell us also what thou dost here. As for us, I am king\nSuratha's son whom people know by the name of Kotika, and that man with\neyes large as the petals of the lotus, sitting on a chariot of gold,\nlike the sacrificial fire on the altar, is the warrior known by the name\nof Kshemankara, king of Trigarta. And behind him is the famous son of\nthe king of Pulinda, who is even now gazing on thee. Armed with a mighty\nbow and endued with large eyes, and decorated with floral wreaths, he\nalways liveth on the breasts of mountains. The dark and handsome young\nman, the scourge of his enemies, standing at the edge of that tank, is\nthe son of Suvala of the race of Ikshwaku. And if, O excellent lady,\nthou hast ever heard the name of Jayadratha, the king of Sauviras, even\nhe is there at the head of six thousand chariots, with horses and\nelephants and infantry, and followed by twelve Sauvira princes as his\nstandard-bearers, named Angaraka, Kunjara, Guptaka, Satrunjaya,\nSrinjaya, Suprabiddha, Prabhankara, Bhramara, Ravi, Sura, Pratapa and\nKuhana, all mounted on chariots drawn by chestnut horses and every one\nof them looking like the fire on the sacrificial altar. The brothers\nalso of the king, viz., the powerful Valahaka, Anika, Vidarana and\nothers, are among his followers. These strong-limbed and noble youths\nare the flowers of the Sauvira chivalry. The king is journeying in the\ncompany of these his friends, like Indra surrounded by the Maruts. O\nfine-haired lady, do tell us that are unacquainted (with these matters),\nwhose wife and whose daughter thou art.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXIV\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"The princess Draupadi, thus questioned by that\nornament of Sivi's race, moved her eyes gently, and letting go her hold\nof the Kadamva branch and arranging her silken apparel she said, 'I am\naware, O prince, that it is not proper for a person like me to address\nyou thus, but as there is not another man or woman here to speak with\nthee and as I am alone here just now, let me, therefore, speak. Know,\nworthy sir, that being alone in this forest here, I should not speak\nunto thee, remembering the usages of my sex. I have learned, O Saivya,\nthat thou art Suratha's son, whom people know by the name of Kotika.\nTherefore, on my part, I shall now tell thee of my relations and\nrenowned race. I am the daughter of king Drupada, and people know me by\nthe name of Krishna, and I have accepted as my husbands, five persons of\nwhom you may have heard while they were living at Khandavaprastha. Those\nnoble persons, viz., Yudhishthira, Bhimasena, Arjuna, and the two sons\nof Madri, leaving me here and having assigned unto themselves the four\npoints of the horizon, have gone out on a hunting excursion. The king\nhath gone to the east, Bhimasena towards the south, Arjuna to the west,\nand the twin brothers towards the north! Therefore, do ye now alight and\ndismiss your carriages so that ye may depart after receiving a due\nwelcome from them. The high-souled son of Dharma is fond of guests and\nwill surely be delighted to see you!' Having addressed Saivya's son in\nthis way, the daughter of Drupada, with face beautiful as the moon,\nremembering well her husband's character for hospitality, entered her\nspacious cottage.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"O Bharata, Kotikakhya related to those princes who\nhad been waiting, all that had passed between him and Krishna. And\nhearing Kotikakhya's words, Jayadratha said to that scion of the race of\nSivi, 'Having listened only to her speech, my heart has been lovingly\ninclined towards that ornament of womankind. Why therefore, hast thou\nreturned (thus unsuccessful)? I tell thee truly, O thou of mighty arms,\nthat having once seen this lady, other women now seem to me like so many\nmonkeys. I having looked at her, she has captivated my heart. Do tell\nme, O Saivya, if that excellent lady is of the human kind.' Kotika\nreplied, 'This lady is the famous princess Krishna, the daughter of\nDrupada, and the celebrated wife of the five sons of Pandu. She is the\nmuch esteemed and beloved and chaste wife of the sons of Pritha. Taking\nher with thee, do thou proceed towards Sauvira!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed, the evil-minded Jayadratha, the\nking of Sindhu, Sauvira and other countries, said, 'I must see\nDraupadi.' And with six other men he entered that solitary hermitage,\nlike a wolf entering the den of a lion. And he said unto Krishna, 'Hail\nto thee, excellent lady! Are thy husbands well and those, besides, whose\nprosperity thou always wishest.' Draupadi replied, 'Kunti's son king\nYudhishthira of the race of Kuru, his brothers, myself, and all those of\nwhom thou hast enquired of, are well. Is everything right with thy\nkingdom, thy government, exchequer, and thy army? Art thou, as sole\nruler, governing with justice the rich countries of Saivya, Sivi, Sindhu\nand others that thou hast brought under thy sway? Do thou, O prince,\naccept this water for washing thy feet. Do thou also take this seat. I\noffer thee fifty animals for thy train's breakfast. Besides these,\nYudhishthira himself, the son of Kunti, will give thee porcine deer and\n_Nanku_ deer, and does, and antelopes, and _Sarabhas_, and rabbits, and\n_Ruru_ deer, and bears, and _Samvara_ deer and gayals and many other\nanimals, besides wild boars and buffaloes and other animals of the\nquadruped tribe.' Hearing this Jayadratha replied, saying, 'All is well\nwith me. By offering to provide our breakfast, thou hast in a manner\nactually done it. Come now and ride my chariot and be completely happy.\nFor it becomes not thee to have any regard for the miserable sons of\nPritha who are living in the woods, whose energies have been paralysed,\nwhose kingdom hath been snatched and whose fortunes are at the lowest\nebb. A woman of sense like thee doth not attach herself to a husband\nthat is poor. She should follow her lord when he is in prosperity but\nabandon him when in adversity. The sons of Pandu have for ever fallen\naway from their high state, and have lost their kingdom for all time to\ncome. Thou hast no need, therefore, to partake of their misery from any\nregard for them. Therefore, O thou of beautiful hips, forsaking the sons\nof Pandu, be happy by becoming my wife, and share thou with me the\nkingdoms of Sindhu and Sauvira.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing these frightful words of the king of\nSindhu, Krishna retired from that place, her face furrowed into a frown\nowing to the contraction of her eye-brows. But disregarding his words\nfrom supreme contempt, the slender-waisted Krishna reproving said unto\nthe king of Sindhu, 'Speak not thus again! Art thou not ashamed? Be on\nthy guard!' And that lady of irreproachable character anxiously\nexpecting the return of her husband, began, with long speeches, to\nbeguile him completely.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXVI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"The daughter of Drupada, though naturally handsome,\nwas suffused with crimson arising from a fit of anger. And with eyes\ninflamed and eye-brows bent in wrath, she reproved the ruler of the\nSuviras, saying, 'Art thou not ashamed, O fool, to use such insulting\nwords in respect of those celebrated and terrible warriors, each like\nunto Indra himself, and who are all devoted to their duties and who\nnever waver in fight with even hosts of _Yakshas_ and _Rakshasas_? O\nSauvira, good men never speak ill of learned persons devoted to\nausterities and endued with learning, no matter whether they live in the\nwilderness or in houses. It is only wretches that are mean as thou who\ndo so. Methinks there is none in this assemblage of Kshatriya, who is\ncapable of holding thee by the hand to save thee from falling into the\npit thou openest under thy feet. In hoping to vanquish king Yudhishthira\nthe just, thou really hopest to separate, stick in hand, from a herd\nroaming in Himalayan valleys, its leader, huge as a mountain peak and\nwith the temporal juice trickling down its rent temples. Out of childish\nfolly thou art kicking up into wakefulness the powerful lion lying\nasleep, in order to pluck the hair from off his face! Thou shalt,\nhowever, have to run away when thou seest Bhimasena in wrath! Thy\ncourting a combat with the furious Jishnu may be likened to thy kicking\nup a mighty, terrible, full-grown and furious lion asleep in a mountain\ncave. The encounter thou speakest of with those two excellent\nyouths--the younger Pandavas--is like unto the act of a fool that\nwantonly trampleth on the tails of two venomous black cobras with\nbifurcated tongues. The bamboo, the reed, and the plantain bear fruit\nonly to perish and not to grow in size any further. Like also the crab\nthat conceiveth for her own destruction, thou wilt lay hands upon me who\nam protected by these mighty heroes!'\n\n\"Jayadratha replied, 'I know all this, O Krishna, and I am well aware of\nthe prowess of those princes. But thou canst not frighten us now with\nthese threats. We, too, O Krishna, belong by birth to the seventeen high\nclans, and are endowed with the six royal qualities.[49] We, therefore,\nlook down upon the Pandavas as inferior men! Therefore, do thou, O\ndaughter of Drupada, ride this elephant or this chariot quickly, for\nthou canst not baffle us with thy words alone; or, speaking less\nboastfully, seek thou the mercy of the king of the Sauviras!'\n\n    [49] The six acts of a king are peace, war, marching, halting,\n    sowing dissention, and seeking protection.\n\n\"Draupadi replied, 'Though I am so powerful, why doth the king of\nSauvira yet consider me so powerless. Well-known as I am, I cannot, from\nfear of violence, demean myself before that prince. Even Indra himself\ncannot abduct her for whose protection Krishna and Arjuna would together\nfollow, riding in the same chariot. What shall I say, therefore, of a\nweak human being. When Kiriti, that slayer of foes, riding on his car,\nwill, on my account, enter thy ranks, striking terror into every heart,\nhe will consume everything around like fire consuming a stack of dry\ngrass in summer. The warring princes of the Andhaka and the Vrishni\nraces, with Janardana at their head, and the mighty bowmen of the\nKaikeya tribe, will all follow in my wake with great ardour. The\nterrible arrows of Dhananjaya, shot from the string of the _Gandiva_ and\npropelled by his arms fly with great force through the air, roaring like\nthe very clouds. And when thou wilt behold Arjuna shooting from the\n_Gandiva_ a thick mass of mighty arrows like unto a flight of locusts,\nthen wilt thou repent of thine own folly! Bethink thyself of what thou\nwilt feel when that warrior armed with the _Gandiva_, blowing his\nconch-shell and with gloves reverberating with the strokes of his\nbowstring will again and again pierce thy breast with his shafts. And\nwhen Bhima will advance towards thee, mace in hand and the two sons of\nMadri range in all directions, vomiting forth the venom of their wrath,\nthou wilt then experience pangs of keen regret that will last for ever.\nAs I have never been false to my worthy lords even in thought, so by\nthat merit shall I now have the pleasure of beholding thee vanquished\nand dragged by the sons of Pritha. Thou canst not, cruel as thou art,\nfrighten me by seizing me with violence, for as soon as those Kuru\nwarriors will espy me they will bring me back to the woods of Kamyaka.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then that lady of large eyes, beholding them\nready to lay violent hands on her, rebuked them and said, 'Defile me not\nby your touch!' And in a great alarm she then called upon her spiritual\nadviser, Dhaumya. Jayadratha, however, seized her by her upper garment,\nbut she pushed him with great vigour. And pushed by the lady, that\nsinful wretch fell upon the ground like a tree severed from its roots.\nSeized, however, once more by him with great violence, she began to pant\nfor breath. And dragged by the wretch, Krishna at last ascended his\nchariot having worshipped Dhaumya's feet. And Dhaumya then addressed\nJayadratha and said, 'Do thou, O Jayadratha, observe the ancient custom\nof the Kshatriyas. Thou canst not carry her off without having\nvanquished those great warriors. Without doubt, thou shalt reap the\npainful fruits of this thy despicable act, when thou encounterest the\nheroic sons of Pandu with Yudhishthira the just at their head!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having said these words Dhaumya, entering into\nthe midst of Jayadratha's infantry, began to follow that renowned\nprincess who was thus being carried away by the ravisher.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXVII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Meanwhile those foremost of bowmen on the face of\nthe earth, having wandered separately and ranged in all directions, and\nhaving slain plenty of deer and buffaloes, at length met together. And\nobserving that great forest, which was crowded with hosts of deer and\nwild beasts, resounding with the shrill cries of birds, and hearing the\nshrieks and yells of the denizens of the wilderness, Yudhishthira said\nunto his brothers, 'These birds and wild beasts, flying towards that\ndirection which is illuminated by the sun, are uttering dissonant cries\nand displaying an intense excitement. All this only shows that this\nmighty forest hath been invaded by hostile intruders. Without a moment's\ndelay let us give up the chase. We have no more need of game. My heart\naches and seems to burn! The soul in my body, over-powering the\nintellect, seems ready to fly out. As a lake rid by Garuda of the mighty\nsnake that dwells in it, as a pot drained of its contents by thirsty\nmen, as a kingdom reft of king and prosperity, even so doth the forest\nof Kamyaka seem to me.' Thus addressed, those heroic warriors drove\ntowards their abode, on great cars of handsome make and drawn by steeds\nof the _Saindharva_ breed exceedingly fleet and possessed of the speed\nof the hurricane. And on their way back, they beheld a jackal yelling\nhideously on the wayside towards their left. And king Yudhishthira,\nregarding it attentively, said unto Bhima and Dhananjaya, 'This jackal\nthat belongs to a very inferior species of animals, speaking to our\nleft, speaketh a language which plainly indicates that the sinful Kurus,\ndisregarding us, have commenced to oppress us by resorting to violence.'\nAfter the sons of Pandu had given up the chase and said these words,\nthey entered the grove which contained their hermitage. And there they\nfound their beloved one's maid, the girl Dhatreyika, sobbing and\nweeping. And Indrasena then quickly alighting from the chariot and\nadvancing with hasty steps towards her, questioned her, O king, in great\ndistress of mind, saying, 'What makes thee weep thus, lying on the\nground, and why is thy face so woe-begone and colourless? I hope no\ncruel wretches have done any harm to the princess Draupadi possessed of\nincomparable beauty and large eyes and who is the second self of every\none of those bulls of the Kuru race? So anxious hath been Dharma's son\nthat if the princess hath entered the bowels of the earth or hath soared\nto heaven or dived into the bottom of the ocean, he and his brothers\nwill go thither in pursuit of her. Who could that fool be that would\ncarry away that priceless jewel belonging to the mighty and\never-victorious sons of Pandu, those grinders of foes, and which is dear\nunto them as their own lives? I don't know who the person could be that\nwould think of carrying away that princess who hath such powerful\nprotectors and who is even like a walking embodiment of the hearts of\nthe sons of Pandu? Piercing whose breasts will terrible shafts stick to\nthe ground to-day? Do not weep for her, O timid girl, for know thou that\nKrishna will come back this very day, and the sons of Pritha, having\nslain their foes, will again be united with Yagnaseni!' Thus addressed\nby him, Dhatreyika, wiping her beautiful face, replied unto Indrasena\nthe charioteer, saying, 'Disregarding the five Indra-like sons of Pandu,\nJayadratha hath carried away Krishna by force. The track pursued by him\nhath not yet disappeared, for the broken branches of trees have not yet\nfaded. Therefore, turn your cars and follow her quickly, for the\nprincess cannot have gone far by this time! Ye warriors possessed of the\nprowess of Indra, putting on your costly bows of handsome make, and\ntaking up your costly bows and quivers, speed ye in pursuit of her, lest\noverpowered by threats or violence and losing her sense and the colour\nof her cheeks, she yields herself up to an undeserving wight, even as\none poureth forth, from the sacrificial ladle, the sanctified oblation\non a heap of ashes. O, see that the clarified butter is not poured into\nan unigniting fire of paddy chaff; that a garland of flowers is not\nthrown away in a cemetery. O, take care that the _Soma_ juice of a\nsacrifice is not licked up by a dog through the carelessness of the\nofficiating priests! O, let not the lily be rudely torn by a jackal\nroaming for its prey in the impenetrable forest. O, let no inferior\nwight touch with his lips the bright and beautiful face of your wife,\nfair as the beams of the moon and adorned with the finest nose and the\nhandsomest eyes, like a dog licking clarified butter kept in the\nsacrificial pot! Do ye speed in this track and let not time steal a\nmarch on you.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'Retire, good woman, and control thy tongue. Speak\nnot this way before us. Kings or princes, whoever are infatuated with\nthe possession of power, are sure to come to grief!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"With these words, they departed, following the\ntrack pointed out to them, and frequently breathing deep sighs like the\nhissing of snakes, and twanging the strings of their large bows. And\nthen they observed a cloud of dust raised by the hoofs of the steeds\nbelonging to Jayadratha's army. And they also saw Dhaumya in the midst\nof the ravisher's infantry, exhorting Bhima to quicken his steps. Then\nthose princes (the sons of Pandu) with hearts undepressed, bade him be\nof good cheer and said unto him, 'Do thou return cheerfully!'--And then\nthey rushed towards that host with great fury, like hawks swooping down\non their prey. And possessed of the prowess of Indra, they had been\nfilled with fury at the insult offered to Draupadi. But at sight of\nJayadratha and of their beloved wife seated on his car, their fury knew\nno bounds. And those mighty bowmen, Bhima and Dhananjaya and the twin\nbrothers and the king, called out Jayadratha to stop, upon which the\nenemy was so bewildered as to lose their knowledge of directions.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXVIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"The hostile Kshatriyas, incensed at sight of\nBhimasena and Arjuna, sent up a loud shout in the forest. And the wicked\nking Jayadratha, when he saw the standards of those bulls of the Kuru\nrace, lost his heart, and addressing the resplendent Yagnaseni seated on\nhis car, said, 'Those five great warriors, O Krishna, that are coming,\nare I believe, thy husbands. As thou knowest the sons of Pandu well, do\nthou, O lady of beautiful tresses, describe them one by one to us,\npointing out which of them rideth which car!' Thus addressed, Draupadi\nreplied, 'Having done this violent deed calculated to shorten thy life,\nwhat will it avail thee now, O fool, to know the names of those great\nwarriors, for, now that my heroic husbands are come, not one of ye will\nbe left alive in battle. However as thou art on the point of death and\nhast asked me, I will tell thee everything, this being consistent with\nthe ordinance. Beholding king Yudhishthira the just with his younger\nbrothers, I have not the slightest anxiety or fear from thee! That\nwarrior at the top of whose flagstaff two handsome and sonorous tabours\ncalled _Nanda_ and _Upananda_ are constantly played upon,--he, O Sauvira\nchief, hath a correct knowledge of the morality of his own acts. Men\nthat have attained success always walk in his train. With a complexion\nlike that of pure gold, possessed of a prominent nose and large eyes,\nand endued with a slender make, that husband of mine is known among\npeople by the name of Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma and the foremost\nof the Kuru race. That virtuous prince of men granteth life to even a\nfoe that yields. Therefore, O fool, throwing down thy arms and joining\nthy hands, run to him for thy good, to seek his protection. And that\nother man whom thou seest with long arms and tall as the full-grown\n_Sala_ tree, seated on his chariot, biting his lips, and contracting his\nforehead so as to bring the two eye-brows together, is he,--my husband\nVrikodara! Steeds of the noblest breed, plump and strong, well-trained\nand endued with great might, draw the cars of that warrior! His\nachievements are superhuman. He is known, therefore, by the name of\n_Bhima_ on earth. They that offend him are never suffered to live. He\nnever forgetteth a foe. On some pretext or other he wrecketh his\nvengeance. Nor is he pacified even after he has wrecked a signal\nvengeance. And there, that foremost of bowmen, endued with intelligence\nand renown, with senses under complete control and reverence for the\nold--that brother and disciple of Yudhishthira--is my husband\nDhananjaya! Virtue he never forsaketh, from lust or fear or anger! Nor\ndoth he ever commit a deed that is cruel. Endued with the energy of fire\nand capable of withstanding every foe, that grinder of enemies is the\nson of Kunti. And that other youth, versed in every question of morality\nand profit, who ever dispelleth the fears of the affrighted, who is\nendued with high wisdom, who is considered as the handsomest person in\nthe whole world and who is protected by all the sons of Pandu, being\nregarded by them as dearer to them than their own lives for his\nunflinching devotion to them, is my husband Nakula possessed of great\nprowess. Endued with high wisdom and having Sahadeva for his second,\npossessed of exceeding lightness of hand, he fighteth with the sword,\nmaking dexterous passes therewith. Thou, foolish man, shall witness\ntoday his performances on the field of battle, like unto those of Indra\namid the ranks of Daityas! And that hero skilled in weapons and\npossessed of intelligence and wisdom, and intent on doing what is\nagreeable to the son of Dharma, that favourite and youngest born of the\nPandavas, is my husband Sahadeva! Heroic, intelligent, wise and ever\nwrathful there is not another man equal unto him in intelligence or in\neloquence amid assemblies of the wise. Dearer to Kunti than her own\nsoul, he is always mindful of the duties of Kshatriyas, and would much\nsooner rush into fire or sacrifice his own life than say anything that\nis opposed to religion and morals. When the sons of Pandu will have\nkilled thy warriors in battle, then wilt thou behold thy army in the\nmiserable plight of a ship on the sea wrecked with its freight of jewels\non the back of a whale. Thus have I described unto thee the prowess of\nthe sons of Pandu, disregarding whom in thy foolishness, thou hast acted\nso. If thou escapest unscathed from them, then, indeed thou wilt have\nobtained a new lease of life.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then those five sons of Pritha, each like unto\nIndra, filled with wrath, leaving the panic-stricken infantry alone who\nwere imploring them for mercy, rushed furiously upon the charioteers,\nattacking them on all sides and darkening the very air with the thick\nshower of arrows they shot.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXIX\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Meanwhile, the king of Sindhu was giving orders to\nthose princes, saying, 'Halt, strike, march, quick,' and like. And on\nseeing Bhima, Arjuna and the twin brothers with Yudhishthira, the\nsoldiers sent up a loud shout on the field of battle. And the warriors\nof the Sivi, Sauvira and Sindhu tribes, at the sight of those powerful\nheroes looking like fierce tigers, lost heart. And Bhimasena, armed with\na mace entirely of Saikya iron and embossed with gold, rushed towards\nthe Saindhava monarch doomed to death. But Kotikakhya, speedily\nsurrounding Vrikodara with an array of mighty charioteers, interposed\nbetween and separated the combatants. And Bhima, though assailed with\nnumberless spears and clubs and iron arrows hurled at him by the strong\narms of hostile heroes, did not waver for one moment. On the other hand,\nhe killed, with his mace, an elephant with its driver and fourteen\nfoot-soldiers fighting in the front of Jayadratha's car. And Arjuna\nalso, desirous of capturing the Sauvira king, slew five hundred brave\nmountaineers fighting in the van of the Sindhu army. And in that\nencounter, the king himself slew in the twinkling of an eye, a hundred\nof the best warriors of the Sauviras. And Nakula too, sword in hand,\njumping out of his chariot, scattered in a moment, like a tiller sowing\nseeds, the heads of the combatants fighting in the rear. And Sahadeva\nfrom his chariot began to fell with his iron shafts, many warriors\nfighting on elephants, like birds dropped from the boughs of a tree.\nThen the king of Trigartas, bow in hand descending from his great\nchariot, killed the four steeds of the king with his mace. But Kunti's\nson, king Yudhishthira the just, seeing the foe approach so near, and\nfighting on foot, pierced his breast with a crescent-shaped arrow. And\nthat hero, thus wounded in the breast began to vomit blood, and fell\ndown upon the ground besides Pritha's son, like an uprooted tree. And\nking Yudhishthira the just, whose steeds had been slain taking this\nopportunity, descended with Indrasena from his chariot and mounted that\nof Sahadeva. And the two warriors, Kshemankara and Mahamuksha, singling\nout Nakula, began to pour on him from both sides a perfect shower of\nkeen-edged arrows. The son of Madri, however, succeeded in slaying, with\na couple of long shafts, both those warriors who had been pouring on him\nan arrowy shower--like clouds in the rainy season. Suratha, the king of\nTrigartas, well-versed in elephant-charges, approaching the front of\nNakula's chariot, caused it to be dragged by the elephant he rode. But\nNakula, little daunted at this, leaped out of his chariot, and securing\na point of vantage, stood shield and sword in hand, immovable as a hill.\nThereupon Suratha, wishing to slay Nakula at once, urged towards him his\nhuge and infuriate elephant with trunk upraised. But when the beast came\nnear, Nakula with his sword severed from his head both trunk and tusks.\nAnd that mail-clad elephant, uttering a frightful roar, fell headlong\nupon the ground, crushing its riders by the fall. And having achieved\nthis daring feat, the heroic son of Madri, getting up on Bhimasena's\ncar, obtained a little rest. And Bhima too, seeing prince Kotikakhya\nrush to the encounter, cut off the head of his charioteer with a\nhorse-shoe arrow. That prince did not even perceive that his driver was\nkilled by his strong-armed adversary, and his horses, no longer\nrestrained by a driver, ran about on the battle-field in all directions.\nAnd seeing that prince without a driver turn his back, that foremost of\nsmiters, Bhima the son of Pandu, went up to him and slew him with a\nbearded dart. And Dhananjaya also cut off with his sharp crescent-shaped\narrows, the heads, as well as the bows of all the twelve Sauvira heroes.\nAnd the great warrior killed in battle, with the arrow, the leaders of\nthe Ikshwakus and the hosts of Sivis and Trigartas and Saindhavas. And a\ngreat many elephants with their colours, and chariots with standards,\nwere seen to fall by the hand of Arjuna. And heads without trunks, and\ntrunks without heads, lay covering the entire field of battle. And dogs,\nand herons and ravens, and crows, and falcons, and jackals, and\nvultures, feasted on the flesh and blood of warriors slain on that\nfield. And when Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu, saw that his warriors\nwere slain, he became terrified and anxious to run away leaving Krishna\nbehind. And in that general confusion, the wretch, setting down Draupadi\nthere, fled for his life, pursuing the same forest path by which he had\ncome. And king Yudhishthira the just, seeing Draupadi with Dhaumya\nwalking before, caused her to be taken up on a chariot by the heroic\nSahadeva, the son of Madri. And when Jayadratha had fled away Bhima\nbegan to mow down with his iron-arrows such of his followers as were\nrunning away striking each trooper down after naming him. But Arjuna\nperceiving that Jayadratha had run away exhorted his brother to refrain\nfrom slaughtering the remnant of the Saindhava host. And Arjuna said, 'I\ndo not find on the field of battle Jayadratha through whose fault alone\nwe have experienced this bitter misfortune! Seek him out first and may\nsuccess crown thy effort! What is the good of thy slaughtering these\ntroopers? Why art thou bent upon this unprofitable business?'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Bhimasena, thus exhorted by Arjuna of great\nwisdom, turning to Yudhishthira, replied, saying, 'As a great many of\nthe enemy's warriors have been slain and as they are flying in all\ndirections, do thou, O king, now return home, taking with thee Draupadi\nand the twin brothers and high-souled Dhaumya, and console the princess\nafter getting back to our asylum! That foolish king of Sindhu I shall\nnot let alone as long as he lives, even if he find a shelter in the\ninfernal regions or is backed by Indra himself!' And Yudhishthira\nreplied, saying, 'O thou of mighty arms remembering (our sister) Dussala\nand the celebrated Gandhari, thou shouldst not slay the king of Sindhu\neven though he is so wicked!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing these words, Draupadi was greatly\nexcited. And that highly intelligent lady in her excitement said to her\ntwo husbands, Bhima and Arjuna with indignation mixed with modesty, 'If\nyou care to do what is agreeable to me, you must slay that mean and\ndespicable wretch, that sinful, foolish, infamous and contemptible chief\nof the Saindhava clan! That foe who forcibly carries away a wife, and he\nthat wrests a kingdom, should never be forgiven on the battle-field,\neven though he should supplicate for mercy!' Thus admonished, those two\nvaliant warriors went in search of the Saindhava chief. And the king\ntaking Krishna with him returned home, accompanied by his spiritual\nadviser. And on entering the hermitage, he found it was laid over with\nseats for the ascetics and crowded with their disciples and graced with\nthe presence of Markandeya and other Brahmanas. And while those\nBrahmanas were gravely bewailing the lot of Draupadi, Yudhishthira\nendued with great wisdom joined their company, with his brothers. And\nbeholding the king thus come back after having defeated the Saindhava\nand the Sauvira host and recovered Draupadi, they were all elated with\njoy! And the king took his seat in their midst. And the excellent\nprincess Krishna entered the hermitage with the two brothers.\n\n\"Meanwhile Bhima and Arjuna, learning the enemy was full two miles ahead\nof them urged their horses to greater speed in pursuit of him. And the\nmighty Arjuna performed a wonderful deed, killing the horse of\nJayadratha although they were full two miles ahead of them. Armed with\ncelestial weapons undaunted by difficulties he achieved this difficult\nfeat with arrows inspired with _Mantras_. And then the two warriors,\nBhima and Arjuna, rushed towards the terrified king of Sindhu whose\nhorses had been slain and who was alone and perplexed in mind. And the\nlatter was greatly grieved on seeing his steeds slain. And beholding\nDhananjaya do such a daring deed, and intent on running away, he\nfollowed the same forest track by which he had come. And Phalguna,\nseeing the Saindhava chief so active in his fright, overtook him and\naddressed him saying, 'Possessed of so little manliness, how couldst\nthou dare to take away a lady by force? Turn round, O prince; it is not\nmeet that thou shouldst run away! How canst thou act so, leaving thy\nfollowers in the midst of thy foes?' Although addressed by the sons of\nPritha thus, the monarch of Sindhu did not even once turn round. And\nthen bidding him to what he chose the mighty Bhima overtook him in an\ninstant, but the kind Arjuna entreated him not to kill that wretch.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXX\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Jayadratha flying for his life upon beholding those\ntwo brothers with upraised arms, was sorely grieved and bolted off with\nspeed and coolness. But the mighty and indignant Bhimasena, descending\nfrom his chariot, ran after him thus fleeing, and seized him by the hair\nof his head. And holding him high up in the air, Bhima thrust him on the\nground with violence. And seizing the prince by the head, he knocked him\nabout. And when the wretch recovered consciousness, he groaned aloud and\nwanted to get up on his legs. But that hero endued with mighty arms\nkicked him on the head. And Bhima pressed him on the breast with his\nknees as well as with his fists. And the prince thus belaboured, soon\nbecame insensible. Then Phalguna dissuaded the wrathful Bhimasena from\ninflicting further chastisement on the prince, by reminding him of what\nYudhishthira had said regarding (their sister) Dussala. But Bhima\nreplied, saying, 'This sinful wretch hath done a cruel injury to\nKrishna, who never can bear such treatment. He, therefore, deserveth to\ndie at my hands! But what can I do? The king is always overflowing with\nmercy, and thou, too, art constantly putting obstacles in my way from a\nchildish sense of virtue!' Having said these words, Vrikodara, with his\ncrescent-shaped arrow, shaved the hair of the prince's head, heaving\nfive tufts in as many places. Jayadratha uttered not a word at this.\nThen Vrikodara, addressing the foe said, 'If thou wishest to live,\nlisten to me. O fool! I shall tell thee the means to attain that wish!\nIn public assemblies and in open courts thou must say,--I am the slave\nof the Pandavas.--on this condition alone, I will pardon thee thy life!\nThis is the customary rule of conquest on the field of battle.' Thus\naddressed and treated, king Jayadratha said to the mighty and fierce\nwarrior who always looked awful, 'Be it so!' And he was trembling and\nsenseless and begrimed with dust. Then Arjuna and Vrikodara, securing\nhim with chains, thrust him into a chariot. And Bhima, himself mounting\nthat chariot, and accompanied by Arjuna, drove towards the hermitage.\nAnd approaching Yudhishthira seated there, he placed Jayadratha in that\ncondition before the king. And the king, smiling, told him to set the\nSindhu prince at liberty. Then Bhima said unto the king, 'Do thou tell\nDraupadi that this wretch hath become the slave of the Pandavas.' Then\nhis eldest brother said unto him affectionately, 'If thou hast any\nregard for us, do thou set this wretch at liberty!' And Draupadi too,\nreading the king's mind, said, 'Let him off! He hath become a slave of\nthe king's and thou, too, hast disfigured him by leaving five tufts of\nhair on his head.' Then that crest-fallen prince, having obtained his\nliberty, approached king Yudhishthira and bowed down unto him. And\nseeing those _Munis_ there, he saluted them also. Then the kind-hearted\nking Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, beholding Jayadratha in that\ncondition, almost supported by Arjuna, said unto him, 'Thou art a free\nman now; I emancipate thee! Now go away and be careful not to do such\nthing again; shame to thee! Thou hadst intended to take away a lady by\nviolence, even though thou art so mean and powerless! What other wretch\nsave thee would think of acting thus?' Then that foremost king of\nBharata's race eyed with pity that perpetrator of wicked deeds, and\nbelieving that he had lost his senses, said, 'Mayst thy heart grow in\nvirtue! Never set thy heart again on immoral deeds! Thou mayst depart in\npeace now with thy charioteers, cavalry and infantry.' Thus addressed by\nYudhishthira, the prince, O Bharata, was overpowered with shame, and\nbending down his head, he silently and sorrowfully wended his way to the\nplace where the Ganga debouches on the plains. And imploring the\nprotection of the god of three eyes, the consort of Uma, he did severe\npenance at that place. And the three-eyed god, pleased with his\nausterities deigned to accept his offerings in person. And he also\ngranted him a boon! Do thou listen, O monarch, how the prince received\nthat boon! Jayadratha, addressing that god, asked the boon, 'May I be\nable to defeat in battle all the five sons of Pandu on their chariots!'\nThe god, however, told him 'This cannot be.' And Maheswara said, 'None\ncan slay or conquer them in battle. Save Arjuna, however, thou shall be\nable to only check them (once) on the field of battle! The heroic\nArjuna, with mighty arms, is the god incarnate styled _Nara_. He\npractised austerities of old in the Vadari forest. The God _Narayana_ is\nhis friend. Therefore, he is unconquerable of the very gods. I myself\nhave given him the celestial weapon called _Pasupata_. From the regents\nalso of all the ten cardinal points, he has acquired the thunder-bolt\nand other mighty weapons. And the great god Vishnu who is the Infinite\nSpirit, the Lord Preceptor of all the gods, is the Supreme Being without\nattributes, and the Soul of the Universe, and existeth pervading the\nwhole creation. At the termination of a cycle of ages, assuming the\nshape of the all-consuming fire, he consumed the whole Universe with\nmountains and seas and islands and hills and woods and forests. And\nafter the destruction of the _Naga_ world also in the subterranean\nregions in the same way, vast masses of many-coloured and loud-pealing\nclouds, with streaks of lightning, spreading along the entire welkin,\nhad appeared on high. Then pouring down water in torrents thick as axles\nof cars, and filling the space everywhere, these extinguishing that\nall-consuming fire! When at the close of four thousand _Yugas_ the Earth\nthus became flooded with water, like one vast sea, and all mobile\ncreatures were hushed in death, and the sun and the moon and the winds\nwere all destroyed, and the Universe was devoid of planets and stars,\nthe Supreme Being called Narayana, unknowable by the senses, adorned\nwith a thousand heads and as many eyes and legs, became desirous of\nrest. And the serpent Sesha, looking terrible with his thousand hoods,\nand shining with the splendour of ten thousand suns, and white as the\n_Kunda_ flower or the moon or a string of pearls, or the white lotus, or\nmilk, or the fibres of a lotus stalk, served for his conch. And that\nadorable and omnipotent God thus slept on the bosom of the deep,\nenveloping all space with nocturnal gloom. And when his creative faculty\nwas excited, he awoke and found the Universe denuded of everything. In\nthis connection, the following _sloka_ is recited respecting the meaning\nof _Narayana_. \"Water was created by (the _Rishi_) _Nara_, and it formed\nhis corpus; therefore do we hear it styled as _Nara_. And because it\nformed his _Ayana_ (resting-place) therefore is he known as _Narayana_.\"\nAs soon as that everlasting Being was engaged in meditation for the\nre-creation of the Universe, a lotus flower instantaneously came into\nexistence from his navel, and the four-faced _Brahma_ came out of that\nnavel-lotus. And then the Grandsire of all creatures, seating himself on\nthat flower and finding that the whole Universe was a blank, created in\nhis own likeness, and from his will, the (nine) great _Rishis, Marichi_\nand others. And these in their turn observing the same thing, completed\nthe creation, by creating _Yakshas, Rakshas, Pisachas_, reptiles, men,\nand all mobile and immobile creatures. The Supreme Spirit hath three\nconditions. In the form of Brahma, he is the Creator, and in the form of\nVishnu he is the Preserver, and in his form as Rudra, he is the\nDestroyer of the Universe! O king of Sindhu, hast thou not heard of the\nwonderful achievements of Vishnu, described to thee by the _Munis_ and\nthe Brahmanas learned in the _Vedas_? When the world was thus reduced to\none vast sea of water, with only the heavens above, the Lord, like a\nfire-fly at night-time during the rainy season, moved about hither and\nthither in search of stable ground, with the view of rehabilitating his\ncreation, and became desirous of raising the Earth submerged in water.\n_What shape shall I take to rescue the Earth from this flood!_--So\nthinking and contemplating with divine insight, he bethought himself of\nthe shape of a wild boar fond of sporting in water. And assuming the\nshape of a sacrificial boar shining with effulgence and instinct with\nthe _Vedas_ and ten _Yojanas_ in length, with pointed tusks and a\ncomplexion like dark clouds, and with a body huge as a mountain, and\nroaring like a conglomeration of clouds, the Lord plunged into the\nwaters, and lifted up the Earth with one of his tusks, and replaced it\nin its proper sphere. At another time, the mighty Lord, assuming a\nwonderful form with a body half lion, half man, and squeezing his hands,\nrepaired to the court of the ruler of the _Daityas_. That progenitor of\nthe _Daityas_, the son of _Diti_, who was the enemy of the (gods),\nbeholding the Lord's peculiar form, burst out into passion and his eyes\nbecame inflamed with rage. And Hiranya-Kasipu, the war-like son of Diti\nand the enemy of the gods, adorned with garlands and looking like a mass\nof dark clouds, taking up his trident in hand and roaring like the\nclouds, rushed on that being half lion, half man. Then that powerful\nking of wild beasts, half man, half lion, taking a leap in the air,\ninstantly rent the _Daitya_ in twain by means of his sharp claws. And\nthe adorable lotus-eyed Lord of great effulgence, having thus slain the\n_Daitya_ king for the well-being of all creatures, again took his birth\nin the womb of _Aditi_ as son of Kasyapa. And at the expiration of a\nthousand years she was delivered of that superhuman conception. And then\nwas born that Being, of the hue of rain-charged clouds with bright eyes\nand of dwarfish stature. He had the ascetic's staff and water-pot in\nhand, and was marked with the emblem of a curl of hair on the breast.\nAnd that adorable Being wore matted locks and the sacrificial thread,\nand he was stout and handsome and resplendent with lustre. And that\nBeing, arriving at the sacrificial enclosure of Vali, king of the\n_Danavas_, entered the sacrificial assembly with the aid of Vrihaspati.\nAnd beholding that dwarf-bodied Being, Vali was well-pleased and said\nunto him, \"I am glad to see thee, O Brahmana! Say what is it that thou\nwantest from me!\" Thus addressed by Vali, the dwarf-god replied with a\nsmile, saying, \"So be it! Do thou, lord of the _Danavas_, give me three\npaces of ground!\" And Vali contented to give what that Brahmana of\ninfinite power had asked. And while measuring with his paces the space\nhe sought, Hari assumed a wonderful and extraordinary form. And with\nonly three paces he instantly covered this illimitable world. And then\nthat everlasting God, Vishnu, gave it away unto Indra. This history\nwhich has just been related to thee, is celebrated as the \"_Incarnation\nof the Dwarf_.\" And from him, all the gods had their being, and after\nhim the world is said to be _Vaishnava_, or pervaded by Vishnu. And for\nthe destruction of the wicked and the preservation of religion, even He\nhath taken his birth among men in the race of the Yadus. And the\nadorable Vishnu is styled Krishna. These, O king of Sindhu, are the\nachievements of the Lord whom all the worlds worship and whom the\nlearned describe as without beginning and without end, unborn and\nDivine! They call Him, the unconquerable Krishna with conchshell, discus\nand mace, and adorned with the emblem of a curl of hair, Divine, clad in\nsilken robes of yellow hue, and the best of those versed in the art of\nwar. Arjuna is protected by Krishna the possessor of these attributes.\nThat glorious and lotus-eyed Being of infinite power, that slayer of\nhostile heroes, riding in the same chariot with Pritha's son, protecteth\nhim! He is, therefore, invincible; the very gods cannot resist his\npower, still less can one with human attributes vanquish the son of\nPritha in battle! Therefore, O king, thou must let him alone! Thou\nshalt, however, be able to vanquish for a single day only, the rest of\nYudhishthira's forces along with thine enemies--the four sons of\nPandu!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having said these words unto that prince, the\nadorable Hara of three eyes, the destroyer of all sins, the consort of\nUma, and lord of wild beasts, the destroyer of (Daksha's) sacrifice, the\nslayer of Tripura and He that had plucked out the eyes of Bhaga,\nsurrounded by his dwarfish and hunch-backed and terrible followers\nhaving frightful eyes and ears and uplifted arms, vanished, O tiger\namong kings, from that place with his consort Uma! And the wicked\nJayadratha also returned home, and the sons of Pandu continued to dwell\nin the forest of Kamyaka.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXI\n\nJanamejaya said, \"What did those tigers among men, the Pandavas, do,\nafter they had suffered such misery in consequence of the ravishment of\nDraupadi?\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having defeated Jayadratha and rescued Krishna, the\nvirtuous king Yudhishthira took his seat by the side of that best of\n_Munis_. And among those foremost of ascetics who were expressing their\ngrief upon hearing Draupadi's misfortune, Yudhishthira, the son of\nPandu, addressed Markandeya, saying, 'O adorable Sire, amongst the gods\nand the ascetics, thou art known to have the fullest knowledge of both\nthe past as well as the future. A doubt existeth in my mind, which I\nwould ask thee to solve! This lady is the daughter of Drupada; she hath\nissued from the sacrificial altar and hath not been begotten of the\nflesh; and she is highly blessed and is also the daughter-in-law of the\nillustrious Pandu. I incline to think that Time, and human Destiny that\ndependeth on our acts, and the Inevitable, are irresistible in respect\nof creatures. (If it were not so), how could such a misfortune afflict\nthis wife of ours so faithful and virtuous, like a false accusation of\ntheft against an honest man? The daughter of Drupada hath never\ncommitted any sinful act, nor hath she done anything that is not\ncommendable: on the contrary, she hath assiduously practised the highest\nvirtues towards Brahmanas. And yet the foolish king Jayadratha had\ncarried her away by force. In consequence of this act of violence on\nher, that sinful wretch hath his hair shaved off his head and sustained\nalso, with all his allies, defeat in battle. It is true we have rescued\nher after slaughtering the troops of Sindhu. But the disgrace of this\nravishment of our wife during our hours of carelessness, hath stained\nus, to be sure. This life in the wilderness is full of miseries. We\nsubsist by chase; and though dwelling in the woods, we are obliged to\nslay the denizens thereof that live with us! This exile also that we\nsuffer is due to the act of deceitful kinsmen! Is there any one who is\nmore unfortunate than I am? Hath thou ever seen or heard of such a one\nbefore?'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXII\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'O bull of the Bharata race, even Rama suffered\nunparalleled misery, for the evil-minded Ravana, king of the Rakshasas,\nhaving recourse to deceit and overpowering the vulture Jatayu, forcibly\ncarried away his wife Sita from his asylum in the woods. Indeed, Rama,\nwith the help of Sugriva, brought her back, constructing a bridge across\nthe sea, and consuming Lanka with his keen-edged arrows.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'In what race was Rama born and what was the measure\nof his might and prowess? Whose son also was Ravana and for what was it\nthat he had any misunderstanding with Rama? It behoveth thee, O\nillustrious one, to tell me all this in detail; for I long to hear the\nstory of Rama of great achievements!'\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Listen, O prince of Bharata's race, to this old\nhistory exactly as it happened! I will tell thee all about the distress\nsuffered by Rama together with his wife. There was a great king named\nAja sprung from the race of Ikshwaku. He had a son named Dasaratha who\nwas devoted to the study of the Vedas and was ever pure. And Dasaratha\nhad four sons conversant with morality and profit known by the names,\nrespectively, of Rama, Lakshmana, Satrughna, and the mighty Bharata. And\nRama had for his mother Kausalya, and Bharata had for his mother\nKaikeyi, while those scourges of their enemies Lakshmana and Satrughna\nwere the sons of Sumitra. And Janaka was the king of Videha, and Sita\nwas his daughter. And Tashtri himself created her, desiring to make her\nthe beloved wife of Rama. I have now told thee the history of both\nRama's and Sita's birth. And now, O king, I will relate unto thee the\nbirth of Ravana. That Lord of all creatures and the Creator of the\nUniverse viz., the Self-create Prajapati himself--that god possessed of\ngreat ascetic merit--is the grandfather of Ravana. And Pulastya hath a\nmighty son called Vaisravana begotten of a cow. But his son, leaving his\nfather, went to his grandfather. And, O king, angered at this, his\nfather then created a second self of himself. And with half of his own\nself that regenerate one became born of Visrava for wrecking a vengeance\non Vaisravana. But the Grandsire, pleased with Vaisravana, gave him\nimmortality, and sovereignty of all the wealth of the Universe, the\nguardianship of one of the cardinal points, the friendship of Isana, and\na son named Nalakuvera. And he also gave him for his capital Lanka,\nwhich was guarded by hosts of Rakshasas, and also a chariot called\nPushpaka capable of going everywhere according to the will of the rider.\nAnd the kingship of the Yakshas and the sovereignty over sovereigns were\nalso his.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXIII\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'The Muni named Visrava, who was begotten of half the\nsoul of Pulastya, in a fit of passion, began to look upon Vaisravana\nwith great anger. But, O monarch, Kuvera, the king of the Rakshasas,\nknowing that his father was angry with him, always sought to please him.\nAnd, O best of Bharata's race, that king of kings living in Lanka, and\nborne upon the shoulders of men, sent three Rakshasa women to wait upon\nhis father. Their names, O king, were Pushpotkata, Raka and Malini. And\nthey were skilled in singing and dancing and were always assiduous in\ntheir attentions on that high-souled Rishi. And those slender-waisted\nladies vied with one another, O king, in gratifying the Rishi. And that\nhigh-souled and adorable being was pleased with them and granted them\nboons. And to every one of them he gave princely sons according to their\ndesire. Two sons--those foremost of Rakshasas named Kumvakarna and the\nTen-headed Ravana,--both unequaled on earth in prowess, were born to\nPushpotkata. And Malini had a son named Vibhishana, and Raka had twin\nchildren named Khara and Surpanakha. And Vibhishana surpassed them all\nin beauty. And that excellent person was very pious and assiduously\nperformed all religious rites. But that foremost of Rakshasas, with ten\nheads, was the eldest to them all. And he was religious, and energetic\nand possessed of great strength and prowess. And the Rakshasa Kumvakarna\nwas the most powerful in battle, for he was fierce and terrible and a\nthorough master of the arts of illusion. And Khara was proficient in\narchery, and hostile to the Brahmanas, subsisting as he did on flesh.\nAnd the fierce Surpanakha was constant source of trouble to the\nascetics. And the warriors, learned in the Vedas and diligent in\nceremonial rites, all lived with their father in the Gandhamadana. And\nthere they beheld Vaisravana seated with their father, possessed of\nriches and borne on the shoulders of men. And seized with jealousy, they\nresolved upon performing penances. And with ascetic penances of the most\nsevere kind, they gratified Brahma. And the Ten-headed Ravana,\nsupporting life by means of air alone and surrounded by the five sacred\nfires and absorbed in meditation, remained standing on one leg for a\nthousand years. And Kumvakarna with head downwards, and with restricted\ndiet, was constant in austerities. And the wise and magnanimous\nVibhishana, observing fasts and subsisting only on dry leaves and\nengaged in meditation, practised severe austerities for a long period.\nAnd Khara and Surpanakha, with cheerful hearts, protected and attended\non them while they were performing those austerities. And at the close\nof a thousand years, the invincible Ten-headed One, cutting off his own\nheads, offered them as offering to the sacred fire. And at this act of\nhis, the Lord of the Universe was pleased with him. And then Brahma,\npersonally appearing to them, bade them desist from those austerities\nand promised to grant boons unto every one of them. And the adorable\nBrahma said, \"I am pleased with you, my sons! Cease now from these\nausterities and ask boons of me! Whatever your desires may be, they,\nwith the single exception of that of immortality, will be fulfilled! As\nthou hast offered thy heads to the fire from great ambition, they will\nagain adorn thy body as before, according to thy desire. And thy body\nwill not be disfigured and thou shall be able to assume any form\naccording to thy desire and become the conqueror of thy foes in battle.\nThere is no doubt of this!\" thereupon Ravana said, \"May I never\nexperience defeat at the hands of Gandharvas, Celestials, Kinnaras,\nAsuras, Yakshas, Rakshasas, Serpents and all other creatures!\" Brahma\nsaid, \"From those that hast named, thou shalt never have cause of fear;\nexcept from men (thou shalt have no occasion for fear). Good betide\nthee! So hath it been ordained by me!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Thus addressed, the Ten-headed (Ravana) was highly\ngratified, for on account of his perverted understanding, the man-eating\none slighted human beings. Then the great Grandsire addressed\nKumbhakarna as before. His reason being clouded by darkness, he asked\nfor long-lasting sleep. Saying, \"It shall be so!\" Brahma then addressed\nVibhishana, \"O my son, I am much pleased with thee! Ask any boon thou\npleasest!\" Thereupon, Vibhishana replied, \"Even in great danger, may I\nnever swerve from the path of righteousness, and though ignorant, may I,\nO adorable Sire, be illumined with the light of divine knowledge!\" And\nBrahma replied, \"O scourge of thy enemies, as thy soul inclines not to\nunrighteousness although born in the _Rakshasa race_, I grant thee\nimmortality!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Having obtained this boon, the Ten-headed\nRakshasa defeated Kuvera in battle and obtained from him the sovereignty\nof Lanka. That adorable Being, leaving Lanka and followed by Gandharvas,\nYakshas, Rakshas, and Kinnaras, went to live on mount Gandhamadana. And\nRavana forcibly took from him the celestial chariot _Pushpaka_. And upon\nthis Vaisravana cursed him, saying, \"This chariot shall never carry\nthee; it shall bear him who will slay thee in battle! And as thou hast\ninsulted me, thy elder brother, thou shalt soon die!\"\n\n\"'The pious Vibhishana, O King, treading in the path followed by the\nvirtuous and possessed of great glory, followed Kuvera. That adorable\nLord of wealth, highly pleased with his younger brothers, invested him\nwith the command of the Yaksha and Raksha hosts. On the other hand, the\npowerful and man-eating _Rakshasas_ and _Pisachas_, having assembled\ntogether, invested the Ten-headed Ravana with their sovereignty. And\nRavana, capable of assuming any form at will and terrible in prowess,\nand capable also of passing through the air, attacked the gods and the\n_Daityas_ and wrested from them all their valuable possessions. And as\nhe had terrified all creatures, he was called _Ravana_. And Ravana,\ncapable of mustering any measure of might inspired the very gods with\nterror.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXIV\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Then the _Brahmarshis_, the _Siddhas_ and the\n_Devarshis_, with _Havyavaha_ as their spokesman, sought the protection\nof Brahma. And Agni said, \"That powerful son of Visrava, the Ten-headed\ncannot be slain on account of thy boon! Endued with great might he\noppresseth in every possible way the creatures of the earth. Protect us,\ntherefore, O adorable one! There is none else save thee to protect us!\"\n\n\"'Brahma said, \"O Agni, he cannot be conquered in battle by either the\ngods or the _Asuras_! I have already ordained that which is needful for\nthat purpose. Indeed his death is near! Urged by me, the four-headed God\nhath already been incarnate for that object. Even Vishnu, that foremost\nof smiters will achieve that object!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Then the Grandsire also asked Sakra, in their\npresence, \"Be thou, with all the celestials, born on earth! And beget ye\non monkeys and bears, heroic sons possessed of great strength and\ncapable of assuming any form at will as allies of Vishnu!\" And at this,\nthe gods, the _Gandharvas_ and the _Danavas_ quickly assembled to take\ncounsel as to how they should be born on earth according to their\nrespective parts. And in their presence the boon-giving god commanded a\n_Gandharvi_, by name Dundubhi saying, \"Go there for accomplishing this\nobject!\" And Dundubhi hearing these words of the Grandsire was born in\nthe world of men as the hunchbacked _Manthara_. And all the principal\ncelestials, with Sakra and others begot offspring upon the wives of the\nforemost of monkeys and bears. And those sons equaled their sires in\nstrength and fame. And they were capable of splitting mountain peaks and\ntheir weapons were stones and trees of the _Sala_ and the _Tala_\nspecies. And their bodies were hard as adamant, and they were possessed\nof very great strength. And they were all skilled in war and capable of\nmustering any measure of energy at will. And they were equal to a\nthousand elephants in might, and they resembled the wind in speed. And\nsome of them lived wherever they liked, while others lived in forests.\nAnd the adorable Creator of the Universe, having ordained all this,\ninstructed _Manthara_ as to what she would have to do. And Manthara\nquick as thought, understood all his words, and went hither and thither\never engaged in fomenting quarrels.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXV\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O adorable one, thou hast described to me in detail\nthe history of the birth of Rama and others. I wish to learn the cause\nof their exile. Do thou, O Brahmana, relate why the sons of\nDasaratha--the brothers Rama and Lakshmana--went to the forest with\nfamous princess of Mithila.'\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'The pious king Dasaratha, ever mindful of the old and\nassiduous in religious ceremonies, was greatly pleased when these sons\nwere born. And his sons gradually grew up in might and they became\nconversant with the Vedas together with all their mysteries, and with\nthe science of arms. And when after having gone through the Brahmacharya\nvows the princes were married, king Dasaratha became happy and highly\npleased. And the intelligent Rama, the eldest of them all, became the\nfavourite of his father, and greatly pleased the people with his\ncharming ways. And then, O Bharata, the wise king, considering himself\nold in years took counsel with his virtuous ministers and spiritual\nadviser for installing Rama as regent of the kingdom. And all those\ngreat ministers were agreed that it was time to do so. And, O scion of\nKuru's race, king Dasaratha was greatly pleased to behold his son,--that\nenhancer of Kausalya's delight--possessed of eyes that were red, and\narms that were sinewy. And his steps were like those of a wild elephant.\nAnd he had long arms and high shoulders and black and curly hair. And he\nwas valiant, and glowing with splendour, and not inferior to Indra\nhimself in battle. And he was well-versed in holy writ and was equal to\nVrihaspati in wisdom. An object of love with all the people, he was\nskilled in every science. And with senses under complete control, his\nvery enemies were pleased to behold him. And he was terror of the wicked\nand the protector of the virtuous. And possessed of intelligence and\nincapable of being baffled, he was victorious over all and never\nvanquished by any. And, O descendant of Kurus, beholding his son--that\nenhancer of Kausalya's joy--king Dasaratha became highly pleased. And\nreflecting on Rama's virtues, the powerful and mighty king cheerfully\naddressed the family priest, saying, \"Blessed be thou, O Brahmana! This\nnight of the Pushya constellation will bring in a very auspicious\nconjunction. Let, therefore, materials be collected and let Rama also be\ninvited. This Pushya constellation will last till tomorrow. And Rama,\ntherefore, should be invested by me and my ministers as prince-regent of\nall my subjects!\"\n\n\"'Meanwhile Manthara (the maid of Kaikeyi), hearing these words of the\nking, went to her mistress, and spoke unto her as was suited to the\noccasion. And she said, \"Thy great ill-luck, O Kaikeyi, hath this day\nbeen proclaimed by the king! O unlucky one, mayst thou be bitten by a\nfierce and enraged snake of virulent poison! Kausalya, indeed, is\nfortunate, as it is her son that is going to be installed on the throne.\nWhere, indeed, is thy prosperity, when thy son obtaineth not the\nkingdom?\"\n\n\"'Hearing these words of her maid, the slender-waisted and beautiful\nKaikeyi put on all her ornaments, and sought her husband in a secluded\nplace. And with a joyous heart, and smiling pleasantly, she addressed\nthese words to him with all the blandishments of love, \"O king, thou art\nalways true to thy promises. Thou didst promise before to grant me an\nobject of my desire. Do thou fulfil that promise now and save thyself\nfrom the sin of unredeemed pledge!\" The king replied, saying, \"I will\ngrant thee a boon. Ask thou whatever thou wishest! What man undeserving\nof death shall be slain today and who that deserves death is to be set\nat liberty? Upon whom shall I bestow wealth to-day, or whose wealth\nshall be confiscated? Whatever wealth there is in this world, save what\nbelongeth to Brahmanas, is mine! I am the king of kings in this world,\nand the protector of all the four classes! Tell me quickly, O blessed\nlady, what that object is upon which thou hast set thy heart!\" Hearing\nthese words of the king, and tying him fast to his pledge, and conscious\nalso of her power over him, she addressed him in these words, \"I desire\nthat Bharata be the recipient of that investiture which thou hast\ndesigned for Rama, and let Rama go into exile living in the forest of\nDandaka for fourteen years as an ascetic with matted locks on head and\nrobed in rags and deer-skins!\" Hearing these disagreeable words of cruel\nimport, the king, O chief of the Bharata race, was sorely afflicted and\nbecame utterly speechless! But the mighty and virtuous Rama, learning\nthat his father had been thus solicited, went into the forest so that\nthe king's truth might remain inviolate. And, blessed be thou, he was\nfollowed by the auspicious Lakshmana--that foremost of bowmen and his\nwife Sita, the princess of Videha and daughter of Janaka. And after Rama\nhad gone into the forest, king Dasaratha took leave of his body,\nagreeably to the eternal law of time. And knowing that Rama not near and\nthat the king was dead, queen Kaikeyi, causing Bharata to be brought\nbefore her, addressed him in these words, \"Dasaratha hath gone to heaven\nand both Rama and Lakshmana are in the forest! Take thou this kingdom\nwhich is so extensive and whose peace there is no rival to disturb.\"\nThereupon the virtuous Bharata replied unto her saying, \"Thou hast done\na wicked deed, having slain thy husband and exterminated this family\nfrom lust of wealth alone! Heaping infamy on my head, O accursed woman\nof our race, thou hast, O mother, attained this, thy object!\" And having\nsaid these words, the prince wept aloud. And having proved his innocence\nbefore all the subjects of that realm he set out in the wake of Rama,\ndesiring to bring him back. And placing Kausalya and Sumitra and Kaikeyi\nin the vehicles at the van of his train, he proceeded with a heavy\nheart, in company with Satrughna. And he was accompanied by Vasishtha\nand Vamadeva, and other Brahmanas by thousands and by the people of the\ncities and the provinces, desiring to bring back Rama. And he saw Rama\nwith Lakshmana, living on the mountains of Chitrakuta with bow in hand\nand decked with the ornaments of ascetics. Bharata, however, was\ndismissed by Rama, who was determined to act according to the words of\nhis father. And returning, Bharata ruled at Nandigrama, keeping before\nhim, his brother's wooden sandals. And Rama fearing a repetition of\nintrusion by the people of Ayodhya, entered into the great forest\ntowards the asylum of Sarabhanga. And having paid his respects to\nSarabhanga, he entered the forest of Dandaka and took up his abode on\nthe banks of beautiful river Godavari. And while living there, Rama was\ninveigled into hostilities with Khara, then dwelling in Janasthana, on\naccount of Surpanakha. And for the protection of the ascetics the\nvirtuous scion of Raghu's race slew fourteen thousand Rakshasas on\nearth, and having slain those mighty Rakshasas, Khara and Dushana, the\nwise descendant of Raghu once more made that sacred forest free from\ndanger.\n\n\"'And after these Rakshasas had been slain, Surpanakha with mutilated\nnose and lips, repaired to Lanka--the abode of her brother (Ravana). And\nwhen that Rakshasa woman, senseless with grief and with dry blood-stains\non her face, appeared before Ravana, she fell down at his feet. And\nbeholding her so horribly mutilated, Ravana became senseless with wrath\nand grinding his teeth sprung up from his seat. And dismissing his\nministers, he enquired of her in private, saying, \"Blessed sister, who\nhath made thee so, forgetting and disregarding me? Who is he that having\ngot a sharp-pointed spear hath rubbed his body with it? Who is he that\nsleepeth in happiness and security, after placing a fire close to his\nhead? Who is he that hath trodden upon a revengeful snake of virulent\npoison? Who indeed, is that person who standeth with his hand thrust\ninto the mouth of the maned lion!\" Then flames of wrath burst forth from\nhis body, like those that are emitted at night from the hollows of a\ntree on fire. His sister then related unto him the prowess of Rama and\nthe defeat of the Rakshasas with Khara and Dushana at their head.\nInformed of the slaughter of his relatives, Ravana, impelled by Fate,\nremembered Maricha for slaying Rama. And resolving upon the course he\nwas to follow and having made arrangements for the government of his\ncapital, he consoled his sister, and set out on an aerial voyage. And\ncrossing the Trikuta and the Kala mountains, he beheld the vast\nreceptacle of deep waters--the abode of the Makaras. Then crossing the\nOcean, the Ten headed Ravana reached Gokarna--the favourite resort of\nthe illustrious god armed with the trident. And there Ravana met with\nhis old friend Maricha who, from fear of Rama himself, had adopted an\nascetic mode of life.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXVI\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Beholding Ravana come, Maricha received him with a\nrespectful welcome, and offered him fruits and roots. And after Ravana\nhad taken his seat, and rested himself a while, Maricha skilled in\nspeech, sat beside Ravana and addressed him who was himself as eloquent\nin speech, saying, \"Thy complexion hath assumed an unnatural hue; is it\nall right with thy kingdom, O king of the Rakshasas? What hath brought\nthee here? Do thy subjects continue to pay thee the same allegiance that\nthey used to pay thee before? What business hath brought thee here? Know\nthat it is already fulfilled, even if it be very difficult of\nfulfilment!\" Ravana, whose heart was agitated with wrath and humiliation\ninformed him briefly of the acts of Rama and the measures that were to\nbe taken. And on hearing his story, Maricha briefly replied to him,\nsaying, \"Thou must not provoke Rama, for I know his strength! Is there a\nperson who is capable of withstanding the impetus of his arrows? That\ngreat man hath been the cause of my assuming my present ascetic life.\nWhat evil-minded creature hath put thee up to this course calculated to\nbring ruin and destruction on thee?\" To this Ravana indignantly replied,\nreproaching him thus, \"If thou dost not obey my orders, thou shall\nsurely die at my hands.\" Maricha then thought within himself, \"When\ndeath is inevitable, I shall do his biddings; for it is better to die at\nthe hands of one that is superior.\" Then he replied to the lord of the\nRakshasas saying, \"I shall surely render thee whatever help I can!\" Then\nthe Ten-headed Ravana said unto him, \"Go and tempt Sita, assuming the\nshape of a deer with golden horns and a golden skin! When Sita will\nobserve thee thus, she will surely send away Rama to hunt thee. And then\nSita will surely come within my power, and I shall forcibly carry her\naway. And then that wicked Rama will surely die of grief at the loss of\nhis wife. Do thou help me in this way!\"\n\n\"'Thus addressed, Maricha performed his obsequies (in anticipation) and\nwith a sorrowful heart, followed Ravana who was in advance of him. And\nhaving reached the hermitage of Rama of difficult achievements, they\nboth did as arranged beforehand. And Ravana appeared in the guise of an\nascetic with head shaven, and adorned with a _Kamandala_, and a treble\nstaff. And Maricha appeared in the shape of a deer. And Maricha appeared\nbefore the princess of Videha in that guise. And impelled by Fate, she\nsent away Rama after that deer. And Rama, with the object of pleasing\nher, quickly took up his bow, and leaving Lakshmana behind to protect\nher, went in pursuit of that deer. And armed with his bow and quiver and\nscimitar, and his fingers encased in gloves of _Guana_ skin, Rama went\nin pursuit of that deer, after the manner of Rudra following the stellar\ndeer[50] in days of yore. And that Rakshasa enticed away Rama to a great\ndistance by appearing before him at one time and disappearing from his\nview at another. And when Rama at last knew who and what that deer was,\nviz., that he was a _Rakshasa_, that illustrious descendant of Raghu's\nrace took out an infallible arrow and slew that Rakshasa, in the\ndisguise of a deer. And struck with Rama's arrow, the Rakshasa,\nimitating Rama's voice, cried out in great distress, calling upon Sita\nand Lakshmana. And when the princess of Videha heard that cry of\ndistress, she urged Lakshmana to run towards the quarter from whence the\ncry came. Then Lakshmana said to her, \"Timid lady, thou hast no cause of\nfear! Who is so powerful as to be able to smite Rama? O thou of sweet\nsmiles, in a moment thou wilt behold thy husband Rama!\" Thus addressed,\nthe chaste Sita, from that timidity which is natural to women, became\nsuspicious of even the pure Lakshmana, and began to weep aloud. And that\nchaste lady, devoted to her husband, harshly reproved Lakshmana, saying,\n\"The object which thou, O fool, cherishest in thy heart, shall never be\nfulfilled! I would rather kill myself with a weapon or throw myself from\nthe top of a hill or enter into a blazing fire than live with a sorry\nwretch like thee, forsaking my husband Rama, like a tigress under the\nprotection of a jackal!\"\n\n    [50] Tard-mrigam. Formerly Prajapati, assuming the Form of a\n    deer, followed his daughter from lust, and Rudra, armed with a\n    trident, pursued Prajapati and struck off his head. That\n    deer-head of Prajapati severed from the trunk, became the star,\n    or rather constellation, called Mrigasiras.\n\n\"'When the good natured Lakshmana, who was very fond of his brother,\nheard these words, he shut his ears (with his hands) and set out on the\ntrack that Rama had taken. And Lakshmana set out without casting a\nsingle glance on that lady with lips soft and red like the _Bimba_\nfruit. Meanwhile, the Rakshasa Ravana, wearing a genteel guise though\nwicked at heart, and like unto fire enveloped in a heap of ashes, showed\nhimself there. And he appeared there in the disguise of a hermit, for\nforcibly carrying away that lady of blameless character. The virtuous\ndaughter of Janaka, seeing him come, welcomed him with fruits and root\nand a seat. Disregarding these and assuming his own proper shape, that\nbull among Rakshasas began to re-assure the princess of Videha in these\nwords, \"I am, O Sita, the king of the Rakshasas, known by the name of\nRavana! My delightful city, known by the name of Lanka is on the other\nside of the great ocean! There among beautiful women, thou wilt shine\nwith me! O lady of beautiful lips, forsaking the ascetic Rama do thou\nbecome my wife!\" Janaka's daughter of beautiful lips, hearing these and\nother words in the same strain, shut her ears and replied unto him,\nsaying, \"Do not say so! The vault of heaven with all its stars may fall\ndown, the Earth itself may be broken into fragments, fire itself may\nchange its nature by becoming cool, yet I cannot forsake the descendant\nof Raghu! How can a she-elephant, who hath lived with the mighty leader\nof a herd with rent temples forsake him and live with a hog? Having once\ntasted the sweet wine prepared from honey or flowers, how can a woman, I\nfancy, relish the wretched arrak from rice?\" Having uttered those words,\nshe entered the cottage, her lips trembling in wrath and her arms moving\nto and fro in emotion. Ravana, however, followed her thither and\nintercepted her further progress. And rudely scolded by the Rakshasa,\nshe swooned away. But Ravana seized her by the hair of her head, and\nrose up into the air. Then a huge vulture of the name of Jatayu living\non a mountain peak, beheld that helpless lady thus weeping and calling\nupon Rama in great distress while being carried away by Ravana.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXVII\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'That heroic king of the vultures, Jatayu, having\nSampati for his uterine brother and Arjuna himself for his father, was a\nfriend of Dasaratha. And beholding his daughter-in-law Sita on the lap\nof Ravana, that ranger of the skies rushed in wrath against the king of\nthe Rakshasas. And the vulture addressed Ravana, saying, \"Leave the\nprincess of Mithila, leave her I say! How canst thou, O Rakshasa, ravish\nher when I am alive? If thou dost not release my daughter-in-law, thou\nshalt not escape from me with life!\" And having said these words Jatayu\nbegan to tear the king of the Rakshasas with his talons. And he mangled\nhim in a hundred different parts of his body by striking him with his\nwings and beaks. And blood began to flow as copiously from Ravana's body\nas water from a mountain spring. And attacked thus by that vulture\ndesirous of Rama's good, Ravana, taking up a sword, cut off the two\nwings of that bird. And having slain that king of the vultures, huge as\na mountain-peak shooting forth above the clouds, the Rakshasa rose high\nin the air with Sita on his lap. And the princess of Videha, wherever\nshe saw an asylum of ascetics, a lake, a river, or a tank, threw down an\nornament of hers. And beholding on the top of a mountain five foremost\nof monkeys, that intelligent lady threw down amongst them a broad piece\nof her costly attire. And that beautiful and yellow piece of cloth fell,\nfluttering through the air, amongst those five foremost of monkeys like\nlightning from the clouds. And that Rakshasa soon passed a great way\nthrough the firmament like a bird through the air. And soon the Rakshasa\nbeheld his delightful and charming city of many gates, surrounded on all\nsides by high walls and built by Viswakrit himself. And the king of the\nRakshasa then entered his own city known by the name of Lanka,\naccompanied by Sita.\n\n\"'And while Sita was being carried away, the intelligent Rama, having\nslain the great deer, retraced his steps and saw his brother Lakshmana\n(on the way). And beholding his brother, Rama reproved him, saying, \"How\ncouldst thou come hither, leaving the princess of Videha in a forest\nthat is haunted by the Rakshasa?\" And reflecting on his own enticement\nto a great distance by that Rakshasa in the guise of a deer and on the\narrival of his brother (leaving Sita alone in the asylum), Rama was\nfilled with agony. And quickly advancing towards Lakshmana while\nreproving him still, Rama asked him, \"O Lakshmana, is the princess of\nVideha still alive? I fear she is no more!\" Then Lakshmana told him\neverything about what Sita had said, especially that unbecoming language\nof hers subsequently. With a burning heart Rama then ran towards the\nasylum. And on the way he beheld a vulture huge as a mountain, lying in\nagonies of death. And suspecting him to be a Rakshasa, the descendant of\nthe Kakutstha race, along with Lakshmana rushed towards him, drawing\nwith great force his bow to a circle. The mighty vulture, however,\naddressing them both, said, \"Blessed be ye, I am the king of the\nvultures, and friend of Dasaratha!\" Hearing these words of his, both\nRama and his brother put aside their excellent bow and said, \"Who is\nthis one that speaketh the name of our father in these woods?\" And then\nthey saw that creature to be a bird destitute of two wings, and that\nbird then told them of his own overthrow at the hands of Ravana for the\nsake of Sita. Then Rama enquired of the vulture as to the way Ravana had\ntaken. The vulture answered him by a nod of his head and then breathed\nhis last. And having understood from the sign the vulture had made that\nRavana had gone towards the south, Rama reverencing his father's friend,\ncaused his funeral obsequies to be duly performed. Then those chastisers\nof foes, Rama and Lakshmana, filled with grief at the abduction of the\nprincess of Videha, took a southern path through the Dandaka woods\nbeholding along their way many uninhabited asylums of ascetics,\nscattered over with seats of Kusa grass and umbrellas of leaves and\nbroken water-pots, and abounding with hundreds of jackals. And in that\ngreat forest, Rama along with Sumatra's son beheld many herds of deer\nrunning in all directions. And they heard a loud uproar of various\ncreatures like what is heard during a fast spreading forest\nconflagration. And soon they beheld a headless Rakshasa of terrible\nmien. And that Rakshasa was dark as the clouds and huge as a mountain,\nwith shoulders broad as those of a Sola tree, and with arms that were\ngigantic. And he had a pair of large eyes on his breast, and the opening\nof his mouth was placed on his capacious belly. And that Rakshasa seized\nLakshmana by the hand, without any difficulty. And seized by the\nRakshasa the son of Sumitra, O Bharata, became utterly confounded and\nhelpless. And casting his glances on Rama, that headless Rakshasa began\nto draw Lakshmana towards that part of his body where his mouth was. And\nLakshmana in grief addressed Rama, saying, \"Behold my plight! The loss\nof thy kingdom, and then the death of our father, and then the abduction\nof Sita, and finally this disaster that hath overwhelmed me! Alas, I\nshall not behold thee return with the princess of Videha to Kosala and\nseated on thy ancestral throne as the ruler of the entire Earth! They\nonly that are fortunate will behold thy face, like unto the moon emerged\nfrom the clouds, after thy coronation bath in water sanctified with Kusa\ngrass and fried paddy and black peas!\" And the intelligent Lakshmana\nuttered those and other lamentations in the same strain. The illustrious\ndescendant, however, of Kakutstha's race undaunted amid danger, replied\nunto Lakshmana, saying, \"Do not, O tiger among men, give way to grief!\nWhat is this thing when I am here? Cut thou off his right arm and I\nshall cut off his left.\" And while Rama was still speaking so, the left\narm of the monster was severed by him, cut off with a sharp scimitar, as\nif indeed, that arm were a stalk of the _Tila corn_. The mighty son of\nSumitra then beholding his brother standing before him struck off with\nhis sword the right arm also of that Rakshasa. And Lakshmana also began\nto repeatedly strike the Rakshasa under the ribs, and then that huge\nheadless monster fell upon the ground and expired quickly. And then\nthere came out from the Rakshasa's body a person of celestial make. And\nhe showed himself to the brothers, staying for a moment in the skies,\nlike the Sun in his effulgence in the firmament. And Rama skilled in\nspeech, asked him, saying, \"Who art thou? Answer _me_ who enquire of\nthee? Whence could such a thing happen? All this seems to me to be\nexceedingly wonderful!\" Thus addressed by Rama, that being replied unto\nhim, saying, \"I am, O prince, a Gandharva of the name of Viswavasu! It\nwas through the curse of a Brahmana that I had to assume the form and\nnature of a Rakshasa. As to thyself, O Rama, Sita hath been carried away\nwith violence by king Ravana who dwelleth in Lanka. Repair thou unto\nSugriva who will give thee his friendship. There, near enough to the\npeak of _Rishyamuka_ is the lake known by the name of _Pampa_ of sacred\nwater and cranes. There dwelleth, with four of his counsellors, Sugriva,\nthe brother of the monkey-king Vali decked with a garland of gold.\nRepairing unto him, inform of thy cause of sorrow. In plight very much\nlike thy own, he will render thee assistance. This is all that we can\nsay. Thou wilt, without doubt, see the daughter of Janaka! Without doubt\nRavana and others are known to the king of the monkeys!\" Having said\nthese words, that celestial being of great effulgence made himself\ninvisible, and those heroes, both Rama and Lakshmana, wondered much.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXVIII\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Afflicted with grief at the abduction of Sita, Rama\nhad not to go much further before he came upon _Pampa_--that lake which\nabounded with lotuses of various kinds. And fanned by the cool,\ndelicious and fragrant breezes in those woods, Rama suddenly remembered\nhis dear spouse. And, O mighty monarch, thinking of that dear wife of\nhis, and afflicted at the thought of his separation from her, Rama gave\nway to lamentations. The son of Sumitra then addressed him saying, \"O\nthou that givest proper respect to those that deserve it, despondency\nsuch as this should not be suffered to approach thee, like illness that\ncan never touch an old man leading a regular life! Thou hast obtained\ninformation of Ravana and of the princess of Videha! Liberate her now\nwith exertion and intelligence! Let us now approach Sugriva, that\nforemost of monkeys, who is even now on the mountain top! Console\nthyself, when I, thy disciple and slave and ally, am near!\" And\naddressed by Lakshmana in these and other words of the same import, Rama\nregained his own nature and attended to the business before him. And\nbathing in the waters of _Pampa_ and offering oblations therewith unto\ntheir ancestors, both those heroic brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, set out\n(for _Rishyamuka_). And arriving at _Rishyamuka_ which abounded with\nfruits and roots and trees, those heroes beheld five monkeys on the top\nof the mountain-peak. And seeing them approach, Sugriva sent his\ncounsellor the intelligent Hanuman, huge as the Himavat-mountains, to\nreceive them. And the brothers, having first exchanged words with\nHanuman, approached Sugriva. And then, O king, Rama made friends with\nSugriva. And when Rama informed Sugriva of the object he had in view,\nSugriva showed him the piece of cloth that Sita had dropped among the\nmonkeys, while being carried away by Ravana. And having obtained from\nhim those credentials, Rama himself installed Sugriva--that foremost of\nmonkeys--in sovereignty of all the monkeys of Earth. And Rama also\npledged himself to slay Vali in battle. And having come to that\nunderstanding and placing the fullest confidence in each other, they all\nrepaired to _Kiskindhya_, desirous of battle (with Vali). And arriving\nat _Kiskindhya_, Sugriva sent forth a loud roar deep as that of a\ncataract. Unable to bear that challenge, Vali was for coming out (but\nhis wife) Tara stood in way, saying, \"Himself endued with great\nstrength, the way in which Sugriva is roaring, showeth, I ween, that he\nhath found assistance! It behoveth thee not, therefore, to go out!\" Thus\naddressed by her, that king of the monkeys, the eloquent Vali, decked in\na golden garland replied unto Tara of face beautiful as the moon,\nsaying, \"Thou understandest the voice of every creature. Tell me after\nreflection whose help it is that this brother in name only of mine hath\nobtained!\" Thus addressed by him Tara endued with wisdom and possessed\nof the effulgence of the moon, answered her lord after a moment's\nreflection, saying, \"Listen, O monarch of the monkeys! That foremost of\nbowmen, endued with great might, Rama the son of Dasaratha, whose spouse\nhath been ravished, hath made an alliance offensive and defensive with\nSugriva! And his brother the intelligent Lakshmana also of mighty arms,\nthe unvanquished son of Sumitra, standeth beside him for the success of\nSugriva's object. And Mainda and Dwivida, and Hanuman the son of\n_Pavana_, and Jamvuman, the king of the bears, are beside Sugriva as his\ncounsellors. All these illustrious ones are endued with great strength\nand intelligence. And these all, depending upon the might and energy of\nRama, are prepared for thy destruction!\" Hearing these words of hers\nthat were for his benefit, the king of the monkeys disregarded them\naltogether. And filled with jealousy, he also suspected her to have set\nher heart on Sugriva! And addressing Tara in harsh words, he went out of\nhis cave and coming before Sugriva who was staying by the side of the\nmountains of Malyavat, he spoke unto him thus, \"Frequently vanquished\nbefore by me, fond as thou art of life, thou art allowed by me to escape\nwith life owing to thy relationship with me! What hath made thee wish\nfor death so soon?\" Thus addressed by Vali, Sugriva, that slayer of\nfoes, as if addressing Rama himself for informing him of what had\nhappened, replied unto his brother in these words of grave import, \"O\nking, robbed by thee of my wife and my kingdom also, what need have I of\nlife? Know that it is for this that I have come!\" Then addressing each\nother in these and other words of the same import, Vali and Sugriva\nrushed to the encounter, fighting with _Sala_ and _Tala_ trees and\nstones. And they struck each other down on the earth. And leaping high\ninto the air, they struck each other with their fists. And mangled by\neach other's nail and teeth, both of them were covered with blood. And\nthe two heroes shone on that account like a pair of blossoming\n_Kinshukas_. And as they fought with each other, no difference (in\naspect) could be observed so as to distinguish them. Then Hanuman placed\non Sugriva's neck a garland of flowers. And that hero thereupon shone\nwith that garland on his neck, like the beautiful and huge peak of\n_Malya_ with its cloudy belt. And Rama, recognising Sugriva by that\nsign, then drew his foremost of huge bows, aiming at Vali as his mark.\nAnd the twang of Rama's bow resembled the roar of an engine. And Vali,\npierced in the heart by that arrow, trembled in fear. And Vali, his\nheart having been pierced through, began to vomit forth blood. And he\nthen beheld standing before him Rama with Sumatra's son by his side. And\nreproving that descendant of Kakutstha's race, Vali fell down on the\nground and became senseless. And Tara then beheld that lord of hers\npossessed of the effulgence of the Moon, lying prostrate on the bare\nearth. And after Vali had been thus slain, Sugriva regained possession\nof Kishkindhya, and along with it, of the widowed Tara also of face\nbeautiful as the moon. And the intelligent Rama also dwelt on the\nbeautiful breast of the Malyavat hill for four months, duly worshipped\nby Sugriva all the while.\n\n\"'Meanwhile Ravana excited by lust, having reached his city of Lanka,\nplaced Sita in an abode, resembling _Nandana_ itself, within a forest of\n_Asokas_, that looked like an asylum of ascetics. And the large-eyed\nSita passed her days there in distress, living on fruits and roots,\npractising ascetic austerities with fasts, attired in ascetic garb, and\nwaning thin day by day, thinking of her absent lord. And the king of the\n_Rakshasas_ appointed many _Rakshasa_ women armed with bearded darts and\nswords and lances and battle-axes and maces and flaming brands, for\nguarding her. And some of these had two eyes, and some three, and some\nhad eyes on their foreheads. And some had long tongues and some had\nnone. And some had three breasts and some had only one leg. And some had\nthree matted braids on their heads, and some had only one eye. And\nthese, and others of blazing eyes and hair stiff as the camel's, stood\nbeside Sita surrounding her day and night most watchfully. And those\n_Pisacha_ women of frightful voice and terrible aspect always addressed\nthat large-eyed lady in the harshest tones. And they said, \"Let us eat\nher up, let us mangle her, let us tear her into pieces, her, that is,\nthat dwelleth here disregarding our lord!\" And filled with grief at the\nseparation from her lord, Sita drew a deep sigh and answered those\n_Rakshasa_ women, saying, \"Reverend ladies, eat me up without delay! I\nhave no desire to live without that husband of mine, of eyes like\nlotus-leaves and locks wavy, and blue in hue! Truly I will, without food\nand without the least love of life, emaciate my limbs, like a she-snake\n(hybernating) within a _Tala_ tree. Know this for certain that I will\nnever seek the protection of any other person than the descendant of\nRaghu. And knowing this, do what ye think fit!\" And hearing these words\nof hers, those _Rakshasas_ with dissonant voice went to the king of the\n_Rakshasas_, for representing unto him all she had said. And when those\n_Rakshasas_ had gone away, one of their number known by the name of\n_Trijata_, who was virtuous and agreeable in speech, began to console\nthe princess of Videha. And she said, \"Listen, O Sita! I will tell thee\nsomething! O friend, believe in what I say! O thou of fair hips, cast\noff thy fears, and listen to what I say. There is an intelligent and old\nchief of the _Rakshasas_ known by the name of Avindhya. He always\nseeketh Rama's good and hath told me these words for thy sake!\n'Reassuring and cheering her, tell Sita in my name, saying: \"Thy husband\nthe mighty Rama is well and is waited upon by Lakshmana. And the blessed\ndescendant of Raghu hath already made friends with Sugriva, the king of\nthe monkeys, and is ready to act for thee!\"' And, O timid lady,\nentertain thou no fear on account of Ravana, who is censured by the\nwhole world, for, O daughter, thou art safe from him on account of\nNalakuvera's curse. Indeed, this wretch had been cursed before for his\nhaving violated his daughter-in-law, Rambha. This lustful wretch is not\nable to violate any woman by force. Thy husband will soon come,\nprotected by Sugriva and with the intelligent son of Sumitra in his\ntrain, and will soon take thee away hence! O lady, I have had a most\nterrible dream of evil omen, indicating the destruction of this\nwicked-minded wretch of Pulastya's race! This night wanderer of mean\ndeeds is, indeed, most wicked and cruel. He inspireth terror in all by\nthe defects of his nature and the wickedness of his conduct. And\ndeprived of his senses by Fate, he challengeth the very gods. In my\nvision I have seen every indication of his downfall. I have seen the\nTen-headed, with his crown shaven and body besmeared with oil, sunk in\nmire, and the next moment dancing on a chariot drawn by mules. I have\nseen Kumbhakarna and others, perfectly naked and with crowns shaven,\ndecked with red wreaths and unguents, and running towards the southern\ndirection. Vibhishana alone, with umbrella over his head, and graced\nwith a turban, and with body decked with white wreaths and unguents, I\nbeheld ascending the summit of the White hill. And I saw four of his\ncounsellors also, decked with white wreaths and unguents, ascending the\nsummit of that hill along with him. All this bodeth that these alone\nwill be saved from the impending terror. The whole earth with its oceans\nand seas will be enveloped with Rama's arrows. O lady, thy husband will\nfill the whole earth with his fame. I also saw Lakshmana, consuming all\ndirections (with his arrows) and ascending on a heap of bones and\ndrinking thereon honey and rice boiled in milk. And thou, O lady, hast\nbeen beheld by me running towards a northernly direction, weeping and\ncovered with blood and protected by a tiger! And, O princess of Videha,\nsoon wilt thou find happiness, being united, O Sita, with thy lord, that\ndescendant of Raghu accompanied by his brother!' Hearing these words of\n_Trijata_, that girl with eyes like those of a young gazelle, once more\nbegan to entertain hopes of a union with her lord. And when at last\nthose fierce and cruel _Pisacha_ guards came back, they saw her sitting\nwith _Trijata_ as before.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXIX\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'And while the chaste Sita was dwelling there\nafflicted with melancholy and grief on account of her lord, attired in\nmean garb, with but a single jewel (on the marital thread on her wrist),\nand incessantly weeping, seated on a stone, and waited upon by\n_Rakshasa_ women, Ravana, afflicted by the shafts of the god of desire,\ncame to her and approached her presence. And inflamed by desire, that\nconqueror in battle of the gods, the _Danavas_, the _Gandharvas_, the\n_Yakshas_, and the _Kimpurushas_, attired in celestial robes and\npossessing handsome features, decked with jewelled earrings and wearing\na beautiful garland and crown, entered the _Asoka_ woods, like an\nembodiment of the vernal season. And dressed with care, Ravana looked\nlike the _Kalpa_ tree in Indra's garden. But though adorned with every\nembellishment, that inspired her only with awe, like a beautified banian\nin the midst of a cemetery. And that night wanderer, having approached\nthe presence of that slender-waisted lady, looked like the planet Saturn\nin the presence of _Rohini_. And smitten with the shafts of the god of\nthe flowery emblem he accosted that fair-hipped lady then affrighted\nlike a helpless doe, and told her these words, \"Thou hast, O Sita, shown\nthy regard for thy lord too much! O thou of delicate limbs, be merciful\nunto me. Let thy person be embellished now (by these maids in waiting).\nO excellent lady, accept me as thy lord! And, O thou of the most\nbeautiful complexion, attired in costly robes and ornaments, take thou\nthe first place among all the women of my household. Many are the\ndaughters of the celestials and also the _Gandharvas_ that I possess! I\nam lord also of many _Danava_ and _Daitya_ ladies! One hundred and forty\nmillions of _Pisachas_, twice as many man-eating Rakshasa of terrible\ndeed, and thrice as many Yaksha do my bidding! Some of these are under\nthe sway of my brother who is the lord of all treasures. In my drinking\nhall, O excellent lady of beautiful thighs, Gandharvas and Apsaras wait\non me as they do on my brother! I am, again, the son of that regenerate\n_Rishi_ Visravas himself of high ascetic merit. I am renowned, again, as\nthe fifth Regent of the Universe! And, O beautiful lady, of food and\nedibles and drinks of the very best kind, I have as much as the Lord\nhimself of the celestials! Let all thy troubles consequent on a life in\nthe woods cease! O thou of fair hips, be my Queen, as Mandodari\nherself!\" Thus addressed by him, the beautiful princess of Videha,\nturning away and regarding him as something less than a straw, replied\nunto that wanderer of the night. And at that time the princess of\nVideha, that girl of beautiful hips, had her deep and compact bosom\ncopiously drenched by her inauspicious tears shed ceaselessly. And she\nwho regarded her husband as her god, answered that mean wretch, saying,\n\"By sheer ill-luck it is, O king of the Rakshasas, that I am obliged to\nhear such words of grievous import spoken by thee! Blessed be thou, O\nRakshasa fond of sensual pleasures, let thy heart be withdrawn from me!\nI am the wife of another, ever devoted to my husband, and, therefore,\nincapable of being possessed by thee! A helpless human being that I am,\nI cannot be a fit wife for thee! What joy can be thine by using violence\ntowards an unwilling woman? Thy father is a wise Brahmana, born of\nBrahma and equal unto that Lord himself of the creation! Why dost thou\nnot, therefore, thyself being equal to a Regent of the Universe, observe\nvirtue? Disgracing thy brother, that king of the Yakshas, that adorable\none who is the friend of Maheswara himself, that lord of treasures, how\nis it that thou feelest no shame?\" Having said these words, Sita began\nto weep, her bosom shivering in agitation, and covering her neck and\nface with her garments. And the long and well-knit braid, black and\nglossy, falling from the head of the weeping lady, looked like a black\nsnake. And hearing these cruel words uttered by Sita, the foolish\nRavana, although thus rejected, addressed Sita once more, saying, \"O\nlady, let the god having the _Makara_ for his emblem burn me sorely. I\nwill, however, on no account, O thou of sweet smiles and beautiful hips,\napproach thee, as thou art unwilling! What can I do to thee that still\nfeelest a regard for Rama who is only a human being and, therefore, our\nfood?\" Having said those words unto that lady of faultless features, the\nking of the _Rakshasa_ made himself invisible then and there and went\naway to the place he liked. And Sita, surrounded by those _Rakshasa_\nwomen, and treated with tenderness by _Trijata_, continued to dwell\nthere in grief.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXX\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Meanwhile the illustrious descendant of Raghu, along\nwith his brother, hospitably treated by Sugriva, continued to dwell on\nthe breast of the _Malyavat_ hill, beholding every day the clear blue\nsky. And one night, while gazing from the mountain-top on the bright\nmoon in the cloudless sky surrounded by planets and stars and stellar\nbodies, that slayer of foes was suddenly awakened (to a remembrance of\nSita) by the cold breezes fragrant with the perfumes of the lily, lotus\nand other flowers of the same species. And virtuous Rama, dejected in\nspirits at the thought of Sita's captivity in the abode of the Rakshasa,\naddressed the heroic Lakshmana in the morning saying, \"Go, Lakshmana and\nseek in Kishkindhya that ungrateful king of the monkeys, who understands\nwell his own interest and is even now indulging in dissipations, that\nfoolish wretch of his race whom I have installed on a throne and to whom\nall apes and monkeys and bears owe allegiance, that fellow for whose\nsake, O mighty-armed perpetuator of Raghu's race, Vali was slain by me\nwith thy help in the wood of Kishkindhya! I regard that worst of monkeys\non earth to be highly ungrateful, for, O Lakshmana, that wretch hath now\nforgotten me who am sunk in such distress! I think he is unwilling to\nfulfil his pledge, disregarding, from dullness of understanding, one who\nhath done him such services! If thou findest him luke-warm and rolling\nin sensual joys, thou must then send him, by the path Vali hath been\nmade to follow, to the common goal of all creatures! If, on the other\nhand, thou seest that foremost of monkeys delight in our cause, then, O\ndescendant of Kakutstha, shouldst thou bring him hither with thee! Be\nquick, and delay not!\" Thus addressed by his brother, Lakshmana ever\nattentive to the behests and welfare of his superiors, set out taking\nwith him his handsome bow with string and arrows. And reaching the gates\nof Kishkindhya he entered the city unchallenged. And knowing him to be\nangry, the monkey-king advanced to receive him. And with his wife,\nSugriva, the king of the monkeys, with a humble heart, joyfully received\nhim with due honours. And the dauntless son of Sumitra then told him\nwhat Rama had said. And having heard everything in detail, O mighty\nmonarch, Sugriva, the king of the monkeys with his wife and servants,\njoined his hands, and cheerfully said unto Lakshmana, that elephant\namong men, these words: \"I am, O Lakshmana, neither wicked, nor\nungrateful, nor destitute of virtue! Hear what efforts I have made for\nfinding out Sita's place of captivity! I have despatched diligent\nmonkeys in all directions. All of them have stipulated to return within\na month. They will, O hero, search the whole earth with her forests and\nhills and seas, her villages and towns and cities and mines. Only five\nnights are wanting to complete that month, and then thou wilt, with\nRama, hear tidings of great joy!\"\n\n\"'Thus addressed by that intelligent king of the monkeys, the\nhigh-souled Lakshmana became appeased, and he in his turn worshipped\nSugriva. And accompanied by Sugriva, he returned to Rama on the breast\nof the Malyavat hill. And approaching him, Lakshmana informed him of the\nbeginning already made in respect of his undertaking. And soon thousands\nof monkey-chiefs began to return, after having carefully searched the\nthree quarters of the earth, viz., the North, the East and the West. But\nthey that had gone towards the South did not make their appearance. And\nthey that came back represented to Rama, saying that although they had\nsearched the whole earth with her belt of seas, yet they could not find\neither the princess of Videha or Ravana. But that descendant of\nKakutstha's race, afflicted at heart, managed to live yet, resting his\nhopes (of hearing Sita's tidings) on the great monkeys that had gone\ntowards the South.\n\n\"'After the lapse of two months, several monkeys seeking with haste the\npresence of Sugriva, addressed him, saying, \"O king, that foremost of\nmonkeys, the son of _Pavana_, as also Angada, the son of Vali, and the\nother great monkeys whom thou hadst despatched to search the southern\nregion, have come back and are pillaging that great and excellent\norchard called _Madhuvana_, which was always guarded by Vali and which\nhath been well-guarded by thee also after him!\" Hearing of this act of\nliberty on their part, Sugriva inferred the success of their mission,\nfor it is only servants that have been crowned with success that can act\nin this way. And that intelligent and foremost of monkeys communicated\nhis suspicions to Rama. And Rama also, from this, guessed that the\nprincess of Mithila had been seen. Then Hanuman and the other monkeys,\nhaving refreshed themselves thus, came towards their king, who was then\nstaying with Rama and Lakshmana. And, O Bharata, observing the gait of\nHanuman and the colour of his face, Rama was confirmed in the belief\nthat Hanuman had really seen Sita. Then those successful monkeys with\nHanuman at their head, duly bowed unto Rama and Lakshmana and Sugriva.\nAnd Rama then taking up his bow and quiver, addressed those monkeys,\nsaying, \"Have you been successful? Will ye impart life unto me? Will ye\nonce more enable me to reign in Ayodhya after having slain my enemy in\nbattle and rescued the daughter of Janaka? With the princess of Videha\nunrescued, and the foe unslain in battle, I dare not live, robbed of\nwife and honour!\" Thus addressed by Rama, the son of _Pavana_, replied\nunto him, saying, \"I bring thee good news, O Rama; for Janaka's daughter\nhath been seen by me. Having searched the southern region with all its\nhills, forests, and mines for some time, we became very weary. At length\nwe beheld a great cavern. And having beheld it, we entered that cavern\nwhich extended over many _Yojanas_. It was dark and deep and overgrown\nwith trees and infested by worms. And having gone a great way through\nit, we came upon sun-shine and beheld a beautiful palace. It was, O\nRaghava, the abode of the _Daitya Maya_. And there we beheld a female\nascetic named _Prabhavati_ engaged in ascetic austerities. And she gave\nus food and drink of various kinds. And having refreshed ourselves\ntherewith and regained our strength, we proceeded along the way shown by\nher. At last we came out of the cavern and beheld the brimy sea, and on\nits shores, the _Sahya_, the _Malaya_ and the great _Dardura_ mountains.\nAnd ascending the mountains of _Malaya_, we beheld before us the vast\nocean.[51] And beholding it we felt sorely grieved in mind. And dejected\nin spirits and afflicted with pain and famishing with hunger, we\ndespaired of returning with our lives. Casting our eyes on the great\nocean extending over many hundreds of _Yojanas_ and abounding in whales\nand alligators and other aquatic animals, we became anxious and filled\nwith grief. We then sat together, resolved to die there of starvation.\nAnd in course of conversation we happened to talk of the vulture\n_Jatayu_. Just then we saw a bird huge as a mountain, of frightful form,\nand inspiring terror into every heart, like a second son of Vinata.[52]\nAnd coming upon us unawares for devouring us, he said, 'Who are ye that\nare speaking thus of my brother _Jatayu_? I am his elder brother, by\nname _Sampati_, and am the king of birds. Once upon a time, we two, with\nthe desire of outstripping each other, flew towards the sun. My wings\ngot burnt, but those of _Jatayu_ were not. That was the last time I saw\nmy beloved brother _Jatayu_, the king of vultures! My wings burnt, I\nfell down upon the top of this great mountain where I still am!' When he\nfinished speaking, we informed him of the death of his brother in a few\nwords and also of this calamity that hath befallen thee! And, O king,\nthe powerful Sampati hearing this unpleasant news from us, was greatly\nafflicted and again enquired of us, saying, 'Who is this Rama and why\nwas Sita carried off and how was Jatayu slain? Ye foremost of monkeys I\nwish to hear everything in detail!' We then informed him of everything\nabout this calamity of thine and of the reason also of our vow of\nstarvation. That king of birds then urged us (to give up our vow) by\nthese words of his: 'Ravana is, indeed, known to me. Lanka is his\ncapital. I beheld it on the other side of the sea in a valley of the\n_Trikuta_ hills! Sita must be there. I have little doubt of this!'\nHearing these words of his, we rose up quickly and began, O chastiser of\nfoes, to take counsel of one another for crossing the ocean! And when\nnone dared to cross it, I, having recourse to my father, crossed the\ngreat ocean which is a hundred _Yojanas_ in width. And having slain the\n_Rakshasis_ on the waters, I saw the chaste Sita within Ravana's harem,\nobserving ascetic austerities, eager to behold her lord, with matted\nlocks on head, and body besmeared with filth, and lean, and melancholy\nand helpless. Recognising her as Sita by those unusual signs, and\napproaching that worshipful lady while alone, I said, 'I am, O Sita, an\nemissary of Rama and monkey begotten by _Pavana_![53] Desirous of having\na sight of thee, hither have I come travelling through the skies!\nProtected by Sugriva, that monarch of all the monkeys, the royal\nbrothers Rama and Lakshmana are in peace! And Rama, O lady, with\nSumitra's son, hath enquired of thy welfare! And Sugriva also, on\naccount of his friendship (with Rama and Lakshmana) enquireth of thy\nwelfare. Followed by all the monkeys, thy husband will soon be here.\nConfide in me, O adorable lady, I am a monkey and not a _Rakshasa_!'\nThus addressed by me, Sita seemed to meditate for a moment and then\nreplied to me, saying, 'From the words of _Avindhya_ I know that thou\nart Hanuman! O mighty-armed one, Avindhya is an old and respected\n_Rakshasa_! He told me that Sugriva is surrounded by counsellors like\nthee. Thou mayst depart now!' And with these words she gave me this\njewel as a credential. And, indeed, it was by means of this jewel that\nthe faultless Sita had been able to support her existence. And the\ndaughter of Janaka further told me as a token from her, that by thee, O\ntiger among men, a blade of grass (inspired with _Mantras_ and thus\nconverted into a fatal weapon) had once been shot at a crow while ye\nwere on the breast of the mighty hill known by the name of _Chitrakuta_!\nAnd this she said as evidence of my having met her and hers being really\nthe princess of Videha. I then caused myself to be seized by Ravana's\nsoldiers, and then set fire to the city of Lanka!\"'\"\n\n    [51] Abode of Varuna in the original.\n\n    [52] Garuda.\n\n    [53] Pavana, the God of the wind.\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXXI\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'It was on the breast of that very hill where Rama was\nseated with those foremost of monkeys that great monkey chiefs at the\ncommand of Sugriva, began to flock together. The father-in-law of Vali,\nthe illustrious Sushena, accompanied by a thousand crores of active\napes, came to Rama. And those two foremost of monkeys endued with mighty\nenergy, viz., Gaya and Gavakshya, each accompanied by a hundred crores\nof monkeys, showed themselves there. And, O king, Gavakshya also of\nterrible mien and endued with a bovine tail, showed himself there,\nhaving collected sixty thousand crores of monkeys. And the renowned\nGandhamadana, dwelling on the mountains of the same name, collected a\nhundred thousand crores of monkeys. And the intelligent and mighty\nmonkey known by the name of Panasa mustered together fifty-two crores of\nmonkeys.[54] And that foremost and illustrious of monkeys named\nDadhimukha of mighty energy mustered a large army of monkeys possessed\nof terrible prowess. And Jamvuvan showed himself there with a hundred\nthousand crores of black bears of terrible deeds and faces having the\n_Tilaka_ mark.[55] And these and many other chiefs of monkey-chiefs,\ncountless in number, O king, came there for aiding Rama's cause. And\nendued with bodies huge as mountain-peaks and roaring like lions, loud\nwas the uproar that was heard there made by those monkeys running\nrestlessly from place to place. And some of them looked like\nmountain-peaks, and some looked like buffaloes. And some were of the hue\nof autumnal clouds and the faces of some were red as vermillion. And\nsome rose high, and some fell down, and some cut capers, and some\nscattered the dust, as they mustered together from various directions.\nAnd that monkey army, vast as the sea at full tide, encamped there at\nSugriva's bidding. And after those foremost of monkeys had mustered from\nevery direction, the illustrious descendant of Raghu, with Sugriva by\nhis side, set out in an auspicious moment of a very fair day under a\nlucky constellation, accompanied by that host arrayed in order of\nbattle, as if for the purpose of destroying all the worlds. And Hanuman,\nthe son of the Wind-god, was in the van of that host, while the rear was\nprotected by the fearless son of Sumitra. And surrounded by the\nmonkey-chiefs, those princes of Raghu's house with fingers cased in\n_guana_ skin, shone, as they went, like the Sun and the Moon in the\nmidst of the planets. And that monkey host armed with stones and _Sola_\nand _Tola_ trees, looked very much like a far-extending field of corn\nunder the morning sun. And that mighty army, protected by Nala and Nila\nand Angada and Kratha and Mainda and Dwivida, marched forth for\nachieving the purpose of Raghava. And encamping successively, without\ninterruption of any kind, on wide and healthy tracts and valleys\nabounding with fruits and roots and water and honey and meat, the monkey\nhost at last reached the shores of the brimy sea. And like unto a second\nocean, that mighty army with its countless colours, having reached the\nshores of sea, took up its abode there. Then the illustrious son of\nDasaratha, addressing Sugriva amongst all those foremost monkeys, spoke\nunto him these words that were suited to the occasion, \"This army is\nlarge. The ocean also is difficult to cross. What contrivance,\ntherefore, commends itself to thee for crossing the ocean?\" At these\nwords, many vain-glorious monkeys answered, \"We are fully able to cross\nthe sea.\" This answer, however, was not of much use, as all could not\navail of that means. Some of the monkeys proposed to cross the sea in\nboats, and some in rafts of various kinds. Rama, however, conciliating\nthem all, said, \"This cannot be. The sea here is a full hundred\n_Yojanas_ in width. All the monkeys, ye heroes, will not be able to\ncross it. This proposal, therefore, that ye have made, is not consonant\nto reason. Besides we have not the number of boats necessary for\ncarrying all our troops. How, again, can one like us raise such\nobstacles in the way of the merchants? Our army is very large. The foe\nwilt make a great havoc if a hole is detected. Therefore, to cross the\nsea in boats and rafts doth not recommend itself to me. I will, however,\npray to the Ocean for the necessary means. Foregoing food, I will lie\ndown on the shore. He will certainly show himself to me. If, however, he\ndoth not show himself, I will chastise him then by means of my great\nweapons that are more blazing than fire itself and are incapable of\nbeing baffled!\" Having said these words, both Rama and Lakshmana touched\nwater[56] and duly laid themselves down on a bed of _kusa_ grass on the\nseashore. The divine and illustrious Ocean then, that lord of male and\nfemale rivers, surrounded by aquatic animals, appeared unto Rama in a\nvision. And addressing Rama in sweet accents, the genius of the Ocean,\nsurrounded by countless mines of gems, said, \"O son of Kausalya, tell me\nwhat aid, O bull among men, I am to render thee! I also have sprung from\nthe race of Ikshwaku and am, therefore, a relative of thine!\" Rama\nreplied unto him, saying, \"O lord of rivers, male and female, I desire\nthee to grant me a way for my troops, passing along which I may slay the\nTen-headed (Ravana), that wretch of Pulastya's race! If thou dost not\ngrant the way I beg of thee, I will then dry thee up by means of my\ncelestial arrows inspired with _mantras_!\" And hearing these words of\nRama, the genius of Varuna's abode, joining his hands, answered in great\naffliction, \"I do not desire to put any obstacle in thy way. I am no foe\nof thine! Listen, O Rama, to these words, and having listened, do what\nis proper! If, at thy command, I get a way for the passage of thy army,\nothers then, from strength of their bows, will command me to do the\nsame! In thy army there is a monkey of the name of Nala, who is a\nskilful mechanic. And endued with great strength, Nala is the son of\n_Tashtri_, the divine artificer of the Universe. And whether it is wood,\nor grass or stone, that he will throw into my waters, I will support the\nsame on my surface, and thus wilt thou have a bridge (over which to\npass)!\" And having said these words, the genius of the Ocean\ndisappeared. And Rama awaking, called Nala unto him and said, \"Build\nthou a bridge over the sea! Thou alone, I am sure, art able to do it!\"\nAnd it was by this means that the descendant of Kakutstha's race caused\na bridge to be built that was ten _Yojanas_ in width and a hundred\n_Yojanas_ in length. And to this day that bridge is celebrated over all\nthe world by the name of _Nala's bridge_. And having completed that\nbridge, Nala, of body huge as a hill, came away at the command of Rama.\n\n    [54] There is a difference of reading here. Some texts read\n    fifty seven.\n\n    [55] A difference of reading is observable here.\n\n    [56] As a purificatory ceremony, called the Achamana. To this\n    day, no Hindu can perform any ceremony without going through the\n    Achamana in the first instance.\n\n\"'And while Rama was on this side of the ocean, the virtuous Vibhishana,\nthe brother of the king of the Rakshasas accompanied by four of his\ncounsellors, came unto Rama. And the high-souled Rama received him with\ndue welcome. Sugriva, however, feared, thinking he might be a spy. The\nson of Raghu, meanwhile perfectly satisfied (with Vibhishana) in\nconsequence of the sincerity of his exertions and the many indications\nof his good conduct, worshipped him with respect. And he also installed\nVibhishana in the sovereignty of all the Rakshasas and made him his own\njunior counsellor, and a friend of Lakshmana's. And it was under\nVibhishana's guidance, O king, that Rama with all his troops crossed the\ngreat ocean by means of that bridge in course of a month. And having\ncrossed the ocean and arrived at Lanka, Rama caused its extensive and\nnumerous gardens to be devastated by his monkeys. And while Rama's\ntroops were there, two of Ravana's counsellors and officers, named Suka\nand Sarana, who had come as spies, having assumed the shape of monkeys,\nwere seized by Vibhishana. And when those wanderers of the night assumed\ntheir real Rakshasa forms, Rama showed them his troop and dismissed them\nquietly. And having quartered his troops in those woods that skirted the\ncity, Rama then sent the monkey Angada with great wisdom as his envoy to\nRavana.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXXII\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Having quartered his army in those groves abounding\nwith food and water and with fruits and roots, the descendant of\nKakutstha began to watch over them with care. Ravana, on the other hand,\nplanted in his city many appliances constructed according to the rules\nof military science. And his city, naturally impregnable on account of\nits strong ramparts and gate-ways, had seven trenches, that were deep\nand full of water to the brim and that abounded with fishes and sharks\nand alligators, made more impregnable still by means of pointed stakes\nof _Khadira_ wood. And the ramparts, heaped with stones, were made\nimpregnable by means of catapults. And the warriors (who guarded the\nwalls) were armed with earthen pots filled with venomous snakes, and\nwith resinous powders of many kinds. And they were also armed with\nclubs, and fire-brands and arrows and lances and swords and battle-axes.\nAnd they had also _Sataghnis_[57] and stout maces steeped in wax.[58]\nAnd at all the gates of the city were planted movable and immovable\nencampments manned by large numbers of infantry supported by countless\nelephants and horses. And Angada, having reached one of the gates of the\ncity, was made known to the Rakshasas. And he entered the town without\nsuspicion or fear. And surrounded by countless Rakshasas, that hero in\nhis beauty looked like the Sun himself in the midst of masses of clouds.\nAnd having approached the hero of Pulastya's race in the midst of his\ncounsellors, the eloquent Angada saluted the king and began to deliver\nRama's message in these words, \"That descendant of Raghu, O king, who\nruleth at Kosala and whose renown hath spread over the whole world,\nsayeth unto thee these words suited to the occasion. Accept thou that\nmessage and act according to it! Provinces and towns, in consequence of\ntheir connection with sinful kings incapable of controlling their souls,\nare themselves polluted and destroyed. By the violent abduction of Sita,\nthou alone hast injured me! Thou, however, wilt become the cause of\ndeath to many unoffending persons. Possessed of power and filled with\npride, thou hast, before this, slain many _Rishis_ living in the woods,\nand insulted the very gods. Thou hast slain also many great kings and\nmany weeping women. For those transgressions of thine, retribution is\nabout to overtake thee! I will slay thee with thy counsellors. Fight and\nshow thy courage![59] O wanderer of the night, behold the power of my\nbow, although I am but a man! Release Sita, the daughter of Janaka! If\nthou dost not release her, I shall make the Earth divested of all\nRakshasas with my keen-edged arrows!\" Hearing these defiant words of the\nenemy, king Ravana bore them ill, becoming senseless with wrath. And\nthereupon four Rakshasas skilled in reading every sign of their master,\nseized Angada like four hawks seizing a tiger. With those Rakshasas,\nhowever, holding him fast by his limbs, Angada leaped upwards and\nalighted on the palace terrace. And as he leaped up with a great force,\nthose wanderers of the night fell down the earth, and bruised by the\nviolence of the fall, had their ribs broken. And from the golden terrace\non which he had alighted, he took a downward leap. And overleaping the\nwalls of Lanka, he alighted to where his comrades were. And approaching\nthe presence of the lord of Kosala and informing him of everything, the\nmonkey Angada endued with great energy retired to refresh himself,\ndismissed with due respect by Rama.\n\n    [57] Lit. an engine killing a hundred. Perhaps, some kind of\n    rude cannon.\n\n    [58] Perhaps, brands or torches steeped in wax, intended to be\n    thrown in a burning state, amongst the foe. Readers of Indian\n    history know how Lord Lake was repulsed from Bharatpore by means\n    of huge bales of cotton, steeped in oil, rolled from the\n    ramparts of that town, in a burning state, towards the advancing\n    English.\n\n    [59] Lit. be a Purusha (male)! Manhood would not be appropriate\n    in connection with a Rakshasa.\n\n\"'The descendant of Raghu then caused the ramparts of Lanka to be broken\ndown by a united attack of all those monkeys endued with the speed of\nthe wind. Then Lakshmana, with Vibhishana and the king of the bears\nmarching in the van, blew up the southern gate of the city that was\nalmost impregnable. Rama then attacked Lanka with a hundred thousand\ncrores of monkeys, all possessed of great skill in battle, and endued\nwith reddish complexions like those of young camels. And those crores of\ngreyish bears with long arms, and legs and huge paws, and generally\nsupporting themselves on their broad haunches, were also urged on to\nsupport the attack. And in consequence of those monkeys leaping up and\nleaping down and leaping in transverse directions, the Sun himself, his\nbright disc completely shaded, became invisible for the dust they\nraised. And the citizens of Lanka beheld the wall of their town assume\nall over a tawny hue, covered by monkeys of complexions yellow as the\nears of paddy, and grey as _Shirisha_ flowers, and red as the rising\nSun, and white as flax or hemp. And the Rakshasas, O king, with their\nwives and elders, were struck with wonders at that sight. And the monkey\nwarriors began to pull down pillars made of precious stones and the\nterraces and tops of palatial mansions. And breaking into fragments the\npropellers of catapults and other engines, they began to cast them about\nin all directions. And taking up the _Sataghnis_ along with the discs,\nthe clubs, and stones, they threw them down into the city with great\nforce and loud noise. And attacked thus by the monkeys, those Rakshasas\nthat had been placed on the walls to guard them, fled precipitately by\nhundreds and thousands.\n\n\"'Then hundreds of thousands of Rakshasas, of terrible mien, and capable\nof assuming any form at will, came out at the command of the king. And\npouring a perfect shower of arrows and driving the denizens of the\nforest, those warriors, displaying great prowess, adorned the ramparts.\nAnd soon those wanderers of the night, looking like masses of flesh, and\nof terrible mien, forced the monkeys to leave the walls. And mangled by\nthe enemies' lances, numerous monkey-chiefs fell down from the ramparts,\nand crushed by the falling columns and gate-ways, numerous Rakshasas\nalso fell down to rise no more. And the monkeys and the brave Rakshasas\nthat commenced to eat up the foe, struggled, seizing one another by the\nhair, and mangling and tearing one another with their nails and teeth.\nAnd the monkeys and the Rakshasas roared and yelled frightfully, and\nwhile many of both parties were slain and fell down to rise no more,\nneither side gave up the contest. And Rama continued all the while to\nshower a thick downpour of arrows like the very clouds. And the arrows\nhe shot, enveloping Lanka, killed large numbers of Rakshasas. And the\nson of Sumitra, too, that mighty bowman incapable of being fatigued in\nbattle, naming particular Rakshasas stationed on the ramparts, slew them\nwith his clothyard shafts. And then the monkey host, having achieved\nsuccess was withdrawn at the command of Rama, after it had thus pulled\ndown the fortifications of Lanka and made all objects within the city\ncapable of being aimed at by the besieging force.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXXIII\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'And while those troops (thus withdrawn) were reposing\nthemselves in their quarters, many little Rakshasas and _Pisachas_\nowning Ravana as their leader, penetrated amongst them. And among these\nwere _Parvana, Patana, Jambha, Khara, Krodha-vasa, Hari, Praruja, Aruja_\nand _Praghasa_, and others. And as these wicked ones were penetrating\n(the monkey host) in their invisible forms, Vibhishana, who had the\nknowledge thereof, broke the spell of their invisibility. And once seen,\nO king, by the powerful and long-leaping monkeys, they were all slain\nand prostrated on the earth, deprived of life. And unable to endure\nthis, Ravana marched out at the head of his troops. And surrounded by\nhis terrible army of Rakshasas and _Pisachas_, Ravana who was conversant\nwith the rules of warfare like a second _Usanas_ invested the monkey\nhost, having disposed his troops in that array which is named after\n_Usanas_ himself. And beholding Ravana advancing with his army disposed\nin that array, Rama, following the mode recommended by Vrihaspati,\ndisposed his troops in counter array for opposing that wanderer of the\nnight. And coming up quickly, Ravana began to fight with Rama. And\nLakshmana singled out Indrajit, and Sugriva singled out Virupakshya, and\nNikharvata fought with Tara, and Nala with Tunda, and Patusa with\nPanasa. And each warrior, advancing up to him whom he regarded as his\nmatch, began to fight with him on that field of battle, relying on the\nstrength of his own arms, and that encounter, so frightful to timid\npersons, soon became terrible and fierce like that between the gods and\nthe _Asuras_ in the days of old. And Ravana covered Rama with a shower\nof darts and lances and swords, and Rama also afflicted Ravana with his\nwhetted arrows of iron furnished with the sharpest points, and in the\nsame way Lakshmana smote the contending Indrajit with arrows capable of\npenetrating into the most vital parts and Indrajit also smote Sumitra's\nson with an arrowy shower. And Vibhishana showered upon Prahasta and\nPrahasta showered upon Vibhishana, without any regard for each other a\nthick downpour of winged arrows furnished with the sharpest points. And\nthus between those mighty warriors there came about an encounter of\ncelestial weapons of great force, at which the three worlds with their\nmobile and immobile creatures were sorely distressed.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXXIV\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Then Prahasta, suddenly advancing up to Vibhishana\nand uttering a loud yell, struck him with his mace. But though struck\nwith that mace of terrible force, the mighty-armed Vibhishana of great\nwisdom, without wavering in the least, stood still as the mountains of\nHimavat. Then Vibhishana, taking up a huge and mighty javelin furnished\nwith a hundred bells, inspired it with _mantras_ and hurled it at the\nhead of his adversary. And by the impetuosity of that weapon rushing\nwith the force of the thunderbolt, Prahasta's head was severed off, and\nhe thereupon looked like a mighty tree broken by the wind. And beholding\nthat wanderer of the night, Prahasta, thus slain in battle, Dhumraksha\nrushed with great impetuosity against the monkey-host. And beholding the\nsoldiers of Dhumraksha, looking like the clouds and endued with terrible\nmien, advancing up towards them, the monkey-chief suddenly broke and\nfled. And seeing those foremost of monkeys suddenly give way, that tiger\namong monkeys, Hanuman, the son of Pavana, began to advance. And\nbeholding the son of Pavana staying still on the field of battle, the\nretreating monkeys, O king, one and all quickly rallied. Then mighty and\ngreat and fearful was the uproar that arose there in consequence of the\nwarriors of Rama and Ravana rushing against each other. And in that\nbattle which raged terribly the field soon became miry with blood. And\nDhumraksha afflicted the monkey-host with volleys of winged shafts. Then\nthat vanquisher of foes, Hanuman, the son of Pavana, quickly seized that\nadvancing leader of the Rakshasa. And the encounter that took place\nbetween that monkey and the Rakshasa hero, each desirous of defeating\nthe other, was fierce and terrible, like that of Indra and Prahlada (in\ndays of yore). And the Rakshasa struck the monkey with his maces and\nspiked clubs while the monkey struck the Rakshasa with trunks of trees\nunshorn of their branches. Then Hanuman, the son of Pavana, slew in\ngreat wrath that Rakshasa along with his charioteer and horses and broke\nhis chariot also into pieces. And beholding Dhumraksha, that foremost of\nRakshasa, thus slain, the monkeys, abandoning all fear, rushed against\nthe Rakshasa army with great valour. And slaughtered in large numbers by\nthe victorious and powerful monkeys, the Rakshasas became dispirited and\nfled in fear to Lanka. And the surviving wreck of the Rakshasa army,\nhaving reached the city, informed king Ravana of everything that had\nhappened. And hearing from them that Prahasta and that mighty archer\nDhumraksha, had both, with their armies, been slain by the powerful\nmonkeys, Ravana drew a deep sigh and springing up from his excellent\nseat, said,--the time is come for Kumbhakarna to act.--And having said\nthis, he awoke, by means of various loud-sounding instruments, his\nbrother Kumbhakarna from his deep and prolonged slumbers. And having\nawaked him with great efforts, the Rakshasa king, still afflicted with\nanxiety, addressed the mighty Kumbhakarna and said unto him when seated\nat his ease on his bed, having perfectly recovered consciousness and\nself-possession, these words, \"Thou, indeed, art happy, O Kumbhakarna,\nthat canst enjoy profound and undisturbed repose, unconscious of the\nterrible calamity that hath overtaken us! Rama with his monkey host hath\ncrossed the Ocean by a bridge and disregarding us all is waging a\nterrible war (against us). I have stealthily brought away his wife Sita,\nthe daughter of Janaka, and it is to recover her that he hath come\nhither, after having made a bridge over the great Ocean. Our great\nkinsmen also, Prahasta and others, have already been slain by him. And,\nO scourge of thy enemies, there is not another person, save thee, that\ncan slay Rama! Therefore, O warrior, putting on thy armour, do thou set\nout this day for the purpose of vanquishing Rama and his followers! The\ntwo younger brothers of Dushana, viz., Vajravega and Promathin, will\njoin thee with their forces!\" And having said this unto the mighty\nKumbhakarna, the Rakshasa king gave instructions to Vajravega and\nPromathin as to what they should do. And accepting his advice, those two\nwarlike brothers of Dushana quickly marched out of the city, preceded by\nKumbhakarna.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXXV\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Then Kumbhakarna set out from the city, accompanied\nby his followers. And soon he beheld the victorious monkey troops\nencamped before him. And passing them by with the object of seeking out\nRama, he beheld the son of Sumitra standing at his post, bow in hand.\nThen the monkey warriors, speedily advancing towards him, surrounded him\non all sides. And then they commenced to strike him with numberless\nlarge trees. And many amongst them fearlessly began to tear his body\nwith their nails. And those monkeys began to fight with him in various\nways approved by the laws of warfare. And they soon overwhelmed that\nchief of the Rakshasas with a shower of terrible weapons of various\nkinds. And attacked by them thus, Kumbhakarna only laughed at them and\nbegan to eat them up. And he devoured those foremost of monkeys known by\nthe name of Chala, and Chandachala, and Vajravahu. And beholding that\nfearful act of the _Rakshasa_, other monkeys were frightened and set\nforth a loud wail of fear. And hearing the screams of those\nmonkey-leaders, Sugriva boldly advanced towards Kumbhakarna. And that\nhigh-souled king of the monkeys swiftly approaching the _Rakshasa_,\nviolently struck him on the head with the trunk of a _Sala_ tree. And\nthough the high-souled Sugriva always prompt in action broke that _Sala_\ntree on the head of Kumbhakarna, he failed to make any impression on\nthat _Rakshasa_. And then, as if roused from his torpor by that blow,\nKumbhakarna stretching forth his arms seized Sugriva by main force. And\nbeholding Sugriva dragged away by the _Rakshasa_, the heroic son of\nSumitra, that delighter of his friends, rushed towards Kumbhakarna. And\nthat slayer of hostile heroes, Lakshmana, advancing towards Kumbhakarna,\ndischarged at him an impetuous and mighty arrow furnished with golden\nwings. And that arrow, cutting through his coat of mail and penetrating\ninto his body, passed through it outright and struck into the earth,\nstained with the _Rakshasa's_ blood. Kumbhakarna then, having his breast\nthus bored through, released the king of monkeys. And taking up a huge\nmass of stone as his weapon, the mighty warrior Kumbhakarna then rushed\ntowards the son of Sumitra, aiming it at him. And as the _Rakshasa_\nrushed towards him, Lakshmana cut off his upraised arms by means of a\ncouple of keen-edged shafts furnished with heads resembling razors. But\nas soon as the two arms of the Rakshasa were thus cut off, double that\nnumber of arms soon appeared on his person. Sumitra's son, however,\ndisplaying his skill in weapons, soon by means of similar arrows cut off\nthose arms also, each of which had seized a mass of stone. At this, that\n_Rakshasa_ assumed a form enormously huge and furnished with numerous\nheads and legs and arms. Then the son of Sumitra rived, with a _Brahma_\nweapon, that warrior looking like an assemblage of hill. And rent by\nmeans of that celestial weapon, that _Rakshasa_ fell on the field of\nbattle like a huge tree with spreading branches suddenly consumed by\nheaven's thunderbolt. And beholding Kumbhakarna endued with great\nactivity and resembling the _Asura_ Vritra himself, deprived of life and\nprostrated on the field of battle, the _Rakshasa_ warriors fled in fear.\nAnd beholding the _Rakshasa_ warriors running away from the field of\nbattle, the younger brother of Dushana, rallying them, rushed in great\nwrath upon the son of Sumitra. Sumitra's son, however, with a loud roar,\nreceived with his winged shafts both those wrathful warriors, Vajravega\nand Promathin, rushing towards him. The battle then, O son of Pritha,\nthat took place between those two younger brothers of Dushana on the one\nhand and the intelligent Lakshmana on the other, was exceedingly furious\nand made the bristles of the spectators stand on end. And Lakshmana\noverwhelmed the two _Rakshasas_ with a perfect shower of arrows. And\nthose two _Rakshasa_ heroes, on the other hand, both of them excited\nwith fury, covered Lakshmana with an arrowy hail. And that terrible\nencounter between Vajravega and Promathin and the mighty-armed Lakshmana\nlasted for a short while. And Hanuman, the son of Pavana, taking up a\nmountain peak, rushed towards one of the brothers, and with that weapon\ntook the life of the Rakshasa Vajravega. And that mighty monkey, Nala,\nalso, with a large mass of rock, crushed Promathin, that other younger\nbrother of Dushana. The deadly struggle, however, between the soldiers\nof Rama and Ravana, rushing against one another, instead of coming to an\nend even after this, raged on as before. And hundreds of _Rakshasas_\nwere slain by the denizens of the forest, while many of the latter were\nslain by the former. The loss, however, in killed, of the _Rakshasas_\nwas far greater than that of the monkeys.\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXXVI\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Learning that Kumbhakarna had with his followers,\nfallen in battle as also that great warrior Prahasta, and Dhumraksha too\nof mighty energy, Ravana then addressed his heroic son Indrajit saying,\n\"O slayer of foes, slay thou in battle Rama and Sugriva and Lakshmana.\nMy good son, it was by thee that this blazing fame of mine had been\nacquired by vanquishing in battle that wielder of the thunderbolt, the\nthousand-eyed Lord of Sachi! Having the power of appearing and vanishing\nat thy will, slay thou, O smiter of foes, my enemies by means, O thou\nforemost of all wielders of weapons, of thy celestial arrows received as\nboons (from the gods)! Rama and Lakshmana and Sugriva are incapable of\nenduring the bare touch of thy weapons. What shall I say, therefore, of\ntheir followers? That cessation of hostilities which could not be\nbrought about by either Prahasta or Kumbhakarna in battle, be it thine,\nO mighty-armed one, to bring about! Slaying my enemies with all their\narmy by means of thy keen-edged shafts, enhance my joy to-day, O son, as\nthou didst once before by vanquishing Vasava!\" Thus addressed by him,\nIndrajit said--So be it,--and encased in mail he quickly ascended his\nchariot, and proceeded, O king, towards the field of battle. And then\nthat bull amongst _Rakshasas_ loudly announcing his own name, challenged\nLakshmana endued with auspicious marks, to a single combat. And\nLakshmana, thus challenged, rushed towards that _Rakshasa_, with his bow\nand arrows, and striking terror into his adversary's heart by means of\nthe flapping of his bow-string on the leathern case of his left hand.\nAnd the encounter that took place between those warriors that defied\neach other's prowess and each of whom was desirous of vanquishing the\nother, and both of whom were conversant with celestial weapons, was\nterrible in the extreme. But when the son of Ravana found that he could\nnot by his arrows gain any advantage over his adversary, that foremost\nof mighty warriors mustered all his energy. And Indrajit then began to\nhurl at Lakshmana with great force numberless javelins. The son of\nSumitra, however, cut them into fragments by means of his own keen-edged\narrows. And those javelins, thus cut into pieces by the keen-edged\narrows of Lakshmana, dropped down upon the ground. Then the handsome\nAngada, the son of Vali, taking up a large tree, rushed impetuously at\nIndrajit and struck him with it on the head. Undaunted at this, Indrajit\nof mighty energy sought to smite Angada with a lance. Just at that\njuncture, however, Lakshmana cut into pieces the lance taken up by\nRavana's son. The son of Ravana then took up a mace and struck on the\nleft flank that foremost of monkeys, the heroic Angada who was then\nstaying close beside him. Angada, the powerful son of Vali, little\nrecking that stroke, hurled at Indrajit a mighty Sala stem. And hurled\nin wrath by Angada for the destruction of Indrajit, that tree, O son of\nPritha, destroyed Indrajit's chariot along with his horses and\ncharioteer. And thereupon jumping from his horseless and driverless car,\nthe son of Ravana disappeared from sight, O king, by aid of his powers\nof illusion. And beholding that _Rakshasa_, abundantly endued with\npowers of illusion, disappear so suddenly, Rama proceeded towards that\nspot and began to protect his troops with care. Indrajit, however, with\narrows, obtained as boons from the gods, began to pierce both Rama and\nmighty Lakshmana in every part of their bodies. Then the heroic Rama and\nLakshmana both continued to contend with their arrows against Ravana's\nson who had made himself invisible by his powers of illusion. But\nIndrajit continued to shower in wrath all over those lions among men his\nkeen-edged shafts by hundreds and thousands. And seeking that invisible\nwarrior who was ceaselessly showering his arrows, the monkeys penetrated\ninto every part of the firmament, armed with huge masses of stone. Them\nas well as the two brothers, however, the invisible _Rakshasa_ began to\nafflict with his shafts. Indeed, the son of Ravana, concealing himself\nby his powers of illusion, furiously attacked the monkey host. And the\nheroic brothers Rama and Lakshmana, pierced all over with arrows,\ndropped down on the ground like the Sun and the Moon fallen down from\nthe firmament.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXXVII\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Beholding both the brothers Rama and Lakshmana\nprostrate on the ground, the son of Ravana tied them in a net-work of\nthose arrows of his which he had obtained as boons. And tied by Indrajit\non the field of battle by means of that arrowy net, those heroic tigers\namong men resembled a couple of hawks immured in a cage. And beholding\nthose heroes prostrate on the ground pierced with hundreds of arrows,\nSugriva with all the monkeys stood surrounding them on all sides. And\nthe king of the monkeys stood there, accompanied by Sushena and Mainda\nand Dwivida, and Kumuda and Angada and Hanuman and Nila and Tara and\nNala. And Vibhishana, having achieved success in another part of the\nfield, soon arrived at that spot, and roused those heroes from\ninsensibility, awakening them by means of the weapon called\n_Prajna_.[60] Then Sugriva soon extracted the arrows from their bodies.\nAnd by means of that most efficacious medicine called the _Visalya_,[61]\napplied with celestial _mantras_, those human heroes regained their\nconsciousness. And the arrow having been extracted from their bodies,\nthose mighty warriors in a moment rose from their recumbent posture,\ntheir pains and fatigue thoroughly alleviated. And beholding Rama the\ndescendant of Ikshwaku's race, quite at his ease, Vibhishana, O son of\nPritha, joining his hands, told him these words, \"O chastiser of foes,\nat the command of the king of the Guhyakas, a Guhyaka hath come from the\nWhite mountains, bringing with him his water![62] O great king, this\nwater is a present to thee from Kuvera, so that all creatures that are\ninvisible may, O chastiser of foes, become visible to thee! This water\nlaved over the eyes will make every invisible creature visible to thee,\nas also to any other person to whom thou mayst give it!\"--Saying--_So be\nit_,--Rama took that sacred water, and sanctified his own eyes\ntherewith. And the high-minded Lakshmana also did the same. And Sugriva\nand Jambuvan, and Hanuman and Angada, and Mainda and Dwivida, and Nila\nand many other foremost of the monkeys, laved their eyes with that\nwater. And thereupon it exactly happened as Vibhishana had said, for, O\nYudhishthira, soon did the eyes of all these became capable of beholding\nthings that could not be seen by the unassisted eye!\n\n    [60] This weapon could restore an insensible warrior to\n    consciousness, as the Sam-mohana weapon could deprive one of\n    consciousness.\n\n    [61] Visalya a medicinal plant of great efficacy in healing cuts\n    and wounds. It is still cultivated in several parts of Bengal. A\n    medical friend of the writer tested the efficacy of the plant\n    known by that name and found it to be much superior to either\n    gallic acid or tannic acid in stopping blood.\n\n    [62] The Guhyakas occupy, in Hindu mythology, a position next\n    only to that of the gods, and superior to that of the Gandharvas\n    who are the celestial choristers. The White mountain is another\n    name of Kailasa, the peak where Siva hath his abode.\n\n\"'Meanwhile, Indrajit, after the success he had won, went to his father.\nAnd having informed him of the feats he had achieved, he speedily\nreturned to the field of battle and placed himself at the van of his\narmy. The son of Sumitra then, under Vibhishana's guidance, rushed\ntowards that wrathful son of Ravana coming back, from desire of battle,\nto lead the attack. And Lakshmana, excited to fury and receiving a hint\nfrom Vibhishana, and desiring to slay Indrajit who had not completed his\ndaily sacrifice, smote with his arrows that warrior burning to achieve\nsuccess. And desirous of vanquishing each other, the encounter that took\nplace between them was exceedingly wonderful like that (in days of yore)\nbetween the Lord of celestials and Prahrada. And Indrajit pierced the\nson of Sumitra with arrows penetrating into his very vitals. And the son\nof Sumitra also pierced Ravana's son with arrows of fiery energy. And\npierced with Lakshmana's arrows, the son of Ravana became senseless with\nwrath. And he shot at Lakshmana eight shafts fierce as venomous snakes.\nListen now, O Yudhishthira, as I tell thee how the heroic son of Sumitra\nthen took his adversary's life by means of three winged arrows possessed\nof the energy and effulgence of fire! With one of these, he severed from\nIndrajit's body that arm of his enemy which had grasped the bow. With\nthe second he caused that other arm which had held the arrows, to drop\ndown on the ground. With the third that was bright and possessed of the\nkeenest edge, he cut off his head decked with a beautiful nose and\nbright with earrings. And shorn of arms and head, the trunk became\nfearful to behold. And having slain the foe thus, that foremost of\nmighty men then slew with his arrows the charioteer of his adversary.\nAnd the horses then dragged away the empty chariot into the city. And\nRavana then beheld that car without his son on it. And hearing that his\nson had been slain, Ravana suffered his heart to be overpowered with\ngrief. And under the influence of extreme grief and affliction, the king\nof the Rakshasas suddenly cherished the desire of killing the princess\nof Mithila. And seizing a sword, the wicked Rakshasa hastily ran towards\nthat lady staying within the _Asoka_ wood longing to behold her lord.\nThen Avindhya beholding that sinful purpose of the wicked wretch,\nappeased his fury. Listen, O Yudhishthira, to the reasons urged by\nAvindhya! That wise Rakshasa said, \"Placed as thou art on the blazing\nthrone of an empire, it behoveth thee not to slay a woman! Besides, this\nwoman is already slain, considering that she is a captive in thy power!\nI think, she would not be slain if only her body were destroyed. Slay\nthou her husband! He being slain, she will be slain too! Indeed, not\neven he of an hundred sacrifices (Indra) is thy equal in prowess! The\ngods with Indra at their head, had repeatedly been affrighted by thee in\nbattle!\" With these and many other words of the same import, Avindhya\nsucceeded in appeasing Ravana. And the latter did, indeed, listen to his\ncounsellor's speech. And that wanderer of the night, then, resolved to\ngive battle himself, sheathed his sword, and issued orders for preparing\nhis chariot.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXXVIII\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'The Ten-necked (Ravana), excited to fury at the death\nof his beloved son, ascended his car decked with gold and gems. And\nsurrounded by terrible _Rakshasas_ with various kinds of weapons in\ntheir hands, Ravana rushed towards Rama, fighting with numerous\nmonkey-chiefs. And beholding him rushing in wrath towards the monkey\narmy, Mainda and Nila and Nala and Angada, and Hanuman and Jambuvan,\nsurrounded him with all their troops. And those foremost of monkeys and\nbears began to exterminate with trunks of trees, the soldiers of the\nTen-necked (Ravana), in his very sight. And beholding the enemy\nslaughtering his troops, the _Rakshasa_ king, Ravana, possessed of great\npowers of illusion, began to put them forth. And forth from his body\nbegan to spring hundreds and thousands of _Rakshasas_ armed with arrows\nand lances and double-edged swords in hand. Rama, however, with a\ncelestial weapon slew all those _Rakshasas_. The king of the _Rakshasas_\nthen once more put forth his prowess of illusion. The Ten-faced,\nproducing from his body numerous warriors resembling, O Bharata, both\nRama and Lakshmana, rushed towards the two brothers. And then those\n_Rakshasas_, hostile to Rama and Lakshmana and armed with bows and\narrows, rushed towards Rama, and beholding that power of illusion put\nforth by the king of _Rakshasas_, that descendant of Ikshwaku's race,\nthe son of Sumitra, addressed Rama in these heroic words, \"Slay those\n_Rakshasas_, those wretches with forms like thy own!\" And Rama,\nthereupon slew those and other _Rakshasas_ of forms resembling his own.\nAnd that time Matali, the charioteer of Indra, approached Rama on the\nfield of battle, with a car effulgent as the Sun and unto which were\nyoked horses of a tawny hue. And Matali said, \"O son of Kakutstha's\nrace, this excellent and victorious car, unto which have been yoked this\npair of tawny horses, belongs to the Lord of celestials! It is on this\nexcellent car, O tiger among men, that Indra hath slain in battle\nhundreds of _Daityas_ and _Danavas_! Therefore, O tiger among men, do\nthou, riding on the car driven by me, quickly slay Ravana in battle! Do\nnot delay in achieving this!\" Thus addressed by him, the descendant of\nRaghu's race, however, doubted the truthful words of Matali, thinking\nthis is another illusion produced by the _Rakshasas_--Vibhishana then\naddressed him saying, \"This, O tiger among men, is no illusion of the\nwicked Ravana! Ascend thou this chariot quickly, for this, O thou of\ngreat effulgence, belongeth to Indra!\" The descendant of Kakutstha then\ncheerfully said unto Vibhishana, \"So be it\", and riding on that car,\nrushed wrathfully upon Ravana. And when Ravana, too, rushed against his\nantagonist, a loud wail of woe was set up by the creatures of the Earth,\nwhile the celestials in heaven sent forth a leonine roar accompanied by\nbeating of large drums. The encounter then that took place between the\nTen-necked _Rakshasa_ and that prince of Raghu's race, was fierce in the\nextreme. Indeed, that combat between them hath no parallel elsewhere.\nAnd the _Rakshasa_ hurled at Rama a terrible javelin looking like\nIndra's thunderbolt and resembling a Brahmana's curse on the point of\nutterance.[63] Rama, however, quickly cut into fragments that javelin by\nmeans of his sharp arrows. And beholding that most difficult feat,\nRavana was struck with fear. But soon his wrath was excited and the\nTen-necked hero began to shower on Rama whetted arrows by thousands and\ntens of thousands and countless weapons of various kinds, such as\nrockets and javelins and maces and battle-axes and darts of various\nkinds and Shataghnis and _whetted shafts_. And beholding that terrible\nform of illusion displayed by the Ten-necked _Rakshasa_, the monkeys\nfled in fear in all directions. Then the descendant of Kakutstha, taking\nout of his quiver an excellent arrow furnished with handsome wings and\ngolden feathers and a bright and beautiful head, fixed it on the bow\nwith _Brahmasira_ mantra. And beholding that excellent arrow transformed\nby Rama, with proper _mantras_ into a Brahma weapon, the celestials and\nthe Gandharvas with Indra at their head, began to rejoice. And the gods\nand the _Danavas_ and the _Kinnaras_ were led by the display of that\n_Brahma_ weapon to regard the life of their Rakshasa foe almost closed.\nThen Rama shot that terrible weapon of unrivalled energy, destined to\ncompass Ravana's death, and resembling the curse of a Brahmana on the\npoint of utterance. And as soon, O Bharata, as that arrow was shot by\nRama from his bow drawn to a circle, the _Rakshasa_ king with his\nchariot and charioteer and horses blazed up, surrounded on all sides by\na terrific fire. And beholding Ravana slain by Rama of famous\nachievements, the celestials, with the _Gandharvas_ and the _Charanas_,\nrejoiced exceedingly. And deprived of universal dominion by the energy\nof the Brahma weapon, the five elements forsook the illustrious Ravana,\nand were consumed by the _Brahma_ weapon, the physical ingredients of\nRavana's body. His flesh and blood were all reduced to nothingness,--so\nthat the ashes even could not be seen.'\"\n\n    [63] According to both Vyasa and Valmiki, there is nothing so\n    fierce as a Brahmana's curse. The very thunderbolt of Indra is\n    weak compared to a Brahmana's curse. The reason is obvious. The\n    thunder smites the individual at whom it may be aimed. The curse\n    of Brahmana smites the whole race, whole generation, whole\n    country.\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXXIX\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Having slain Ravana, that wretched king of the\n_Rakshasas_ and foe of the celestials, Rama with his friends and\nSumitra's son rejoiced exceedingly. And after the Ten-necked\n(_Rakshasa_) hath been slain, the celestials with the _Rishis_ at their\nhead, worshipped Rama of mighty arms, blessing and uttering the word\n_Jaya_ repeatedly. And all the celestials and the _Gandharvas_ and the\ndenizens of the celestial regions gratified Rama of eyes like lotus\nleaves, with hymns and flowery showers. And having duly worshipped Rama,\nthey all went away to those regions whence they had come. And, O thou of\nunfading glory, the firmament at that time looked as if a great festival\nwas being celebrated.\n\n\"'And having slain the Ten-necked _Rakshasa_, the lord Rama of worldwide\nfame, that conqueror of hostile cities, bestowed Lanka on Vibhishana.\nThen that old and wise counsellor (of Ravana) known by the name of\nAvindhya, with Sita walking before him but behind Vibhishana who was at\nthe front, came out of the city. And with great humility Avindhya said\nunto the illustrious descendant of Kakutstha, \"O illustrious one, accept\nthou this goddess, Janaka's daughter of excellent conduct!\" Hearing\nthese words, the descendant of Ikshwaku's race alighted from his\nexcellent chariot and beheld Sita bathed in tears. And beholding that\nbeautiful lady seated within her vehicle, afflicted with grief,\nbesmeared with filth, with matted locks on head, and attired in dirty\nrobes, Rama, afraid of the loss of his honour, said unto her, \"Daughter\nof Videha, go withersover thou likest! Thou art now free! What should\nhave been done by me, hath been done! O blessed lady, owning me for thy\nhusband, it is not meet that thou shouldst grow old in the abode of the\n_Rakshasa_! It is for this I have slain that wanderer of the night! But\nhow can one like us, acquainted with every truth of morality, embrace\neven for a moment a woman that had fallen into other's hands? O princess\nof Mithila whether thou art chaste or unchaste, I dare not enjoy thee,\nnow that thou art like sacrificial butter lapped by a dog!\" Hearing\nthese cruel words, that adorable girl suddenly fell down in great\naffliction of heart, like a plantain tree severed from its roots. And\nthe colour that was suffusing her face in consequence of the joy she had\nfelt, quickly disappeared, like watery particles on a mirror blown\nthereon by the breath of the mouth. And hearing these words of Rama, all\nthe monkeys also with Lakshmana became still as dead. Then the divine\nand pure-souled Brahma of four faces, that Creator of the Universe\nhimself sprung from a lotus, showed himself on his car to Raghu's son.\nAnd Sakra and Agni and Vayu, and Yama and Varuna and the illustrious\nLord of the _Yakshas_, and the holy _Rishis_, and king Dasaratha also in\na celestial and effulgent form and on car drawn by swans, showed\nthemselves. And then the firmament crowded with celestials and\n_Gandharvas_ became as beautiful as the autumnal welkin spangled with\nstars. And rising up from the ground, the blessed and famous princess of\nVideha, in the midst of those present spoke unto Rama of wide chest,\nthese words, \"O prince, I impute no fault to thee, for thou art well\nacquainted with the behaviour that one should adopt towards both men and\nwomen. But hear thou these words of mine! The ever-moving Air is always\npresent within every creature. If I have sinned, let him forsake my\nvital forces! If I have sinned, Oh, then let Fire, and Water, and Space,\nand Earth, like Air (whom I have already invoked), also forsake my vital\nforces! And as, O hero, I have never, even in my dreams, cherished the\nimage of any other person, so be thou my lord as appointed by the gods.\"\nAfter Sita had spoken, a sacred voice, resounding through the whole of\nthat region, was heard in the skies, gladdening the hearts of the\nhigh-souled monkeys. And the Wind-god was heard to say, \"O son of Raghu,\nwhat Sita hath said is true! I am the god of Wind. The princess of\nMithila is sinless! Therefore, O king, be united with thy wife!\" And the\ngod of Fire said, \"O son of Raghu, I dwell within the bodies of all\ncreatures! O descendant of Kakutstha, the princess of Mithila is not\nguilty of even the minutest fault!\" And Varuna then said, \"O son of\nRaghu, the humours in every creature's body derive their existence from\nme! I tell thee, let the princess of Mithila be accepted by thee!\" And\nBrahma himself then said, \"O descendant of Kakutstha, O son, in thee\nthat art honest and pure and conversant with the duties of royal sages,\nthis conduct is not strange. Listen, however, to these words of mine!\nThou hast, O hero, slain this enemy of the gods, the _Gandharvas_, the\n_Nagas_, the _Yakshas_, the _Danavas_, and the great _Rishis_! It was\nthrough my grace that he had hitherto been unslayable of all creatures.\nAnd indeed, it was for some reason that I had tolerated him for some\ntime! The wretch, however, abducted Sita for his own destruction. And as\nregards Sita, I protected her through Nalakuvera's curse. For that\nperson had cursed Ravana of old, saying, that if he ever approached an\nunwilling woman, his head should certainly be split into a hundred\nfragments. Let no suspicion, therefore, be thine! O thou of great glory,\naccept thy wife! Thou hast indeed, achieved a mighty feat for the\nbenefit of the gods, O thou that art of divine effulgence!\" And last of\nall Dasaratha said, \"I have been gratified with thee, O child! Blessed\nbe thou, I am thy father Dasaratha! I command thee to take back thy\nwife, and rule thy kingdom, O thou foremost of men!\" Rama then replied,\n\"If thou art my father, I salute thee with reverence, O king of kings! I\nshall indeed, return, at thy command, to the delightful city of\nAyodhya!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Thus addressed, his father, O bull of the\nBharata race, gladly answered Rama, the corners of whose eyes were of a\nreddish hue, saying, \"Return to Ayodhya and rule thou that kingdom! O\nthou of great glory, thy fourteen years (of exile) have been completed.\"\nThus addressed by Dasaratha, Rama bowed to the gods, and saluted by his\nfriends he was united with his wife, like the Lord of the celestials\nwith the daughter of Puloman. And that chastiser of foes then gave a\nboon to Avindhya. And he also bestowed both riches and honours on the\n_Rakshasa_ woman named _Trijata_. And when Brahma with all the\ncelestials having Indra at their head, said unto Rama, \"O thou that\nownest Kausalya for thy mother, what boons after thy heart shall we\ngrant thee?\" Rama, thereupon, prayed them to grant him firm adherence to\nvirtues and invincibility in respect of all foes. And he also asked for\nthe restoration to life of all those monkeys that had been slain by the\n_Rakshasas_, and after Brahma had said--So be it, those monkeys, O king,\nrestored to life, rose up from the field of battle, and Sita too, of\ngreat good fortune, granted unto Hanuman a boon, saying, \"Let thy life,\nO son, last as long as (the fame of) Rama's achievements! And, O Hanuman\nof yellow eyes, let celestial viands and drinks be ever available to\nthee through my grace!\"'\n\n\"'Then the celestials with Indra at their head all disappeared in the\nvery sight of those warriors of spotless achievements. And beholding\nRama united with the daughter of Janaka, the charioteer of Sakra, highly\npleased, addressed him in the midst of friends, and said these words, \"O\nthou of prowess that can never be baffled thou hast dispelled the sorrow\nof the celestials, the _Gandharvas_, the _Yakshas_, the _Asuras_, the\n_Nagas_, and human beings! As long, therefore, as the Earth will hold\ntogether, so long will all creatures with the celestials, the _Asuras_,\nthe _Gandharvas_, the _Yakshas_, the _Rakshasas_, and the _Pannagas_,\nspeak of thee.\" And having said these words unto Rama, Matali worshipped\nthat son of Raghu, and having obtained the leave of that foremost of\nwielders of weapons, he went away, on that same chariot of solar\neffulgence. And Rama also, with Sumatra's son and Vibhishana, and\naccompanied by all the monkeys with Sugriva at their head, placing Sita\nin the van and having made arrangements for the protection of Lanka,\nrecrossed the ocean by the same bridge. And he rode on that beautiful\nand sky-ranging chariot called the _Pushpaka_ that was capable of going\neverywhere at the will of the rider. And that subduer of passions was\nsurrounded by his principal counsellors in order of precedence. And\narriving at that part of the sea-shore where he had formerly laid\nhimself down, the virtuous king, with all the monkeys, pitched his\ntemporary abode. And the son of Raghu then, bringing the monkeys before\nhim in due time, worshipped them all, and gratifying them with presents\nof jewels and gems, dismissed them one after another. And after all the\nmonkey-chiefs, and the apes with bovine tails, and the bears, had gone\naway, Rama re-entered Kishkindhya with Sugriva. And accompanied by both\nVibhishana and Sugriva, Rama re-entered Kishkindhya riding on the\n_Pushpaka_ car and showing the princess of Videha the woods along the\nway. And having arrived at Kishkindhya, Rama, that foremost of all\nsmiters, installed the successful Angada as prince-regent of the\nkingdom. And accompanied by the same friends as also by Sumitra's son,\nRama proceeded towards his city along the same path by which he had\ncome. And having reached the city of Ayodhya, the king despatched\nHanuman thence as envoy to Bharata. And Hanuman, having ascertained\nBharata's intentions from external indications, gave him the good news\n(of Rama's arrival). And after the son of Pavana had come back, Rama\nentered _Nandigrama_. And having entered that town, Rama beheld Bharata\nbesmeared with filth and attired in rags and seated with his elder\nbrother's sandals placed before him. And being united, O bull of Bharata\nrace, with both Bharata and Shatrughna, the mighty son of Raghu, along\nwith Sumitra's son, began to rejoice exceedingly. And Bharata and\nShatrughna also, united with their eldest brother, and beholding Sita,\nboth derived great pleasure. And Bharata then, after having worshipped\nhis returned brother, made over to him with great pleasure, the kingdom\nthat had been in his hands as a sacred trust. And Vasishtha and Vamadeva\nthen together installed that hero in the sovereignty (of Ayodhya) at the\neighth Muhurta[64] of the day under the asterism called _Sravana_. And\nafter his installation was over, Rama gave leave to well-pleased Sugriva\nthe king of the monkeys, along with all his followers, as also to\nrejoicing Vibhishana of Pulastya's race, to return to their respective\nabodes. And having worshipped them with various articles of enjoyment,\nand done everything that was suitable to the occasion, Rama dismissed\nthose friends of his with a sorrowful heart. And the son of Raghu then,\nhaving worshiped that _Pushpaka_ chariot, joyfully gave it back unto\nVaisravana. And then assisted by the celestial _Rishi_ (Vasishtha), Rama\nperformed on the banks of the _Gomati_ ten horse-sacrifices without\nobstruction of any kind and with treble presents unto Brahmanas.'\"\n\n    [64] Abhijit is lit. the eighth muhurta of the day, a muhurta\n    being equal to an hour of 48 minutes, i.e. the thirtieth part of\n    a whole day and night. The Vaishnava asterism is as explained by\n    Nilakantha, the Sravava.\n\n\nSECTION CCLXL\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'It was thus, O mighty-armed one, that Rama of\nimmeasurable energy had suffered of old such excessive calamity in\nconsequence of his exile in the woods! O tiger among men, do not grieve,\nfor, O chastiser of foes, thou art _Kshatriya_! Thou too treadest in the\npath in which strength of arms is to be put forth,--the path that\nleadeth to tangible rewards. Thou hast not even a particle of sin. Even\nthe celestials with Indra at their head, and the _Asuras_ have to tread\nin the path that is trod by thee! It was after such afflictions that the\nwielder of the thunderbolt, aided by the _Maruts_, slew _Vritra_, and\nthe invincible _Namuchi_ and the Rakshasi of long tongue! He that hath\nassistance, always secureth the accomplishment of all his purposes! What\nis that which cannot be vanquished in battle by him that hath Dhananjaya\nfor his brother? This Bhima, also, of terrible prowess, is the foremost\nof mighty persons. The heroic and youthful sons of Madravati again are\nmighty bowmen. With allies such as these, why dost thou despair, O\nchastiser of foes? These are capable of vanquishing the army of the\nwielder himself of the thunderbolt with the _Maruts_ in the midst.\nHaving these mighty bowmen of celestial forms for thy allies, thou, O\nbull of Bharata race, art sure to conquer in battle all thy foes!\nBehold, this Krishna, the daughter of Drupada, forcibly abducted by the\nwicked-minded Saindhava from pride of strength and energy, hath been\nbrought back by these mighty warriors after achieving terrible feats!\nBehold, king Jayadratha was vanquished and lay powerless before thee!\nThe princess of Videha was rescued with almost no allies by Rama after\nthe slaughter in battle of the Ten-necked _Rakshasa_ of terrible\nprowess! Indeed, the allies of Rama (in that contest) were monkeys and\nblack-faced bears, creatures that were not even human! Think of all\nthis, O king, in thy mind! Therefore, O foremost of Kurus, grieve not\nfor all (that hath occurred), O bull of the Bharata race! Illustrious\npersons like thee never indulge in sorrow, O smiter of foes!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"It was thus that the king was comforted by\nMarkandeya. And then that high-souled one, casting off his sorrows, once\nmore spoke unto Markandeya.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXLI\n\n(_Pativrata-mahatmya Parva_)\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O mighty sage, I do not so much grieve for myself\nor these my brothers or the loss of my kingdom as I do for this daughter\nof Drupada. When we were afflicted at the game of the dice by those\nwicked-souled ones, it was Krishna that delivered us. And she was\nforcibly carried off from the forest by Jayadratha. Hast thou even seen\nor heard of any chaste and exalted lady that resembleth this daughter of\nDrupada?'\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Listen, O king, how the exalted merit of chaste\nladies, O Yudhishthira, was completely obtained by a princess named\nSavitri. There was a king among the Madras, who was virtuous and highly\npious. And he always ministered unto the Brahmanas, and was high-souled\nand firm in promise. And he was of subdued senses and given to\nsacrifices. And he was the foremost of givers, and was able, and beloved\nby both the citizens and the rural population. And the name of that lord\nof Earth was Aswapati. And he was intent on the welfare of all beings.\nAnd that forgiving (monarch) of truthful speech and subdued senses was\nwithout issue. And when he got old, he was stricken with grief at this.\nAnd with the object of raising offspring, he observed rigid vows and\nbegan to live upon frugal fare, having recourse to the Brahmacharya mode\nof life, and restraining his senses. And that best of kings, (daily)\noffering ten thousand oblations to the fire, recited Mantras in honour\nof _Savitri_[65] and ate temperately at the sixth hour. And he passed\neighteen years, practising such vows. Then when the eighteen years were\nfull, _Savitri_ was pleased (with him). And O king, issuing with great\ndelight, in embodied form, from the _Agnihotra_ fire, the goddess showed\nherself to that king. And intent on conferring boons, she spoke these\nwords unto the monarch, \"I have been gratified, O king, with thy\n_Brahmacharya_ practices, thy purity and self-restraint and observance\nof vows, and all thy endeavours and veneration! Do thou, O mighty king,\nO Aswapati, ask for the boon that thou desirest! Thou ought, however, by\nno means show any disregard for virtue.\" Thereat Aswapati said, \"It is\nwith the desire of attaining virtue that I have been engaged in this\ntask. O goddess, may many sons be born unto me worthy of my race! If\nthou art pleased with me, O goddess, I ask for this boon. The twice-born\nones have assured me that great merit lieth in having offspring!\"\n_Savitri_ replied, \"O king, having already learnt this thy intention, I\nhad spoken unto that lord, the Grandsire, about thy sons. Through the\nfavour granted by the Self-create, there shall speedily be born unto\nthee on earth a daughter of great energy. It behoveth thee not to make\nany reply. Well-pleased, I tell thee this at the command of the\nGrandsire.\"'\n\n    [65] Also called Gayatri, the wife of Brahma.\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Having accepted _Savitri's_ words and saying, \"_So be\nit!_\" the king again gratified her and said, \"May this happen soon!\" On\n_Savitri_ vanishing away, the monarch entered his own city. And that\nhero began to live in his kingdom, ruling his subjects righteously. And\nwhen some time had elapsed, that king, observant of vows, begat\noffspring on his eldest queen engaged in the practice of virtue. And\nthen, O bull of the Bharata race, the embryo in the womb of the princess\nof Malava increased like the lord of stars in the heavens during the\nlighted fortnight. And when the time came, she brought forth a daughter\nfurnished with lotus-like eyes. And that best of monarchs, joyfully\nperformed the usual ceremonies on her behalf. And as she had been\nbestowed with delight by the goddess _Savitri_ by virtue of the\noblations offered in honour of that goddess, both her father, and the\nBrahmanas named her _Savitri_. And the king's daughter grew like unto\n_Sree_ herself in an embodied form. And in due time, that damsel\nattained her puberty. And beholding that graceful maiden of slender\nwaist and ample hips, and resembling a golden image, people thought, \"We\nhave received a goddess.\" And overpowered by her energy, none could wed\nthat girl of eyes like lotus-leaves, and possessed of a burning\nsplendour.\n\n\"'And it came to pass that once on the occasion of a _parva_, having\nfasted and bathed her head, she presented herself before the (family)\ndeity and caused the Brahmanas to offer oblations with due rites to the\nsacrificial fire. And taking the flowers that had been offered to the\ngod, that lady, beautiful as _Sree_ herself, went to her high-souled\nsire. And having reverenced the feet of her father and offering him the\nflowers she had brought, that maiden of exceeding grace, with joined\nhands, stood at the side of the king. And seeing his own daughter\nresembling a celestial damsel arrived at puberty, and unsought by\npeople, the king became sad. And the king said, \"Daughter, the time for\nbestowing thee is come! Yet none asketh thee. Do thou (therefore)\nthyself seek for a husband equal to thee in qualities! That person who\nmay be desired by thee should be notified to me. Do thou choose for thy\nhusband as thou listest. I shall bestow thee with deliberation. Do thou,\nO auspicious one, listen to me as I tell thee the words which I heard\nrecited by the twice-born ones. The father that doth not bestow his\ndaughter cometh by disgrace. And the husband that knoweth not his wife\nin her season meeteth with disgrace. And the son that doth not protect\nhis mother when her husband is dead, also suffereth disgrace. Hearing\nthese words of mine, do thou engage thyself in search of a husband. Do\nthou act in such a way that we may not be censured by the gods!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Having said these words to his daughter and his old\ncounsellors, he instructed the attendants to follow her, saying,--_Go!_\nThereat, bashfully bowing down unto her father's feet, the meek maid\nwent out without hesitation, in compliance with the words of her sire.\nAnd ascending a golden car, she went to the delightful asylum of the\nroyal sages, accompanied by her father's aged counsellors. There, O son,\nworshipping the feet of the aged ones, she gradually began to roam over\nall the woods. Thus the king's daughter distributing wealth in all\nsacred regions, ranged the various places belonging to the foremost of\nthe twice-born ones.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXLII\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'On one occasion, O Bharata, when that king, the\nlord of the Madras, was seated with Narada in the midst of his court,\nengaged in conversation, Savitri, accompanied by the king's counsellors,\ncame to her father's abode after having visited various sacred regions\nand asylums. And beholding her father seated with Narada, she worshipped\nthe feet of both by bending down her head. And Narada then said,\n\"Whither had this thy daughter gone? And, O king, whence also doth she\ncome? Why also dost thou not bestow her on a husband, now that she hath\narrived at the age of puberty?\" Aswapati answered, saying, \"Surely it\nwas on this very business that she had been sent, and she returneth now\n(from her search). Do thou, O celestial sage, listen, even from her as\nto the husband she hath chosen herself!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Then the blessed maid, commanded by her father\nwith the words,--_Relate everything in detail_,--regarded those words of\nher sire as if they were those of a god, and spoke unto him thus, \"There\nwas, amongst the Salwas, a virtuous Kshatriya king known by the name of\nDyumatsena. And it came to pass that in course of time he became blind.\nAnd that blind king possessed of wisdom had an only son. And it so\nhappened that an old enemy dwelling in the vicinity, taking advantage of\nthe king's mishap, deprived him of his kingdom. And thereupon the\nmonarch, accompanied by his wife bearing a child on her breast, went\ninto the woods. And having retired into the forests, he adopted great\nvows and began to practise ascetic austerities. And his son, born in the\ncity, began to grow in the hermitage. That youth, fit to be my husband,\nI have accepted in my heart for my lord!\" At these words of hers, Narada\nsaid, \"Alas, O king, Savitri hath committed a great wrong, since, not\nknowing, she hath accepted for her lord this Satyavan of excellent\nqualities! His father speaketh the truth and his mother also is truthful\nin her speech. And it is for this that the Brahmanas have named the son\n_Satyavan_. In his childhood he took great delight in horses, and used\nto make horses of clay. And he used also to draw pictures of horses. And\nfor this that youth is sometimes called by the name of _Chitraswa_.\" The\nking then asked, \"And is prince Satyavan, who is devoted to his father,\nendued with energy and intelligence and forgiveness and courage?\" Narada\nreplied, saying, \"In energy Satyavan is like unto the sun, and in wisdom\nlike unto Vrihaspati! And he is brave like unto the lord of the\ncelestials and forgiving like unto the Earth herself!\" Aswapati then\nsaid, \"And is the prince Satyavan liberal in gifts and devoted to the\nBrahmanas? Is he handsome and magnanimous and lovely to behold?\" Narada\nsaid, \"In bestowal of gifts according to his power, the mighty son of\nDyumatsena is like unto Sankriti's son Rantideva. In truthfulness of\nspeech and devotion unto Brahmanas, he is like Sivi, the son of Usinara.\nAnd he is magnanimous like Yayati, and beautiful like the Moon. And in\nbeauty of person he is like either of the twin Aswins. And with senses\nunder control, he is meek, and brave, and truthful! And with passion in\nsubjection he is devoted to his friends, and free from malice and modest\nand patient. Indeed, briefly speaking, they that are possessed of great\nascetic merit and are of exalted character say that he is always correct\nin his conduct and that honour is firmly seated on his brow.\" Hearing\nthis, Aswapati said, \"O reverend sage, thou tellest me that he is\npossessed of every virtue! Do thou now tell me his defects if, indeed,\nhe hath any!\" Narada then said, \"He hath one only defect that hath\noverwhelmed all his virtues. That defect is incapable of being conquered\nby even the greatest efforts. He hath only one defect, and no other.\nWithin a year from this day, Satyavan, endued with a short life will\ncast off his body!\" Hearing these words of the sage, the king said,\n\"Come, O Savitri, go thou and choose another for thy lord, O beautiful\ndamsel! That one great defect (in this youth) existeth, covering all his\nmerits. The illustrious Narada honoured by even the gods, sayeth, that\nSatyavan will have to cast off his body within a year, his days being\nnumbered!\" At these words of her father, Savitri said, \"The death can\nfall but once; a daughter can be given away but once; and once only can a\nperson say, _I give away_! These three things can take place only once.\nIndeed, with a life short or long, possessed of virtues or bereft of\nthem, I have, for once, selected my husband. Twice I shall not select.\nHaving first settled a thing mentally, it is expressed in words, and\nthen it is carried out into practice. Of this my mind is an example!\"\nNarada then said, \"O best of men, the heart of thy daughter Savitri\nwavereth not! It is not possible by any means to make her swerve from\nthis path of virtue! In no other person are those virtues that dwell in\nSatyavan. The bestowal of thy daughter, therefore, is approved by me!\"\nThe king said, \"What thou hast said, O illustrious one, should never be\ndisobeyed, for thy words are true! And I shall act as thou hast said,\nsince thou art my preceptor!\" Narada said, \"May the bestowal of thy\ndaughter Savitri be attended with peace! I shall now depart. Blessed be\nall of ye!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Having said this, Narada rose up into the sky\nand went to heaven. On the other hand, the king began to make\npreparations for his daughter's wedding!'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXLIII\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Having pondered over these words (of Narada) about\nhis daughter's marriage, the king began to make arrangements about the\nnuptials. And summoning all the old Brahmanas, and _Ritwijas_ together\nwith the priests, he set out with his daughter on an auspicious day. And\narriving at the asylum of Dyumatsena in the sacred forest, the king\napproached the royal sage on foot, accompanied by the twice-born ones.\nAnd there he beheld the blind monarch of great wisdom seated on a\ncushion of _Kusa_ grass spread under _Sala_ tree. And after duly\nreverencing the royal sage, the king in an humble speech introduced\nhimself. Thereupon, offering him the _Arghya_, a seat, and a cow, the\nmonarch asked his royal guest,--_Wherefore is this visit?_--Thus\naddressed the king disclosed everything about his intentions and purpose\nwith reference to Satyavan. And Aswapati said, \"O royal sage, this\nbeautiful girl is my daughter named Savitri. O thou versed in morality,\ndo thou, agreeably to the customs of our order, take her from me as thy\ndaughter-in-law!\" Hearing these words, Dyumatsena said, \"Deprived of\nkingdom, and taking up our abode in the woods, we are engaged in the\npractice of virtue as ascetics with regulated lives. Unworthy of a\nforest life, how will thy daughter, living in the sylvan asylum, bear\nthis hardship?\" Aswapati said, \"When my daughter knoweth, as well as\nmyself, that happiness and misery come and go (without either being\nstationary), such words as these are not fit to be used towards one like\nme! O king, I have come hither, having made up my mind! I have bowed to\nthee from friendship; it behoveth thee not, therefore, to destroy my\nhope! It behoveth thee not, also, to disregard me who, moved by love,\nhave come to thee! Thou art my equal and fit for an alliance with me, as\nindeed, I am thy equal and fit for alliance with thee! Do thou,\ntherefore, accept my daughter for thy daughter-in-law and the wife of\nthe good Satyavan!\" Hearing these words Dyumatsena said, \"Formerly I had\ndesired an alliance with thee. But I hesitated, being subsequently\ndeprived of my kingdom. Let this wish, therefore, that I had formerly\nentertained, be accomplished this very day. Thou art, indeed, a welcome\nguest to me!\"\n\n\"'Then summoning all the twice-born ones residing in the hermitages of\nthat forest, the two kings caused the union to take place with due\nrites. And having bestowed his daughter with suitable robes and\nornaments, Aswapati went back to his abode in great joy. And Satyavan,\nhaving obtained a wife possessed of every accomplishment, became highly\nglad, while she also rejoiced exceedingly upon having gained the husband\nafter her own heart. And when her father had departed, she put off all\nher ornaments, and clad herself in barks and cloths dyed in red. And by\nher services and virtues, her tenderness and self-denial, and by her\nagreeable offices unto all, she pleased everybody. And she gratified her\nmother-in-law by attending to her person and by covering her with robes\nand ornaments. And she gratified her father-in-law by worshipping him as\na god and controlling her speech. And she pleased her husband by her\nhoneyed speeches, her skill in every kind of work, the evenness of her\ntemper, and by the indications of her love in private. And thus, O\nBharata, living in the asylum of those pious dwellers of the forest,\nthey continued for some time to practise ascetic austerities. But the\nwords spoken by Narada were present night and day in the mind of the\nsorrowful Savitri.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXLIV\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'At length, O king, after a long time had passed away,\nthe hour that had been appointed for the death of Satyavan arrived. And\nas the words that had been spoken by Narada were ever present in the\nmind of Savitri, she had counted the days as they passed. And having\nascertained that her husband would die on the fourth day following, the\ndamsel fasted day and night, observing the _Triratra_ vow. And hearing\nof her vow, the king became exceedingly sorrowful and rising up soothed\nSavitri and said these words, \"This vow that thou hast begun to observe,\nO daughter of a king, is exceedingly hard; for it is extremely difficult\nto fast for three nights together!\" And hearing these words, Savitri\nsaid, \"Thou needst not be sorry, O father! This vow I shall be able to\nobserve! I have for certain undertaken this task with perseverance; and\nperseverance is the cause of the successful observance of vows.\" And\nhaving listened to her, Dyumatsena said, \"I can by no means say unto\nthee, _Do thou break thy vow_. One like me should, on the contrary,\nsay,--_Do thou complete thy vow!_\" And having said this to her, the\nhigh-minded Dyumatsena stopped. And Savitri continuing to fast began to\nlook (lean) like a wooden doll. And, O bull of the Bharata race,\nthinking that her husband would die on the morrow, the woe-stricken\nSavitri, observing a fast, spent that night in extreme anguish. And when\nthe Sun had risen about a couple of hand Savitri thinking within\nherself--_To-day is that day_, finished her morning rites, and offered\noblations to the flaming fire. And bowing down unto the aged Brahmanas,\nand her father-in-law, and mother-in-law, she stood before them with\njoined hands, concentrating her senses. And for the welfare of Savitri,\nall the ascetics dwelling in that hermitage, uttered the auspicious\nbenediction that she should never suffer widowhood. And Savitri immersed\nin contemplation accepted those words of the ascetics, mentally\nsaying,--_So be it!_--And the king's daughter, reflecting on those words\nof Narada, remained, expecting the hour and the moment.\n\n\"'Then, O best of the Bharatas, well-pleased, her father-in-law and\nmother-in-law said these words unto the princess seated in a corner,\n\"Thou hast completed the vow as prescribed. The time for thy meal hath\nnow arrived; therefore, do thou what is proper!\" Thereat Savitri said,\n\"Now that I have completed the purposed vow, I will eat when the Sun\ngoes down. Even this is my heart's resolve and this my vow!\"\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'And when Savitri had spoken thus about her meal,\nSatyavan, taking his axe upon his shoulders, set out for the woods. And\nat this, Savitri said unto her husband, \"It behoveth thee not to go\nalone! I will accompany thee. I cannot bear to be separated from thee!\"\nHearing these words of hers, Satyavan said, \"Thou hast never before\nrepaired to the forest. And, O lady, the forest-paths are hard to pass!\nBesides thou hast been reduced by fast on account of thy vow. How\nwouldst thou, therefore, be able to walk on foot?\" Thus addressed,\nSavitri said, \"I do not feel langour because of the fast, nor do I feel\nexhaustion. And I have made up my mind to go. It behoveth thee not,\ntherefore, to prevent me!\" At this, Satyavan said, \"If thou desirest to\ngo, I will gratify that desire of thine. Do thou, however, take the\npermission of my parents, so that I may be guilty of no fault!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Thus addressed by her lord, Savitri of high vows\nsaluted her father-in-law and mother-in-law and addressed them, saying,\n\"This my husband goeth to the forest for procuring fruits. Permitted by\nmy revered lady-mother and father-in-law, I will accompany him. For\nto-day I cannot bear to be separated from him. Thy son goeth out for the\nsake of the sacrificial fire and for his reverend superiors. He ought\nnot, therefore, to be dissuaded. Indeed, he could be dissuaded if he\nwent into the forest on any other errand. Do ye not prevent me! I will\ngo into the forest with him. It is a little less than a year that I have\nnot gone out of the asylum. Indeed, I am extremely desirous of beholding\nthe blossoming woods!\" Hearing these words Dyumatsena said, \"Since\nSavitri hath been bestowed by her father as my daughter-in-law, I do not\nremember that she hath ever spoken any words couching a request. Let my\ndaughter-in-law, therefore, have her will in this matter. Do thou,\nhowever, O daughter, act in such a way that Satyavan's work may not be\nneglected!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Having received the permission of both, the\nillustrious Savitri, departed with her lord, in seeming smiles although\nher heart was racked with grief. And that lady of large eyes went on,\nbeholding picturesque and delightful woods inhabited by swarms of\npeacocks. And Satyavan sweetly said unto Savitri, \"Behold these rivers\nof sacred currents and these excellent trees decked with flowers!\" But\nthe faultless Savitri continued to watch her lord in all his moods, and\nrecollecting the words of the celestial sage, she considered her husband\nas already dead. And with heart cleft in twain, that damsel, replying to\nher lord, softly followed him expecting that hour.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXLV\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'The powerful Satyavan then, accompanied by his wife,\nplucked fruits and filled his wallet with them. And he then began to\nfell branches of trees. And as he was hewing them, he began to perspire.\nAnd in consequence of that exercise his head began to ache. And\nafflicted with toil, he approached his beloved wife, and addressed her,\nsaying, \"O Savitri, owing to this hard exercise my head acheth, and all\nmy limbs and my heart also are afflicted sorely! O thou of restrained\nspeech, I think myself unwell, I feel as if my head is being pierced\nwith numerous darts. Therefore, O auspicious lady, I wish to sleep, for\nI have not the power to stand.\" Hearing these words, Savitri quickly\nadvancing, approached her husband, and sat down upon the ground, placing\nhis head upon her lap. And that helpless lady, thinking of Narada's\nwords, began to calculate the (appointed) division of the day, the hour,\nand the moment. The next moment she saw a person clad in red attire with\nhis head decked with a diadem. And his body was of large proportions and\neffulgent as the Sun. And he was of a darkish hue, had red eyes, carried\na noose in his hand, and was dreadful to behold. And he was standing\nbeside Satyavan and was steadfastly gazing at him. And seeing him,\nSavitri gently placed her husband's head on the ground, and rising\nsuddenly, with a trembling heart, spake these words in distressful\naccents, \"Seeing this thy superhuman form, I take thee to be a deity. If\nthou will tell me, O chief of the gods, who thou art and what also thou\nintendst to do!\" Thereat, Yama replied, \"O Savitri, thou art ever\ndevoted to thy husband, and thou art also endued with ascetic merit. It\nis for this reason that I hold converse with thee. Do thou, O auspicious\none, know me for Yama. This thy lord Satyavan, the son of a king, hath\nhis days run out. I shall, therefore, take him away binding him in this\nnoose. Know this to be my errand!\" At these words Savitri said, \"I had\nheard that thy emissaries come to take away mortals, O worshipful one!\nWhy then, O lord, hast thou come in person?\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Thus addressed by her, the illustrious lord of\n_Pitris_, with a view to oblige her, began to unfold to her truly all\nabout his intentions. And Yama said, \"This prince is endued with virtues\nand beauty of person, and is a sea of accomplishments. He deserveth not\nto be borne away by my emissaries. Therefore is it that I have come\npersonally.\" Saying this, Yama by main force pulled out of the body of\nSatyavan, a person of the measure of the thumb, bound in noose and\ncompletely under subjection. And when Satyavan's life had thus been\ntaken out, the body, deprived of breath, and shorn of lustre, and\ndestitute of motion, became unsightly to behold. And binding Satyavan's\nvital essence, Yama proceeded in a southerly direction. Thereupon, with\nheart overwhelmed in grief, the exalted Savitri, ever devoted to her\nlord and crowned with success in respect of her vows, began to follow\nYama. And at this, Yama said, \"Desist, O Savitri! Go back, and perform\nthe funeral obsequies of thy lord! Thou art freed from all thy\nobligations to thy lord. Thou hast come as far as it is possible to\ncome.\" Savitri replied, \"Whither my husband is being carried, or whither\nhe goeth of his own accord, I will follow him thither. This is the\neternal custom. By virtue of my asceticism, of my regard for my\nsuperiors, of my affection for my lord, of my observance of vows, as\nwell as of thy favour, my course is unimpeded. It hath been declared by\nwise men endued with true knowledge that by walking only seven paces\nwith another, one contracteth a friendship with one's companion. Keeping\nthat friendship (which I have contracted with thee) in view, I shall\nspeak to thee something. Do thou listen to it. They that have not their\nsouls under control, acquire not merit by leading the four successive\nmodes of life, viz.,--celibacy with study, domesticity, retirement into\nthe woods, and renunciation of the world. That which is called religious\nmerit is said to consist of true knowledge. The wise, therefore, have\ndeclared religious merit to be the foremost of all things and not the\npassage through the four successive modes. By practising the duties of\neven one of these four modes agreeable to the directions of the wise, we\nhave attained to true merit, and, therefore, we do not desire the second\nor the third mode, viz., celibacy with study or renunciation. It is for\nthis again that the wise have declared religious merit to be the\nforemost of all things!\" Hearing these words of hers, Yama said, \"Do\nthou desist! I have been pleased with these words of thine couched in\nproper letters and accents, and based on reason. Do thou ask for a boon!\nExcept the life of thy husband, O thou of faultless features, I will\nbestow on thee any boon that thou mayst solicit!\" Hearing these words,\nSavitri said, \"Deprived of his kingdom and bereft also of sight, my\nfather-in-law leadeth a life of retirement in our sylvan asylum. Let\nthat king through thy favour attain his eye-sight, and become strong\nlike either fire or the Sun!\" Yama said, \"O thou of faultless features,\nI grant thee this boon! It will even be as thou hast said! It seems that\nthou art fatigued with thy journey. Do thou desist, therefore, and\nreturn! Suffer not thyself to be weary any longer!\" Savitri said, \"What\nweariness can I feel in the presence of my husband? The lot that is my\nhusband's is certainly mine also. Whither thou carriest my husband,\nthither will I also repair! O chief of the celestials, do thou again\nlisten to me! Even a single interview with the pious is highly\ndesirable; friendship with them is still more so. And intercourse with\nthe virtuous can never be fruitless. Therefore, one should live in the\ncompany of the righteous!\" Yama said, \"These words that thou hast\nspoken, so fraught with useful instruction, delight the heart and\nenhance the wisdom of even the learned. Therefore, O lady, solicit thou\na second boon, except the life of Satyavan!\" Savitri said, \"Sometime\nbefore, my wise and intelligent father-in-law was deprived of his\nkingdom. May that monarch regain his kingdom. And may that superior of\nmine never renounce his duties! Even this is the second boon that I\nsolicit!\" Then Yama said,--\"The king shall soon regain his kingdom. Nor\nshall he ever fall off from his duties. Thus, O daughter of a king have\nI fulfilled thy desire. Do thou now desist! Return! Do not take any\nfuture trouble!\" Savitri said, \"Thou hast restrained all creatures by\nthy decrees, and it is by thy decrees that thou takest them away, not\naccording to thy will. Therefore it is, O god, O divine one, that people\ncall thee _Yama_! Do thou listen to the words that I say! The eternal\nduty of the good towards all creatures is never to injure them in\nthought, word, and deed, but to bear them love and give them their due.\nAs regards this world, everything here is like this (husband of mine).\nMen are destitute of both devotion and skill. The good, however, show\nmercy to even their foes when these seek their protection.\" Yama said,\n\"As water to the thirsty soul, so are these words uttered by thee to me!\nTherefore, do thou, O fair lady, if thou will, once again ask for any\nboon except Satyavana's life!\" At these words Savitri replied, \"That\nlord of earth, my father, is without sons. That he may have a hundred\nsons begotten of his loins, so that his line may be perpetuated, is the\nthird boon I would ask of thee!\" Yama said, \"Thy sire, O auspicious\nlady, shall obtain a hundred illustrious sons, who will perpetuate and\nincrease their father's race! Now, O daughter of a king, thou hast\nobtained thy wish. Do thou desist! Thou hast come far enough.\" Savitri\nsaid, \"Staying by the side of my husband, I am not conscious of the\nlength of the way I have walked. Indeed, my mind rusheth to yet a longer\nway off. Do thou again, as thou goest on, listen to the words that I\nwill presently utter! Thou art the powerful son of Vivaswat. It is for\nthis that thou art called _Vatvaswata_ by the wise. And, O lord, since\nthou dealest out equal law unto all created things, thou hast been\ndesignated the _lord of justice_! One reposeth not, even in one's own\nself, the confidence that one doth in the righteous. Therefore, every\none wisheth particularly for intimacy with the righteous. It is goodness\nof heart alone that inspireth the confidence of all creatures. And it is\nfor this that people rely particularly on the righteous.\" And hearing\nthese words, Yama said, \"The words that thou utterest, O fair lady, I\nhave not heard from any one save thee; I am highly pleased with this\nspeech of thine. Except the life of Satyavan, solicit thou, therefore, a\nfourth boon, and then go thy way!\" Savitri then said, \"Both of me and\nSatyavan's loins, begotten by both of us, let there be a century of sons\npossessed of strength and prowess and capable of perpetuating our race!\nEven this is the fourth boon that I would beg of thee!\" Hearing these\nwords of hers, Yama replied, \"Thou shalt, O lady, obtain a century of\nsons, possessed of strength and prowess, and causing thee great delight.\nO daughter of a king, let no more weariness be thine! Do thou desist!\nThou hast already come too far!\" Thus addressed, Savitri said, \"They\nthat are righteous always practise eternal morality! And the communion\nof the pious with the pious is never fruitless! Nor is there any danger\nto the pious from those that are pious. And verily it is the righteous\nwho by their truth make the Sun move in the heaven. And it is the\nrighteous that support the earth by their austerities! And, O king, it\nis the righteous upon whom both the past and the future depend!\nTherefore, they that are righteous, are never cheerless in the company\nof the righteous. Knowing this to be the eternal practice of the good\nand righteous, they that are righteous continue to do good to others\nwithout expecting any benefit in return. A good office is never thrown\naway on the good and virtuous. Neither interest nor dignity suffereth\nany injury by such an act. And since such conduct ever adheres to the\nrighteous, the righteous often become the protectors of all.\" Hearing\nthese words of hers, Yama replied, \"The more thou utterest such speeches\nthat are pregnant with great import, full of honeyed phrases, instinct\nwith morality, and agreeable to mind, the more is the respect that I\nfeel for thee! O thou that art so devoted to thy lord, ask for some\nincomparable boon!\" Thus addressed, Savitri said, \"O bestower of\nhonours, the boon thou hast already given me is incapable of\naccomplishment without union with my husband. Therefore, among other\nboons, I ask for this, may this Satyavan be restored to life! Deprived\nof my husband, I am as one dead! Without my husband, I do not wish for\nhappiness. Without my husband, I do not wish for heaven itself. Without\nmy husband, I do not wish for prosperity. Without my husband, I cannot\nmake up my mind to live! Thou thyself hast bestowed on me the boon,\nnamely, of a century of sons; yet thou takest away my husband! I ask for\nthis boon, 'May Satyavan be restored to life,' for by that thy words\nwill be made true.\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Thereupon saying,--_So be it_,--Vivaswat's son,\nYama, the dispenser of justice, untied his noose, and with cheerful\nheart said these words to Savitri, \"Thus, O auspicious and chaste lady,\nis thy husband freed by me! Thou wilt be able to take him back free from\ndisease. And he will attain to success! And along with thee, he will\nattain a life of four hundred years. And celebrating sacrifices with due\nrites, he will achieve great fame in this world. And upon thee Satyavan\nwill also beget a century of sons. And these Kshatriyas with their sons\nand grandsons will all be kings, and will always be famous in connection\nwith thy name. And thy father also will beget a hundred sons on thy\nmother Malavi. And under the name of the _Malavas_, thy Kshatriya\nbrothers, resembling the celestials, will be widely known along with\ntheir sons and daughters!\" And having bestowed these boons on Savitri\nand having thus made her desist, Yama departed for his abode. Savitri,\nafter Yama had gone away, went back to the spot where her husband's\nash-coloured corpse lay, and seeing her lord on the ground, she\napproached him, and taking hold of him, she placed his head on her lap\nand herself sat down on the ground. Then Satyavan regained his\nconsciousness, and affectionately eyeing Savitri again and again, like\none come home after a sojourn in a strange land, he addressed her thus,\n\"Alas, I have slept long! Wherefore didst thou not awake me? And where\nis that same sable person that was dragging me away?\" At these words of\nhis, Savitri said, \"Thou hast, O bull among men, slept long on my lap!\nThat restrainer of creatures, the worshipful Yama, had gone away. Thou\nart refreshed, O blessed one, and sleep hath forsaken thee, O son of a\nking! If thou art able, rise thou up! Behold, the night is deep!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Having regained consciousness, Satyavan rose up\nlike one who had enjoyed a sweet sleep, and seeing every side covered\nwith woods, said, \"O girl of slender waist, I came with thee for\nprocuring fruits. Then while I was cutting wood I felt a pain in my\nhead. And on account of that intense pain about my head I was unable to\nstand for any length of time, and, therefore, I lay on thy lap and\nslept. All this, O auspicious lady, I remember. Then, as thou didst\nembrace me, sleep stole away my senses. I then saw that it was dark all\naround. In the midst of it I saw a person of exceeding effulgence. If\nthou knowest everything, do thou then, O girl of slender waist, tell me\nwhether what I saw was only a dream or a reality!\" Thereupon, Savitri\naddressed him, saying, \"The night deepens. I shall, O prince, relate\neverything unto thee on the morrow. Arise, arise, may good betide thee!\nAnd, O thou of excellent vows, come and behold thy parents! The sun hath\nset a long while ago and the night deepens. Those rangers of the night,\nhaving frightful voices, are walking about in glee. And sounds are\nheard, proceeding from the denizens of the forest treading through the\nwoods. These terrible shrieks of jackals that are issuing from the south\nand the east make my heart tremble (in fear)!\" Satyavan then said,\n\"Covered with deep darkness, the wilderness hath worn a dreadful aspect.\nThou wilt, therefore, not be able to discern the tract, and consequently\nwilt not be able to go!\" Then Savitri replied, \"In consequence of a\nconflagration having taken place in the forest today a withered tree\nstandeth aflame, and the flames being stirred by the wind are discerned\nnow and then. I shall fetch some fire and light these faggots around. Do\nthou dispel all anxiety. I will do all (this) if thou darest not go, for\nI find thee unwell. Nor wilt thou be able to discover the way through\nthis forest enveloped in darkness. Tomorrow when the woods become\nvisible, we will go hence, if thou please! If, O sinless one, it is thy\nwish, we shall pass this night even here!\" At these words of hers,\nSatyavan replied, \"The pain in my head is off; and I feel well in my\nlimbs. With thy favour I wish to behold my father and mother. Never\nbefore did I return to the hermitage after the proper time had passed\naway. Even before it is twilight my mother confineth me within the\nasylum. Even when I come out during the day, my parents become anxious\non my account, and my father searcheth for me, together with all the\ninhabitants of the sylvan asylums. Before this, moved by deep grief, my\nfather and mother had rebuked me many times and often, saying,--_Thou\ncomest having tarried long_! I am thinking of the pass they have today\ncome to on my account, for, surely, great grief will be theirs when they\nmiss me. One night before this, the old couple, who love me dearly, wept\nfrom deep sorrow and said into me, 'Deprived of thee, O son, we cannot\nlive for even a moment. As long as thou livest, so long, surely, we also\nwill live. Thou art the crutch of these blind ones; on thee doth\nperpetuity of our race depend. On thee also depend our funeral cake, our\nfame and our descendants!' My mother is old, and my father also is so. I\nam surely their crutch. If they see me not in the night, what, oh, will\nbe their plight! I hate that slumber of mine for the sake of which my\nunoffending mother and my father have both been in trouble, and I myself\nalso, am placed in such rending distress! Without my father and mother,\nI cannot bear to live. It is certain that by this time my blind father,\nhis mind disconsolate with grief, is asking everyone of the inhabitants\nof the hermitage about me! I do not, O fair girl, grieve so much for\nmyself as I do for my sire, and for my weak mother ever obedient to her\nlord! Surely, they will be afflicted with extreme anguish on account of\nme. I hold my life so long as they live. And I know that they should be\nmaintained by me and that I should do only what is agreeable to them!\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Having said this, that virtuous youth who loved\nand revered his parents, afflicted with grief held up his arms and began\nto lament in accents of woe. And seeing her lord overwhelmed with sorrow\nthe virtuous Savitri wiped away the tears from his eyes and said, \"If I\nhave observed austerities, and have given away in charity, and have\nperformed sacrifice, may this night be for the good of my father-in-law,\nmother-in-law and husband! I do not remember having told a single\nfalsehood, even in jest. Let my father-in-law and mother-in-law hold\ntheir lives by virtue of the truth!\" Satyavan said, \"I long for the\nsight of my father and mother! Therefore, O Savitri, proceed without\ndelay. O beautiful damsel, I swear by my own self that if I find any\nevil to have befallen my father and mother, I will not live. If thou\nhast any regard for virtue, if thou wishest me to live, if it is thy\nduty to do what is agreeable to me, proceed thou to the hermitage!\" The\nbeautiful Savitri then rose and tying up her hair, raised her husband in\nher arms. And Satyavan having risen, rubbed his limbs with his hands.\nAnd as he surveyed all around, his eyes fell upon his wallet. Then\nSavitri said unto him, \"Tomorrow thou mayst gather fruits. And I shall\ncarry thy axe for thy ease.\" Then hanging up the wallet upon the bough\nof a tree, and taking up the axe, she re-approached her husband. And\nthat lady of beautiful thighs, placing her husband's left arm upon her\nleft shoulder, and embracing him with her right arms, proceeded with\nelephantic gait. Then Satyavan said, \"O timid one, by virtue of habit,\nthe (forest) paths are known to me. And further, by the light of the\nmoon between the trees, I can see them. We have now reached the same\npath that we took in the morning for gathering fruits. Do thou, O\nauspicious one, proceed by the way that we had come: thou needst not any\nlonger feel dubious about our path. Near that tract overgrown with\n_Palasa_ tree, the way diverges into two. Do thou proceed along the path\nthat lies to the north of it. I am now well and have got back my\nstrength. I long to see my father and mother!\" Saying this Satyavan\nhastily proceeded towards the hermitage.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXLVI\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Meanwhile the mighty Dyumatsena, having regained his\nsight, could see everything. And when his vision grew clear he saw\neverything around him. And, O bull of the Bharata race, proceeding with\nhis wife Saivya to all the (neighbouring) asylums in search of his son,\nhe became extremely distressed on his account. And that night the old\ncouple went about searching in asylums, and rivers, and woods, and\nfloods. And whenever they heard any sound, they stood rising their\nheads, anxiously thinking that their son was coming, and said, \"O yonder\ncometh Satyavan with Savitri!\" And they rushed hither and thither like\nmaniacs, their feet torn, cracked, wounded, and bleeding, pierced with\nthorns and _Kusa_ blades. Then all the Brahmanas dwelling in that\nhermitage came unto them, and surrounding them on all sides, comforted\nthem, and brought them back to their own asylum. And there Dyumatsena\nwith his wife surrounded by aged ascetics, was entertained with stories\nof monarchs of former times. And although that old couple desirous of\nseeing their son, was comforted, yet recollecting the youthful days of\ntheir son, they became exceedingly sorry. And afflicted with grief, they\nbegan to lament in piteous accents, saying, \"Alas, O son, alas, O chaste\ndaughter-in-law, where are you?\" Then a truthful Brahmana of the name of\nSuvarchas spake unto them, saying, \"Considering the austerities,\nself-restraint, and behaviour of his wife Savitri, there can be no doubt\nthat Satyavan liveth!\" And Gautama said, \"I have studied all the _Vedas_\nwith their branches, and I have acquired great ascetic merit. And I have\nled a celibate existence, practising also the _Brahmacharya_ mode of\nlife. I have gratified Agni and my superiors. With rapt soul I have also\nobserved all the vows: and I have according to the ordinance, frequently\nlived upon air alone. By virtue of this ascetic merit, I am cognisant of\nall the doings of others. Therefore, do thou take it for certain that\nSatyavan liveth.\" Thereupon his disciple said, \"The words that have\nfallen from the lips of my preceptor can never be false. Therefore,\nSatyavan surely liveth.\" And the _Rishi_ said, \"Considering the\nauspicious marks that his wife Savitri beareth and all of which indicate\nimmunity from widowhood, there can be no doubt that Satyavan liveth!\"\nAnd Varadwaja said, \"Having regard to the ascetic merit, self-restraint,\nand conduct of his wife Savitri, there can be no doubt that Satyavan\nliveth.\" And Dalbhya said, \"Since thou hast regained thy sight, and\nsince Savitri hath gone away after completion of the vow, without taking\nany food, there can be no doubt that Satyavan liveth.\" And Apastamba\nsaid, \"From the manner in which the voices of birds and wild animals are\nbeing heard through the stillness of the atmosphere on all sides, and\nfrom the fact also of thy having regained the use of thy eyes,\nindicating thy usefulness for earthly purposes once more, there can be\nno doubt that Satyavan liveth.\" And Dhaumya said, \"As thy son is graced\nwith every virtue, and as he is the beloved of all, and as he is\npossessed of marks betokening a long life, there can be no doubt that\nSatyavan liveth.\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Thus cheered by those ascetics of truthful\nspeech, Dyumatsena pondering over those points, attained a little ease.\nA little while after, Savitri with her husband Satyavan reached the\nhermitage during the night and entered it with a glad heart. The\nBrahmanas then said, \"Beholding this meeting with thy son, and thy\nrestoration to eye-sight, we all wish thee well, O lord of earth. Thy\nmeeting with thy son, the sight of thy daughter-in-law, and thy\nrestoration to sight--constitute a threefold prosperity which thou hast\ngained. What we all have said must come to pass: there can be no doubt\nof this. Henceforth thou shalt rapidly grow in prosperity.\" Then, O\nPritha's son, the twice-born ones lighted a fire and sat themselves down\nbefore king Dyumatsena. And Saivya, and Satyavan, and Savitri who stood\napart, their hearts free from grief, sat down with the permission of\nthem all. Then, O Partha, seated with the monarch those dwellers of the\nwoods, actuated by curiosity, asked the king's son, saying, \"Why didst\nthou not, O illustrious one, come back earlier with thy wife? Why hast\nthou come so late in the night? What obstacle prevented thee! We do not\nknow, O son of a king, why thou hast caused such alarm to us, and to thy\nfather and mother. It behoveth thee to tell us all about this.\"\nThereupon, Satyavan said, \"With the permission of my father, I went to\nthe woods with Savitri. There, as I was hewing wood in the forest, I\nfelt a pain in my head. And in consequence of the pain, I fell into a\ndeep sleep.--This is all that I remember. I had never slept so long\nbefore I have come so late at night, in order that ye might not grieve\n(on my account). There is no other reason for this.\" Gautama then said,\n\"Thou knowest not then the cause of thy father's sudden restoration to\nsight. It, therefore, behoveth Savitri to relate it. I wish to hear it\n(from thee), for surely thou art conversant with the mysteries of good\nand evil. And, O Savitri, I know thee to be like the goddess _Savitri_\nherself in splendour. Thou must know the cause of this. Therefore, do\nthou relate it truly! If it should not be kept a secret, do thou unfold\nit unto us!\" At these words of Gautama Savitri said, \"It is as ye\nsurmise. Your desire shall surely not be unfulfilled. I have no secret\nto keep. Listen to the truth then! The high-souled Narada had predicted\nthe death of my husband. To-day was the appointed time. I could not,\ntherefore, bear to be separated from my husband's company. And after he\nhad fallen asleep, Yama, accompanied by his messengers, presented\nhimself before him, and tying him, began to take him away towards the\nregion inhabited by the _Pitris_. Thereupon I began to praise that\naugust god, with truthful words. And he granted me five boons, of which\ndo ye hear from me! For my father-in-law I have obtained these two\nboons, viz., his restoration to sight as also to his kingdom. My father\nalso hath obtained a hundred sons. And I myself have obtained a hundred\nsons. And my husband Satyavan hath obtained a life of four hundred\nyears. It was for the sake of my husband's life that I had observed that\nvow. Thus have I narrated unto you in detail the cause by which this\nmighty misfortune of mine was afterwards turned into happiness.\" The\n_Rishis_ said, \"O chaste lady of excellent disposition, observant of\nvows and endued with virtue, and sprung from an illustrious line, by\nthee hath the race of this foremost of kings, which was overwhelmed with\ncalamities, and was sinking in an ocean of darkness, been rescued.\"'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Then having applauded and reverenced that best\nof women, those _Rishis_ there assembled bade farewell to that foremost\nof kings as well as to his son. And having saluted them thus, they\nspeedily went, in peace with cheerful hearts, to their respective\nabodes.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXLVII\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'When the night had passed away, and the solar\norb had risen, those ascetics, having performed their morning rites,\nassembled together. And although those mighty sages again and again\nspake unto Dyumatsena of the high fortune of Savitri, yet they were\nnever satisfied. And it so happened, O king, that there came to that\nhermitage a large body of people from Salwa. And they brought tidings of\nthe enemy of Dyumatsena having been slain by his own minister. And they\nrelated unto him all that had happened, viz., how having heard that the\nusurper had been slain with all his friends and allies by his minister,\nhis troops had all fled, and how all the subjects had become unanimous\n(on behalf of their legitimate king), saying, \"Whether possessed of\nsight or not, even he shall be our king!\" And they said, \"We have been\nsent to thee in consequence of that resolve. This car of thine, and this\narmy also consisting of four kinds of forces, have arrived for thee!\nGood betide thee, O King! Do thou come! Thou hast been proclaimed in the\ncity. Do thou for ever occupy the station belonging to thy father and\ngrand-father!\" And beholding the king possessed of sight and\nable-bodied, they bowed down their heads, their eyes expanded with\nwonder. Then having worshipped those old and Brahmanas dwelling in the\nhermitage and honoured by them in return, the king set out for his city.\nAnd surrounded by the soldiers, Saivya also accompanied by Savitri, went\nin a vehicle furnished with shining sheets and borne on the shoulders of\nmen. Then the priests with joyful hearts installed Dyumatsena on the\nthrone with his high-souled son as prince-regent. And after the lapse of\na long time, Savitri gave birth to a century of sons, all warlike and\nunretreating from battle, and enhancing the fame of Salwa's race. And\nshe also had a century of highly powerful uterine brothers born unto\nAswapati, the lord of the Madras, by Malavi. Thus, O son of Pritha, did\nSavitri raise from pitiable plight to high fortune, herself, and her\nfather and mother, her father-in-law and mother-in-law, as also the race\nof her husband. And like that gentle lady Savitri, the auspicious\ndaughter of Drupada, endued with excellent character, will rescue you\nall.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Thus exhorted by that high-souled sage, the son of\nPandu, O king, with his mind free from anxiety, continued to live in the\nforest of Kamyaka. The man that listeneth with reverence to the\nexcellent story of Savitri, attaineth to happiness, and success in\neverything, and never meeteth with misery!\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXLVIII\n\nJanamejaya said,--\"What, O Brahmana, was that great fear entertained by\nYudhishthira in respect of Karna, for which Lomasa had conveyed to the\nson of Pandu a message of deep import from Indra in these words, _That\nintense fear of thine which thou dost never express to any one, I will\nremove after Dhananjaya goeth from hence?_ And, O best of ascetics, why\nwas it that the virtuous Yudhishthira never expressed it to any one?\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"As thou askest me, O tiger among kings, I will\nrelate that history unto thee! Do thou listen to my words, O best of the\nBharatas! After twelve years (of their exile) had passed away and the\nthirteenth year had set in, Sakra, ever friendly to the sons of Pandu,\nresolved to beg of Karna (his ear-rings). And, O mighty monarch,\nascertaining this intention of the great chief of the celestials about\n(Karna's) ear-rings, Surya, having effulgence for his wealth, went unto\nKarna. And, O foremost of kings, while that hero devoted to the\nBrahmanas and truthful in speech was lying down at night at his ease on\na rich bed overlaid with a costly sheet, the effulgent deity, filled\nwith kindness and affection for his son, showed himself, O Bharata, unto\nhim in his dreams. And assuming from ascetic power the form of a\nhandsome Brahmana versed in the _Vedas_, Surya sweetly said unto Karna\nthese words for his benefit, 'O son, do thou O Karna, listen to these\nwords of mine, O thou foremost of truthful persons! O mighty-armed one,\nI tell thee to-day from affection, what is for thy great good! With the\nobject, O Karna, of obtaining thy ear-rings, Sakra, moved by the desire\nof benefiting the sons of Pandu, will come unto thee, disguised as a\nBrahmana! He, as well as all the world, knoweth thy character, viz.,\nthat when solicited by pious people, thou givest away but never takest\nin gift! Thou, O son, givest unto Brahmanas wealth or any other thing\nthat is asked of thee and never refusest anything to anybody. Knowing\nthee to be such, the subduer himself of Paka will come to beg of thee\nthy ear-rings and coat of mail. When he beggeth the ear-rings of thee,\nit behoveth thee not to give them away, but to gratify him with sweet\nspeeches to the best of thy power. Even this, is for thy supreme good!\nWhile asking thee for the ear-rings, thou shalt, with various reasons,\nrepeatedly refuse Purandara who is desirous of obtaining them, offering\nhim, instead, various other kinds of wealth, such as gems and women and\nkine, and citing various precedents. If thou, O Karna, givest away thy\nbeautiful ear-rings born with thee, thy life being shortened, thou wilt\nmeet with death! Arrayed in thy mail and ear-rings, thou wilt, O\nbestower of honours, be incapable of being slain by foes in battle! Do\nthou lay to heart these words of mine! Both these jewelled ornaments\nhave sprung from _Amrita_. Therefore, they should be preserved by thee,\nif thy life is at all dear to thee.'\n\n\"Hearing these words, Karna said, 'Who art thou that tellest me so,\nshowing me such kindness? If it pleaseth thee, tell me, O illustrious\none, who thou art in the guise of a Brahmana!'--The Brahmana thereupon\nsaid, 'O son, I am he of a thousand rays! Out of affection, I point out\nto thee the path! Act thou according to my words, as it is for thy great\ngood to do so!' Karna replied, 'Surely, this itself is highly fortunate\nfor me that the god himself of splendour addresses me today, seeking my\nwelfare. Listen, however, to these words of mine! May it please thee, O\nbestower of boons, it is only from affection that I tell thee this! If I\nam dear to thee, I should not be dissuaded from the observance of my\nvow! O thou that are possessed of the wealth of effulgence, the whole\nworld knoweth this to be my vow that, of a verity, I am prepared to give\naway life itself unto superior Brahmanas! If, O best of all rangers of\nthe sky, Sakra cometh to me, disguised as a Brahmana, to beg for the\nbenefit of the sons of Pandu, I will, O chief of the celestials, give\nhim the ear-rings and the excellent mail, so that my fame which hath\nspread over the three worlds may not suffer any diminution! For persons\nlike us, it is not fit to save life by a blame-worthy act. On the\ncontrary, it is even proper for us to meet death with the approbation of\nthe world and under circumstances bringing fame. Therefore, will I\nbestow upon Indra the ear-rings with my coat of mail! If the slayer\nhimself of Vala and Vritra cometh to ask for the ear-rings for the\nbenefit of the sons of Pandu, that will conduce to my fame, leading at\nthe same time to _his_ infamy! O thou possessed of splendour, I wish for\nfame in this world, even if it is to be purchased with life itself, for\nthey that have fame enjoy the celestial regions, while they that are\ndestitute of it are lost. Fame keepeth people alive in this world even\nlike a mother, while infamy killeth men even though they may move about\nwith bodies undestroyed. O lord of the worlds, O thou possessed of the\nwealth of effulgence, that fame is the life of men is evidenced by an\nancient _sloka_ sung by the Creator himself,--_In the next world it is\nfame that is the chief support of a person, while in this world pure\nfame lengthens life_. Therefore, by giving away my ear-rings and mail\nwith both of which I was born I will win eternal fame! And by duly\ngiving away the same to Brahmanas according to the ordinance, by\noffering up my body (as a gift to the gods) in the sacrifice of war, by\nachieving feats difficult of performance, and by conquering my foes in\nfight, I will acquire nothing but renown. And by dispelling on the field\nof battle the fears of the affrighted that may beg for their lives, and\nrelieving old men and boys and Brahmanas from terror and anxiety, I will\nwin excellent fame and the highest heaven. My fame is to be protected\nwith the sacrifice of even my life. Even this, know thou, is my vow! By\ngiving away such a valuable gift to Maghavan disguised as a Brahmana, I\nwill, O god, acquire in this world the most exalted state.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCLXLIX\n\n\"Surya said, 'Never do, O Karna, anything that is harmful to thy self\nand thy friends; thy sons, thy wives, thy father, and thy mother; O thou\nbest of those that bear life, people desire renown (in this world) and\nlasting fame in heaven, without wishing to sacrifice their bodies. But\nas thou desirest undying fame at the expense of thy life, she will,\nwithout doubt, snatch away thy life! O bull among men, in this world,\nthe father, the mother, the son, and other relatives are of use only to\nhim that is alive. O tiger among men, as regard kings, it is only when\nthey are alive that prowess can be of any use to them. Do thou\nunderstand this? O thou of exceeding splendour, fame is for the good of\nthese only that are alive! Of what use is fame to the dead whose bodies\nhave been reduced to ashes? One that is dead cannot enjoy renown. It is\nonly when one is alive that one can enjoy it. The fame of one that is\ndead is like a garland of flowers around the neck of a corpse. As thou\nreverest me, I tell thee this for thy benefit, because thou art a\nworshipper of mine! They that worship me are always protected by me.\nThat also is another reason for my addressing thee thus! Thinking again,\nO mighty-armed one, that _this one revereth me with great reverence_, I\nhave been inspired with love for thee! Do thou, therefore, act according\nto my words! There is, besides some profound mystery in all this,\nordained by fate. It is for this, that I tell thee so. Do thou act\nwithout mistrust of any kind! O bull among men, it is not fit for thee\nto know this which is a secret to the very gods. Therefore, I do not\nreveal that secret unto thee. Thou wilt, however, understand it in time.\nI repeat what I have already said. Do thou, O Radha's son, lay my words\nto heart! When the wielder of the thunder-bolt asketh thee for them, do\nthou never give him thy ear-rings! O thou of exceeding splendour, with\nthy handsome ear-rings, thou lookest beautiful, even like the Moon\nhimself in the clear firmament, between the _Visakha_ constellation!\nDost thou know that fame availeth only the person that is living.\nTherefore, when the lord of the celestials will ask the ear-rings, thou\nshouldst, O son, refuse him! Repeating again and again answers fraught\nwith various reasons, thou wilt, O sinless one, be able to remove the\neagerness of the lord of the celestial for the possession of the\near-rings. Do thou, O Karna, alter Purandara's purpose by urging answers\nfraught with reason and grave import and adorned with sweetness and\nsuavity. Thou dost always, O tiger among men, challenge him that can\ndraw the bow with his left hand, and heroic Arjuna also will surely\nencounter thee in fight. But when furnished with thy ear-rings, Arjuna\nwill never be able to vanquish thee in fight even if Indra himself comes\nto his assistance. Therefore, O Karna, if thou wishest to vanquish\nArjuna in battle, these handsome ear-rings of thine should never be\nparted with to Sakra.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCC\n\n\"Karna said, 'As thou, O lord of splendour, knowest me for thy\nworshipper, so also thou knowest that there is nothing which I cannot\ngive away in charity, O thou of fiery rays! Neither my wives, nor my\nsons, nor my own self, nor my friends, are so dear to me as thou, on\naccount of the veneration I feel for thee, O lord of splendour! Thou\nknowest, O maker of light, that high-souled persons bear a loving regard\nfor their dear worshippers. _Karna revereth me and is dear to me. He\nknoweth no other deity in heaven_,--thinking this thou hast, O lord,\nsaid unto me what is for my benefit. Yet, O thou of bright rays, again\ndo I beseech thee with bended head, again do I place myself in thy\nhands. I will repeat the answer I have already given. It behoveth thee\nto forgive me! Death itself is not fraught with such terrors for me as\nuntruth! As regards especially the Brahmanas, again, I do not hesitate\nto yield up my life even for them! And, O divine one, respecting what\nthou hast said unto me of Phalguna, the son of Pandu, let thy grief born\nof thy anxiety of heart, O lord of splendour, be dispelled touching him\nand myself; for I shall surely conquer Arjuna in battle! Thou knowest, O\ndeity, that I have great strength of weapons obtained from Jamadagnya\nand the high-souled Drona. Permit me now, O foremost of celestials, to\nobserve my vow, so that unto him of the thunderbolt coming to beg of me,\nI may give away even my life!'\n\n\"Surya said, 'If O son, thou givest away thy ear-rings to the wielder of\nthe thunder-bolt, O thou of mighty strength, thou shouldst also, for the\npurpose of securing victory, speak unto him, saying,--_O thou of a\nhundred sacrifices, I shall give thee ear-rings under a\ncondition_.--Furnished with the ear-rings, thou art certainly incapable\nof being slain by any being. Therefore, it is, O son, that desirous of\nbeholding thee slain in battle by Arjuna, the destroyer of the Danavas\ndesireth to deprive thee of thy ear-rings. Repeatedly adoring with\ntruthful words that lord of the celestials, viz., Purandara armed with\nweapons incapable of being frustrated, do thou also beseech him, saying,\n\"Give me an infallible dart capable of slaying all foes, and I will, O\nthousand-eyed deity, give the ear-rings with the excellent coat of\nmail!\" On this condition shouldst thou give the ear-rings unto Sakra.\nWith that dart, O Karna, thou wilt slay foes in battle: for, O\nmighty-armed one, that dart of the chief of the celestials doth not\nreturn to the hand that hurleth it, without slaying enemies by hundreds\nand by thousands!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having said this, the thousand-rayed deity\nsuddenly vanished away. The next day, after having told his prayers,\nKarna related his dream unto the Sun. And Vrisha related unto him the\nvision he had seen, and all that had passed between them in the night.\nThereupon, having heard everything, that enemy of Swarbhanu, that lord,\nthe resplendent and divine Surya, said unto him with a smile, 'It is\neven so!' Then Radha's son, that slayer of hostile heroes, knowing all\nabout the matter, and desirous of obtaining the dart, remained in\nexpectation of Vasava.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCCI\n\nJanamejaya said, \"What was that secret which was not revealed to Karna\nby the deity of warm rays? Of what kind also were those ear-rings and of\nwhat sort was that coat of mail? Whence, too, was that mail and those\near-rings? All this, O best of men. I wish to hear! O thou possessed of\nthe wealth of asceticism, do tell me all this!\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"I will, O monarch, tell thee that secret which was\nnot revealed by the deity possessed of the wealth of effulgence. I will\nalso describe unto thee those ear-rings and that coat of mail. Once on a\ntime, O king, there appeared before Kuntibhoja a Brahmana of fierce\nenergy and tall stature, bearing a beard and matted locks, and carrying\na staff in his hand. And, he was agreeable to the eye and of faultless\nlimbs, and seemed to blaze forth in splendour. And he was possessed of a\nyellow-blue complexion like that of honey. And his speech was\nmellifluous, and he was adorned with ascetic merit and a knowledge of\nthe _Vedas_. And that person of great ascetic merit, addressing king\nKuntibhoja, said, 'O thou that are free from pride, I wish to live as a\nguest in thy house feeding on the food obtained as alms from thee!\nNeither thy followers, nor thou thyself, shall ever act in such a way as\nto produce my displeasure! If, O sinless one, it liketh thee, I would\nthen live in thy house thus! I shall leave thy abode when I wish, and\ncome back when I please. And, O king, no one shall offend me in respect\nof my food or bed.'--Then Kuntibhoja spake unto him these words\ncheerfully, 'Be it so, and more.' And he again said unto him, 'O thou of\ngreat wisdom, I have an illustrious daughter named Pritha. And she\nbeareth an excellent character, is observant of vow, chaste, and of\nsubdued senses. And she shall attend on thee and minister unto thee with\nreverence. And thou wilt be pleased with her disposition!' And having\nsaid this to that Brahmana and duly paid him homage, the king went to\nhis daughter Pritha of large eyes, and spake thus unto her, 'O child,\nthis eminently pious Brahmana is desirous of dwelling in my house! I\nhave accepted his proposal, saying,--_So be it_, relying, O child, on\nthy aptitude and skill in ministering unto Brahmanas. It, therefore,\nbehoveth thee to act in such a manner that my words may not be untrue.\nDo thou give him with alacrity whatever this reverend Brahmana possessed\nof ascetic merit and engaged in the study of the Vedas, may want. Let\neverything that this Brahmana asketh for be given to him cheerfully. A\nBrahmana is the embodiment of pre-eminent energy: he is also the\nembodiment of the highest ascetic merit. It is in consequence of the\nvirtuous practices of Brahmanas that the sun shineth in the heavens. It\nwas for their disregard of Brahmanas that were deserving of honour that\nthe mighty _Asura_ Vatapi, as also Talajangha, was destroyed by the\ncurse of the Brahmanas. For the present, O child, it is a highly\nvirtuous one of that order that is entrusted to thy keep. Thou shouldst\nalways tend this Brahmana with concentrated mind. O daughter, I know\nthat, from childhood upwards, thou hast ever been attentive to\nBrahmanas, and superiors, and relatives, and servants, and friends, to\nthy mothers and myself. I know thou bearest thyself well, bestowing\nproper regard upon everyone. And, O thou of faultless limbs, in the city\nof the interior of my palace, on account of thy gentle behaviour, there\nis not one, even among the servants, that is dissatisfied with thee. I\nhave, therefore, thought thee fit to wait upon all Brahmanas of wrathful\ntemper. Thou art, O Pritha, a girl and has been adopted as my daughter.\nThou art born in the race of the Vrishnis, and art the favourite\ndaughter of Sura. Thou wert, O girl, given to me gladly by thy father\nhimself. The sister of Vasudeva by birth, thou art (by adoption) the\nforemost of my children. Having promised me in these words,--_I will\ngive my first born_,--thy father gladly gave thee to me while thou wert\nyet in thy infancy. It is for this reason that thou art my daughter.\nBorn in such a race and reared in such a race, thou hast come from one\nhappy state to another like a lotus transferred from one lake to\nanother. O auspicious girl, women, specially they that are of mean\nextraction, although they may with difficulty be kept under restraint,\nbecome in consequence of their unripe age, generally deformed in\ncharacter. But thou, O Pritha, art born in a royal race, and thy beauty\nalso is extraordinary. And then, O girl, thou art endued with every\naccomplishment. Do thou, therefore, O damsel, renouncing pride and\nhaughtiness and a sense of self-importance, wait upon and worship the\nboon-giving Brahmana, and thereby attain, O Pritha, to an auspicious\nstate! By acting thus, O auspicious and sinless girl, thou wilt surely\nattain to auspiciousness! But if on the contrary, thou stirrest up the\nanger of this best of the twice-born ones, my entire race will be\nconsumed by him!'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCCII\n\n\"Kunti said, 'According to thy promise, I will, O king, with\nconcentrated mind, serve that Brahmana. O foremost of kings, I do not\nsay this falsely. It is my nature to worship Brahmanas. And, as in the\npresent case, my doing so would be agreeable to thee, even this would be\nhighly conducive to my welfare. Whether that worshipful one cometh in\nthe evening, or in morning, or at night or even at midnight, he will\nhave no reason to be angry with me! O foremost of kings, to do good by\nserving the twice-born ones, observing all thy commands, is what I\nconsider to be highly profitable to me, O best of men! Do thou,\ntherefore, O foremost of monarchs rely on me! That best of Brahmanas,\nwhile residing in thy house, shall never have cause for dissatisfaction,\nI tell thee truly. I shall, O king, be always attentive to that which is\nagreeable to this Brahmana, and what is fraught also with good to thee.\nO sinless one! I know full well that Brahmanas that are eminently\nvirtuous, when propitiated bestow salvation, and when displeased, are\ncapable of bringing about destruction upon the offender. Therefore, I\nshall please this foremost of Brahmanas. Thou wilt not, O monarch, come\nto any grief from that best of regenerate persons, owing to any act of\nmine. In consequence of the transgressions of monarchs, Brahmanas, O\nforemost of kings, became the cause of evil to them, as Chyavana had\nbecome, in consequence of the act of Sukanya. I will, therefore, O king,\nwith great regularity, wait upon that best of Brahmanas according to thy\ninstructions in that respect!' And when she had thus spoken at length,\nthe king embraced and cheered her, and instructed her in detail as to\nwhat should be done by her. And the king said, 'Thou shall, O gentle\nmaid, act even thus, without fear, for my good as also thy own, and for\nthe good of thy race also, O thou of faultless limbs!' And having said\nthis the illustrious Kuntibhoja, who was devoted to the Brahmanas, made\nover the girl Pritha to that Brahmana, saying, 'This my daughter, O\nBrahmana, is of tender age and brought up in luxury. If, therefore, she\ntransgresses at any time, do thou not take that to heart! Illustrious\nBrahmanas are never angry with old men, children, and ascetics, even if\nthese transgress frequently. In respect of even a great wrong\nforgiveness is due from the regenerate. The worship, therefore, O best\nof Brahmanas, that is offered to the best of one's power and exertion,\nshould be acceptable!' Hearing these words of the monarch, the Brahmana\nsaid, 'So be it!' Thereupon, the king became highly pleased and assigned\nunto him apartments that were white as swans or the beams of the moon.\nAnd in the room intended for the sacrificial fire, the king placed a\nbrilliant seat especially constructed for him. And the food and other\nthings that were offered unto the Brahmana were of the same excellent\nkind. And casting aside idleness and all sense of self-importance, the\nprincess addressed herself with right good will to wait upon the\nBrahmana. And the chaste Kunti, endued with purity of conduct, went\nthither for serving the Brahmana. And duly waiting upon that Brahmana as\nif he were a very god, she gratified him highly.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCCIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"And that maiden of rigid vows, O mighty monarch, by\nserving with a pure heart, that Brahmana of rigid vows, succeeded in\ngratifying him. And, O foremost of kings, saying, 'I will come back in\nthe morning,' that best of Brahmanas sometimes came in the evening or in\nnight. Him, however, the maiden worshipped at all hours with sumptuous\nfood and drink and bed. And as day after day passed away, her attentions\nto him, in respect of food and seat and bed, increased instead of\nundergoing any diminution. And, O king, even when the Brahmana reproved\nher, finding fault with any of her arrangements, or addressed her in\nharsh words, Pritha did not do anything that was disagreeable to him.\nAnd on many occasions the Brahmana came back after the appointed hour\nhad long passed away. And on many occasions (such as the depth of night)\nwhen food was hard to procure, he said, 'Give me food!' But on all those\noccasions saying, 'All is ready,'--Pritha held before him the fare. And\neven like a disciple, daughter, or a sister, that blameless gem of a\ngirl with a devoted heart, O king, gratified that foremost of Brahmanas.\nAnd that best of Brahmanas became well-pleased with her conduct and\nministrations. And he received those attentions of hers, valuing them\nrightly. And, O Bharata, her father asked her every morning and evening\nsaying, 'O daughter, is the Brahmana satisfied with thy ministrations?'\nAnd that illustrious maiden used to reply, 'Exceedingly well!' And\nthereupon, the high-souled Kuntibhoja experienced the greatest delight.\nAnd when after a full year that best of ascetics was unable to find any\nfault whatever in Pritha, who was engaged in ministering unto him,\nwell-pleased he said unto her, 'O gentle maid, I have been well-pleased\nwith thy attentions, O beautiful girl! Do thou, O blessed girl, ask even\nfor such boons as are difficult of being obtained by men in this world,\nand obtaining which, thou mayst surpass in fame all the women in this\nworld.' At these words of his, Kunti said, 'Everything hath already been\ndone in my behalf since thou, O chief of those that are versed in the\n_Vedas_, and my father also, have been pleased with me! As regards the\nboons, I consider them as already obtained by me, O Brahmana!' The\nBrahmana thereupon said, 'If, O gentle maid, thou dost not, O thou of\nsweet smiles, wish to obtain boons from me, do thou then take this\n_mantra_ from me for invoking the celestials! Any one amongst the\ncelestials whom thou mayst invoke by uttering this _mantra_, will appear\nbefore thee and be under thy power. Willing or not, by virtue of this\n_mantra_, that deity in gentle guise, and assuming the obedient attitude\nof slave, will become subject to thy power!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed, that faultless maiden could\nnot, O king, from fear of a curse, refuse for the second time compliance\nwith the wishes of that best of the twice-born ones. Then, O king, that\nBrahmana imparted unto that girl of faultless limbs those _mantras_\nwhich are recited in the beginning of the _Atharvan Veda_. And, O king,\nhaving imparted unto her those _mantras_, he said unto Kuntibhoja. 'I\nhave, O monarch, dwelt happily in thy house, always worshipped with due\nregard and gratified by thy daughter. I shall now depart.' And saying\nthis, he vanished there and then. And beholding that Brahmana vanish\nthere and then, the king was struck with amazement. And the monarch then\ntreated his daughter Pritha with proper regard.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCCIV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"When that foremost of Brahmanas had gone away on\nsome other errand, the maiden began to ponder over the virtue of those\n_mantras_. And she said to herself, 'Of what nature are those _mantras_\nthat have been bestowed on me by that high-souled one? I shall without\ndelay test their power.' And as she was thinking in this way, she\nsuddenly perceived indications of the approach of her season. And her\nseason having arrived, while she was yet unmarried, she blushed in\nshame. And it came to pass that as she was seated in her chamber on a\nrich bed, she beheld the solar orb rising in the east. And both the mind\nand the eyes of that maiden of excellent waist became rivetted fast upon\nthe solar orb. And she gazed and gazed on that orb without being\nsatiated with the beauty of the morning Sun. And she suddenly became\ngifted with celestial sight. And then she beheld that god of divine form\naccoutred in mail and adorned with ear-rings. And at sight of the god, O\nlord of men, she became curious as to the (potency of the) _mantras_.\nAnd thereupon that maiden resolved to invoke him. And having recourse to\n_Pranayama_, she invoked the Maker of day. And thus invoked by her, O\nking, the Maker of day speedily presented himself. And he was of a\nyellowish hue like honey, and was possessed of mighty arms, and his neck\nwas marked with lines like those of a conchshell. And furnished with\narmlets, and decked with a diadem, he came smiling, and illumining all\nthe directions. And it was by _Yoga_ power that he divided himself in\ntwain, one of which continued to give heat, and the other appeared\nbefore Kunti. And he addressed Kunti in words that were exceedingly\nsweet, saying, 'O gentle maiden, over-powered by the _mantras_, I come\nhither obedient to thee. Subject as I am to thy power, what shall I do,\nO queen? Tell me, for I shall do whatever thou mayst command.' Hearing\nthese words of the deity, Kunti said, 'O worshipful one, go thou back to\nthe place thou hast come from! I invoked thee from curiosity alone.\nPardon me, O worshipful one!' Surya then said, 'O damsel of slender\nwaist, I will, even as thou hast said, return to the place I have come\nfrom! Having called a celestial, it is not, however, proper to send him\naway in vain. Thy intention, O blessed one, it is to have from Surya a\nson furnished with a coat of mail and ear-rings, and who in point of\nprowess would be beyond compare in this world! Do thou, therefore, O\ndamsel of elephantine gait, surrender thy person to me! Thou shall then\nhave, O lady, a son after thy wish! O gentle girl, O thou of sweet\nsmiles, I will go back after having known thee! If thou do not gratify\nme to-day by obeying my word, I shall in anger curse thee, thy father\nand that Brahmana also. For thy fault, I will surely consume them all,\nand I shall inflict condign punishment on that foolish father of thine\nthat knoweth not this transgression of thine and on that Brahmana who\nhath bestowed the _mantras_ on thee without knowing thy disposition and\ncharacter! Yonder are all the celestials in heaven, with Purandara at\ntheir head, who are looking at me with derisive smiles at my being\ndeceived by thee, O lady! Look at those celestials, for thou art now\npossessed of celestial sight! Before this I have endued thee with\ncelestial vision, in consequence of which thou couldst see me!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thereupon the princess beheld the celestials\nstanding in the firmament, each in his proper sphere, even as she saw\nbefore her that highly resplendent deity furnished with rays, viz.,\nSurya himself. And beholding them all, the girl became frightened and\nher face was suffused with blushes of shame. And then she addressed\nSurya, saying, 'O lord of rays, go thou back to thy own region. On\naccount of my maidenhood, this outrage of thine is fraught with woe to\nme! It is only one's father, mother, and other superiors, that are\ncapable of giving away their daughter's body. Virtue I shall never\nsacrifice, seeing that in this world the keeping of their persons\ninviolate is deemed as the highest duty of Women, and is held in high\nregard! O thou possessed of wealth of splendour, it is only to test the\npower of my _mantras_ that I have, from mere childishness, summoned\nthee. Considering that this hath been done by a girl of tender years, it\nbehoveth thee, O lord, to forgive her!' Then Surya said, 'It is because\nI consider thee a girl that, O Kunti, I am speaking to thee so mildly.\nTo one that is not so I would not concede this. Do thou, O Kunti,\nsurrender thyself! Thou shalt surely attain happiness thereby. Since, O\ntimid maiden, thou hast invoked me with _mantras_, it is not proper for\nme to go away without any purpose being attained, for, if I do so I\nshall then, O thou of faultless limbs, be the object of laughter in the\nworld, and, O beauteous damsel, a bye-word with all the celestials. Do\nthou, therefore, yield to me! By that thou shalt obtain a son even like\nmyself, and thou shalt also be much praised in all the world.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCCV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Although that noble girl addressed him in various\nsweet words, yet she was unable to dissuade that deity of a thousand\nrays. And when she failed to dissuade the dispeller of darkness, at last\nfrom fear of a curse, she reflected, O king, for a long time!--'How may\nmy innocent father, and that Brahmana also, escape the angry Surya's\ncurse for my sake? Although energy and asceticism are capable of\ndestroying sins, yet even honest persons, if they be of unripe age,\nshould not foolishly court them. By foolishly acting in that way I have\ntoday been placed in a frightful situation. Indeed, I have been placed\nentirely within the grasp of this deity. Ye how can I do what is sinful\nby taking it on myself to surrender my person to him?'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"afflicted with fear of a curse, and thinking\nmuch within herself, an utter stupefaction of the senses came upon her.\nAnd she was so confounded that she could not settle what to do. Afraid,\non the one hand, O king, of the reproach of friends if she obeyed the\ndeity, and, on the other, of his curse if she disobeyed him, the damsel\nat last, O foremost of kings, said these words unto that god, in accents\ntremulous with bashfulness, 'O god, as my father and mother and friends\nare still living, this violation of duty on my part should not take\nplace. If, O god, I commit this unlawful act with thee, the reputation\nof this race shall be sacrificed in this world on my account. If thou,\nhowever, O thou foremost of those that impart heat, deem this to be a\nmeritorious act, I shall then fulfil thy desire even though my relatives\nmay not have bestowed me on thee! May I remain chaste after having\nsurrendered my person to thee! Surely, the virtue, the reputation, the\nfame, and the life of every creature are established in thee!' Hearing\nthese words of hers, Surya replied, 'O thou of sweet smiles, neither thy\nfather, nor thy mother, nor any other superior of thine, is competent to\ngive thee away! May good betide thee, O beauteous damsel! Do thou listen\nto my words! It is because a virgin desireth the company of every one,\nthat she hath received the appellation of _Kanya_, from the root _kama_\nmeaning to desire. Therefore, O thou of excellent hips and the fairest\ncomplexion, a virgin is, by nature, free in this world. Thou shalt not,\nO lady, by any means, be guilty of any sin by complying with my request.\nAnd how can I, who am desirous of the welfare of all creatures, commit\nan unrighteous act? That all men and women should be bound by no\nrestraints, is the law of nature. The opposite condition is the\nperversion of the natural state. Thou shalt remain a virgin after having\ngratified me. And thy son shall also be mighty-armed and illustrious.'\nThereupon Kunti said, 'If, O dispeller of darkness, I obtain a son from\nthee, may he be furnished with a coat of mail and ear-rings, and may he\nbe mighty-armed and endued with great strength!' Hearing these words of\nhers, Surya answered, 'O gentle maiden, thy son shall be mighty-armed\nand decked with ear-rings and a celestial coat of mail. And both his\near-rings and coat of mail will be made of _Amrita_, and his coat will\nalso be invulnerable.' Kunti then said, 'If the excellent mail and\near-rings of the son thou wilt beget on me, be, indeed, made of\n_Amrita_, then, O god, O worshipful deity, let thy purpose be fulfilled!\nMay he be powerful, strong, energetic, and handsome, even like thee, and\nmay he also be endued with virtue!' Surya then said, 'O princess, O\nexcellent damsel, these ear-rings had been given to me by Aditi. O timid\nlady, I will bestow them, as also this excellent mail, on thy son!'\nKunti then said, 'Very well, O worshipful one! If my son, O lord of\nlight, become so, I will, as thou sayest, gratify thee!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing these words of hers Surya said, 'So be\nit!' And that ranger of the skies, that enemy of Swarbhanu, with soul\nabsorbed in _Yoga_, entered into Kunti, and touched her on the navel. At\nthis, that damsel, on account of Surya's energy, became stupefied. And\nthat reverend lady then fell down on her bed, deprived of her senses.\nSurya then addressed her, saying, 'I will now depart, O thou of graceful\nhips! Thou shalt bring forth a son who will become the foremost of all\nwielders of weapons. At the same time thou shalt remain a virgin.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then, O foremost of kings, as the highly\neffulgent Surya was about to depart, that girl bashfully said unto him,\n'So be it!' And it was thus that the daughter of king Kuntibhoja,\nimportuned by Surya, had after soliciting a son from him, fallen down\nstupefied on that excellent bed, like a broken creeper. And it was thus\nthat deity of fierce rays, stupefying her, entered into her by virtue of\n_Yoga_ power, and placed his own self within her womb. The deity,\nhowever, did not sully her by deflowering her in the flesh. And after\nSurya had gone away, that girl regained her consciousness.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCCVI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"It was, O lord of earth, on the first day of the\nlighted fortnight during the tenth month of the year that Pritha\nconceived a son like the lord himself of the stars in the firmament. And\nthat damsel of excellent hips from fear of her friends, concealed her\nconception, so that no one knew her condition. And as the damsel lived\nentirely in the apartments assigned to the maidens and carefully\nconcealed her condition, no one except her nurse knew the truth. And in\ndue time that beauteous maiden, by the grace of deity, brought forth a\nson resembling a very god. And even like his father, the child was\nequipped in a coat of mail, and decked with brilliant ear-rings. And he\nwas possessed of leonine eyes and shoulders like those of a bull. And no\nsooner was the beauteous girl delivered of a child, then she consulted\nwith her nurse and placed the infant in a commodious and smooth box made\nof wicker work and spread over with soft sheets and furnished with a\ncostly pillow. And its surface was laid over with wax, and it was\nencased in a rich cover. And with tears in her eyes, she carried the\ninfant to the river Aswa, and consigned the basket to its waters. And\nalthough she knew it to be improper for an unmarried girl to bear\noffspring, yet from parental affection, O foremost of kings, she wept\npiteously. Do thou listen to the words Kunti weepingly uttered, while\nconsigning the box to the waters of the river Aswa, 'O child, may good\nbetide thee at the hands of all that inhabit the land, the water, the\nsky, and the celestial regions. May all thy paths be auspicious! May no\none obstruct thy way! And, O son, may all that come across thee have\ntheir hearts divested of hostility towards thee: And may that lord of\nwaters, Varuna, protect thee in water! And may the deity that rangeth\nthe skies completely protect thee in the sky. And may, O son, that best\nof those that impart heat, viz., Surya, thy father, and from whom I have\nobtained thee as ordained by Destiny, protect thee everywhere! And may\nthe _Adityas_ and the _Vasus_, the _Rudras_ and the _Sadhyas_, the\n_Viswadevas_ and the _Maruts_, and the cardinal points with the great\nIndra and the regents presiding over them, and, indeed, all the\ncelestials, protect thee in every place! Even in foreign lands I shall\nbe able to recognise thee by this mail of thine! Surely, thy sire, O\nson, the divine Surya possessed of the wealth of splendour, is blessed,\nfor he will with his celestial sight behold thee going down the current!\nBlessed also is that lady who will, O thou that are begotten by a god,\ntake thee for her son, and who will give thee suck when thou art\nthirsty! And what a lucky dream hath been dreamt by her that will adopt\nthee for her son, thee that is endued with solar splendour, and\nfurnished with celestial mail, and adorned with celestial ear-rings,\nthee that hast expansive eyes resembling lotuses, a complexion bright as\nburnished copper or lotus leaves, a fair forehead, and hair ending in\nbeautiful curls! O son, she that will behold thee crawl on the ground,\nbegrimed with dust, and sweetly uttering inarticulate words, is surely\nblessed! And she also, O son, that will behold thee arrive at thy\nyouthful prime like maned lion born in Himalayan forests, is surely\nblessed!'\"\n\n\"O king, having thus bewailed long and piteously, Pritha laid the basket\non the waters of the river Aswa. And the lotus-eyed damsel, afflicted\nwith grief on account of her son and weeping bitterly, with her nurse\ncast the basket at dead of night, and though desirous of beholding her\nson often and again, returned, O monarch, to the palace, fearing lest\nher father should come to know of what had happened. Meanwhile, the\nbasket floated from the river Aswa to the river Charmanwati, and from\nthe Charmanwati it passed to the Yamuna, and so on to the Ganga. And\ncarried by the waves of the Ganga, the child contained in the basket\ncame to the city of Champa ruled by a person of the _Suta_ tribe.\nIndeed, the excellent coat of mail and those ear-rings made of _Amrita_\nthat were born with his body, as also the ordinance of Destiny, kept the\nchild alive.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCCVII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"And it came to pass that at this time a _Suta_ named\nAdhiratha, who was a friend of Dhritarashtra, came to the river Ganga,\naccompanied by his wife. And, O king, his wife named Radha was\nunparalleled on earth for beauty. And although that highly blessed dame\nhad made great endeavours to obtain a son, yet she had failed, O\nrepresser of foes, to obtain one. And on coming to the river Ganga, she\nbeheld a box drifting along the current. And containing articles capable\nof protecting from dangers and decked with unguents, that box was\nbrought before her by the waves of the Janhavi. And attracted by\ncuriosity, the lady caused it to be seized. And she then related all\nunto Adhiratha of the charioteer caste. And hearing this Adhiratha took\naway the box from the water-side, and opened it by means of instruments.\nAnd then he beheld a boy resembling the morning Sun. And the infant was\nfurnished with golden mail, and looked exceedingly beautiful with a face\ndecked in ear-rings. And thereupon the charioteer, together with his\nwife, was struck with such astonishment that their eyes expanded in\nwonder. And taking the infant on his lap, Adhiratha said unto his wife,\n'Ever since I was born, O timid lady, I had never seen such a wonder.\nThis child that hath come to us must be of celestial birth. Surely,\nsonless as I am, it is the gods that have sent him unto me!' Saying\nthis, O lord of earth, he gave the infant to Radha. And thereat, Radha\nadopted, according to the ordinance, that child of celestial form and\ndivine origin, and possessed of the splendour of the filaments of the\nlotus and furnished with excellent grace. And duly reared by her, that\nchild endued with great prowess began to grow up. And after Karna's\nadoption, Adhiratha had other sons begotten by himself. And seeing the\nchild furnished with bright mail and golden ear-rings, the twice-born\nones named him Vasusena. And thus did that child endued with great\nsplendour and immeasurable prowess became the son of the charioteer, and\ncame to be known as Vasusena and Vrisha. And Pritha learnt through spies\nthat her own son clad in celestial mail was growing up amongst the Angas\nas the eldest son of a charioteer (Adhiratha). And seeing that in\nprocess of time his son had grown up, Adhiratha sent him to the city\nnamed after the elephant. And there Karna put up with Drona, for the\npurpose of learning arms. And that powerful youth contracted a\nfriendship with Duryodhana. And having acquired all the four kinds of\nweapons from Drona, Kripa, and Rama, he became famous in the world as a\nmighty bowman. And after having contracted a friendship with\nDhritarashtra's son, he became intent on injuring the sons of Pritha.\nAnd he was always desirous of fighting with the high-souled Phalguna.\nAnd, O king, ever since they first saw each other, Karna always used to\nchallenge Arjuna, and Arjuna, on his part, used to challenge him. This,\nO foremost of kings, was without doubt, the secret known to the Sun,\nviz., begot by himself on Kunti, Karna was being reared in the race of\nthe _Sutas_. And beholding him decked with his ear-rings and mail,\nYudhishthira thought him to be unslayable in fight, and was exceedingly\npained at it. And when, O foremost of monarchs, Karna after rising from\nthe water, used at mid-day to worship the effulgent Surya with joined\nhands, the Brahmanas used to solicit him for wealth. And at that time\nthere was nothing that he would not give away to the twice-born ones.\nAnd Indra, assuming the guise of a Brahmana, appeared before him (at\nsuch a time) and said, 'Give me!' And thereupon Radha's son replied unto\nhim, 'Thou art welcome!'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCCVIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"And when the king of the celestials presented\nhimself in the guise of a Brahmana, beholding him, Karna said,\n'Welcome!' And not knowing his intention, Adhiratha's son addressed the\nBrahmana, saying, 'Of a necklace of gold, and beauteous damsels, and\nvillages with plenty of kine, which shall I give thee?' Thereupon the\nBrahmana replied, 'I ask thee not to give me either a necklace of gold,\nor fair damsels, or any other agreeable object. To those do thou give\nthem that ask for them. If, O sinless one, thou art sincere in thy vow,\nthen wilt thou, cutting off (from thy person) this coat of mail born\nwith thy body, and these ear-rings also, bestow them on me! I desire, O\nchastiser of foes, that thou mayst speedily give me these; for, this one\ngain of mine will be considered as superior to every other gain!'\nHearing these words, Karna said, 'O Brahmana, I will give thee homestead\nland, and fair damsels, and kine, and fields; but my mail and ear-rings\nI am unable to give thee!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Although thus urged with various words by\nKarna, still, O chief of the Bharata race, that Brahmana did not ask for\nany other boon. And although Karna sought to pacify him to the best of\nhis power, and worshipped him duly, yet that best of Brahmanas did not\nask for any other boon. And when that foremost of Brahmanas did not ask\nfor any other boon, Radha's son again spake unto him with a smile, 'My\nmail, O regenerate one, hath been born with my body, and this pair of\near-rings hath arisen from _Amrita_. It is for these that I am\nunslayable in the worlds. Therefore, I cannot part with them. Do thou, O\nbull among Brahmanas, accept from me the entire kingdom of the earth,\nrid of enemies and full of prosperity! O foremost of regenerate ones, if\nI am deprived of my ear-rings, and the mail born with my body, I shall\nbe liable to be vanquished by the foes!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"When the illustrious slayer of Paka refused to\nask for any other boon, Karna with a smile again addressed him, saying,\n'O god of gods, even before this, I had recognised thee, O Lord! O\nSakra, it is not proper for me to confer on thee any unprofitable boon,\nfor thou art the very lord of the celestials! On the contrary, being as\nthou art the Creator and lord of all beings, it is thou that shouldst\nconfer boons on me! If, O god, I give thee this coat of mail and\near-rings, then I am sure to meet with destruction, and thou shalt also\nundergo ridicule! Therefore, O Sakra, take my earrings and excellent\nmail in exchange for something conferred by thee on me! Otherwise, I\nwill not bestow them on thee!' Thereupon Sakra replied, 'Even before I\nhad come to thee, Surya had known of my purpose and without doubt, it is\nhe that hath unfolded everything unto thee! O Karna, be it as thou\nwishest! O son, except the thunder-bolt alone, tell me what it is that\nthou desirest to have!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing these words of Indra, Karna was filled\nwith delight and seeing that his purpose was about to be accomplished he\napproached Vasava, and intent upon obtaining a dart incapable of being\nbaffled, he addressed Indra, saying, 'Do thou, O Vasava, in exchange for\nmy coat of mail and ear-rings, give me a dart incapable of being\nbaffled, and competent to destroy hosts of enemies when arrayed in order\nof battle!' Thereupon, O ruler of earth, fixing his mind for a moment on\nthe dart (for bringing it there), Vasava thus spake unto Karna, 'Do thou\ngive me thy ear-rings, and the coat of mail born with thy body, and in\nreturn take this dart on these terms! When I encounter the _Daitya_ in\nbattle, this dart that is incapable of being baffled, hurled by my hand,\ndestroyeth enemies by hundreds, and cometh back to my hand after\nachieving its purpose. In thy hand, however, this dart, O son of _Suta_,\nwill slay only one powerful enemy of thine. And having achieved that\nfeat, it will, roaring and blazing, return to me!' Thereat Karna said,\n'I desire to slay in fierce fight even one enemy of mine, who roareth\nfiercely and is hot as fire, and of whom I am in fear!' At this, Indra\nsaid, 'Thou shall slay such a roaring and powerful foe in battle. But\nthat one whom thou seekest to slay, is protected by an illustrious\npersonage. Even He whom persons versed in the Vedas call '_the\ninvincible Boar_,' and '_the incomprehensible Narayana_,' even that\nKrishna himself, is protecting him!' Thereupon Karna replied, 'Even if\nthis be so, do thou, O illustrious one give me the weapon that will\ndestroy only one powerful foe! I shall, on my part, bestow on thee my\nmail and ear-rings, cutting them off my person. Do thou, however, grant\nthat my body, thus wounded, may not be unsightly!' Hearing this, Indra\nsaid, 'As thou, O Karna, art bent upon observing the truth, thy person\nshall not be unsightly, or shall any scar remain on it. And, O thou best\nof those that are graced with speech, O Karna, thou shall be possessed\nof complexion and energy of thy father himself. And if, maddened by\nwrath, thou hurlest this dart, while there are still other weapons with\nthee, and when thy life also is not in imminent peril, it will fall even\non thyself.' Karna answered, 'As thou directest me, O Sakra, I shall\nhurl this _Vasavi_ dart only when I am in imminent peril! Truly I tell\nthee this!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thereupon, O king, taking the blazing dart,\nKarna began to peel off his natural mail. And beholding Karna cutting\nhis own body, the entire host of celestials and men and _Danavas_ set up\na leonine roar. And Karna betrayed no contortions of face while peeling\nhis mail. And beholding that hero among men thus cutting his body with\nan weapon, smiling ever and anon, celestial kettle-drums began to be\nplayed upon and celestial flowers began to be showered on him. And Karna\ncutting off the excellent mail from his person, gave it to Vasava, still\ndripping. And cutting off his ear-rings also from off his ears, he made\nthem over to Indra. And it is for this fact that he came to be called\nKarna. And Sakra, having thus beguiled Karna that made him famous in the\nworld, thought with a smile that the business of the sons of Pandu had\nalready been completed. And having done all this, he ascended to heaven.\nAnd hearing that Karna had been beguiled, all the sons of Dhritarashtra\nbecame distressed and shorn of pride. And the sons of Pritha, on the\nother hand, learning that such plight had befallen the son of the\ncharioteer, were filled with joy.\"\n\nJanamejaya said, \"Where were those heroes, the sons of Pandu, at that\ntime? And from whom did they hear this welcome news? And what also did\nthey do, when the twelfth year of their exile passed away? Do thou, O\nillustrious one, tell me all this!\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having defeated the chief of the Saindhavas, and\nrescued Krishna, and having outlived the entire term of their painful\nexile in the woods, and having listened to the ancient stories about\ngods and _Rishis_ recited by Markandeya, those heroes among men returned\nfrom their asylum in Kamyaka to the sacred Dwaitavana, with all their\ncars, and followers, and accompanied by their charioteers, their kine,\nand the citizens who had followed them.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCCIX\n\n(_Aranya Parva_)\n\nJanamejaya said, \"Having felt great affliction on account of the\nabduction of their wife and having rescued Krishna thereafter, what did\nthe Pandavas next do?\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having felt great affliction on account of the\nabduction of Krishna, king Yudhishthira of unfading glory, with his\nbrothers, left the woods of Kamyaka and returned to the delightful and\npicturesque Dwaitavana abounding in trees and containing delicious\nfruits and roots. And the sons of Pandu with their wife Krishna began to\nreside there, living frugally on fruits and practising rigid vows. And\nwhile those repressers of foes, the virtuous king Yudhishthira, the son\nof Kunti, and Bhimasena, and Arjuna, and those other sons of Pandu born\nof Madri, were dwelling in Dwaitavana, practising rigid vows, they\nunderwent, for the sake of a Brahmana, great trouble, which, however,\nwas destined to bring about their future happiness. I will tell thee all\nabout the trouble which those foremost of Kurus underwent while living\nin those woods, and which in the end brought about their happiness. Do\nthou listen to it! Once on a time, as a deer was butting about, it\nchanced that the two sticks for making fire and a churning staff\nbelonging to a Brahmana devoted to ascetic austerities, struck fast into\nits antlers. And, thereupon, O king, that powerful deer of exceeding\nfleetness with long bounds, speedily went out of the hermitage, taking\nthose articles away. And, O foremost of Kurus, seeing those articles of\nhis thus carried away, the Brahmana, anxious on account of his\n_Agnihotra_, quickly came before the Pandavas. And approaching without\nloss of time Ajatasatru seated in that forest with his brothers, the\nBrahmana, in great distress, spake these words, 'As a deer was butting\nabout, it happened, O king, that my fire-sticks and churning staff which\nhad been placed against a large tree stuck fast to its antlers. O king,\nthat powerful deer of exceeding fleetness hath speedily gone out of the\nhermitage with long bounds, taking those articles away. Tracking that\npowerful deer, O king, by its foot-prints, do ye, ye sons of Pandu,\nbring back those articles of mine, so that my _Agnihotra_ may not be\nstopped!' Hearing these words of the Brahmana, Yudhishthira became\nexceedingly concerned. And the son of Kunti taking up his bow sallied\nout with his brothers. And putting on their corselets and equipped with\ntheir bows, those bulls among men, intent upon serving the Brahmana,\nswiftly sallied out in the wake of the deer. And descrying the deer at\nno great distance, those mighty warriors discharged at it barbed arrows\nand javelins and darts, but the sons of Pandu could not pierce it by any\nmeans. And as they struggled to pursue and slay it, that powerful deer\nbecame suddenly invisible. And losing sight of the deer, the\nnoble-minded sons of Pandu, fatigued and disappointed and afflicted with\nhunger and thirst, approached a banian tree in that deep forest, and sat\ndown in its cool shade. And when they had sat down, Nakula stricken with\nsorrow and urged by impatience, addressed his eldest brother of the Kuru\nrace, saying, 'In our race, O king, virtue hath never been sacrificed,\nnor hath there been loss of wealth from insolence. And being asked, we\nhave never said to any creature, Nay! Why then in the present case have\nwe met with this disaster?'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCCX\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'There is no limit to calamities. Nor is it possible\nto ascertain either their final or efficient cause. It is the Lord of\njustice alone who distributeth the fruits of both virtue and vice.'\nThereupon Bhima said, 'Surely, this calamity hath befallen us, because I\ndid not slay the _Pratikamin_ on the very spot, when he dragged Krishna\nas a slave into the assembly.' And Arjuna said, 'Surely, this calamity\nhath befallen us because I resented not those biting words piercing the\nvery bones, uttered by the _Suta's_ son!' And Sahadeva said, 'Surely, O\nBharata, this calamity hath befallen us because I did not slay Sakuni\nwhen he defeated thee at dice!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then king Yudhishthira addressed Nakula saying,\n'Do thou, O son of Madri, climb this tree and look around the ten points\nof the horizon. Do thou see whether there is water near us or such trees\nas grow on watery grounds! O child, these thy brothers are all fatigued\nand thirsty.' Thereupon saying, 'So be it,' Nakula speedily climbed up a\ntree, and having looked around, said unto his eldest brother, 'O king, I\nsee many a tree that groweth by the water-side, and I hear also the\ncries of cranes. Therefore, without doubt, water must be somewhere\nhere.' Hearing these words, Kunti's son Yudhishthira, firm in truth,\nsaid, 'O amiable one, go thou and fetch water in these quivers!' Saying,\n'So be it,' at the command of his eldest brother Nakula quickly\nproceeded towards the place where there was water and soon came upon it.\nAnd beholding a crystal lake inhabited by cranes he desired to drink of\nit, when he heard these words from the sky, 'O child, do not commit this\nrash act! This lake hath already been in my possession. Do thou, O son\nof Madri, first answer my questions and then drink of this water and\ntake away (as much as thou requirest).' Nakula, however, who was\nexceedingly thirsty, disregarding these words, drank of the cool water,\nand having drunk of it, dropped down dead. And, O represser of foes,\nseeing Nakula's delay, Yudhishthira the son of Kunti said unto Sahadeva,\nthe heroic brother of Nakula, 'O Sahadeva, it is long since our brother,\nhe who was born immediately before thee, hath gone from hence! Do thou,\ntherefore, go and bring back thy uterine brother, together with water.'\nAt this, Sahadeva, saying, 'So be it,' set out in that direction; and\ncoming to the spot, beheld his brother lying dead on the ground. And\nafflicted at the death of his brother, and suffering severely from\nthirst, he advanced towards the water, when these words were heard by\nhim, 'O child, do not commit this rash act! This lake hath already been\nin my possession. First answer my question, and then drink of the water\nand take away as much as thou mayst require.' Sahadeva, however, who was\nextremely thirsty, disregarding these words, drank of the water, and\nhaving drunk of it, dropped down dead. Then Yudhishthira, the son of\nKunti, said unto Vijaya, 'It is long since, O Vibhatsu, that thy two\nbrothers have gone, O represser of foes! Blessed be thou! Do thou bring\nthem back, together with water. Thou art, O child, the refuge of us all\nwhen plunged in distress!' Thus addressed, the intelligent Gudakesa,\ntaking his bow and arrows and also his naked sword, set out for that\nlake of waters. And reaching that spot, he whose car was drawn by white\nsteeds beheld those tigers among men, his two younger brothers who had\ncome to fetch water, lying dead there. And seeing them as if asleep,\nthat lion among men, exceedingly aggrieved, raised his bow and began to\nlook around that wood. But he found none in that mighty forest. And,\nbeing fatigued, he who was capable of drawing the bow by his left hand\nas well, rushed in the direction of the water. And as he was rushing\n(towards the water), he heard these words from the sky, 'Why dost thou\napproach this water? Thou shalt not be able to drink of it by force. If\nthou, O Kaunteya, can answer the question I will put to thee, then only\nshalt thou drink of the water and take away as much as thou requirest, O\nBharata!' Thus forbidden, the son of Pritha said, 'Do thou forbid me by\nappearing before me! And when thou shalt be sorely pierced with my\narrows, thou wilt not then again speak in this way!' Having said this,\nPartha covered all sides with arrows inspired by _mantras_. And he also\ndisplayed his skill in shooting at an invisible mark by sound alone.\nAnd, O bull of the Bharata race, sorely afflicted with thirst, he\ndischarged barbed darts and javelins and iron arrows, and showered on\nthe sky innumerable shafts incapable of being baffled. Thereupon, the\ninvisible Yaksha said, 'What need of all this trouble, O son of Pritha?\nDo thou drink only after answering my questions! If thou drink, however,\nwithout answering my questions, thou shalt die immediately after.' Thus\naddressed, Pritha's son Dhananjaya capable of drawing the bow with his\nleft hand as well, disregarding those words, drank of the water, and\nimmediately after dropped down dead. And (seeing Dhananjaya's delay)\nKunti's son Yudhishthira addressed Bhimasena, saying, 'O represser of\nfoes, it is a long while that Nakula and Sahadeva and Vibhatsu have gone\nto fetch water, and they have not come yet, O Bharata! Good betide thee!\nDo thou bring them back, together with water!' Thereupon saying, 'So be\nit,' Bhimasena set out for that place where those tigers among men, his\nbrothers, lay dead. And beholding them, Bhima afflicted though he was\nwith thirst, was exceedingly distressed. And that mighty armed hero\nthought all that to have been the act of some Yaksha or Rakshasa. And\nPritha's son Vrikodara thought, 'I shall surely have to fight today. Let\nme, therefore, first appease my thirst.' Then that bull of the Bharata\nrace rushed forward with the intention of drinking. Thereupon the Yaksha\nsaid, 'O child, do not commit this rash act! This lake hath already been\nin my possession. Do thou first answer my questions, and then drink and\ntake away as much water as thou requirest!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed by that Yaksha of immeasurable\nenergy, Bhima, without answering his questions, drank of the water. And\nas soon as he drank, he fell down dead on the spot. Then thinking that\nhis brothers had left him long since, Yudhishthira waited for some time.\nAnd the king said unto himself again and again, 'Why is it that the two\nsons of Madri are delaying? And why doth the wielder also of the\n_Gandiva_ delay? And why doth Bhima too, endued with great strength,\ndelay? I shall go to search for them!' And resolved to do this, the\nmighty-armed Yudhishthira then rose up, his heart burning in grief. And\nthat bull among men, the royal son of Kunti thought within himself. 'Is\nthis forest under some malign influence? Or, is it infested by some\nwicked beasts? Or, have they all fallen, in consequence of having\ndisregarded some mighty being? Or, not finding water in the spot whither\nthose heroes had first repaired, they have spent all this time in search\nthrough the forest? What is that reason for which those bulls among men\ndo not come back?' And speaking in this strain, that foremost of\nmonarchs, the illustrious Yudhishthira, entered into that mighty forest\nwhere no human sound was heard and which was inhabited by deer and bears\nand birds, and which was adorned with trees that were bright and green,\nand which echoed with the hum of the black-bee and the notes of winged\nwarblers. As he was proceeding along, he beheld that beautiful lake\nwhich looked as if it had been made by the celestial artificer himself.\nAnd it was adorned with flowers of a golden hue and with lotuses and\n_Sindhuvars_. And it abounded with canes and _Ketakas_ and _Karaviras_\nand _Pippalas_, and fatigued with toil, Yudhishthira saw that tank and\nwas struck with wonder.\"\n\n\nSECTION CCCXI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Yudhishthira saw his brothers, each possessed of the\nglory of Indra himself, lying dead like the Regents of the world dropped\nfrom their spheres at the end of the _Yuga_. And beholding Arjuna lying\ndead, with his bow and arrows dropped on the ground, and also Bhimasena\nand the twins motionless and deprived of life, the king breathed a hot\nand long sigh, and was bathed in tears of grief. And beholding his\nbrothers lying dead, the mighty armed son of Dharma with heart racked in\nanxiety, began to lament profusely, saying, 'Thou hadst, O mighty-armed\nVrikodara, vowed, saying,--_I shall with mace smash the thighs of\nDuryodhana in battle!_ O enhancer of the glory of the Kurus, in thy\ndeath, O mighty-armed and high-souled one, all that hath become\nfruitless now! The promises of men may be ineffectual; but why have the\nwords of the gods uttered in respect of thee been thus fruitless? O\nDhananjaya, while thou wert in thy mother's lying-in-room, the gods had\nsaid,--_O Kunti, this thy son shall not be inferior to him of a thousand\neyes!_ And in the northern Paripatra mountains, all beings had sung,\nsaying,--_The prosperity (of this race), robbed by foes will be\nrecovered by this one without delay. No one will be able to vanquish him\nin battle, while there will be none whom he will not be able to\nvanquish._ Why then hath that Jishnu endued with great strength been\nsubject to death? Oh, why doth that Dhananjaya, relying on whom we had\nhitherto endured all this misery, lie on the ground blighting[66] all my\nhopes! Why have those heroes, those mighty sons of Kunti, Bhimasena and\nDhananjaya, came under the power of the enemy,--those who themselves\nalways slew their foes, and whom no weapons could resist! Surely, this\nvile heart of mine must be made of adamant, since, beholding these twins\nlying today on the ground it doth not split! Ye bulls among men, versed\nin holy writ and acquainted with the properties of time and place, and\nendued with ascetic merit, ye who duly performed all sacred rites, why\nlie ye down, without performing acts deserving of you? Alas, why lie ye\ninsensible on the earth, with your bodies unwounded, ye unvanquished\nones, and with your vows untouched?' And beholding his brothers sweetly\nsleeping there as (they usually did) on mountain slopes, the high souled\nking, overwhelmed with grief and bathed in sweat, came to a distressful\ncondition. And saying,--It is even so--that virtuous lord of men,\nimmersed in an ocean of grief anxiously proceeded to ascertain the cause\n(of that catastrophe). And that mighty-armed and high-souled one,\nacquainted with the divisions of time and place, could not settle his\ncourse of action. Having thus bewailed much in this strain, the virtuous\nYudhishthira, the son of _Dharma_ or _Tapu_, restrained his soul and\nbegan to reflect in his mind as to who had slain those heroes. 'There\nare no strokes of weapons upon these, nor is any one's foot-print here.\nThe being must be mighty I ween, by whom my brothers have been slain.\nEarnestly shall I ponder over this, or, let me first drink of the water,\nand then know all. It may be that the habitually crooked-minded\nDuryodhana hath caused this water to be secretly placed here by the king\nof the _Gandharvas_. What man of sense can trust wicked wight of evil\npassions with whom good and evil are alike? Or, perhaps, this may be an\nact of that wicked-souled one through secret messengers of his.' And it\nwas thus that that highly intelligent one gave way to diverse\nreflections. He did not believe that water to have been tainted with\npoison, for though dead no corpse-like pallor was on them. 'The colour\non the faces of these my brothers hath not faded!' And it was thus that\nYudhishthira thought. And the king continued, 'Each of these foremost of\nmen was like unto a mighty cataract. Who, therefore, save Yama himself\nwho in due time bringeth about the end of all things, could have baffled\nthem thus.' And having concluded this for certain, he began to perform\nhis ablutions in that lake. And while he descended into it, he heard\nthese words from the sky, uttered by the Yaksha,--'I am a crane, living\non tiny fish. It is by me that thy younger brothers have been brought\nunder the sway of the lord of departed spirits. If thou, O prince,\nanswer not the questions put by me, even thou shalt number the fifth\ncorpse. Do not, O child, act rashly! This lake hath already been in my\npossession. Having answered my questions first, do thou, O Kunti's son,\ndrink and carry away (as much as thou requirest)!' Hearing these words,\nYudhishthira said, 'Art thou the foremost of the Rudras, or of the\nVasus, or of the Marutas? I ask, what god art thou? This could not have\nbeen done by a bird! Who is it that hath overthrown the four mighty\nmountains, viz., the Himavat, the Paripatra, the Vindhya, and the\nMalaya? Great is the feat done by thee, thou foremost of strong persons!\nThose whom neither gods, nor _Gandharvas_ nor _Asuras_, nor _Rakshasas_\ncould endure in mighty conflict, have been slain by thee! Therefore,\nexceedingly wonderful is the deed done by thee! I do not know what thy\nbusiness may be, nor do I know thy purpose. Therefore, great is the\ncuriosity and fear also that have taken possession of me. My mind is\ngreatly agitated, and as my head also is aching, I ask thee, therefore,\nO worshipful one, who art thou that stayest here?' Hearing these words\nthe Yaksha said, 'I am, good betide thee, a Yaksha, and not an\namphibious bird. It is by me that all these brothers of thine, endued\nwith mighty prowess, have been slain!'\"\n\n    [66] Samhritya--killing.\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing these accursed words couched in harsh\nsyllabus,[67] Yudhishthira, O king, approaching the Yaksha who had\nspoken then, stood there. And that bull among the Bharatas then beheld\nthat Yaksha of unusual eyes and huge body tall like a palmyra-palm and\nlooking like fire or the Sun, and irresistible and gigantic like a\nmountain, staying on a tree, and uttering a loud roar deep as that of\nthe clouds. And the Yaksha said, 'These thy brothers, O king, repeatedly\nforbidden by me, would forcibly take away water. It is for this that\nthey have been slain by me! He that wisheth to live, should not, O king,\ndrink this water! O son of Pritha, act not rashly! This lake hath\nalready been in my possession. Do thou, O son of Kunti, first answer my\nquestions, and then take away as much as thou likest!' Yudhishthira\nsaid, 'I do not, O Yaksha, covet, what is already in thy possession! O\nbull among male beings, virtuous persons never approve that one should\napplaud his own self (without boasting, I shall, therefore, answer thy\nquestions, according to my intelligence). Do thou ask me!' The Yaksha\nthen said, 'What is it that maketh the Sun rise? Who keeps him company?\nWho causeth him to set? And in whom is he established?' Yudhishthira\nanswered, '_Brahma_ maketh the Sun rise; the gods keep him company;\n_Dharma_ causeth him to set; and he is established in truth.'[68] The\nYaksha asked, 'By what doth one become learned? By what doth he attain\nwhat is very great? How can one have a second? And, O king, how can one\nacquire intelligence?' Yudhishthira answered, 'It is by the (study of\nthe) _Srutis_ that a person becometh learned; it is by ascetic\nausterities that one acquireth what is very great; it is by intelligence\nthat a person acquireth a second and it is by serving the old that one\nbecometh wise.'[69] The Yaksha asked, 'What constituteth the divinity of\nthe Brahmanas? What even is their practice that is like that of the\npious? What also is the human attribute of the Brahmanas? And what\npractice of theirs is like that of the impious?' Yudhishthira answered,\n'The study of the _Vedas_ constitutes their divinity; their asceticism\nconstitutes behaviour that is like that of the pious; their liability to\ndeath is their human attribute and slander is their impiety.' The Yaksha\nasked, 'What institutes the divinity of the Kshatriyas? What even is\ntheir practice that is like that of the pious? What is their human\nattribute? And what practice of theirs is like that of the impious?'\nYudhishthira answered, 'Arrows and weapons are their divinity;\ncelebration of sacrifices is that act which is like that of the pious;\nliability to fear is their human attribute; and refusal of protection is\nthat act of theirs which is like that of the impious.' The Yaksha asked,\n'What is that which constitutes the _Sama_ of the sacrifice? What the\n_Yajus_ of the sacrifice? What is that which is the refuge of a\nsacrifice? And what is that which sacrifice cannot do without?'\nYudhishthira answered, 'Life is the _Sama_ of the sacrifice; the mind is\nthe _Yajus_ of the sacrifice; the _Rik_ is that which is the refuge of\nthe sacrifice; and it is _Rik_ alone which sacrifice cannot do\nwithout.'[70] The Yaksha asked, 'What is of the foremost value to those\nthat cultivate? What is of the foremost value to those that sow? What is\nof the foremost value to those that wish for prosperity in this world?\nAnd what is of the foremost value to those that bring forth?'\nYudhishthira answered, 'That which is of the foremost value to those\nthat cultivate is rain; that of the foremost value to those that sow is\nseed; that of the foremost value to those that bring forth is\noffspring.'[71] The Yaksha asked, 'What person, enjoying all the objects\nof the senses, endued with intelligence, regarded by the world and liked\nby all beings, though breathing, doth not offer anything to these five,\nviz., gods, guests, servants, _Pitris_, and himself, though endued with\nbreath, is not yet alive.' The Yaksha asked, 'What is weightier than the\nearth itself? What is higher than the heavens? What is fleeter than the\nwind? And what is more numerous than grass?' Yudhishthira answered, 'The\nmother is weightier than the earth; the father is higher than the\nheaven; the mind is fleeter than the wind; and our thoughts are more\nnumerous than grass.' The Yaksha asked, 'What is that which doth not\nclose its eyes while asleep? What is that which doth not move after\nbirth? What is that which is without heart? And what is that which\nswells with its own impetus?' Yudhishthira answered, 'A fish doth not\nclose its eyes while asleep; an egg doth not move after birth; a stone\nis without heart; and a river swelleth with its own impetus.' The Yaksha\nasked, 'Who is the friend of the exile? Who is the friend of the\nhouseholder? Who is the friend of him that ails? And who is the friend\nof one about to die?' Yudhishthira answered, 'The friend of the exile in\na distant land is his companion; the friend of the householder is the\nwife; the friend of him that ails is the physician; and the friend of\nhim about to die is charity.' The Yaksha asked,--'Who is the guest of\nall creatures? What is the eternal duty? What, O foremost of kings, is\n_Amrita_? And what is this entire Universe?' Yudhishthira\nanswered,--'_Agni_ is the guest of all creatures; the milk of kine is\n_amrita; Homa_ (therewith) is the eternal duty; and this Universe\nconsists of air alone.'[72] The Yaksha asked,--'What is that which\nsojourneth alone? What is that which is re-born after its birth? What is\nthe remedy against cold? And what is the largest field?' Yudhishthira\nanswered,--'The sun sojourneth alone; the moon takes birth anew; fire is\nthe remedy against cold; and the Earth is the largest field.' The Yaksha\nasked,--'What is the highest refuge of virtue? What of fame? What of\nheaven? And what, of happiness?' Yudhishthira answered,--'Liberality is\nthe highest refuge of virtue; gift, of fame; truth, of heaven; and good\nbehaviour, of happiness.' The Yaksha asked,--'What is the soul of man?\nWho is that friend bestowed on man by the gods? What is man's chief\nsupport? And what also is his chief refuge?' Yudhishthira\nanswered,--'The son is a man's soul; the wife is the friend bestowed on\nman by the gods; the clouds are his chief support; and gift is his chief\nrefuge.' The Yaksha asked,--'What is the best of all laudable things?\nWhat is the most valuable of all his possessions? What is the best of\nall gains? And what is the best of all kinds of happiness?' Yudhishthira\nanswered,--\"The best of all laudable things is skill; the best of all\npossessions is knowledge; the best of all gains is health; and\ncontentment is the best of all kinds of happiness.' The Yaksha\nasked,--'What is the highest duty in the world? What is that virtue\nwhich always beareth fruit? What is that which if controlled, leadeth\nnot to regret? And who are they with whom an alliance cannot break?'\nYudhishthira answered,--'The highest of duties is to refrain from\ninjury; the rites ordained in the _Three (Vedas)_ always bear fruit; the\nmind, if controlled, leadeth to no regret; and an alliance with the good\nnever breaketh.' The Yaksha asked,--'What is that which, if renounced,\nmaketh one agreeable? What is that which, if renounced, leadeth to no\nregret? What is that which, if renounced, maketh one wealthy? And what\nis that which if renounced, maketh one happy?' Yudhishthira\nanswered,--'Pride, if renounced, maketh one agreeable; wrath, if\nrenounced leadeth to no regret; desire, if renounced, maketh one\nwealthy; and avarice, if renounced, maketh one happy.' The Yaksha\nasked,--'For what doth one give away to Brahmanas? For what to mimes and\ndancers? For what to servants? And for what to the king?' Yudhishthira\nanswered,--'It is for religious merit that one giveth away to Brahmanas;\nit is for fame that one giveth away to mimes and dancers; it is for\nsupporting them that one giveth away to servants; and it is for\nobtaining relief from fear that one giveth to kings.' The Yaksha\nasked,--'With what is the world enveloped? What is that owing to which a\nthing cannot discover itself? For what are friends forsaken? And for\nwhat doth one fail to go to heaven?' Yudhishthira answered,--'The world\nis enveloped with darkness. Darkness doth not permit a thing to show\nitself. It is from avarice that friends are forsaken. And it is\nconnection with the world for which one faileth to go to heaven.' The\nYaksha asked,--'For what may one be considered as dead? For what may a\nkingdom be considered as dead? For what may a _Sraddha_ be considered as\ndead? And for what, a sacrifice?' Yudhishthira answered,--'For want of\nwealth may a man be regarded as dead. A kingdom for want of a king may\nbe regarded as dead. A _Sraddha_ that is performed with the aid of a\npriest that hath no learning may be regarded as dead. And a sacrifice in\nwhich there are no gifts to Brahmanas is dead.' The Yaksha asked,--'What\nconstitutes the way? What hath been spoken of as water? What, as food?\nAnd what, as poison? Tell us also what is the proper time of a\n_Sraddha_, and then drink and take away as much as thou likest!'\nYudhishthira answered,--'They that are good constitute the way.[73]\nSpace hath been spoken of as water.[74] The cow is food.[75] A request\nis poison. And a Brahmana is regarded as the proper time of a\n_Sraddha_.[76] I do not know what thou mayst think of all this, O\nYaksha?' The Yaksha asked,--'What hath been said to be the sign of\nasceticism? And what is true restraint? What constitutes forgiveness.\nAnd what is shame?' Yudhishthira answered,--'Staying in one's own\nreligion is asceticism; the restraint of the mind is of all restraints\nthe true one; forgiveness consists in enduring enmity; and shame, in\nwithdrawing from all unworthy acts.' The Yaksha asked,--'What, O king is\nsaid to be knowledge? What, tranquillity? What constitutes mercy? And\nwhat hath been called simplicity?' Yudhishthira answered,--'True\nknowledge is that of Divinity. True tranquillity is that of the heart.\nMercy consists in wishing happiness to all. And simplicity is equanimity\nof heart.' The Yaksha asked,--'What enemy is invincible? What\nconstitutes an incurable disease for man? What sort of a man is called\nhonest and what dishonest?' Yudhishthira answered,--'Anger is an\ninvincible enemy. Covetousness constitutes an incurable disease. He is\nhonest that desires the weal of all creatures, and he is dishonest who\nis unmerciful.' The Yaksha asked,--'What, O king, is ignorance? And what\nis pride? What also is to be understood by idleness? And what hath been\nspoken of as grief?' Yudhishthira answered,--'True ignorance consists in\nnot knowing one's duties. Pride is a consciousness of one's being\nhimself an actor or sufferer in life. Idleness consists in not\ndischarging one's duties, and ignorance in grief.' The Yaksha\nasked,--'What hath steadiness been said by the _Rishis_ to be? And what,\npatience? What also is a real ablution? And what is charity?'\nYudhishthira answered,--'Steadiness consists in one's staying in one's\nown religion, and true patience consists in the subjugation of the\nsenses. A true bath consists in washing the mind clean of all\nimpurities, and charity consists in protecting all creatures.' The\nYaksha asked,--'What man should be regarded as learned, and who should\nbe called an atheist? Who also is to be called ignorant? What is called\ndesire and what are the sources of desire? And what is envy?'\nYudhishthira answered,--'He is to be called learned who knoweth his\nduties. An atheist is he who is ignorant and so also he is ignorant who\nis an atheist. Desire is due to objects of possession, and envy is\nnothing else than grief of heart.' The Yaksha asked,--'What is pride,\nand what is hypocrisy? What is the grace of the gods, and what is\nwickedness?' Yudhishthira answered,--'Stolid ignorance is pride. The\nsetting up of a religious standard is hypocrisy. The grace of the gods\nis the fruit of our gifts, and wickedness consists in speaking ill of\nothers.' The Yaksha asked,--'Virtue, profit, and desire are opposed to\none another. How could things thus antagonistic to one another exist\ntogether?' Yudhishthira answered,--'When a wife and virtue agree with\neach other, then all the three thou hast mentioned may exist together.'\nThe Yaksha asked,--'O bull of the Bharata race, who is he that is\ncondemned to everlasting hell? It behoveth thee to soon answer the\nquestion that I ask!' Yudhishthira answered,--'He that summoneth a poor\nBrahmana promising to make him a gift and then tells him that he hath\nnothing to give, goeth to everlasting hell. He also must go to\neverlasting hell, who imputes falsehood to the _Vedas_, the scriptures,\nthe Brahmanas, the gods, and the ceremonies in honour of the _Pitris_.\nHe also goeth to everlasting hell who though in possession of wealth,\nnever giveth away nor enjoyeth himself from avarice, saying, he hath\nnone.' The Yaksha asked,--'By what, O king, birth, behaviour, study, or\nlearning doth a person become a Brahmana? Tell us with certitude!'\nYudhishthira answered,--'Listen, O Yaksha! It is neither birth, nor\nstudy, nor learning, that is the cause of _Brahmanahood_, without doubt,\nit is behaviour that constitutes it. One's behaviour should always be\nwell-guarded, especially by a Brahmana. He who maintaineth his conduct\nunimpaired, is never impaired himself. Professors and pupils, in fact,\nall who study the scriptures, if addicted to wicked habits, are to be\nregarded as illiterate wretches. He only is learned who performeth his\nreligious duties. He even that hath studied the four Vedas is to be\nregarded as a wicked wretch scarcely distinguishable from a Sudra (if\nhis conduct be not correct). He only who performeth the _Agnihotra_ and\nhath his senses under control, is called a Brahmana!' The Yaksha\nasked,--'What doth one gain that speaketh agreeable words? What doth he\ngain that always acteth with judgment? What doth he gain that hath many\nfriends? And what he, that is devoted to virtue?' Yudhishthira\nanswered,--'He that speaketh agreeable words becometh agreeable to all.\nHe that acteth with judgment obtaineth whatever he seeketh. He that hath\nmany friends liveth happily. And he that is devoted to virtue obtaineth\na happy state (in the next world).' The Yaksha asked,--'Who is truly\nhappy? What is most wonderful? What is _the_ path? And what is _the_\nnews? Answer these four questions of mine and let thy dead brothers\nrevive.' Yudhishthira answered,--'O amphibious creature, a man who\ncooketh in his own house, on the fifth or the sixth part of the day,\nwith scanty vegetables, but who is not in debt and who stirreth not from\nhome, is truly happy. Day after day countless creatures are going to the\nabode of Yama, yet those that remain behind believe themselves to be\nimmortal. What can be more wonderful than this? Argument leads to no\ncertain conclusion, the _Srutis_ are different from one another; there\nis not even one _Rishi_ whose opinion can be accepted by all; the truth\nabout religion and duty is hid in caves: therefore, that alone is the\npath along which the great have trod. This world full of ignorance is\nlike a pan. The sun is fire, the days and nights are fuel. The months\nand the seasons constitute the wooden ladle. Time is the cook that is\ncooking all creatures in that pan (with such aids); this is _the news_.'\nThe Yaksha asked,--'Thou hast, O represser of foes, truly answered all\nmy questions! Tell us now who is truly a man, and what man truly\npossesseth every kind of wealth.' Yudhishthira answered,--'The report of\none's good action reacheth heaven and spreadeth over the earth. As long\nas that report lasteth, so long is a person to whom the agreeable and\nthe disagreeable, weal and woe, the past and the future, are the same,\nis said to possess every kind of wealth.' The Yaksha said,--'Thou hast,\nO king truly answered who is a man, and what man possesseth every kind\nof wealth. Therefore, let one only amongst thy brothers, whom thou mayst\nwish, get up with life!' Yudhishthira answered,--'Let this one that is\nof darkish hue, whose eyes are red, who is tall like a large _Sala_\ntree, whose chest is broad and arms long, let this Nakula, O Yaksha, get\nup with life!' The Yaksha rejoined,--'This Bhimasena is dear unto thee,\nand this Arjuna also is one upon whom all of you depend! Why, then, O\nking, dost thou wish a step-brother to get up with his life! How canst\nthou, forsaking Bhima whose strength is equal to that of ten thousand\nelephants, wish Nakula to live? People said that this Bhima was dear to\nthee. From what motive then dost thou wish a step-brother to revive?\nForsaking Arjuna the might of whose arm is worshipped by all the sons of\nPandu, why dost thou wish Nakula to revive?' Yudhishthira said,--'If\nvirtue is sacrificed, he that sacrificeth it, is himself lost. So virtue\nalso cherisheth the cherisher. Therefore taking care that virtue by\nbeing sacrificed may not sacrifice us, I never forsake virtue.\nAbstention from injury is the highest virtue, and is, I ween, even\nhigher than the highest object of attainment. I endeavour to practise\nthat virtue. Therefore, let Nakula, O Yaksha, revive! Let men know that\nthe king is always virtuous! I will never depart from my duty. Let\nNakula, therefore, revive! My father had two wives, Kunti and Madri. Let\nboth of them have children. This is what I wish. As Kunti is to me, so\nalso is Madri. There is no difference between them in my eye. I desire\nto act equally towards my mothers. Therefore, let Nakula live.' The\nYaksha said,--'Since abstention from injury is regarded by thee as\nhigher than both profit and pleasure, therefore, let all thy brothers\nlive, O bull of Bharata race!'\"\n\n    [67] Lit. Letters.\n\n    [68] Behind the plain and obvious meanings of the words employed\n    both in the question and the answer, there is a deeper\n    signification of a spiritual kind. I think Nilakantha has\n    rightly understood the passage. By Aditya, which of course\n    commonly means the Sun, is indicated the unpurified soul (from\n    adatte sabdadin indriadivis &c.). The first question then,\n    becomes, 'Who is it that exalteth the unpurified soul?' The act\n    of exaltation implies a raising of the soul from its earthly\n    connections. The answer to this is, 'Brahma, i.e., Veda or\n    self-knowledge.' The second question--'What are those that keep\n    company with the soul during its progress of purification?' The\n    answer is, 'Self-restraint and other qualities, which are all of\n    a god-like or divine nature.' The third question is.--Who lead\n    the soul to its place (state) of rest? The answer is, 'Dharma,\n    _i.e._, rectitude, morality, and religious observances.' It is\n    often asserted that one must pass through the observances\n    (Karma) before attaining to a state of Rest or Truth or Pure\n    Knowledge. The last question is,--'On what is the soul\n    established!' The answer, according to all that has been\n    previously said, is 'Truth or Pure Knowledge.' For the soul that\n    is emancipated from and raised above all carnal connections, is\n    no longer in need of observances and acts (Karma) but stays\n    unmoved in True Knowledge (Janana).\n\n    [69] Nilakantha explains both Dhriti and Dwitiya in a spiritual\n    sense. There is no need, however, of a spiritual explanation\n    here. By Dhriti is meant steadiness of intelligence; by Dwitiya\n    lit, a second. What Yudhishthira says is that a steady\n    intelligence serves the purposes of a helpful companion.\n\n    [70] Nilakantha explains this correctly, as I imagine, by\n    supposing that by 'sacrifice' is meant the spiritual sacrifice\n    for the acquisition of pure knowledge. In the objective\n    sacrifice which one celebrates, the Sama, the Yajus, and the Rik\n    mantras are all necessary. In the subjective sacrifice the\n    acquisition of true knowledge, life and mind are as necessary as\n    the mantras from the Sama and the Yajur Vedas in an objective\n    one. And as no objective sacrifice can do without the Riks,\n    being principally dependent on them, so the subjective\n    sacrifices for acquiring true knowledge can never do without\n    prayerfulness, which, I imagine, is represented as the Riks. To\n    understand this passage thoroughly would require an intimate\n    acquaintance with the ritual of a sacrifice like the Agnishtoma\n    or any other of that kind.\n\n    [71] Some texts read apatatam for uvapatam. If the former be the\n    correct reading, the meaning would be--'What is the best of\n    things that fall?' Nilakantha explains both avapatam nivapatam\n    in a spiritual sense. By the first he understands--'They that\n    offer oblation to the gods,' and by the second, 'They that offer\n    oblations to the Pitris.' The necessity of a spiritual\n    interpretation, however, is not very apparent.\n\n    [72] Yudhishthira has the authority of the Srutis for saying\n    that the one pervading element of the universe is air.\n\n    [73] The word used in the question is _dik_, literally,\n    direction. Obviously, of course, it means in this connection\n    way. Yudhishthira answers that the way which one is to tread\n    along is that of the good.\n\n    [74] The _Srutis_ actually speak of space as water. These are\n    questions to test Yudhishthira's knowledge of the Vedic\n    cosmogony.\n\n    [75] The _Srutis_ speak of the cow as the only food, in the\n    following sense. The cow gives milk. The milk gives butter. The\n    butter is used in Homa. The Homa is the cause of the clouds. The\n    clouds give rain. The rain makes the seed to sprout forth and\n    produce food. Nilakantha endeavours to explain this in a\n    spiritual sense. There is however, no need of such explanation\n    here.\n\n    [76] What Yudhishthira means to say is that there is no special\n    time for a Sraddha. It is to be performed whenever a good and\n    able priest may be secured.\n\n\nSECTION CCCXII\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Then agreeable to the words of the Yaksha the\nPandavas rose up; and in a moment their hunger and thirst left them.\nThereupon Yudhishthira said, 'I ask thee that art incapable of being\nvanquished and that standest on one leg in the tank, what god art thou,\nfor I cannot take thee for a Yaksha! Art thou the foremost of the Vasus,\nor of the Rudras, or of the chief of the Maruts? Or art thou the lord\nhimself of the celestials, wielder of the thunder-bolt! Each of these my\nbrothers is capable of fighting as hundred thousand warriors, and I see\nnot the warrior that can slay them all! I see also that their senses\nhave refreshed, as if they have sweetly awaked from slumber. Art thou a\nfriend of ours, or even our father himself?' At this the Yaksha\nreplied,--'O child, I am even thy father, the Lord of justice, possessed\nof great prowess! Know, bull of the Bharata race, that I came hither\ndesirous of beholding thee! Fame, truth, self-restraint, purity,\ncandour, modesty, steadiness, charity, austerities and _Brahmacharya_,\nthese are my body! And abstention from injury, impartiality, peace,\npenances, sanctity, and freedom from malice are the doors (through which\nI am accessible). Thou art always dear to me! By good luck thou art\ndevoted to the five;[77] and by good luck also thou hast conquered the\nsix.[78] Of the six, two appear in the first part of life; two in the\nmiddle part thereof; and the remaining two at the end, in order to make\nmen repair to the next world. I am, good betide thee, the lord of\njustice! I came hither to test thy merit. I am well-pleased to witness\nthy harmlessness; and, O sinless one, I will confer boons on thee. Do\nthou, O foremost of kings, ask of me boons. I shall surely confer them,\nO sinless one! Those that revere me, never come by distress!'\nYudhishthira said,--'A deer was carrying away the Brahmana's\nfire-sticks. Therefore, the first boon that I shall ask, is, may that\nBrahmana's adorations to _Agni_ be not interrupted!' The Yaksha\nsaid,--'O Kunti's son endued with splendour, it was I who for examining\nthee, was carrying away, in the guise of a deer, that Brahmana's\nfire-sticks!'\"\n\n    [77] That is, tranquillity of mind, self-restraint, abstention\n    from sensual pleasures, resignation, and Yoga meditation.\n\n    [78] That is, hunger, thirst, sorrow, bluntness of mortal\n    feeling, decrepitude, and death.\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Thereupon that worshipful one said,--'I give\nthee this boon! Good betide thee! O thou that are like unto an immortal,\nask thou a fresh boon!' Yudhishthira said,--'We have spent these twelve\nyears in the forest; and the thirteenth year is come. May no one\nrecognise us, as we spend this year somewhere.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Thereat that worshipful one replied,--'I give\nthis boon unto thee!' And then reassuring Kunti's son having truth for\nprowess, he also said, 'Even if, O Bharata, ye range this (entire) earth\nin your proper forms none in the three worlds shall recognise you. Ye\nperpetuators of the Kuru race, through my grace, ye will spend this\nthirteenth year, secretly and unrecognised, in Virata's kingdom! And\nevery one of you will be able at will to assume any form he likes! Do ye\nnow present the Brahmana with his fire-sticks. It was only to test you\nthat I carried them away in the form of a deer! O amiable Yudhishthira,\ndo thou ask for another boon that thou mayst like! I will confer it on\nthee. O foremost of men, I have not yet been satisfied by granting boons\nto thee! Do thou my son, accept a third boon that is great and\nincomparable! Thou, O king, art born of me, and Vidura of portion or\nmine!' Thereat Yudhishthira said,--'It is enough that I have beheld thee\nwith my senses, eternal God of gods as thou art! O father, whatever boon\nthou wilt confer on me I shall surely accept gladly! May I, O lord,\nalways conquer covetousness and folly and anger, and may my mind be ever\ndevoted to charity, truth, and ascetic austerities!' The Lord of justice\nsaid,--'Even by nature, O Pandava, hast thou been endued with these\nqualities, for thou art the Lord of justice himself! Do thou again\nattain what thou asked for!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Having said these words, the worshipful Lord\nof justice, who is the object of contemplation of all the worlds,\nvanished therefrom; and the high-souled Pandavas after they had slept\nsweetly were united with one another. And their fatigue dispelled, those\nheroes returned to the hermitage, and gave back that Brahmana his\nfiresticks. That man who pursueth this illustrious and fame-enhancing\nstory of the revival (of the Pandavas) and the meeting of father and son\n(Dharma and Yudhishthira), obtaineth perfect tranquillity of mind, and\nsons and grandsons, and also a life extending over a hundred years! And\nthe mind of that man that layeth this story to heart, never delighteth\nin unrighteousness, or in disunion among friends, or misappropriation of\nother person's property, or staining other people's wives, or in foul\nthoughts!\"\n\n\nSECTION CCCXIII\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Commanded by the Lord of justice to thus spend\nin disguise the thirteenth year of non-discovery, the high-souled\nPandavas, observant of vows and having truth for prowess, sat before\nthose learned and vow-observing ascetics that from regard were dwelling\nwith them in their exile in the forest. And with joined hands they said\nthese words, with the intention of obtaining permission to spend the\nthirteenth year in the manner indicated. And they said, 'Ye know well\nthat the sons of Dhritarashtra have by deceit deprived us of our\nkingdom, and have also done us many other wrongs! We have passed twelve\nyears in the forest in great affliction. The thirteenth year only, which\nwe are to spend unrecognised, yet remaineth. It behoveth you to permit\nus now to spend this year in concealment! Those rancorous enemies of\nours, Suyodhana, the wicked-minded Karna, and Suvala's son should they\ndiscover us, would do mighty wrong to the citizens and our friends!\nShall we all with the Brahmanas, be again established in our own\nkingdom?' Having said this, that pure-spirited son of Dharma king\nYudhishthira, overwhelmed with grief and with accents choked in tears,\nswooned away. Thereupon the Brahmanas, together with his brothers began\nto cheer him up. Then Dhaumya spake unto the king these words fraught\nwith mighty meaning,--'O king, thou art learned and capable of bearing\nprivations, art firm in promise, and of subdued sense! Men of such stamp\nare not overwhelmed by any calamity whatever. Even the high-souled gods\nthemselves have wandered over various places in disguise, for the\npurpose of overcoming foes. Indra for the purpose of overcoming his\nfoes, dwelt in disguise in the asylum of Giriprastha, in Nishadha and\nthus attained his end. Before taking his birth in the womb of Aditi,\nVishnu for the purpose of destroying the _Daityas_ passed a long time\nunrecognised, assuming the form of the _Haya-griba_ (Horse-necked). Then\nhow disguising himself in the form of a dwarf, he by his prowess\ndeprived Vali of his kingdom, hath been heard by thee! And thou hast\nalso heard how Hutasana entering into water and remaining in\nconcealment, achieved the purpose of the gods. And O thou versed in\nduty, thou hast heard how Hari with the view of overcoming his foes,\nentered into Sakra's thunder-bolt, and lay concealed there. And, O\nsinless one, thou hast heard of the office the regenerate _Rishi_ Aurva\nat one time performed for the gods, remaining concealed in his mother's\nwomb. And O child, living in concealment in every part of the earth,\nVivaswat, endued with excellent energy, at last entirely burnt up all\nhis foes. And living disguised in the abode of Dasaratha, Vishnu of\ndreadful deeds slew the Ten-necked one in battle. Thus remaining in\ndisguise in various places, high-souled persons have before this\nconquered their enemies in battle.' Thus cheered by these words of\nDhaumya, the virtuous Yudhishthira, relying on his own wisdom and also\nthat acquired from the scriptures regained his composure. Then that\nforemost of strong persons, the mighty-armed Bhimasena endued with great\nstrength encouraging the king greatly, spake these words, 'Looking up to\nthy face (for permission), the wielder of the _Gandiva_, acting\naccording to his sense of duty hath not yet, O king, shown any rashness!\nAnd although fully able to destroy the foe, Nakula and Sahadeva of\ndreadful prowess have been ever prevented by me! Never shall we swerve\nfrom that in which thou wilt engage us! Do thou tell us what is to be\ndone! We shall speedily conquer our enemies!' When Bhimasena had said\nthis, the Brahmanas uttered benedictions on the Bharatas, and then\nobtaining their permission, went to their respective quarters. And all\nthose foremost of _Yatis_ and _Munis_ versed in the Vedas, exceedingly\ndesirous of again beholding the Pandavas, went back to their homes. And\naccompanied by Dhaumya, these heroes, the five learned Pandavas equipped\nin vows set out with Krishna. And each versed in a separate science, and\nall proficient in _mantras_ and cognisant of when peace was to be\nconcluded and when war was to be waged those tigers among men, about to\nenter upon a life of non-recognition, the next day proceeded for a Krose\nand then sat themselves down with the view of taking counsel of each\nother.\"\n\n_The End of Vana Parva_","title":"The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Vana Parva, Part 2","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":174685}